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FILMS 


RADIO 


VIDEO 

• i \ «• « 4* * 

1 ' • 

MUSIC 

4* * 


STAGE 



Published Weekly at 154 West 48th Street. New York 36. N. Y„ by Variety, Inc. Annual subscription. 810. Single copies. 25 cents. 
Entered as second-class matter December 22, 1905, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y.. under the act of March 3, 1879. 

COPYRIGHT. 1955. BY VARIETY. INC.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ' 


VOL. 197 No. 9 


NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1955 


PRICE 25 CENTS 


TWOFERS, FEWFERS AND NOFERS 


Hoisted by Bootstrap, Puerto Rico 
Lively All Over, Including Cafes 


By JOE COHEN 

San Juan. Feb. 1. 

Show biz is looking up In Puerto 
Rico, along with everything else. 
More cafes, theatres and entertain- 
ment activity generally are In the 
cards. There is even a dream of 
creating a motion picture studio on 
the island. 

All the upsurge of amusement 
activity is with Government en- 
couragement, part of Puerto Rico’s 
famous “Operation Bootstrap” to 
eradicate poverty and create a* 
healthy, prosperous middle class. 
While anxious to quicken the tour- 
ist trade it is significant that gam- 
bling is not openly encouraged, al- 
though it is quietly permitted 
(without publicity locally and with 
very little in mainland advertising 
copy). 

Foreshadowing the probable 
growth of entertainment in the 
next couple of years, various New 
York talent agencies are establish- 
ing contacts, securing concessions 
and mending fences. Milton H. 
Lehr, who is producing at the 
Escambron Room, will import 
other shows in the future. The 
Leon Newman Agency has an ex- 
clusive at the Escambron, while 
Music Corp. of America is simi- 
larly related to the Condado Beach 
Hotel. Meanwhile, inquiries about 
talent costs are on the increase. 

The enlarged showbiz sphere in 
Puerto Rico would mostly be 
financed by American coin. There’s 
been a terrifically greater influx 
(Continued on page 67) 


Puerto Rican Enterprise 

San Juan, Feb. 1. 

In Puerto Rico it is not easy 
to secure theatrical costumes 
in a hurry. This problem 
vexed producer Milton H. 
Lehr who needed three sailor 
uniforms last Saturday <29> for 
a television show over Station 
WAPA. 

Three chorus girls solved the 
problem. They “met” three 
sailors at one of the hotels and 
dated them to see the show. 
The gobs sat around in their 
shorts while their uniforms 
were being' televised. 



PROTESTANTS SET 
SERIES A LA SHEEN 

The Protestants have decided to 
follow Bishop Fulton J. Sheen into 
the commercial video field. The 
Board of National Missions has in- 
dicated that Presbyterian clergy- 
man Dr. Louis H. Evans, agency’s 
“minister-at-large,” is making a 13- 
"eek half-hour filmed stanza and 
the sign is out for sponsors. 

Dr. Evans’ show, to be available 
by next fall, it is hoped will be “a 
modern missionary in the home via 
television.” Telepix, being pro- 
duced by Pacific Productions, Inc., 
of Kansas (a group of laymen), 
will be distributed by George W. 
Bagnall, director of Pacific. 

Charles Kalman’s ‘Tenor’ 
Clicks in W. Germany 

Charles Kalman, composer-son of 
the late composer Emmerich Kal- 
man, has had a click at the Staats 
in Frankfurt, West Germany, with 
ms musical comedy, “The Great 
I enor.” Resultantly there is chat- 
ter among the European cognoscen- 
ti that another Strauss pere et fils 
case has developed. 

Young Kalman’s score will be 
published by the house of Felix 
Bloch Erben. 


End of Union Strife 
May Launch Networks 
As Film Producers 

A greenlight for networks to en- 
ter the business of producing their 
own films may stem from the 
contract agreements negotiated 
this week by NBC and ABC and 
the National Assn, of Broadcast 
Engineers & Technicians. One of 
the terms of the new pact calls for 
NABET to relinquish some juris- 
diction over tv-film to rival Inter- 
national Alliance of Theatrical 
Stagehands & Electricians (IATSE), 
thus ending a longtime sore 
spot in network labor relations 
and enabling the webs to go into 
film production. 

What’s been keeping NBC, as 
well as other networks, from going 
into film production has been the 
friction between tiie live camera- 
men and technicians (NABET and 
IBEW) and the film craft union, 
IATSE. Latter has been firmly en- 
trenched as the filmmaking union, 
but NABET has claimed jurisdic- 
tion in some areas and has refused 
ta handle film made by IATSE on 
network equipment and with net- 
work personnel. Compromise 
(Continued on page 79) 


The sticks are now’ as choosy as 
Broadway itself. That is indicated 
by the recent fade of two-for-one 
touring legit shows. 

The air was filled last fall with 
plans for low-budget revivals of 
vintage farces and a few con- 
temporary concoctions, all to be 
produced as low-budgeters and to 
tour on a flood of cui-rate ducats. 
The general idea was to capitalize 
on sexational title and/or exploi- 
tation angles. 

The road public has generally 
refused to fall for the lurid pub- 
licity or the cheapie setup of two 
seats for the price of one. Of the 
seTen “twofer” ventures, five have 
disappeared down the drain. The 
two remaining shows are not only 
relatively strong on title, and star 
names, but generally rate as passa- 
ble entertainment for pop-audi- 
ence draw’. 

Increasing resistance to bargain- 
basement legit is explained in 
various ways. First, patrons have 
learned that half-price bargains 
are apt to rate as dubious enter- 
tainment. It’s an accumulative 
thing. As the once-burnt public 
shies away from twofers, so do lo- 
cal managers jealous of the repu- 
tation of their theatres. 

Also, the downbeat word trav- 
els fast, so towns that have been 
stung make it tougher for others. 
For example, “Getting Gertie’s 
Garter,” after profitable stands in 
Boston and Springfield, failed to 
draw elsewhere in the wake of 
other shoestring entries. 

Twofers are not necessarily “ob- 
jectionable” scripts and generally 
do not draw censorship action or 
even threats, although even the in- 
nocuous ones are touted as sug- 
gestive or naughty. Typically, the 
half-price ventures are low-budget 
revivals of over-age comedies, 
usually given the broadest kind of 
performance. 

Production costs may run from 
$15,000 to $30,000. and the operat- 
ing nut, including theatre share, is 

(Continued on page 79) 


Coast Counts Its Labels and Says: 
There Is, Too, a San Francisco Jazz* 


Miami Grandeur 

Miami: Feb. 1. 

Numerous and elegant new 
hotels at Miami Beach have 
germinated a line of jokes via 
turns playing the niteries here. 
Like this: 

“The new Fontainebleau has 
wall-to-wall carpeting.” 

“What’s uhusual about 
that?" 

“On the ceiling!” 

N.Y. Times Ups Ad Rate; 
But How About Those 
Mailbag B.O. Squawks? 

N. Y. Times has hiked its ad 
rates for the second time in about 
six months. New rates went into 
effect yesterday (Tues. ). Raise was 
attributed to added labor costs and 
increased operating expenses. 

Per-line rates for legit and other 
amusements have gone up 5c for 
both weekdays and Sundays. Tab 
is now $1.99 week days and $2.42 
Sunday. Off-Broadway advertising, 
which falls under neighborhood 
rates, is now $1.05 weekday and 
$1.61 Sunday. Contracts in exist- 
ence prior to the notice of the rate 
changes, w hich was Jan. 27? remain 
in effect until their expiration. The 
paper also recently upped its Sun- 
day newsstand price from 20c to 
25c. 

N. Y. Post and Newark Star 
Ledger also hiked their ad rates 5c 
about two months ago. 

Although Broadway producers, 
managers and pressagents habitu- 
ally gripe about amusement • ad 
rates of all N. Y. dailies, their pet 
peeve is the Times, chiefly because 
of its policy of publishing letters- 
to-the-editor squawks about al- 
legedly high theatre ticket prices 
and claims of boxoffice rudeness. 
“While the Times newsstand rate 
has risen 150% daily and $00% 
(Continued on page 79) 


By RALPH J. GLEASON 

San Francisco, Feb. 1. 
“Is there is, or is there ain’t, 
a West Coast jazz?” That death- 
less question is currently kicking 
up a ruckus in the jazz world that 
looks to last as long as the classic 
controversy over who wrote Shake- 
speare. 

San Francisco and Hollywood 
musicians, natch, say sure there’s 
such a style but from the east 
coast comes vehement denials. 
Critics like Natjientoff and indi- 
vidual musicians by the score dis- 
claim the existence of any geo- 
graphical classification of the 
music. 

Yet it remains a fact that the 
resurgence in jazz, which has re- 
sulted in its becoming a potent 
factor in the packaged record mar- 
ket, began with Coast musicians and 
Coast companies and these artists 
continue to lead the pack. 

Gerry Mulligan, whose Quartet 
! got its start in San Francisco and 
Hollywood, and Chet Baker, who 
got his start with Mulligan, have 
been among the top album sellers 
in the entire record business in 
the last year with their LPs on 
Fantasy (a Frisco indie company), 
Pacific Jazz (L.A.), Gene Norman 
Presents (L A.) and Capitol (L.A.). 

Dave Brubeck, whose quartet is 
strictly a Frisco product, not only 
got his start here and has his first 
dozen or so LPs issued on the local 
jazz label, Fantasy, but has gone 
on to be listed by Columbia as 
(Continued on page 62) 




War— And Show Biz— Needs Engineers 


Five speakers representing sci- 
; ence, Government and industry 
gathered Friday -128) at the Co- 
lumbia Club, N. Y. to drive home 
to the lay and technical press that 
Russia will graduate 54.000 engi- 
neers in 1955. two-and-a-half times 
as many as the United States. It 
is dangerous complacency to 
think America is superior and 
USSR inferior. Russia is out to 
equal or excel the States’ tech- 
nology and to this end grants 
young engineers high status, finan- 
cial incentive and military exemp- 
tion — completely topping capital- 
ism’s best offers. 

Reporters promptly asked this 
question: If America was so hard 
up for engineers should they be 


“wasted” designing “new packages 
and bottles for advertising or color 
tv so that we can see the color of 
Bob Hope’s necktie?” 

Discussion which followed cen- 
tered on the idea that the tech- 
nology of a democracy is free, ver- 
satile and undoctrinaire and that 
during World W’ar II scientists 
previously employed in designing 
sleek' automobiles, Lionel Trains, 
plastic toys and lady’s perfumes 
came up with waj^winning scien- 
tific answers. Said one speaker: 
“Double the salaries paid begin- 
ning engineers and the manpower 
problem will be licked overnight. 
Too often graduate engineers get 
less pay than union welders." 

Meanwhile, the Society of Mo- 
tion Picture and Television Engi- 


neers is also concerned over the 
lack of new engineering talent go- 
ing into the film field. “The same 
men who practically started with 
the business 25 and 30 years ago 
are still there,” commented Presi- 
dent John G. Frayne last week. 
“There’s no influx of new people 
and little effort is being made to 
develop a team of second-stringers 
that will eventually take over. It’s 
a fact today that the studios lack 
trained people.” 

A committee to be formed by 
SMPTE will take in colleges, film 
studios, equipment suppliers and 
possibly also the unions. Its pri- 
mary effort will be to investigate 
what can and should be done to 
develop new film engineering tal- 
ent. 


PEPSI COLA HITS THE 
SPOUT ON BROADWAY 

Broadway’s newest dazzler, the 
Pepsi-Cola sign, will rise March 1 
as the topper on the Bond clothing 
establishment. The Douglas Leigh 
spectacular is a 1,000, 000- watter 
starring two glowing bottles five 
stories high with a bottle crown 50 
feet in diameter. As a basis for 
comparison, it’s 12 times bigger 
than Pepsi’s former sign 'on the 
main stem. 

Among the extra added attrac- 
tions will be a broad waterfall run- 
continued on page 77) 


Shoplifters’ Trade Tricks 
Revealed in Store Film 

Minneapolis, Feb. 1. 

International Security Corp. 
here has produced a 30-minute film 
designed to show store operators 
how to combat shoplifting. 

Picture, which will be exhibited 
in stores throughout the country 
and which may be made available 
for theatres, reveals the shoplifting 
tricks of professional, amateur and 
juvenile boosters. 

Minneapolis department store 
employes play shoplifting roles in 
th'e film which was made by Film 
Enterprises, a Twin Cities’ com- 
pany. 










2 


MISCEIXWY 


t'S'RIETY 


Wednewlay, February 2, 19,>,> 


Arthur Lubin’s Credo on Directing 


Megger, Like Actor, Must Fight ‘Typing’ — Calls 
British Studio Wages So Low It’s ‘Shocking’ 


By GEORGE GILBERT 

Fear of being typed poses as 
much a problem for a director as 
it does an actor according to vet- 
eran megger Arthur Lubin. Prior 
to leaving for the Coast over the 
weekend to start his sixth “Fran- 
cis” picture for Universal, he em- 
phasized that many directors are 
turning independent to preserve 
their artistic freedom. 

While admitting that he himself 
had been enmeshed in several 
“series” films, Lubin declared 
that his basic film-making policy 
was “to make pictures that I like 
to make.” In line with that con- 
cept he acquired screen rights to 
“The Interruption,” a novel by W. 
W. Jacobs, from the author’s es- 
tate some four years ago. 

Mike Frankovich’s Film Loca- 
tions Ltd. became interested in 
the property 18 months ago with 
the result that under its aegis and 
Lubin’s direction “Interruption” 
was lensed as a Jean Simmons- 
Stewart Granger starrer for Co- 
lumbia release. A period meller 
(Continued on page 22) 


Sex Transit Gloria 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 
Voluptua — or Gloria Pall — 
who touched up old films with 
live sex-tease over KABC-TVi 
has been dropped by the sta- 
tion after seven weeks, due 
to pressure groups. 

Films’ sponsor got plate- 
shy, so, the whole thing was- 
called off by Hunt Stromberg 
Jr., who reported as many re- 
quests for pinups as criti- 
cisms. 

Harry Sosnik’s Own Music 
Publishing Firm Set Up 

Harry Sosnik has followed a pat- 
tern now commonplace for crea- 
tors and interpreters of music and 
has established his own publish- 
ing house. Harbet Music Publish- 
ing Co. derives its name from the 
first syllables of the orchestra lead- 
er’s and his wife’s (Betty) names. 

While Sosnik expects to have 
some of his works, as heretofore, 
published by other houses, Harbet 
will enable him to control and ex- 
ploit copyrights of the considerable 
amount of music he regularly com- 
poses for radio and television pro- 
grams. On the basis of his long 
standing as a member of ASCAP, 
the Harbet company has been 
| granted ASCAP participation. 
Meanwhile Sosnik and librettist 
Rejection of the French picture Charles Tobias have teamed to pro- 
“Game of Love” by the Maryland duce “My Brother’s Keeper.” This 
and Pennsylvania censors stands is the same title as the bestselling 
to bring court tests in both of novel by Marcia Davenport, 
these states, according to William (At the present time there is no 
Shelton, v.p. of Times Film Corp., i known Hollywood interest in mak- 
which distributes the import. ing a film of the book, despite its 

Shelton said the Maryland ruling success, because . of the subject- 
W'culd definitely be appealed in the matter, based on the Collyer Broth- 
courts. In Pennsylvania Times ers, being considered shy on sex- 
Film is waiting for a censor board appeal for the screen. Ed.) 
decision on its appeal for reversal 
of the board's “rejection in its en- 
tirety” edict. If it isn’t forthcom- 
ing. Shelton said, “we will imme- 
diately institute a suit in the Court 
of Common Pleas challenging the 
decision.” 


Accoladed in France, 

Called Dirty Here; 
Ban ‘Game cf Love’ 



HORACE HEIDT 

For Swift A Co. 

Offices — J. Walter Thompson, 
Chicago 


Mary Hunter Marrying 


MUSEUM OF IMMIGRANTS 


Mary Hunter, Broadway stage di- 
rector, currently executive of the 
Theatre Guild, is marrying Feb. 18 
Based on the Colette novel, and and will reside in Hartford, Conn, 
directed by Claude Autant-Lara, i Her bridegroom is Herman Wolf. 
“Game of Love” is the winner of PR operator and executive aide to 
the 1954 Grand Prix du Cinema .Connecticut’s first Democratic gov- 
Francais, the French equivalent of ernor in years, Abe Ribicoff. 
the Academy Awards. Miss Hunter was until recently 

! executive director of the now- 

building American Shakespeare 
Festival & Academy at Stratford, 

1 Conn. (Runner-up to Stratford, 

Skouras, Dowling Among Those England, and Stratford, Ont.) In 
Securing N.Y. Charter the old radio days she played 

^ Marge on “Easy Aces.” 

Cnom . .j clr Albany ’ F< \ b }• , Widower Wolf has three chil- 
Spyros P. Skouras, president of H 

20th Century-Fox, and Robert W. 

Dowling, of City Investing Co. (le- 
git), are among the 17 trustees of 
the nonprofit corporation, the 
American Museum of Immigration, 
which received Friday (28) the 
grant of an absolute charter by the 
Board of Regents. 

Proposed as “a national monu- 
ment to the many different peo- 
ples, immigrants all, who realized 
their dream of unity and freedom 

in this country, the Museum will Madras, India, Jan. 18. 

be located on Bedloe’s Island in Though the year did not start 
New York harbor, at the foot of with good augury, 1954 ended on 
the Statue of Liberty. a note of cheerful anticipation. 

The new national shrine will be Despite financial depression and 
built through the donations of citi- the continued failure of one pic- 
tens throughout the United States; turq after another to stand up, the 
will eventually be administered by industry managed to march on. 
the National Park Service. Despite much surface activity, ac- 


‘Billions & Blunders’ Book 
Comes In on Buildup Wave; 
Raps Propaganda Tyros 

By ROBERT J. LANDRY 

Booksellers around the country 
broke deadline on the new book, 
“Billions, Blunders and Baloney,” 
and have window-displayed and 
sold the volume for about 10 days 
although the official publication 
date was only last Monday (31). 
Present omens suggest that the 
initial run of 15,000 will be ex- 
hausted pronto. 

Bookseller reaction was in an- 
ticipation of Devin-Adair’s special 
exploitation campaign. This in- 
cluded a $5,500 fullpage in the 
N.Y. Times, eye-popping for a 
political-angle volume, and a 1, 000- 
liner in the N.Y. Herald Tribune 
book section. In addition, reprints 
are set with Coronet, American 
Mercury and pending with Read- 
er’s Digest 

An examination of the text 
makes clear why the book was 
flagged in advance as hot. It is a 
head-on attack on America’s whole 
global propaganda as embodied in 
“a cumbersome bureaucratic ma- 
chine with thousands of employes 
constantly seeking to justify their 
existence with blown-up radio pro- 
jects, propaganda-slanted motion 
pictures, ineffective and totally un- 
needed cabled news reports, elab- 
orate libraries often far removed 
from the native population cen- 
tres, subsidized new-spapers, maga- 
zines and anti-Communist slick 
books and pamphlets.” 

What makes this book unique is 
that its author, Eugene W. Castle, 
an investment banker, has devoted 
18 months of his own time and 




I! Current Tax Rules On Dependents 


l 


By ERNEST D. LOEWENWARTER, C. P. A. 


♦ 

I 


EVERY TAXPAYER should find new and valuable tax savings on. 
portunitieS in the new income tax law. The changes affect salary 
and wrfge earners, investors and individuals In business and in the 
professions, partnerships, and corporations, as well as estates and 
trusts. 

There is no change In Individual tax rates, but this year you win 
find many other forms of real tax saving through increased personal 
and family credits and deductions. One of the most important of 
these changes concerns dependents. 

A dependent, generally speaking Is a relative, who earns less than 
$600 a year, and to whose support you contribute more than half and 
who does not file a joint return with a spouse. The new law allows 
you a $600 dependency exemption for any person even though not 
related, if he meets those conditions and uses your household as his 
principal place of abode. A dependent includes an unadopted foster 
child and also a cousin in an institution because of mental or physical 
illness, if formerly a member of your household. 

A child under 19 years of age on December- 31st is now termed a 
dependent even if he earns more than $600 a year, provided you con- 
tribute more than 50% to his support. If he is over 19, arid earns 
more than $600 the child still is a dependent provided he is a full-time 
school or college student, or is enrolled in an institutional farm pro- 
gram for at least five months of the year. But again, you must con. 
tribute more than 50% of his support. If the child has a scholarship 
grant, that is not included as part of his income. But payments to 
him under the G.I. Bill do count as part of his income. They are not 
scholarship payments. 

If more than one person contributes fo the support of a dependent 
and no one contributes mofe than half, anyone of the supporters can 
claim a $600 exemption, provided he contributes at least 10% to that 

(Continued on page 20) 


Squelch Via Buildup 

Ottawa. Feb. 1. 

Ottawa Citizen, which re- 
cently added Ed Sullivan's 
syndicated column, sent three 
men to N. Y. to cover his 
“Toast” telecast featuring Ca- 
nadian sled dogs. Making it up 
were Joe Finn, reporter; Bob 
Blackburn, tv columnist, and 
Bill Newton, photog. 

Coverage took up so much 
space Citizen had to leave 
out Sullivan’s column. 

DISCRIMINATION? 


Par, NBC Splitting 
Tab on McGraw P.A.’s 
In Unique 2-Way Bally 

In a sharp departure from the 
era of the “electronic curtain” be- 
tween the motion picture compa- 
nies and the television industry. 
Paramount Pictures and NBC are 
cooperating in a promotional 
“first.” Paramount and the NBC 
Film- Division are splitting the 
costs of a 13-city balyhoo tour by 
actor Charles McGraw, who’ll plug 
both Par’s “Bridges at Toko-Ri." in 
. _ ... „ _ . V1 . A | which he’s featured, and “Adven- 

Oli.o I.er;slalor Exempts \ideo tures of the Falcon," his own tc;c- 
From His Censorship Drive pjxer which NBC Film Divislon 

I . . , distributes. 

Cleveland, Feb. 1. Under the cooperative arrange- 
City council resolution asking men t paramount will pay all trans- 
fer state passage of a new motion p 0r t a tj on while the Film Division 
picture censorship law is no covers hotel bills and food for the 

meant to include tv film on local 1 3-oity cross-plugging tour, which 
outlets according to Councilman kicked 0 ff j n n cw York last week. 
Kernut Neely, one of the sponsors , McGraw made the television and 

01 * I 1 e ' * e 8 lsla U°n. I press interview rounds in Gotham 

At the same time, other council- untd Monday (31), then shoved off 
men, backing the move, said that for Pnstnn anH ’ tho romainint , 
their action has been backed by c m es 
strong “pressure groups” who 
want the law clearly defined as to 
what constitutes “obscene and im- 
moral” films. 

Councilman Neely said he has 
watched tv films and “with but one 
late movie all have been in good 
taste with tv stations apparently 


for Boston and the remaining 
Field exploitation men 
from Paramount, along with NBC 
homeoffice publicists and field 
salesmen, are setting up schedules 
for McGraw in each city he hits. 


DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION 


ethics and operations, something 
made two extended trips to Europe 1 the Hollywood studios have not 
(Continued on page 77) I done.” 


living up to their own code of Associated Press Instructs Its 

Staffers on Television News 


India: No Language Unity Plus Poverty 

Soundtracks in Tamil, Teluga, Hindi, Bengali — Also I)u!> Into Sinhalese lo Create Ex- 
port Market in Ceylon — Bad Feeling Ends India and Pakistan Film Exchange — Hindoo 
Morality Makes Censorship of American Pictures Drastic, and Getting Worse 


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- By N. S. ESWAR- 

tual production slowed down con- 
siderably. Statistically, the drop 
in South was only a little over 
pictures produced has been de- 
creasing year by year. 

There was a time when it was 
hoped that with the integration of 
India as one political unity provin- 
cial languages would gradually dis- 
appear. Last year proved to be 
the deathknell for such a theory. 
For, in South India, production in 
regional languages showed a note- 
worthy jump, especially in the 
Canarese language. The demand 
for Canarese pictures became so 
great that even Tamil pictures 
were dubbed in that language. Pro- 
duction of Malayalam pictures also 
showed increase over 1953. This 
increased number of pictures in 


Short Career 

Miami, Feb. 1. 

Comedy twosome of Henny 
Youngman and Slapsie Maxie 
Rosenbloom lasted two weeks. 
Says Youngman: “We got of- 
fers — each separately.” 

Youngman stepped in at 
Copa City when Mae West 
took ill and will stay into run of 
Sammy Davis Jr. until Jimmy 
Durante shows up. 


regional languages has created a 
dent in the market for Tamil, 
Telugu and Hindi pictures on West 
Coast of India and in Mysore State. 
Incidentally, it was a regional lan- 
guage picture in Mahratti that won 
the President’s Award for the 
best picture. 


Invidious Cost Contrast 


J 


The following appeared in a box 
in the Associated Press’ Log for 
Jan. 13-19: 

“The time has come to be as 
realistic in writing about television 
as any other subject in the news. 
Tv is here to stay, like movies, air- 
planes and wire trouble. It pro- 
duces news, but let’s take it in 
stride and not be awed. 

“For example: Avoid loose ref- 
erence to the number of persons 
estimated to be watching a tv show 
or special event. This applies to 
all such estimates, whether attrib- 
uted or not, since they can only 
represent sampling guesses, at best, 
and in any event do not constitute 
news. It is sufficient to say. if 
pertinent to the story, that such- 
and-such an event or show will be 
or was televised, nationally or 
otherwise. 

“Also to be avoided are such 
terms as ‘the magic of television.’ 
| 'expensive tv equipment,’ etc. Ev- 
erybody knows it is magic and ex- 
pensive. So are newspaper presses 
and cameras/’ 


Unfortunately, 1954 has been re- 
markable for an unbroken succes- 
sion of mediocre production. 

Bengal has led the country by 
placing accent on economic real- 
ism. Bengal producers showed 
Madras and Bombay that pictures 
Can be produced much cheaper. 

Madras * is supposed to be the 
cheapest place under the Indian 
sun. It is therefore hardly credible 
that a production ia Madras equals 
costs of Bombay. While produc- 
tion costs on an average picture 
in Madras and Bombay are $100,- 
000, Bengal spends only $75,000 at 
most. Having been left with a 
narrowing market, Bengal is mow 
launching on co-produetion deals 
with Bombay Studios so that Ben- 
gal films will have an all-India 
market. Most of the leading ar- 

n0W WOrk - ! Mrs Ejeanor R-evrU has an- 
DurinK 1954 Madras a.so turned ^as^eT.lenis Edto »d 


Steve Price Turns Lecturer 

Stephen Price, radio-tv director 
and vocal coach whose piece. “Put 
Your Best Voice Forward.” ap* 
peared in the January American 
Magazine, has been signed by Co- 
lumbia Lecture Bureau as a result- 
His theme: “New Adventures in 
Personality Development.” 

He'll break in his new “act ’ on 
the lecture platform this spun?* 
Itinerary is now being laid out. 


(Continued on page 22) 


tv. 




VnlnnulaT, February 2, 1953 


PICTURES 


‘AIL STUDIOS GO TV IN 2 YRS.’ 


54- 53 Comparative Dividends 

Washington, Feb. 1. 

Motion picture industry dividends for 1954 climbed to $28.- 
289,000 from the $23,405,000 low point of 1953, an indication the 
film biz was on the upbeat throughout last year. 

Stockholder melon for December was a comfortable, $5,542,000, 
well ahead of the $4,886,000 for December of the previous year. 

Breakdown by companies showed the following December divi- 
dends: * 

Twentieth, $1,108,000 plus a special dividend of $277,000, com- 
pared with $692,000 for December 1953. 

Paramount pix, $1,170,000 for both years. 

Loews Inc., $1,286,000 compared with $1,029,000 in 1953. 

Consolidated Amusements, nothing last year but $71,000 in 
December 1953. 

Roxy Theatre, $6,000 both years. 

United Artists Theatres, $9,000 both years. 

American Broadcasting — Paramount Theatres, $1,126,000 last 
December, $1,129,000 the year before. 

Allied Artists, $21,000 last year, nothing in December. 1953. 

Universal, $299,000 plus a special dividend of $240,000 in Decem- 
-ber 1954, -and $540,000 plus a special of $240,000 in 1953. 

Pre-Sell the Big Need— Perlberg 


Back from Seven-City Tour Producer Argues That 
Opinion-Moulders Are Generally Unsold 



By WHITNEY WILLIAMS 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

Strong pre-selling is the only 
thing that counts in merchandising 
the average “big” picture in today’s 
market, in the opinion of William 
Perlberg, who with his production 
teammate, George Seaton, just 
made a seven-city tour through the 
east to bally pair’s two current 
Paramount releases, “The Bridges 
at Toko-Ri” and “Country Girl.” 

“Not enough time and money is 
being spent in selling opinion-mak- 
ers on pictures,” • producer de- 
clared. “By these I mean exhibi- 
tor groups, civic and cultural or- 
ganizations, columnists, critics and 
others who formulate opinion 
which seeps through to the public 
and exhibitors alike. Every dol- 
lar spent on this pre-selling comes 
back with a profit.” 

Citing their own case, in which 
he and Seaton insist that each of 
their pictures be in Paramount’s 
homeoffice in N. Y. for a minimum 
of two months, preferably three, to 
show’ and sell to these opinion- 
moulders, Perlberg said duo’s re- 
cent trip showed the tremendous 
penetrative value of such a policy. 

“In Chicago, for instance,” he 
pointed out, “a taxi driver told us, 
without even knowing who we 
were, that a ‘terrific’ film was com- 
ing to town, ‘The Bridges at Toko- 
Ri.’ He didn't know where he’d 
heard it . just heard it. 

“In other cities, we repeatedly 
were told by exhibitors, exchange 
men, columnists, television and 
radio station personnel that they’d 
heard about both our pictures. Of 
course, they’d read the New York 
(Continued on page 22) 


Sues Arch Oboler For 
Capital Gain Procedure 
Following ‘Bwana Devil’ 

Santa Monica, Feb. 1. 

Brenco Pictures Corp. filed suit 
against Arch Oboler in Superior 
Court asking damages of $400,000, 
an injunction and an accounting of 
profits on the 3-D picture, “Bwana 
Devil.” Previously Brenco had 
filed an action in Los Angeles Su- 
perior Court against United Artists, 
involving the same film. 

In the Santa Monica suit, Bren- 
co declares it put up $100,000 for 
a share of the profits of Gulu Pic- 
ture Co., a limited partnership 
which produced “Bwana,” with 
Oboler the sole general partner. 

Later, the complaint contends, 
Oboler made a distribution deal 
with United Artists to create a 
capital gain for income tax pur- 
poses. Still later, it adds, Oboler 
sold all his interests in Gulu, there- 
by dissolving the partnership and 
preventing it from collecting any 
profits from the picture’s release. 

Suit asks a court order enjoin- 
ing the defendant from “assigning, 
hypothecating, transferring, giving 
away or otherwise disposing of all 
or any portion of the profits to 
which the plaintiff is entitled.” 


Writer Employment 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

Survey by the Writers Guild 
of America shows that 18% of 
the active members are work- 
ing in motion pictures on term 
contracts or week to week 
deals, with 16% doing orig- 
inals for filming. 

In the television field 8% 
are employed on a term or 
staff basis. 16% on fiat deals 
and 9% doing originals. Radio 
writing keeps 17% busy, 6 % 
are writing books, 4% are do- 
ing plays and the rest are em- 
ployed in story editing, ad 
writing, public relations and 
short stories. 


20th Worries As 
Pix Are Hurried 
In 'Shortage’ 

Unusual speed with which its 
features are being pushed into re- 
lease almost the day they are com- 
pleted at the studio is causing 
headaches at 20th-Fox. Feeling is 
that present conditions don’t allow 
a proper publicity buildup, nor do 
they give the distrib a chance to 
give exhibitors the right pitch on 
the product. 

Attenfpt to do something about 
this condition is being made by 
20th with its latest release, “The 
Racers,” an offbeat action pic 
focusing on auto racing in Europe. 
Film will be screened for exliibs 
in all of 20th exchanges to give 
it the proper buildup and allow 
a special sales pitch. 

Execs at 20th feel that the pic- 
ture has an outstanding b.o. po- 
tential if properly sold. And they 
feel that the selling has to start 
at the exhibition end. It’s indicat- 
ed that 20th may go in for exten- 
sive co-op ad campaigns on this 
release. 

Problem of the current release 
setup, with exhibs snapping up 
pix as they j'ome off the produc- 
tion lines, has been given a good 
deal of attention at 20th of late. 
It’s realized that elimination of 
the natural “buildup” period of 
the past may have hurt some of 
20th’s attractions at the b.o. At 
the same time, it’s felt that the 
stepped up production pace at the 
studio may tend to eliminate 
some of the problem. 


Powell-Allyson’s UA Deal 

Hollywood. Feb. 1. 

Dick Powell has finalized a one- 
picture releasing deal with United 
Artists whereby production com- 
pany he and Jupp Allyson formed 
will produce film next summer, 
Miss Allyson starring. 

Powell will produce and direct 
for their Pamric productions com- 
pany. 


Mi UNFOLD 

Hollywood. Feb. 1. 

“Every studio in Hollywood will 
be making pictures for television 
within the next two years.” . 

Leonard Goldenson, prexy of 
American Broadcasting-Paramount 
Theatres, made this appraisal of 
Hollywood’s future after two 
weeks of conferring with top stu- 
dio heads. Without naming them, 
he indicated that two of the majors 
would join the swing to tv before 
midyear and are already blue- 
printing their studio space needs. 
(It was conjectured by Goldenson 
that Warners and Metro are the 
companies.) These would be in 
addition to 20th-Fox, which al- 
ready has made known its plans to 
convert the entire facilities of its 
Western Ave. lot to films-for-tv, 
Columbia and Republic, who 
“broke first.” 

But it’s not all for tv that holds 
the vital interest of the studios. 
Theatrical films will benefit as 
well, the video adjunct serving as I 
a proving ground for much-needed | 
new’ and younger talent. In effect 
it will replace the B picture. 

Said Goldenson: “The need was ! 
never greater for fresh, young tal- j 
ent to attract the attendance of the j 
new generation of theatre-goers. 
By making pictures for television, 
the producers will have brought to 
light these new and younger faces. 
Like in ‘B’ pictures they will be 
groomed and nurtured for better 
assignments and will have the add- 
ed advantage of being well enough 
known through their tv exposure 
to command star billing. Not only 
players but writers, directors and 
producers, who can be apprenticed 
to telefilms and create their own 
demand for recognition.” 

Goldenson believes that tv, if 
used properly and effectively, can 
pro^e of immense value to theatri- 
cal pictures at the boxoffice. “Pre- 
selling the public on a picture to 
intrigue its interest can be turned 
to tremendous capital if done 
right,” he reasoned, and cited the 
Disneyland telecast of “20,000 
Leagues Under the Sea” as a glow- 
ing example. He is not satisfied 
that the vast potential has been 
realized and is hopeful of longer 
strides by a committee now explor- 
(Continued on page 20) 


General Teleradio May Expand 
Production of Theatrical Pix 
On Basis Its ‘Gangbusters’ Hit 


— ♦ 


Home-Toll TV Study 

Washington, Feb. 1. 

A decision by the Federal 
Communications Commission 
to move ahead on the subscrip- 
tion tv front may be forthcom- 
ing within two weeks. It all 
depends on the results of a 
staff study requested by the 
commissioners last week. 

Members of the agency de- 
voted considerable time to 
home toll tv at their weekly 
meeting Wednesday (26), ex- 
ploring various problems in- 
volved. However, Variety 
learned, their discussions gave 
little indication that they’re 
thinking is to authorize a go- 
ahead in the near future. 


British Lion Pix 
Temporarily Under 
Government Rule 


London, Feb. 1. 

A wholly-owned government dis- 
tribution company is taking over 
British Lion Film Corp., placed 
into receivership by the National 
Film Financing Corp. last April. 
The new outfit will be called Brit- 
ish Lion Films and will be capital- 
ized at $2,800,000, of which only 
$1,680,000 is being issued, to be 
held privately by NFFC. 

Balance of the share capital will 
only be picked up by NFFC if the 
new company should be in need of 
extra coin. As outlined in the 
House of Commons, the new com- 
pany will be barred from active 
production but will give normal 
distribution guarantees to inde- 
pendent producers. It's expected 
to handle 10 British pix annually 
plus the Romulus output and a 
(Continued on page 18) 


On the basis of the early returns 
for “Gangbusters.” its first feature- 
length picture adapted from the 
longtime radio series, General 
Teleradio is prepared to continue 
the production and possibly the 
distribution of theatrical films. 
Film has 325 playdates lined up 
in the Boston, Buffalo, and New 
Haven exchange territories. In the 
first test saturation booking, all 
127 prints were employed during 
the three-day period from Jan. 
18-20. 

Picture, distributed by Joe 
Levine’s Embassy Films, New' Eng- 
land statesrighter, chalked up 
good returns, hitting, for example, 
$26,000 in four da>s in 18 day-and- 
date bookings in the Providence 
area. In the Boston territory, the 
picture was reported running 
slightly under the gross of Warner 
Bros, recent “Dragnet.” 

Saturation openings, in key the- 
atres as well as nabe houses, were 
backed by a hefty newspaper, 
radio, and tv campaign under the 
direction of Terry Turner, former 
RKO exploitation chief and cur- 
rently General Teleradio’s special- 
ist on tv-radio promotion on theat- 
rical pix. 

Although the handling through 
a statesrighter has worked success- 
(Continued on page 22) 


Anglo-Italo Co-Produced 
‘Star of India’ About To 
Be Salvaged by UA 

“Star of India,” a British-Italian 
co-production which has never seen 
distribution, although completed 
almost a year ago, may move into 
release soon as a result of the ef- 
forts of United Artists. For UA, it 
was disclosed last week, has ad- 
vanced coin to re-dub and re-score 
the Cornel Wilde-Jean Wallace 
starrer. 

- Produced in Italy by Ravmond 
(Continued on page 22) 


National Boxoffice Survey 

Cold Sloughs Trade; ‘Toko-ri’ New Champ, ‘Sea’ 2d, 
‘Cruz’ 3d, ‘Cinerama’ 4th, ‘6 Bridges’ 5th 



Some new' product, much of it 
strong, is helping the firstruns bat- 
tle cold w'eather and snow at the 
boxoffice this stanza. The elements, 
however, are proving too much of 
a handicap in many key cities, with 
an offish tone prevailing in a 
majority of spots. Cold even hurt 
biz as far south as Louisville. 

“Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par), 
which just was launched a week 
ago, is new' b.o. champ by a size- 
alle margin. Playing in 10 keys 
covered by Variety, the Holden- 
Kelly starrer ranges mostly fine to 
great. “20.000 Leagues Under 
Sea” <BV) is capturing second posi- 
tion by a small edge. Walt Disney 
opus is playing in nine keys with 
most of dates solid to smash. 

“Vera Cruz” (UA) is finishing a 
strong third as compared with sec- 
ond a week ago. “Cinerama” (In- 
die), again displaying strength on 
final weeks bally in numerous 
keys. Will take fourth money. 

“6 Bridges To Cross” (U), with 
a batch of new engagements, is 
pushing to fifth spot. “Sign of 
Pagan,” also from Universal, is 
taking sixth place. “Violent Men" 
(Col), just getting around, is 
seventh. 

“Silver Chalice” (WB> is wind- 
ing up eighth. “So This Is Paris” 
(U) is ninth while “Americano” 
(RKO) will finish 10th. “Carmen 
Jones” (20th ), “Romeo and Juliet” 
(UA) and “Detective” (Col) are run- 
ner-up pix. 


“Black Tuesday” (UA) looms as 
a strong new entry. It is nice in 
Providence, brisfc in Philly and fine 
in Cleve. “Bad Day at Black Rock” 
<M-G>, which opened this week at 
N. Y. Rivoli, shapes up better this 
round. It is trim in Chi, fancy in 
Frisco. Jast in Philly but only okay 
in Cincy. and fair in Denver and 
Detroit. 

“Gangbusters” (Indie) continues 
solid in second session for two 
houses in Boston. “Aida” fIFE) 
shapes sock in Chi and Cleveland, 
and is nice in N. Y. and Philly. 

“Women’s Prison” (Col), com- 
paratively new, looms fast in Seat- 
tle. “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday” (GBD) 
is perking currently, being big in 
Pitt, solid in Frisco and socko in 
L.A. 

“Deep in Heart” (M-G), which 
has about finished its bigger key 
city engagements, looks okay in 
three keys currently and is neat 
in Omaha. “French Line” (RKO), 
finally cleared by censors, shapes 
nice in Cleveland. 

“Tonight’s the Night” (AA», fine 
in N. Y., is hot in Providence and 
okay in Seattle. “Prince of 
Players” (20th', currently in six 
keys, hasn’t a single good date to 
report this stanza. 

“She-Wolf” (Rep) looms fine In 
| St. Louis. “Ugetsu” (Indie) con- 
tinues big in Chi and good in 
j Frisco. 

' (Complete Boxoffice Reports on 
i Pages 8 9) 


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Vol. 197 No. 9 

INDEX 

Bills 67 

Chatter 78 

Concert-Opera 75 

Film Reviews 6 

House Reviews 67 

Inside Legit 70 

Inside Pics 10 

Inside Radio-TV 38 

International 15 

Legitimate 70 

Literati 77 

Music 54 

New Acts 66 

Night Club Reviews 68 

Obituaries 79 

Pictures 3 

Radio-Television 23 

Radio Reviews 43 

Record Reviews 54 

Frank Scully 77 

Television Reviews 34 

TV-Films 48 

Vaudeville 63 

Wall Street 11 


DAILY VARIETY 

(Published in Hollywood by 
Dally Variety. Ltd> 

$15 a year. $20 Foreign 



4 


PICTURES 


¥edne«l*jr, February 2, 1955 


‘Showbiz,’ ‘Leagues,’ Vera Cruz’ Paced 


Socko January; Saville’s Chalice’ 
Runs Strong; Italian Pix Do Well 


t t t t»t > ♦ ♦ » M » » i 

if New York Sound Track '■} 

:: : 

Show business is pondering the effect of a bill introduced at Albany 
by Senator Pliny W. Williamson and Assemblyman John Robert Brook, 
to amend present laws to make mandatory, instead of permissive, day- 
light saving time and extend it until the last Sunday in October, rather 
than in September. 

“Unicorn in the Garden,” a UPA cartoon presentation of the James 
Thurber fable, has been nominated for the British Film Academy 
Award. It’s the only American contender this year in the animated 
shorts category . . . Almost a dozen Columbia stars are arriving from 
the Coast this week to appear on Ed Sullivan’s tv salute to the com- 
pany. Entire “Toast of the Town" telecast Sunday (6) will be devoted 
to- “The Columbia Pictures Story” . . . John B. Nathan, Paramount 

general manager for Continental Europe, returned to his Paris head- 
quarters Monday (31). James E. Perkins, chairman and managing di- 
rector of Paramount International in Great Britain, headed by to 
London . . . Jay Landesman out at KETC, St. Louis, which he describes 
as “an educational operation" is reading Variety each week to his 
audiences . . . former editor of highbrow quarterly, “Neurotica," (sic) 
Landesman has also written a novel about you, you and you called 
“The Nervous Set” . . . Victor Saville, the indie producer-director may 
buy himself a New York cooperative apartment . . . Fredric March 
sailed on the Cristoforo Colombo yesterday (Tues.) en route to Madrid, 
where he’ll join the cast of Robert Rossen’s upcoming production of 
“Alexander the Great." Project is scheduled to start Feb. 15. 

"Illicit Interlude," a Swedish import, held over for a 10th week 
at the Art Theatre, Bridgeport, Conn. According to Gaston Hakim, 
who distributes, that’s a history-breaking run for any theatre in Con- 
necticut. Even beats "Gone With the Wind" . . . Stanley A. B. Cooper, 
who runs the only theatre in Brazil, Indiana, confided to the Indianap- 
olis News recently that “Hondo" was his top grossing film of the year. 
He also said Brazilians preferred Marjorie Main to Marilyn Monroe. 
Well now . . . Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television 
Engineers sporting a new blue and black cover designed by H. Leslie 
Varley . . . Harry K. McWilliams named assistant ad-pub and exploita- 
tion director for Magna Theatre Corp. Latter will distribute the Todd- 
AOed “Oklahoma" . . . Renewed interest in Greta Garbo stirred up 
by articles in Life mag prompted Metro to dust off "Camille.” The 
film, starring Miss Garbo and Robert Taylor, begins a special engage- 
ment at the Trans-Lux Normandie. 

Ulric Bell, exec assistant to 20th-Fox prexy Spyros P. Skouras, last 
week married Vivian Hall of the Wm. Morris Agency. Ceremony 
was performed by Justice Stanley Fuld of the N. Y. State Court of 
Appeals. Bell is a former Washington correspondent and president 
of the National Press Club and the Gridiron Club. Mrs. Bell, who 
is from Montana, is studying voice. Marriage took place in the home 
of Maxwell Kriendler, “21" boniface. 

Arthur M. Loew, prexy of Loew’s International, gifted fiis alma 
mater, New York U., wtih $300,000 to help defray cost of new student 
residence hall . . . Lynn Farnol aiming to bring Switzerland to Rocke- 
feller Center Wednesday (9) with a cheese fondue party at a corner 
of the skating rink — tie-up is for “Cinerama Holiday.” . . . Mona 
Freeman, Nancy Olson, and Tab Hunter to attend tonight’s (Wed.) 
opening of Warner Bros.’ “Battle Cry" at the Paramount . . . Robert 
Taylor returned to the Coast . . . Anne Francis in for preem of 
Metro’s “Bad Day at Black Rock" . . . Director George Cukor to 
Pakistan to begin filming of “Bhowanl Junction" . . . Producers Wil- 
liam Pine and William Thomas returned to the Coast over the week- 
end following confabs with Paramount homeoffice execs . . . Nelson 
Riddle, Capitol Records’ composer-arranger-conductor, signed by Re- 
public to arrange and conduct musical score for “Rebel Island," re- 
cently completed film starring Yvonne de Carlo. 

Rex Harrison signed by George Minter to star in Renown Pictures’ 
first Cinemascope film, Dickens’ “A Tale of Tw'O Cities." Budgeted 
at $1,000,000, the pic goes before the cameras at Shepperton studio, 
England, April 1. Guy Hamilton will direct from a Stanley Haynes 
script. “Cities" was last filmed by Metro in 1934 . . . Alfred E. Daff, 
Universal exec v.p., due to return to the Coast over the weekend . . . 
Indie distribs in N.Y. plead ignorance re a Rome report that Italian 
producers are mulling a release deal with indie ops in the U.S. Agree- 
ment wouldn’t involve Italian Films Export . . . N.Y. Times special 
film biz pulsetaking section out next Sunday (6) , . . Sol Lesser has 
bought a Danish-made travel documentary, “Among the Cannibals in 
New Guinea." 


Film business at first-runs over + 
the U. S. in January soared to the 
highest point in several years, ac- 
cording to reports from Variety 
correspondents in some 25 repre- 
sentative keys. The boxoffice was 
so strong that many theatres car- 
ried through product, which had 
been launched early in January, 
until almost Feb 1. Just how trade 
soared is revealed in Variety’s 
monthly tabulation of top grossers 
which shows that the four leading 
films grossed $6,282,000. 

The January boxoffice sweep- 
stakes saw competition so sharp 
that the first three strongest films 
came down to the wire at the end 
of the month in almost a photo fin- 
ish. "Show Business” (20th), “20,000 
Leagues Under Sea" <BV), and 
“Vera Cruz" (UA), finished the 
month with not much to choose 
between them. The terrific totals 
racked up by “Show Business" 
early in January enabled it to grab 
off No. 1 spot. 

“Sea” which is proving a phe- 
nomenal grosser for Walt Disney, 
landed in second place. Pic proved 
not only a matinee moneymaker 
but also a big night pic. This was 
closely followed by “Vera Cruz," 
which finished up a strong third. 
“Cruz" may prove United Artists's 
top grosser of the year. It »s beat- 
(Continued on page 20) 

Film Fan Mags 
Not All-Teen 

General impression that film fan 
magazines have a predominantly 
teenage readership is refuted by 
Ralph R. Martin, of Seventeen, a 
teenager bible. Citing a Starch 
readership survey, Martin notes 
that the median ages of two lead- 
ing fan magazines, Motion Picture 
and Photoplay, are 26 and 27.4 re- 
spectively. A third leading fan 
mag. Modern Screen, not analyzed 
by Starch, reports in its own sur- 
vey that the median age of its 
readers is 21.9. 

The percentage of readers in the 
10 to 17-year-old bracket, Martin 
notes, are as follows: Motion Pic- 
ture, 27%; Photoplay, 23.7%; Mod- 
ern Screen, 24.3%. He points out 
that Seventeen’s median age is 
16.7 and "the basic circulation 
100% between 13 and 19 years of 
age." 

Robert E. Sherwood Doing 
Todd’s ’War and Peace’; 
Two Other Versions Pend 

The three-cornered race to trans- 
form "War and Peace” to a motion 
picture is on in earnest. The Leo 
Tolstoy classic, which filmakers 
have neglected up to this tjme, now 
has no less than three producers 
ready to bring it to the screen. 
They are David O. Selznick, the 
Italo producer Dino DeLaurentis, 
who is preparing an English ver- 
sion, and Mike Todd. 

On the Coast Monday (31), Phil 
Reisman, prexy of the Michael 
Todd Co., revealed that Fred 
Zinnemann had been signed to 
direct and Robert E. Sherwood to 
write the screenplay for Todd’s 
“War and Peace." It’ll be shot in 
the Todd-AO process, with an an- 
nounced budget of $7,500,000. 
Zinnemann recently completed 
“Oklahoma,” first film in the 
Todd-AO process. 

While the Todd Co. did not set 
a starting date. DeLaurentis. via a 
report from Paramount which is 
releasing his “Ulysses," said his 
“War and Peace" would start in 
June. The same month was selected 
by Todd as the time the screen- 
play Is expected to be completed. 

Both Todd and DeLaurentis say 
scenes will be shot in Yugoslavia, 
Todd noting his project will have 
the full cooperation of the Yugo- 
slav army and government. De- 
Laurentis indicated that his film 
would take five months to shoot 
at the cost of $4,500,000 to $5,000.- 

000. In addition to a month’s 
shooting in Yugoslavia, he said his 
company will shoot a month in Fin- 
(Continucd on page 22) 


January Golden Ten 

1. “Show Business" (20th). 

2. “Leagues Under Sea" (BV). 

3. Vera Cruz" (UA). 

4. “Deep in Heart" <M-G). 

5. “3-Ring Circus" (Par). 

6. “Silver Chalice" (WB). 

7. “Sign of Pagan" (U). 

8. “Cinerama" (Indie). 

9. “Young At Heart" (WB). 

10. “This Is Paris” (U). 


Italo Labs Try 
Color Printing 
In Second Test 

Warner Bros, has submitted a 
second color test reel to the Italian 
labs as part of a continuing at- 
tempt to come to an understand- 
ing with the Italians on their bid 
that the American companies do 
their color printing in Italy* The 
first test reel as processed by 
an Italian lab was unsatisfactory. 

Motion Picture Export Assn, 
meanwhile is continuing discus- 
sions in Rome in an attempt to 
stave off an Italo customs edict 
under which no color prints other 
than those processed in Techni- 
color, would be allowed into the 
country. Impression is given that 
CinemaScope films also would be 
allowed in. 

There is confusion in N.Y. 
as to whether or not the Italo rul- 
ing has actually gone into effect 
or is just being held over the 
heads of the companies. In any 
case, it’s felt that the second print 
test will be more decisive than 
the first in part, because the com- 
panies would rather compromise 
on quality than be faced with a 
flat nix on tint print imports. 

The Italo labs have come up 
with various and sundry explana- 
tions on why the first test, also 
submitted by WB, was flunked. 
The problem is for them to manu- 
facture Ferraniacolor prints off an 
Eastman negative. This is conced- 
ed to be a ticklish job. What 
American film company execs fail 
to grasp is the Italian logic in first 
agreeing to a test and then, when 
it turns out negative, going 
through anyway with their law. 
At the same time, it’s understood 
here that the Italo move is caused 
by very strong pressure from both 
labor and the government. The 
Italian labs, which once used to do 
a lot of the U.S. black & white 
printing, have suffered from Holly- 
wood’s switch to color and are 
facing largescale unemployment. 


Of the Making of Laws 
There’s No End in Ohio 

Columbus, Feb. 1. 

Although the battle against the 
attempt to revive film censorship 
in Ohio is getting the main atten- 
tion, the Independent Theatre 
Owners of Ohio will get in its licks 
against two other bills if they come 
to a hearing. 

Exhibitors will oppose a bill to 
impose Daylight Saving Time 
throughout the state every sum- 
mer. They will be in sturdy com- 
pany, inasmuch as railroads, bus 
lines, airlines, PTA’s and farmers 
are fighting it also. 

Another bill provides that Ohio 
State University must have all its 
football games televised and would 
expressly prohibit theatre televi- 
sion unless such telecast also was 
available in homes. This puts the 
Legislature in the position of say- 
ing to Ohio State that it must ob- 
tain a sponsor for such telecasts 
and that even if theatre tv was 
available arid offered more money, 
the University must turn this down 
in favor of home video. 


Flanders Drive-in Theatre Corp. 

has been chartered for $40,000, 
$100 par value. Location is Bay 
Shore. Directors are: Joseph M. 
Seider. Morris Seider and Walter 
F. J. Higgins of New York. 


BOSUSTOW’S UPA TO 
INVADE TELEVISION 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

United Productions of America, 
the cartoon outfit which releases 
through Columbia, hopes to enter 
the tv programming field in 1955 
with a five-day children’s show, 
prexy Stephen Bosustow disclosed 
at the annual meeting of the di- 
rectors this week. Cartoonery, 
which in addition to theatrical car- 
toons also makes industrial, educa- 
tional, and tv commercials, has re- 
ceived permission from Col to use 
the UPA characters in tv advertis- 
ing. 

Bosustow disclosed that the com- 
pany will up its production pro- 
gram in 1955. In line with the in- 
creased activity, the board okayed 
the purchase of adjacent property 
for further expansion of the Bur- 
bank studio. 

The UPA topper disclosed that 
1955 production will include 14 Co- 
lumbia C’Scope short subjects, a 
backlog of $250,000 in industrial 
sales to be produced both in New 
York and on the Coast, and an in- 
crease in the eastern and western 
tv commercial sales to a $400,000 
gross. # 

UPA has also started production 
on its first full-length animated 
feature, James Thurber’s “White 
Dear," in a three-picture deal with 
Hecht-Lancaster, which will finance 
and distribute the films. 

Bosustow was elected prexy and 
board chairman for the tenth con- 
secutive year. Other officers re- 
elected were Robert Cannon, vee 
pee; Don McCormick, veepec in 
charge of UPA New York; T. Ed- 
ward Hambleton, treasurer; Mel- 
vin Getzler, assistant treasurer, 
and M. Davis, secretary. 

Faught Roasts 
Foes of ToD-TV 

Film theatre operators who’ve 
been fighting home toll-tv got a 
roasting last week in a speech 
delivered before the Pittsburgh 
Radio & TV Club by Millard C. 
Faught, economic consultant and 
frequently a spokesman for the 
Zenith Corp. and its Phonevision 
system. 

Referring to the theatre owners’ 
apparent concern for “free tele- 
vision," and their charge that toll- 
tv would constitute a government- 
sponsored monopoly, Faught ob- 
served that “apparently technical 
progress creates even stranger 
bedfellows than does politics. I 
dare say the television broadcasters 
must themselves be a little aston- 
ished at their new champions.” 

Faught then analyzed the exhibs 
counter-weapon to video, theatre 
television, which he called “one of 
the neatest ‘insurance schemes’ 
ever devised. 

"If 100 theatres equipped with 
big tv screens and boxoffices can 
black out a championship fight on 
regular tv, and do it at a profit, 
then what an industrywide insur- 
ance bargain that is when you 
realize that this eliminates a seat- 
(Continued on page 20) 


L. A. to N. Y. 

David O. Alber 
Robert Ardrey 
Susan Ball 
Edward Carfagno 
Donald Crisp 
Brian Donlevy 
Gloria De Haven 
Charles Einfeld 
Henry Fonda 
Anne Francis 
Mona Freeman 
Steve Goodman 
Hope Hampton 
Edward Everett Horton 
John Hudson 
Tab Hunter 
Arthur Kennedy 
John Kerr 
Dino de Laurentiis 
Jack Lemmon 
Richard Long 
Marjorie Lord 
Anna Magnanl 
Darothy Malone 
Charles McGraw 
George Murphy 
Kim Novak 
Milton R. Rackmil 
Ruby Rosenberg 
Alice Simms 
Mike Todd 
Spencer Tracy 
Tennessee Williams 
Ralph Wright 
Gig Young 


20th Answers Lardner 

Washington, Feb. 1. 

The U. S. Supreme Court was 
asked yesterday (31) to throw out 
the appeal of Ring Lardner Jr., 
who is seeking $25,789 in unpaid 
salary under a contract with 20th- 
Fox. Answering brief, filed with 
the high court, claims Lardner, 
one of the “Hollywood 10" who 
went to jail for contempt of Con- 
gress following the 1947 House Un- 
American Activities Committee 
hearings, breached his contract by 
refusing to answer questions of the 
house committee. 

The Lardner petition to the 
Court alleged that if the decision 
stands, it will encourage blacklists 
and “grey lists" in Hollywood. To 
this 20th entered a general pooh- 
pooh. 


N. Y. to Europe 

Leonard Bernsteui 
George Cukor 
Linda Darnell 
Claude Dauphin 
Fred Feldkamp 
David E. Greene 
Robert L. Joseph 
Mrs. Emerich Kalman 
Lee Katz 
Fredric March 
Marijane Maricle 
Gale McGarry 
John B. Nathan 
Peggy Nelson 
James E. Perkins 
Harold Rome 
Herman Shumlin 
Yvonne Wood 


Telecast of Nominees From 
Ciro’s, Romanoff’s, Grove 
In Oscar Preliminaries 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 
Academy Awards nominations 
will be telecast Feb. 12 by NBC 
with tv cameras spotted in four 
widely separated locations. Shots 
of film stars will be made at Ciro’s, 
Romanoff’s and the Cocoanut 
Grove, with pickups from the com- 
munications center in Burbank. 

Cameras will be stationed at each 
of the night spots to televise closc- 
up reactions of those lucky enough 
to be nominated for the Oscar 
Derby. 


N. Y. to L. A. 

J. J. Cohn 
James Dean 
Percy Faith 
Gerry Gross 
Joseph H. Hazen 
Kitty Kallen 
Jules Levey 
Barry McCarthy 
Mitch Miller 
Jack Palance 
Tom Pryor 
William Pine 
Eddie Sherman 
J. Stanford Smith 
William Thomas 

Europe to N. Y. 

Katharine Hepburn 
Anne Jackson 
Prince Littler 
Arthur Lubin 
Line Renaud 
Eli Wallach 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


PICTURES 


EXHIBS ALL TALK, NO MONEY 



The public's desire to see the steady flow of “big” pictures now 
coming from the major studios has apparently lowered the re- 
sistence of theatremen to high terms demanded by the distributors. 
This contention is made by exhibitor leaders in admonishing the- 
atremen not to go overboard to satisfy the public’s "want to see” 
clamor. 

In a cautioning note, the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio 
warns, for example: “A short product supply plus a patronage that 
it selective in its attendance makes it a very hard decision for any 
exhibitor to pass up a good picture, but even under these condi- 
tions we feel that more theatres would pass at least some of these 
pictures if they studied more carefully the longrange effect it is 
having on their business.” 

Apparently, the effort being made by various exhibitor units to 
have their theatre members bypass some of the high percentage 
pictures is not succeeding too webi. From bitter remarks made 
by exhib leaders, it seems that the grassroots theatreman is fol- 
lowing an independent policy in buying and booking despite 
admonitions. Exhibs are further accused by their leaders of fol- 
lowing a "let George do it” policy. Lack of resistance has re- 
sulted in almost all top releases selling at 50-50 or in the 70-30 10 
bracket (10% guaranteed profit to theatre) as compared to three 
or four pictures a year at 35%. 

Reports from ..various Allied territories assembled by ITOO re- 
veal the following policies and terms on current pictures: 

Buena Vista: "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”— Asking the "test 
deal," frequently 70-30 10, but even such offers have been rejected 
because the exhib would not guarantee a 50% minimum to the 
distributor. 

Columbia: "Caine Mutiny”— 50% still being asked in many 
areas. In flat situations, no offers reported except at high premium 
rates. 

"Long Gray Line" — No deals reported yet. but buyers report 
they expect it to be in the super-special category. 

Metro: "Deepp in My Heart” -r- Has performed excellently in 
some situations, disappointing in others. Generally 50% is being 
asked but 40% floors acceptable in some areas. Indications are 
that it’ll soon be sold in regular top allocation. 

Paramount: "White Christmas” — Still being held at 50%. Exh’bs 
feel that playdates from now on will yield substantially less since 
they feel results to date have been dependent on the season. 

"Bridges of Toko-Ri" — Another 50% picture according to early 
reports. 

20th Fox: "No Business Like Show Business” — Asking a straight 
50%. 

RKO: "Underwater" — 40% bids reportedly have been rejected 
and company is holding out for 50-50. 

United Artists: "Vera Cruz" — Straight 50%. 

Universal: "Sign of the Pagan” — Once at 50%, but now strictly 
at scale. 

Warner Bros.: "Silver Chalice"— Some places 40%, but in other 
areas 50%'. 

"A Star Is Born” — 50% but it’s expected that the terms will 
come down shortly. 

"Battle. Cry” — First reports place it at 70-30-10. 

Films (or Kids— So Then What? 


PRODS. CYNICAL 



Despite the exhibitor clamor for 
increased production and the con- 
stant talk of encouraging independ- 
ent production, indie producers 
still claim that when the chips are 
down there are very few theatre- 
men who are willing to back their 
words with coin. Exhibs who have 
pooh-poohed distributpa claims of 
the "risks" in production have 
shown little inclination to offer aid 
for indie producers. This is the 
consensus of opinion of various 
indie producers who have come to 
New York recently on money-rais- 
ing efforts for indie projects. 

While it’s agreed that the posi- 
tion of the indie filmmaker has im- 
proved in recent years, it still is 
very hazardous. The indie pro- 
ducer has to push hard to assemble 
a package deal which a major dis- 
tributor will accept. The majors 
will often provide a certain 
amount of financing, provided the 
indie ban present a complete pack- 
age. i.e.. a finished screenplay, the 
right stars and director. Fre- 

S ientlv it takes months of work 
get all the elements of a package 
to jell. It may involve numerous 
trips to New' York, Hollywood, and 
Europe before 4he various seg- 
ments are put together. 

Costly to Kick Off 
All of this preliminary effort, it’s 
pointed out, takes considerable 
coin and not all producers, despite 
their record of accompl’^hment, 
(Continued on page 20) 


Michael ‘Han*el & Gretel’ Ideal for Tots 

— But Hard to Get 'Em Into Theatres 


Having listened to the siren song 
of the many who claim that there 
Is a vast and untapped audience 
for children’s films in the U. S., 
producer Michael Myerberg is 
currently pondering ways and 
means of converting this wishful 
thinking into hard-cash b.o. re- 
ality. 

The plain facts are these: Mver- 
berg spent considerable money 
(about $1.000,000>, time and effort 
turning out what most of the 
critics hailed as a delightful pup- 
j)et picture, "Hansel and. Gretel.” 
He opened it on Broadway late 
last year, w'ith good results. Then 
RKO took over distribution, the 
pic hit the circuits as the Christ- 
mas holiday attraction and — 
nothing. In fact, it had to be pulled 
prematurely. After Christmas. 
"Hansel” picked up in most spots, 
but not enough to satisfy its pro- 
ducer. 

Myerberg has now come to the 
reluctant conclusion that those 
who urge Hollywood to brighten 
the American child population’s 
days with pix aimed at their spe- 
cial level may be wellmeaning but 
are overlooking some vital aspects 
of today's film market. 

"We ll have to find a new play- 
ing formula for children’s pictures, 
(Continued on page 18) 


Warners Frees Doris Day 
For Own Producing Co. 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

After an eight-year association 
Doris Day was granted release 
from her contract with Warners 
and will make her future films as 
co-partner with her husband, Mar- 
tin Melcher, under the Arwin Pro- 
ductions banner. Parting was a 
surprise, as her WB deal still had 
three years to run. 

Lined up for Arwin production 
are "Rhythm and Blues.” "Nothing 
But a Woman” and "Yankee 
Doodle Girl.” 


Corporate Shell, 
RKO Pictures 
Shows a Profit 


Despite a period of almost total 
inactivity at the studio and the lack 
of solid b.o. pictures, RKO Pic- 
tures Corp. emerged with a profit 
of $47,391.87 yast year. This show- 
ing is the best recorded by the 
company in recent years, even ex- 
ceeding the results of stanzas 
backed by full-scale production. 
The company’s entry into the 
"black” was achieved by interest 
earned on $17,796,958 in bank de- 
posits. 

In a financial report to stock- 
holders, prexy James R. Grainger 
indicated that the company re- 
ceived $110,890.64 interest on its 
deposits from April 1 to Dec. 31, 
1954. Administrative and corpo- 
rate expenses totaled $63,498.77 
during the period, resulting in the 
$47,391 profit. 

Actually, RKO Pictures Corp. is 
nothing more than a- corporate 
shell. It has been in this category 
since March, 1954, when it sold 
RKO Radio Pictures Corp., the 
filmmaking subsidiary, to Howard 
Hughes for $23,489,478, an amount 
equal to $6 for each share of its 
(Continued on page 20) 


‘Producer in Theatre-TV Is One Who 
Takes Risks, Asserts Halpem; 
Resents ‘Middle Man Criticism 


Soul of a Censor 

Memphis, Feb. 1. 

"There’s a certain amount 
of devil in all of us,” and to 
beat the devil is one of the 
reasons why Lloyd T. Binford. 
Memphis, 88-year-old censor 
boss, bans so many films he 
confided at a press Interview. 
"The devil is always trying to 
plant wrong thoughts and 
many movies stimulate those 
wrong thoughts." 

"Out of every 100 letters I*re- 
ceive, about 85 cuss me out,” 
Binford stated. "I thank God 
for the enemies I’ve made." 


Judge Clears 
Harry Brandt 

N. Y. Supreme Court Justice 
Samuel Di Falco, In an 85-page de- 
cision, has dismissed a stockholder 
suit against Harry Brandt, as presi- 
dent, and all board members of 
Trans-Lux Theatres on grounds of 
lack of evidence. Suit, asking dam- 
ages of $500,000, had been insti- 
tuted by minority stockholder 
Jerome B. Ross and others and. 
among other allegations, charged 
the defendants with taking "secret 
profits” from the buying and sell- 
ing of theatres. 

Di Falco, in effect, gave Brandt 
a clean bill of health, ruling that 
the circuit did not suffer any loss 
from the switch in ownership of 
theatre properties. He added 
there was no proof that the board 
members were deceived by, or 
domihated by, Brandt. 

Following a trial, Di Falco had 
reserved decision last year. Basis 
of the suit was the contention that 
Brandt and other members of the 
directorate had engaged in ,con- 
spiracy and fraud. 


By HY HOLLINGER 

Theatre television, particularly 
from the standpoint of boxoffice 
events, will not become an im- 
portant and regular show biz entity 
until there are individuals' around 
who are prepared to provide risk 
capital. That’s the contention of 
Nate Halpem, prexy of Theatre 
Network Television. Taking excep- 
tion to exhibitor characterizations 
of his operation as a "middle man.” 
Halpem stresses that TNT has 
been the only company to plunk 
down substantial sums to obtain 
the rights to important boxoffice 
attractions which have been pre- 
sented on a national basis. 

"I don’t consider myself a mid- 
dle man.” Halpem said. "I’ve 
risked $1,000,000 during the past 
two years to get events. This in- 
cludes payments for the rights, the 
production, transmission, and dis- 
tribution costs. I consider my func- 
tion as similar to that as a film 
producer-distributor. Exhibitors do 
not consider the producer-distrib- 
utors as middle men." 

Halpern discounted the talk of 
theatremen who are weighing the 
possibility of dealing with the 
original owners of specific attrac- 
tions. According to Halpem, ex- 
hibitors are reluctant to make ad- 
vance guarantee payments and he 
feels that a promoter of a fight or 
the producer of a play or an opera 
would be unwilling to take the risk 
of theatre televising an event in 

(Continued on page 18) 


REDBOOK AWARD GOES 
TO PARAMOUNT ITSELF 

Hollywood. Feb. 1. 
Paramount’s 1954 product was 
given Redbook mag’s 16th Annual 
Award as the "most distinguished 
contribution to the motion picture 
industry.” Editor Wade Nichols 
presented a silver cup to Don Hart- 
man, Par’s executive producer. 

Hitherto the awards were made 
to individual producers but this 
year the procedure was changed to 
give overall honors to the studio. 
Pictures cited in the voting for the 
Redbook Award W'ere "The Coun- 
try Girl," "Rear Window.” "The 

Bridges at Toko-Ri. Living It 

Up.” "Sabrina” and "Knock on 
Wood.” 


20th 9 s 2d Thoughts on 16m. Markets 

Canada counts for about i 


Ellis Arnall on Coast 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 
F.llis Arnall, Society of Indie 
Producers prexy, is here to attend 
exec committee meeting tomor- 
row (2» and annual conclave of 


Faced with the loss of considerable revenue both 
in the U. S. and abroad if it elects to scuttle its 
16m program, 20th-Fox is having second thoughts 
on the matter and, like the rest of the companies, 
is investigating various technical and commercial 
aspects of 16m distribution in the Cinemascope 
age. 

20th at one time had decided that reducing its 
CinemaScopers to - 16m just wouldn’t be worth 
while either in terms of narrow-gauge "squeeze” 
prints or standard reduced prints. 20th’s take 
from the 16m field worldwide has been variously 
estimated at around $3,000,000. 

Within recent weeks, the subject of the non- 
theatrical field has come to the fore again. The 
latest survey shows something like 40,000 narrow- 
gauge projectors in operation in the U. S. and 
Canada. That breaks down into about 19,000 
schools and colleges (which provide some 60% of 


org s independent export corp. ! the 16m biz in the U. S.), 4,000 shut-in institutions, 
Arnall returns to Atlanta at ! 6,000 theatreless towns. 1,500 Navy projectors and 
weekend. I 1,300 units in Veterans Administrations hospitals, 


the Red Cross, Army etc. 

11.000 projectors. 

Companies other than 20th-Fox to date have taken 
a less uncompromising stand on reducing C’Scope to 
2-D, partly because their early CinemaScopers , 
were lensed in double fashion for protection. Thus 
Warner Bros, and Metro are reducing C’Scope pix 
to 2-D and hence to 16m. 

As 20th looks at it, any 16m there is should 
also be CinemaScope. This brings up the most 
immediate problem: a 16m C’Scope projection lens 
at a price which educational institutions and the 
like can afford. Bell & Howell did have a 16m 
lens, but it was a combination taking and projec- 
tion model and it cost too much. Bausehal 
Lomb now is reportedly at work on a simple 16m 
projection lens that may sell for as little as $100. 

20th at the moment is conducting tests with 16m 
prints of its CinemaScope pix to arrive at a con- 
clusion on whether or not they can be produced 
at a satisfactory quality and cost level. Other out- 
fits are experimenting with a special folding screen 
of C-Scope proportions for schoolrooms. 


Danes Competing 
For U.S. Dubbing; 
N. Larsen in N.Y. 


Danes have developed f a new and 
improved technique for making 
puppet pix and have already turned 
out two subjects in this process, 
Niels Larsen, head of the new-ly 
formed Scandinavian - American 
Pictures Corp. said in N.Y. Monday 
<31). 

Larsen, whose outfit will be de- 
voted to the introduction of dubbed 
Scandinavian pix in the U.S., is 
here primarily in connection with 
two Danish government films, one 
describing the life and times of 
Hans Christian Andersen, the 
storyteller, and the other — "The 
Steadfast Tin Soldier” — a puppet 
version of that Andersen fairy tale- 
The Danish government has li- 
censed U.S. rights to these pix to 
Larsen. 

The Danish film exec said his 
government had worldwide plans 
to mark the 150th anniversary of 
Andersen’s birth which falls on 
April 2. 1955. In this connection, 
the two Andersen subjects — both 
two-reelers — will be dubbed in 
Copenhagen into seven languages, 
the government flying the actors 
to Denmark for that purpose. Lar- 
sen has a U.S. version of "The 
Steadfast Tin Soldier” with him. 
It’s in Eastman color and he’s seek- 
ing major distribution for both it 
and the black-and-white documen- 
tary on Anderson’s life. 

Larsen said the animation 
method developed by the Danes 
i was vastly superior to others in 
that it allowed continuous shooting 
of a scene instead of the frame-by- 
(Continued on page 20) 


Yate* Timber jacking 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

Republic prexy Herbert Yates 
heads a Hollywood contingent 
leaving today for Missoula, Mon- 
tana, to attend two-theatre world 
preem Friday of "Timberjack," 
filmed in that state. 

Missoula Chamber of Commerce 
has designated Friday, ‘.‘Timber- 
| jack Day” for allout celebration. 




6 


FILM REVIEWS 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


Baltic Cry 

(COLOR— C'SCOPE) 


Action film treatment on life ' 
and love among the Marines. 
Good boxofflee expectations. 


Hollywood, Jan. 24. 

Warner Bros, release. Stars Van lleflin. 
A Uio Hay. Mona Freeman. Nancy Olson. 
James Whitmore, Raymond Massey, Tab 
Hunter. Dorothy Malone. Anne Francis; 
features William Campbell. John Lupton. 
Justus E. McQueen. Perry Lopez. Fees 
Parker. Jonaa Applegarth. Tommy Conk. 
Felix Noriego, Susan Morrow. Carleton 
Young, All.vn MeLerle. Directed by Raoul 
Walsh. Screenplay. Leon M. Urls; based 
on his novel; camera (WarnerColor), Sid 
Hirkox; editor. William Ziegler; original 
music. Max Steiner; technical adviser. 
Col. H. P. (Jim) Crowe. USMC. Previewed 
Dec. 9. '34. Hanning time, 147 MINS. 

Major Huxley Van Heflin 

Andy Aldo Ray 

Kathy Mona Freeman 

Pat Nancy Olson 

Sgt. Mac . . James Whitmore 

General Snipes Raymond Massey 

Danny Tab Hunter 

Elaine Dorothy Malone 

Rae Anne Francis 

Ski William Campbell 

Marion John Lupton 

L. Q. Jones Justus E. McQueen 

Joe Gomez Perry Lopez 

Speedy Fess Parker 

Lighttower Jonas Applegarth 

Ziltch Tommy Cook 

Crazy Horse Felix Noriego 

Susan Susan Morrow 

Maj. Wellman Carleton Yount? 

Enoch Rogers Rhys Williams 

A Waitress Allyn McLerie 

Sgt. Beller Gregory Walcott 

Mr. Walker Frank Ferguson 

Mrs. Forrester Sarah Selby 

Mr. Forrester WilUa Bouchey 


Amatory, rather than military, 
action is the mainstay of this saga 
of the United States Marines. This 
angle, in combination with a good 
overall service feel, indicates the 
younger masculine set, and their 
dates, will give it a profitable run. 
Jt is good motion picture entertain- 
ment that sustains interest, even if 
its 147 minutes running time will 
prove an endurance contest for the 
aome viewers. 

With all its fanciful qualities of 
Hollywood-staged war and a pat- 
tern that reminds of the many 
aueh service features that have 
gone before, it has definite heart, 
a sentiment that will help general 
appeal and usually means better 
than average returns at the wickets. 

While overboard in length, this 
comes from the detailing of several 
•ets of romantics, each interesting 
in itself, plus the necessary battle 
action to indicate the basis is rather 
grim warfare. The latter is at a 
minimum, however, since Leon 
Uris’ screen adaptation of his own 
novel is more concerned with the 
liberties and loves of the World 
War II Marines with whom he 
served, than with actually winning 
the fight in the Pacific. It is the 
story of a group of enlisted men 
and their officers in a communica- 
tions battalion, taking them from 
civilian life, through training and 
then to New Zealand, from which 
base the outfit participates in Pa- 
cific action. . 


Five males and four femmes 
draw star billing in the cast. Of the 
romantic pairings, the most impres- 
sion is made by Aldo Ray and 
Nancy Olson, not only because it 
occupies the main portion of the 
film’s second half after the two 
other principal teamings have been 
completed, but also because of the 
grasp the two stars have on their 
characters. Ray should boost his 
film stock tremendously as the 
northwest logger, a man as rough 
and raw as the trees he cuts. Miss 
Olson is fine as the New Zealander, 
a widow who already has lost a 
husband and brother to the war, 
yeL still tries love again with a 
fighting man. 


Tab Hunter gets a big break in 
the love department, having two 
femmes. Mona Freeman and Dor- 
^othy Malone, . at whom to pitch 
some torrid wooing. This portion 
of the plot comes off well, too, par- 
ticularly because of the ring the 
femmes put into their characters. 
Miss Malone as a lonely married 
woman in San Diego who goes for 
the young Marine, and Miss Free- 
man as the girl back home who 
gets Hunter. The latter’s being 
alive at the ending is film magic 
since the definite impression that 
he is killed is given earlier in the 
footage. 

John Lupton and Anne Francis 
•park the third romance with a sin- 
cerity that gets through to the 
viewer. He is a quiet, literary- 
minded Marine and .she is a party 
girl. They carry out their court- 
ship on the ferry plying between 
San Diego and Coronado. His basic 
worth even survives disclosure of 
her profession and a marriage is 
in the offing until he dies in battle. 

Van Heflin brings his acting skill 
to the role of the major who com- 
mands the outfit, playing a marti- 
net, who wants his boys to be 
lough fighting men. with an und*r- 
lying kindliness that’s just the 
l ight touch. His death near the end 
seems almost as unnecessary as 
Hunters resurrection in the closing 
scene. James Whitmore is excellent 
as the master sergeant, and Roy- 
niond Massey is seen briefly, but 
etlcctively, as a Marine gene al. 
William Campbell, Justus K Mc- 
Queen,- Perry Lopez, Fess Parker, 


Jonas Applegarth, Tommy Cook. 
Felix Noriego and Carleton Young 
each add to the good entertainment 
values sparked by the entire cast. 

Raoul Walsh’s direction has the 
vigor to sustain interest through 
the long footage. His handling is 
particularly effective in sharpen- 
ing the mood and feel of the varied 
personal stories, and does as well 
in the broader action. Technically, 
however, the film is not as realistic 
as is desirable for this type of sub- 
ject. The uniform and equipment 
of the men show up too unmusted 
and clean to be real, and some of 
the actual war footage cut in does 
not blow up well, to Cinemascope 
size. Otherwise, the cameras do 
their job well under Sid Hickox’ 
guidance and the WarnerColor 
tints show up excellently. Max 
Steiner’s score is suitable back- 
ground cleffing. Brog. 


The lta<**r* 

(COLOR— C’SCOPE) 

Offbeat action yam with 
plenty of exriting car racing 
footage. Exploitation ceiling 
unlimited. 


Twentieth Century-Fox release of 
Julian Blaustein production. Slurs Kirk 
Douglas. Bella Darvi. Gilbert Roland; 
features Cesar Romero. Lee J. Cobb. Katy 
Jurado. Charles Goldner, John Hudson, 
George Dolenz. Agnes Laury. Directed by 
Henry Hathaway. Screenplay, Charles 
Kaufman; based on the Hans Ruesch 
novel; camera fcolor by DeLuxe). Joe 
MacDonald; editor, James B. Clark; spe- 
cial photographic effects. Ray Kellogg; 
technical advisers. John Fitch, Phil Hill, 
E. de Graffenried; song. Alex North; 
vocals by Peggy Lee. Previewed in N.Y. 
Jan. 27. ‘33. Running time, 112 MINS. 


Gino Kirk Douglas 

Nicole Bella Darvi 

Dell 'Oro Gilbert Roland 

Carlos Cesar Romero 

Maglio Lee J. Cobb 

Maria Katy Jurado 

Piero Charles Goldner 

Miehel Caron John Hudson 

Count Salem George Dolenz 

Toni Agnes Laury 

Dr. Tabor John Wengraf 

Pilar Richard Allan 

Chata Francesco de Scaffa 

Dchlgreen Norbert Schiller 

Flori Mel Welles 

Rousillon Gene -D'Arcy 

Dell ‘Oro's Mechanic Mika Dengate 

Gattl Peter Brocco 

Race Official Staphen Bekassy 

Red Haired Girl June McCall 

Luigi Frank Yaconelli 

Janka : Ina Anders 

Nurse Gladys Holland 

Dr. Seger Ben Wright 

Interne James Barrett 

Teen-age Mechanic Chris Randall 

Premier Ballerina Anna Cheselka 

Dr. Bocci Joe Vitale 

Doorlhan Salvador Baguez 

Race Official Eddie La Baron 

Cashier Peter Norman 

Baron George Givot 

Race Announcer Carleton Young 


In his book ‘The Racers," Hans 
Ruesch drew a sharp and knowing 
portrait of that hardy, death-defy- 
ing crew of men who drive in 
Europe’s dangerous and exciting 
auto races. Specifically, he wrote 
about a boy who evolved his own 
curious code of ethics as he el- 
bowed his way to the top of the 
profession, and about the girl who 
loved him, married him and left 
him in disillusionment. 


In 20th-Fox’s expertly fashioned 
and technically admirable screen 
version of "The Racers," the out- 
lines of the basic plot are still 
there but the accent has. perhaps 
wisely, been shifted to the races 
themselves. With Cinemascope a 
mighty big plus, this makes for a 
healthy dose of definitely offbeat 
entertainment that should be a big 
hit with the action fans. 

Again and again, the camera 
catches the sleek, multi-hued little 
racers roaring from the starting 
line to attain breakneck speeds 
over curving roads in France, Italy 
and Germany. There’s more ten- 
sion and excitement in some of 
those shots than in a dozen thrillers 
combined. Here’s a case w-here the 
wide screen offers a real sense of 
audience participation, in some 
shots almost too much so. 


Joe MacDonald’s lensing and 
Henry Hathaway’s direction, 
whether the sweeping vistas of the 
Riviera, which has never looked so 
beautiful, or the remarkably effec- 
! tive closeups of the drivers fight- 
ing tenaciously for every inch of 
ground, call for great big bows. 
There are a couple of accidents 
staged in the picture, and particu- 
larly the one at the start, that’ll 
have the audience on the edge of 
! their seats. That kind of excite- 
1 ment hasn’t been seen on the 
screen for some time. 


Unfortunately, with the story 
barely a factor, there’s a tendency 
to throw in too much of a good 
thing. Towards the end, the sight 
of the autos shooting along dan- 
I gerous hairpin curves in all kinds 
of weather and skidding off the 
; track becomes a little boring. 
Where the first ride carries almost 
unbearable tension, the last one is 
just one too many. A little prun- 
ing might be in order still. 

As The Racer, Kirk Douglas 
givess an excellent account of him- 
self. He is the moody, ambitious 
daredevil that Ruesch sketched in 
j his book. His restlesness. his tre- 
mendous drive that makes him 
drunk with desire for speed ami 
, success, are communicated with 
skill and yet with a tendency to- 


Par*» Socko ‘Trailer* 

Paramount is the latest ma- 
jor to produce, for gratis dis- 
tribution to exhibs, a ballyhoo 
film dealing with its films. 
This 20-minute "trailer" was 
exposed yesterday (Tues.) to 
the tradepress and proved a 
socko insight into Par’s Vista- 
Vision process, plus the up- 
coming product. 

Par will have 500 prints by 
mid-March and sales chief Al- 
fred W. Schwalberg predicts 
that 20,000 houses in the U. S. 
and Canada will play the short. 

Of obvious trade interest, it 
seems certain to be of com- 
parable public interest. Hull. 


wards underplaying which makes 
the part stand out clearer. 

For reasons unknowm, scripter 
Charles Kaufman has changed the 
Ruesch plot. Where, in the novel, 
the girh fresh out of finishing 
school, meets her hero and mar- 
ries him, in the film she’s a prima 
ballerina. And though she quite 
obviously lives with him all over 
Europe, she never marries him. 
That’s hardly an improvement. 

Miss Darvi, handicapped by a 
very heavy accent, isn’t given very 
much to do in the film although 
she’s "on camera” most of the 
time. Smartly costumed through- 
out, her performance leaves much 
to wish for. 

Gilbert Roland as Douglas’ 
friend and competitor hits the 
right note of bravado and fear and 
comes through with a rousing por- 
trayal. Cesar Romero as tHfe racing 
vet has a gentle manner that is ap- 
pealing, and Lee J. Cobb puts a lot 
of drama into the part of the boss 
man. Katy Jurado as Maria. 'Ro- 
mero’s woman, is good in a minor 
role. 

John Hudson establishes himself 
as a very promising newcomer as 
Michel, the new driver, who finally 
wrests from Douglas not only the 
racing crown but also succeeds in 
almost winning Miss Darvi. Charles 
Goldner as Piero, the devoted 
mechanic, comes up with a sturdy 
characterization that has appeal. 

Julian Blaustein’s production, in 
very good color by DeLuxe, has 
many solid b.o. values. Since auto 
racing is far more popular in Eu- 
rope than it’s in the U.S., the film 
may require a special sales pitch 
that’ll put across the thrill angle. 
Its settings are a joy to the eye. 
Ray Kellogg, who’s responsible for 
the special photographic effects, 
has done an outstanding job inte- 
grating live with filmed sequences 
for sock results. James B. Clark's 
editing (as every technical aspect 
of the pic) is standout. 

Hathaway gets the pic off to a 
flying start and keeps it at a rea- 
sonably even pace without being 
overly imaginative in playing up 
the romantic angles. Peggy Lee is 
the vocalist (never seen) for Alex 
North’s wistful "I Belong to You" 
which makes a pleasant theme. 
The most exciting sounds in this 
one, though, are the roar of the 
engines and the screech of tires as 
the racers brave death in their 
battle for speed. Hift. 


Many Rivers to Crofts 

(COLOR-C’SCOPE) 


Extremely broad, sometimes 
funny, romantic comedy of 
pioneer men and women back 
in early Kentucky. Merits box- 
office. 


Hollywood. Jan. 27. 

Metro release of Jack Cummings pro- 
duction. Stars Robert Ta.vlor, Eleanor 
Parker; features. Victor McLaglen. Russ 
Tamblyn, Jeff Richards. James Arness, 
Alan Hale Jr. Directed by Roy Rowland. 
Screenplay, Harry Brown. Guy Trosper; 
based on s story by Steve Frazee: camera 
(Eastman Color). John Seitz; editor, Bk*n 
Lewis; music, Cyril J. Mockridse. Pre- 
viewed Jan. 21, *53. Running time, 

*4 MINS. 


Bushrod Gentry Robert Tavlor 

Mary Stuart Chernt Eleanor Parker 

Cadmus Cherne Victor McLaglrn 

Fremont Jeff Richards 

Shields Russ Tamblyn 

Esau Hamilton James Arness 

Luke Radford Alan Hale Jr. 

Hugh John Hudson 

Lige Blake Rhys Williams 

Mrs. Cherne Josephine Hutchinson 

Spectacle Man. Sig Ruman 

Lucy Hamilton Rosemary DeCamp 

Banks Russell Johnson 

Sandak Ralph Moody 

Slangoh ..Abel Fernandez 


Filmgoers who buy "Many Rivers 
To Cross" on the assumption it 
is a pioneer actioner are due for 
quite a surprise. Instead, it is an 
extremely broad, sometimes funny, 
comedy about the romantic di-does 
of settlers in early Kentucky; more 
particularly the am;itory byplay 
between a matrimonially unwilling 
Robert Taylor and a willing — even 
eager — Eleanor Parker. 

The slapstick treatment, in it- 
self. is well enough handled by 
Roy Rowland’s direction of the 
Jack Cummings production, but 
! will come as such a shock to those 
expecting straight outdoor action 
that considerable footage will have 
i passed before they warm up to 
the fun-poking. By the time the 


climax is reached, however, most 
viewers will have gotten into the 
mood. This should mean they will 
at least walk out chuckling at the 
hectic finale battle in which, to- 
gether, Taylor and Miss Parker 
best some Indians and he sur- 
renders to the matrimonial advan- 
tages she has been throwing at him 
for most of the 94 minutes of foot- 
' age. 

Buckskin-clad Taylor displays a 
sense of humor in trouping the 
role of a trapper whose trek to 
the northwest is cancelled out by 
Miss Parker’s yen for marriage. 
She portrays the girl with a mad- 
ness for mating with on unin- 
hibited enthusiasm, obviously en- 
joying the chance to let her hair 
down. In the Harry Brown-Guy 
Trosper script, based on a story 
by Steve Frazee, Miss Parker 
frames Taylor into a shotgun vved- 
. ding after he has spurned the 
j opportunities she gives him to be 
a willing groom. 

Taylor doesn’t give up his free- 
dom easy, though, and still heads 
for the northwest, but now as the 
hunted pursued by an angry bride. 
Adventures along the way, and an 
encounter with another freedom- 
loving man now in matrimonial 
, harness, result in a gradual change 
of mind and he turns back, in 
time to rescue the bride from an 
Indian party and bow to the in- 
evitable. 

Playing Miss Parker's family 
with hoked-up, backwoodsy zest 
I are Victor McLaglen. Russ Tam- 
blyn, Jeff Richards. Russell John- 
son and John Hudson, the father 
and brothers. Josephine Hutchin- 
son is a sane note as the mother. 
The strapping James Arness is the 
kindred soul already broken to 
marital harness whom Taylor en- 


French film pioneer Abel Gance in 
active production after 12 years of 
obscurity. It was Gance who gave 
the French such films as "Beetho- 
ven" and the sweeping "Napleot * 
(which used three cameras and 
projected individually on one mas- 
sive screen) over 20 years before 
Cinerama. This pic is a scorching 
piece of filmic bravura which uses 
the old Alexandre Dumas melo- 
drama to pictorial advantage. Full 
of Rabelaisian truculence, spectacle 
violence and full-blown thesping 
and direction, it amply recreates 
the medieval ages. It should do 
well here but its frank medieval 
orgiastic scenes and nudity win 
make the pic a touchy entry for 
the U. S. At best, it looks only 
ripe for specialized arty theatre 
showings. Sheared of its franker 
aspects, this would loose some of 
its blustering appeal. 

Gance’s firm hand and mounting 
keep this meller in line, and its 
period flavor of ruthlessness and 
vitality plus its superbly hued col- 
or aspects, make this a solid w hole. 
However, some scissoring ean 
make this even more engrossing 
by eliminating some purely gratui- 
tous mood aspects. 


Story concerns the queen who 
has entered into a strange perver- 
sity in having noblemen lured to 
the Tow er of Nesle where they are 
greeted by three unclad lovelies, 
the queen being one. After some 
moments of revel, they are killed 
by a gang of cutthroats who serve 
as her executioners. But the blust- 
ering, colossal Buridan (Pierre 
Brasseur) escapes from this adven- 
ture unharmed, and holds it over 
the queen to become prime minis- 
ter. Then he discloses that he had 
been her youthful lover, and it all 
ends in her going crazy. 


counters on the trail, and Alan 
Hale Jr. is the suitor Miss Parker 
doesn’t want. Others appear brief- 
ly. Brog. 


Simba 

(BRITISH-COLOR) 
Realistic drama set in Mau 
Mau country; grim entertain- 
ment with spotty returns 
likely. 

London, Jan. 25. 

General Film Distributors release of a 
Peter de Sarigny production. Stars Dirk 
Bogarde. Donald Sinden. Virginia Mc- 
Kenna. Earl Cameron. Directed by Brian 
Desmond Hurst. Screenplay. John Baines, 
from an original story by Anthony Perry, 
with additional scenes and dialog by 
Robin Estridge; camera (Eastmancelor), 
Geoffrey Unsworth: editor. Michael Gor- 
don; music, Francis Chagrin. At Odeon, 
Leicester Square, London. Running time. 


99 MINS. 

Howard Dirk Bogarde 

Drummond Donald Sinden 

Mary ... Virginia McKenna 


Mr. Crawford Basil Sydney 

Mr*. Crawford Marie Ney 

Dr. Hughes Joseph Tomelty 

Karanja Earl Cameron 

Headman Orlando Martina 

Klmanl .. Ben Johnson 

Joshua Huntley Campbell 

Waweru Frank Singuineau 

Chege Slim Harris 

Mundatl Clyn Lawson 

Thakla Harry Quash 

Settler at Meeting John Chandos 

Col. Bridgeman Desmond Roberts 

African Inspector Errol John 

W'itch Doctor W'illy Sholank* 


Spotlighting the present unrest 
in Kenya, this new British film 
focuses attention on the terror 
methods of the Mau Mau and the 
retaliatory measures for the de- 
fense of the white farmer and 
sympathetic Africans. This is a 
grim, realistic entertainment, de- 
parting from the conventional b.o. 
formula of escapist fare. As such, 
spotty returris loom, both in the 
home market and overseas. 

The screenplay has been adapted 
from an original yarn by Anthony 
Perry. It tries to portray the 
anxious problems of the white 
farmer and loyal natives objec- 
tively. This treatment is not ap- 
plied to the Mau Mau whose ter- 
rorist campaigns brook little sym- 
pathy. Running through the theme 
is a plea for better understanding 
between white man and African. 

Location lensing on Mount 
Kenya gives the film a colorful, 
authentic background. Story "has 
been briskly directed by Brian Des- 
mond Hurst and is. expertly played 
by a skilled local cast headed by 
Dirk Bogarde, Virginia McKenna, 
and Donald Sinden. There is a 
particularly dignified performance 
by Earl Cameron as the native doc- 
tor. Other roles are intelligently 
handled, and round out a compe- 
tently made picture. Myro. 


I.a Tour de IVeMle 

(The Tower of Nesle) 
(FRANCO-ITAHAN) 
(COLOR) 

Paris, Jan. 25. 

Fernand Rivera release of Fernand 
Rlvers-Costellazone production. Stars 
Pierre Brasseur. Silvana Pampanini. Di- 
rected by Abel Gance. Screenplay. Gance. 
Fernand Rivera. Fuzelier from play by 
Alexandre Dumas. Gaillardet: camera 
(Gevacolor). Andre Thomas; music. Henri 
Verdun; editor, Louisette Hautecoeur. 
Previewed in Paris. Running time, 120 


Buridan Pierre Brasseur 

Wueen SilvAna Pampanini 

Kin* Michel Bouquet 

Philippe Henri Toia 

Gaultier Paul Gucrs 


This film marks the return of 


Gance has forced this into a mov- 
ing tapestry of medieval skulldug- 
gery with both sensational and art 
appeal. He has elicited line per- 
formances from Pierre Brasseur, 
as the mighty and crafty Buridan, 
and Silvana Pampanini as the con- 
niving, debauched queen. Costum- 
ing and production aspetts are 
fine. Coloi-s are pale Unted and 
perfect for the film as is the 

editing and music, conception, 
sweep and construction are remi- 
niscent of a bolder and more virile 
period of filmmaking. Mode. 


*V* Aval* Sept Fill** 

(I Had Seven Daughters) 
(FRANCO-ITALIAN) 
(COLOR— SONGS) 

Paris, Feb. 1. 

ABC in* rdtiM ot Francinalp-Kurn 
Film production. Stare Maurice Che- 
valier; feature* Paolo Stoppa,- Della Scaln. 
Directed by Jean Boyer. Screenplay. Aldo 
D* Benedcttl. Jean De* Vnllieres. Boyer: 
dialog, VaUiere*. Serge Veber; camera 
'Ferranicolor). Charles Suln; music. Fred 
Freed; editor. A. Laurent. At Colisce, 
Paris. Running time. 90 MINS. 

Count Andre Maurice Chevalier 

Luisella Delia Scala 

Linda Colette Ripert 

Nadina Anniek Tanguy 

Maria Gabby Basset 

Antonio Paolo Stoppa 

Eduard Louis Velle 

Professor Pasquali 


Maurice Chevalier’s U.S. visa 
vindication and thq flood of legit 
and pic offer* from there, plus his 
recent boff one-man show' here, 
insure marquee value on both sides 
of the brink for this bright, simple 
comedy. Chevalier charm and a 
bevy of youthful beauties light up 
the comers of. this lightweight 
piece which fades into the conven- 
tional and ordinary after a bright, 
intriguing start. 

However, this makes for pleasant 
fare. Although not for arty U.S. 
houses, this could be a nice entry 
for special situations, and has the 
general entertainment qualities 
that might make this a neat morsel, 
when dubbed for wider bookings. 
It also shapes as a Hollywood re- 
make musical possibility with a 
little working over of the script. 

It’s Chevalier all the way in this 
as he incarnate* an aging, royal 
roue (Count Andre) writing the 
memoirs of his amorous escapades 
vaguely connected with the history 
of France, who gets involved with 
a troupe of ballet dancers. As long 
as Chevalier spreads his gaiety and 
bits of wisdom and he has a chance 
to chant some personalized ditties 
to his brood, the film is engaging. 
Girls are lovely, color is good and 
production values are fine with the 
other credits craftsmanlike. 

The music is tailored to Che- 
valier’s standards, but there ii 
some background theme too rem- 
iniscent of other pix. His beaming, 
ingratiating self is well set ofl by 
his tightlipped valet (Paolo Stoppa) 
who shares vicariously in his mas- 
ter’s exploits, and acts as moralist. 
Delia Scala is an eye-filling in- 
genue while the remaining gals are 
the answer to an old romanticos 
dreams. 

Director Jean Boyer has not suc- 
ceeded in getting the pace and 
crispness into this, with the famil- 
iar situations not helping mm'”: 
However, as Chevalier sings “J Ai 
Vingt Ans (I’m 20 Years Old' 
single-handedly rejuvenates this 
oldie operetta plot to moc dn 
tempo. Aio.dc. 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


PICTURES 


FILMS’ ‘WHAT PRICE HONESTY’ 


-r+ 


Legion’s Tab on Film Morals 

National Legion of Decency, Roman Catholic reviewing group, 
has provided comparative statistics on “moral” content of pictures 
over the years. The organization’s “B” rating means a film is 
“objectionable in part”; “C” is for “condemned.” 

Total No. 
of Films 

Year Rated Class B Class C 

1950 4f>9 103 8 • 

1951 442 85 14 

1952 446 „ 78 14 

1953 383 89 4 

1954 352 78 9 



Universal’s Rising Annual Profit 

For Fifth Year; 46% Over 1953 


Universal last week continued to 4 
sound its “onward and upward” 
note in an annual report noting a 
record volume in worldwide bill- 
ings and a 1954 net of $3,797,688, 
a 4 6 r ,i rise over 1953. 

Figures were for the year ended 
Oct. 30. ’54, and showed the com- 
pany in an extremely healthy 
financial position. Domestic bill- 
ings for the year were $46,827,579 
and foreign billings $31,060,109 for 
a total of $77,887,688 in worldwide 
film rentals. The comparable fig- 
ure for 1953 was $70,490,254. Big- 
gest increase 'in 1954 was in for- 
eign sales which rose more than 
$4,000,000, from $26,860,203 in ’53 
to $31,060,109 last year. 

With the annual report, stock- 
holders received notice of their an- 
nual meet on March 9. 1955. in 
N. Y. Board of 11 directors will 
be elected at that time. 

Proxy statement showed that 
Decca Records as of Dec. 31. 1954, 
owned 718,585 shares of Universal 
common. That’s about 68.1?c of 
the U common stock outstanding. 

It also disclosed the salaries of the 
company’s directors and officers 
totaled $748,389 for the year. 
Breakdown is as follows: 

N. J. Blumberg, board chairman, 
$78,000; Milton R. Rackmil, presi- 
dent, $80,002; Alfred E. Daff, exec 
v.p., $74,520, and John J. O’Con- 
nor. v.p., $52,000. 

The $3,797,688 net for ’54 made 
it the fifth consecutive year to 
show a rise in profits for U. 

(Continued on page 20) 


It 


Hal Wallis Properties 
Readying for Cameras 
Include Five Plays 

Joseph H. Hazen. partner of 
Hal B. Wallis, left New York for 
the Coast yesterday (Tues. ) to 
view a rough cut of Wallis* “The 
Rose Tattoo.” Film, in black & 
white VistaVision, is based on 
Tennessee Williams* stage play. It 
stars Burt Lancaster and Anna 
Magnani. 

Hazen will also confer with Wal- 
lis on the outfit’s future pioduc- 
tion plans. Pair have set Feb. 28 
as the starting date for the next 
Martin & Lewis starrer, “Artists 
and Models.” 

Properties on Wallis’ upcoming 
production slate include “The 
Rainmaker,” N. Richard Nash’s 
current Broadway hit; “Summer 
and Smoke,” another Williams 
Play; “A Stone for Danny Fisher,” 
a novel by Harold Robbins which 
was recently dramatized by Lenard 
Kantor for off-Broadway; “Gun 
Fight «t O. K. Corral,” George 
Seullin’s Holiday mag story, and 
“Night Man,” play by Lucille 
T letcher. 


Springer Productioh Set In 
Portugal; Seek Crawford 

John Springer, an RKO pub- 
licist, has acquired screenrights to 
jora Jarrett’s novel, “Strange 
Houses,” and plans to produce as 
• Technicolor film on location in 
Portugal in cooperation with 
James Terry and the American 
Producer’s Group. 

DeWitt Bodeen is scripting the 
him. Springer has approached 
Joan Crawford to star in it.' A 
second Springer-Terry pic for the 
American Producer's Group also is 
in the planning stages. 


Greeqthal Cops Circus 

Monroe Greenthal Advertising 
Agency in N. Y„ which handles a 
number of film accounts, has 
landed Bamum & Bailey-Ringling 
Bros. Circus. The circus opens 
March 30 at Madison Sq. Garden. 

Account is estimated at $750,000 
annually. 


VS. NOVEL TOPICS 

By FRED IIIFT 

Studios' tendency to hit an oc- 
casional offbeat note in story 
selection presents something of a 
poser to the companies’ ad-pub 
staffs who have to determine how 
far to go in telling the public 
what’s in a given picture. 

Selecting the right copy pitch 
is at best a hit-and-miss proposi- 
tion, the b.o. being the final arbiter 
on what has or hasn't been a good 
campaign. Trouble is that, once a 
company settles on a certain ap- 
proach. i.e. decides what it thinks 
the public wants to know about a 
film, there’s no looking back, 
since changing horses in mid- 
stream rarely pays off. 


Gimmicked Proposal in Ohio Would 
Restore Censorship as licensing’; 
Tricky Clause Hits Pix Trailers 


Legion Saw 352 
Features, Tagged 
9 as Condemned’ 


Talk Up a ‘Hays Award’ 

Hollywood. Feb. 1. 
Academy of Motion Picture Arts 
and Sciences is considering the cre- 
ation of an annual Will Hays 
Award, to honor Harding's Post- 
master-General who became the 
motion picture industry’s first 
“czar.” Petition to that effect has 
been sent to the Academy’s Board 
of Governors by Robert Ryan. 

Award, if adopted, will be pre- 
sented to the person who “con- 
. .. „ _ ... tributed most to the overall public 

! Nations of the industry during the 
previous year. 


In a wrapup of its past year’s 
film reviewing activities, the Na- 
tional League of Decency this week 
disclosed nine pictures of a total 
of 352 were given a “C” rating — 
meaning condemned. Catholics are 
forbidden to see product in this 
classification in accordance with a 
pledge renewed from year to year. 

The Legion sized up the other 
films on this basis: 78 in class “B” 
— morally objectionable in part for 
all; 127 in “A-2" — morally unobjec- 
tionable for adults; 138 in “A-l” — 
morally unobjectionable for gen- 
eral patronage. 

The year’s list of “C” pic com- 
prised RKO’s “The French Line” 
(“contains grossly obscene, sug- 
gestive and indecent action, cos- 
tuming and dialog. In incidents of 
subject matter and treatment it is 
gravely offensive to Christian and 
traditional standards of morality 
and decency and is capable of 
grave, evil influence upon those 
who patronize it, especially 
youth”); Italian Films Exports’ 
(Continued on page 67) 


fied observers that the ad-pubbers 
tend to lag behind the producers 
in their courage of presentation; 
that the ad campaigns on certain 
films have failed, via their own 
stereotype approaches, to convey 
the essence of mature screen en- 
tertainment, the reason apparent- 
ly being that the admen have con- 
siderably less faith in the grow- 
ing maturity of the audience than 
the producers. 

In a large sense, it’s pointed out 
that, where advertising on the 
whole has become more sophisti- 
cated and imaginative, film plug- 
ging has remained at approximate- 
ly the same level, selling the same 
ingredients. There have been a 
few attempts at streamlining film 
ads — 20th-Fox tried it witli 


Metro Ties David Lewis 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

David Lewis, who recently pro- 
duced “End of the Affair.” starring 
Deborah Kerr and Van Johnson in 
England, signed a term producer 
contract with Metro. He reported 
yesterday (Mon.) to discuss future 
product with Dore Sehary. 

Previously Lewis was under con- 
tract on the Metro lot, functioning 
as associate producer on “Camille” 
and “Riffraff.” 


New M-G Policy 
Abroad Aids 20th, 
Hypoes C’Scope 

Competitors of Metro this week 
expressed interest but only faint 
surprise over the company’s move 
in discontinuing standard wide- 
screen versions of its Cinema- 
Scope pix in the international mar- 

^“nnTng^Serton IT picture called ket starting next September 
-No Way Out" some wars back - 1 . l>ollL '>: is generally attributed to 


ay uut some year 
but they never carried through. 
Tendency to stress the conven- 
(Continued on page 22 > 


DUDLEY READIES 2 PIX 
TO LEAD 5-YR. SLATE 

Dudley Pictures Corp., which 
has specialized in shorts and com- 
mercial films, is embarking on an 
ambitious program of full-length 
theatrical film production. Com- 
pany has set in motion plans for 
the making of the first two of a 
series of 26 major features which 
it hopes to produce over the next 
five years. It claims to have avai- 
lable a revolving fund for the pro- 
gram. 

First ^picture, a quartet of four 
science fiction yarns tentatively 
titled “The Nine Billion Names of 
God,” is slated for rolling in Eng- 
land In April. The picture will be 
shot in Eastman color and Vista- 
rama, the Dudley-developed ana- 
morphic process. The second film, 
a murder thriller, also in Vista- 
rama, will start in May in Italy. 

Associated with Carl Dudley in 
the project is C. Bruce Newbery, 
former Republic sales chief who is 
now r v.p. of Dudley Pictures Corp. 
and Vistarama Productions Inc. 
Dudley is in New York this week 
to set up world-wide release deals 
for his entire program. He also is 
seeking deals for the use by other 
producers of his Vistarama ana- 
morphic process. 


two main factors: (1) Metrp feels 
that, by September, the number of 
foreign CinemaScope installations 
will have grown to the point where 
tiie elimination of standard ver- 
sions will no longer work any hard- 
ship on the company. <2> It will 
generally have the effect of speed- 
ing installations among fence-sit- 
ting exhibs abroad. 

There are some who tend to the 
belief that the move will afford 
Metro with the opportunity of jet- 
tisoning those very small accounts 
on big pix which have never p^id 
servicing anyway. At the same 
time, unlike 20lh-Fox, Metro is not 
wholly committed to C’Scope so 
that it will continue to have a block 
of standard films on its release 
sked. 

Reaction among the other com- 
panies is that the Metro decision 
will materially aid 20th abroad. 
There are no indications, however, 
of any “united front” on the mat- 
ter of standard releases. Univer- 
sal, for instance, will continue to 
service all of its customers with 
any version they can accommodate. 
So will United Artists. Columbia 
says it’s a matter of market-to-mar- 
ket evaluation, with no firm Overall 
(Continued on page 79) 


Mulvey, Archinal to L.A. 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

. James Mulvey and treasurer 
Harry Archinal have arrived here 
for production talks with Samuel 
Goldwyn anent “Guys and Dolls.” 
Picture is readying to roll. 


YANK ENGINEERS TO STOCKHOLM IN JUNE 
SEEKING UNIVERSAL FILM CRITERIA 

Eager for the universal adoption | Frayne disclosed follow ing the ! Jensen of Bell Laboratories, an 


of standards on film lensed in the 
new widescreen techniques, the So- 
ciety of Motion Picture and Tele- 
vision Engineers is sending a dele- 
gation to the meeting of the Inter- 
national Standards Organization in 
Stockholm next June. 

Decision was made at an SMPTE 
board meet in N. Y. last week, pre- 
sided over by John G. Frayne, re- 
search director for Westrex and 
the Society's new prez. Group of 
at least six’ American engineers 
will go to Stockholm for the stand- 
ards powwow’, the film part of 
which W'as initiated by SMPTE. 


! N. Y. meet two other decisions of 
the SMPTE board: 

1. A committee will be formed 
to look into ways and means of 
improving the educational stand- 
ards of people going into the- tech- 
nical end of tv and pix. Frayne 
stressed that the Improvement was 
being sought on the operating rath- 
er than the engineering level. 

2. An attempt will be made to 
establish a closer policy liaison be- 
tween the society’s many local sec- 
tions all over the country. A v.p. 
may be named to bring about cl&ser 
cohesion between the units. 


SMPTE v.p. He said that the so- 
ciety, via the American Standards 
Org, was the sponsor of the attempt 
to set up international film stand- 
ards and observed that this attempt 
at coordination deserved the full 
backing of the American companies 
that are doing business abroad. 
Uniform standards would apply to 
such facets as sprocket holes, film 
width, soundtracks, etc. 

Society delegates pay their own 
w f ay. However, the engineers group 
itself is sending Henry Kogel, Its 
engineering secretary, to the Stock- 
holm meet. Any standards decided 


Columbus. Feb. 1. 

Film exhibitors and distributors 
find a couple of maddening provi- 
sions in Ohio House Bill No. 241, 
which seeks to re-install film cen- 
sorship in Ohio. The bill, sponsored 
by Reps. Jesse Yoder (D., Day- 
ton). John J. Conway (D., Cleve- 
land), James D. Kilbane <D., Cleve- 
land) and Charles W. Whalen (R., 
Dayton), doesn’t mention the word 
censorship and proposes to set up 
what it calls a “licensing” system 
for motion pictures. 

H. B. 241 has the backing of Gov. 
Frank J. Lausche and is an at- 
tempt by its writers' to circumvent 
court decisions which threw’ out 
Ohio’s former movie censorship 
law’ as unconstitutional. 

The proposal exempts newsreels 
and scientific and educational films 
from licensing and also' trailers — 
except there’s a catch about the 
trailers. To be exempt they must 
contain seenes . . . included in a 
previously licensed film.” Also “. . . 
no person, firm or corporation shall 
publicly exhibit motion picture 
trailers exhibiting scenes ordered 
deleted by the department, or ex- 
hibiting scenes which were not in- 
cluded as a part of the motion pic- 
ture w’hich is advertises, at the 
time it was examined.” 

This, in effect, decrees by law 
how film theatres will advertise 
their products. It would also auto- 
matically ban any of those trailers 
in which the star of the picture ad- 
(Continued on page 67) 


The SMPTE party going to on there would be voluntary and 
[ Stockholm will be headed by Axel 1 not absolutely binding on anyone. 


Metro Sets Cutoff Dates 
For Non-Anamorphics To 
Apply Overseas Sept. 1 

Metro will' discontinue the re- 
lease of regular, widescreen ver- 
sions of CinemaScope pictures in 
the international market beginning 
Sept. 1, 1955. Heretofore the com- 
pany has provided non-C’Scope 
foreign situations with prints that 
have been unsqueezed from the 
anamorphic process. 

The actual cutoff dale for non- 
anamorphic versions of the 
C’Scopers, according to Morton A. 
Spring, Loew’s International v.p., 
will vary with each country because 
of the different release schedules, 
lie emphasized (hat in no instance 
will the new policy begin before 
Sept. 1. 

It’s expected that it’ll be at least 
a year before any theatre overseas 
will be affected by the new policy 
because of the time required for a 
picture to play through to theatres 
not yet equipped for CinemaScope. 

“We feel.” said Spring, “that this 
time span plays fair with our cus- 
tomers and in our mutual best in- 
terests will provide them ample 
opportunity to install anamorphic 
equipment and thereby share in 
CinemaScope prosperity.” 

Noting that the film public 
abroad has backed CinemaScope 
pictures, Spring said that it’s im- 
portant for exhibitors to realize 
the great present and future possi- 
bilities of CinemaScope. “We are 
confident.” Spring said, “that our 
action will inspire exhibitor co- 
operation and approval, and that 
theatremen everywhere, even 
those who operate the smallest 
theatres, will realize the wisdom 
of installing the equipment neces- 
sary to show M-G-M CinemaScope 
pictures at their best.” 


Joaquin Rickard Named 
Johnston Consultant 

Joaquin D. Rickard, former Lat- 
in American rep of the Motion 
Picture Export Assn., last week 
was named as special consultant 
to the Assn, by prexy Eric John- 
ston. 

Rickard had been on a leave of 
absence since suffering injuries in 
an automobile ^accident in South 
America in early 1953. He’s re- 
garded as an expert on Spanish 
and Latin American film affairs. 



8 


PICTURE GROSSES 


Wednesday, February 2, 195.> 


L.A. Lags But Pagan Perky $65,000, 
Hulot’ Bangup 8G, ‘Taxi’ Slow 11G, 
Toko-ri’ Big 21G, Cruz’ Dandy 27G 


Los Angeles, Feb. 1. 

Extended-runs continue to be 
the mainstay of firstrun biz 
locally, with most" newcomers this 
week failing to generate much 
steam. Best new entries are 
“Hulot’s Holiday,” with nifty 
$8,000 for arty Fine Arts, a small- 
seater, and “Sign of Pagan,” rated 
good $26,000 in three theatres. 
“Pagan” is getting an additional 
$39,000 in seven ozoners on first 
regular release playdates here. 

Combo of “Battle Taxi” and 
“Race for Life” shapes dull $11,000 
in two situations. “White Orchid” 
and “Snow Creature” looks so-so 
$8,000 for one house. 

Among the holdovers, “Toko-ri” 
is fine $21,000 in second week. 
“Vera Cruz” is neat $27,000 for 
third round in four spofs. 
“Leagues Under Sea” continues to 
lead extended-runs with sturdy 
$17,000 for sixth frame. 

Estimates for This Week 

Fine Arts (FWC) (631; $1-$1.50) 
— “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday” (GBD). 
Fine $8,000. Last week, “Barefoot 
Contessa” (UA) (12th wk), $4,300. 

Los Angeles, Vogue (FWC) <2.- 
097; 885; 80-$l. 25)— “Battle Taxi” 
(UA) and “Race for Life” (Lip). 
Dull $11,000. Last week. “So This 
Paris” (U) and “Yellow Moun- 
tain” <U> (2d wk), $8,300. 

Downtown Paramount <ABPT) 
(3.200; 75-$l. 25)— “White Orchid” 
(UA) and “Snow Creature” (UA). 
So-so $8,000. Last week, “Star Is 
Born” (WB) (5th wk - 4 days, 
$4,000. 

State (UATC) (2.404; 70-$1.10)— 
“Battleground” (M-G) and "As- 
phalt Jungle” (M-G) (reissues). 
Light $6,300. Last week, with 
Hawaii. 

Orpheum, Hollywood, W’iltem 

(Metropolitan - FWC - SW) <2,213; 
756; 2,344; 80-$1.25)— “Sign of 

Pagan” <U) and “Fast and Furious” 
(Indie). Good $26,000. Last week, 
“Destrv” (U) and “West of Zanzi- 
bar” (U). $19,600. 

Hollywood Paramount <F&M> 
(1.430; $1-$1. 50)— “Bridges Toko- 
ri” (Par) (2d wk). Fine $21,000. 
Last week. $27,600. 

Hillstreet. Piint»ri>< (RKOt <?.- 
752; 2.812; 80-$1.25> — “Phffft” 

(Col) and "Pirates Tripoli” (Col) 
(2d wk). Moderate $18,000. Last 
week, $26,700. 

Warner Downtown, New Fox, 
Loyola. Uptown (SW-FWC) (1,757; 
965; 1.248; 1.715; $1-$1 .50)— “Vera 
Cruz” (UA) (3d wk). Neat $27,000. 
Last week, $43,200, plus $9,800 at 
nabe Picwood. 

Hawaii (G&S) (1.106; 90-$1.25)— 
“Green Fire” (M-G) (3d wk). Slow 
$2,500. Last week, with State, 
$ 11 , 000 . 

Chinese (FWC) (1.905; $1-$1.75) 
— “Show Business” (20th) «6th wk'. 
Still good $11,000. Last week, 
$13,200. 

Fox Wilshire (FWC) <2.296; $1- 
$1.50) — "20.000 Leagues” (BV) 
(6th wk). Sturdy $17,000. Last 
week, $19,300. 

Warner Beverly (SW) (1.612; 90- 
$1.50) — “Country Girl” (Par) <6th 
wk). Smooth $11,000. Last week, 
$13,600. 

Four Star <UATC) (900; 90-$1.50) 
— “Detective” <Col) (6th wk). Nice 
$3,600. Last week, $4,400. 

El Rey (FWC) (861; $1-$1 .50) — 
Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (6th wk) 
Slight $1,900. Last W'eek, $2,100. 

Egyptian (UATC) (1,536; 90- 

$1.50) — “Deep In Heart” (M-G) 
(6th wk). Mild $4,800 in 5 days. 
Last week. $8,000. 

W’arner Hollywood (SW) <1.364; 
$1.20-$2.65) — “Cinerama” (Indie) 
<92d wk). Into current week Sun- 
day (30) after topnotch $25,100 
last week. 

Vagabond (Rosener) (390; $1.50) 
• — "Gate of Hell” (Indie) (6th wk). 
Strong $5,000. Last week, $5,700. 


Broadway Grosses 


Estimated Total Gross 
This Week $495,500 

(Based on 22 theatres.) 

Last Year $482,100 

( Based on 24 theatres.) 


‘Vera Cruz’ Hotsy 
$14,000 in Omaha 

Omaha, Feb. 1. 

Sub-zero weather, snow and w ind 
smacked the first-run openings this 
session but a slight respite over 
the weekend helped grosses con- 
siderably. "Carmen Jones” is sock 
at the State. “Vera Cruz” at the 
Orpheum shapes especially big. 
“Violent Men” at the Brandeis 
looms neat. “Deep in My Heart” 
is trim in second stanza at the 
Omaha. 

Estimate for This Week 

Brandeis (RKO) (1,100; 65-85)— 
“Violent Men” (Col) and “Pirates 
of Tripoli” <Col). Neat $6,000. Last 
week, “PhfTft” (Col) and "Race for 
j Life” (Lip) (2d wk), $4,500 at 75c 
top. 

Omaha (Tristates) (2,000; 65-85) 
— “Deep in Heart” <M-G) (2d wk) 
with “This Is Your Army” (Indie). 
Trim $5,000. Last week. $9,000. 

Orpheum (Tristates) (2,890; 70- 
90 > — “Vera Cruz” (UA). Smash 
$14,000. Last week, “3-Ring Circus” 
(Par) (2d wk-4 days), $6,500. 

State (Goldberg) (875; 60-90)— 
“Carmen Jones" i20th). Socko : 
$8,000. Last week. “Battleground” 
(M-G) and “Asphalt Jungle” (M-G) 
(reissues) (5 days), $4,500 at 50c- 
80c scale. 


‘SEA’ TERRIF $22,000, 
L’VILLE; ‘MEN’ FAT 11G 

Louisville, Feb. 1. 

“20,000 Leagues” is really in the 
big boxoffice league this week at 
the Rialto, with smash session de- 
spite some snow Saturday (29) 

night. “Violent Men” at the State 
looks good. Holdover of “3-Ring 
Circus” at the Kentucky is solid. 

Estimates for This Week 

Kentucky (Switow) (1,000; 50-75* 
— “3-Ring Circus” (Par) (2d wk). 
Nice $7,000 after last week’s 
$ 12 , 000 . 

Mary Anderson (People’s) (1,000; 
50-75)— "Silver Chalice” (WB) <2d 
wk). Oke $5,000 after first week’s 
$7,500. 

Rialto (Fourth Avenue) (3.000; 
75-$l) — “20,000 Leagues Under 
Sea” (BV). Dominating the town 
with wham $22,000. Last week, 
“So This Is Paris” (U), $14,000 at 
75c scale. 

State (United Artists) (3,000; 50- 
75> — “Violent Men” (Col). Friday 
(28). Moving towards nice $11,- 
000. Last week, "Vera Cruz” (UA) 
(2d wk), $13,000. 


‘Bridges’ Wow $32,000, 
‘Gangbusters’ Solid 23G, 

2 Spots, Hub; ‘Paris’ 17G 

Boston, Feb. 1. 

“Six Bridges to Cross” in second 
frame at the Memorial, and 
“Gangbusters,” ditto at Paramount 
and Fenway, continue outstanding 
! here this week. “Bridges” is espe- 
cially big. “This is Paris” is only 
fair at the Met. “Vera Cruz” in 
third week at Orpheum and State 
is slipping. ‘“Prince of Players” in 
second round at Astor is very dis- 
appointing. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (B&Q) (1.500; 70-$1.10) — 
[■ “Prince of Players” (20th* (2d wk). 

: Off to mild $8,000 following $10,- 
; 000 in first w eek: 

Beacon Hill (Beacon Hill) (800; 
74-$ 1 .25) — “Romeo and Juliet” 
j <UA) (6th Wk). Nifty $6,500 after 
last week s $7,000. 

Boston (Cinerama Productions 
(1.354; $1.20-$2.85) — “Cinerama” 
(Indie) (57th wk). This continues 
(Continued on page 18) 


‘Americano’ Fancy 11G, 
Buff.; ‘Toko-ri’ 15G, 2d 

Buffalo, Feb. 1. 

City is loaded with holdovers, 
and newcomers are not smash. 
“Americano” at Century looms as 
best new entry with nice total. 
“Bridges At Toko-ri” is top h o. 
with a good round at Paramount. 
“Prince of Players” is mild at 
Center. “Deep in Heart” looks 
okay in second frame at the Buf- 
falo. 

Estimates for This Week 
Buffalo (Loew s) (3.000; 60-85) — 

,M * G) '2d wk). 
Oke $10,000. Last week, $16,500. 
l'»ramount iPaf) .3,000; 50-$l>-- 
Bndges At Toki-ri” (par) and 
(Continued on page 18) 


Weather Clips Pitt Biz; 
‘Men’ Fair $8,500, ‘Sea’ 
Fast 16G, ‘Cruz’ Ditto 

Pittsburgh, Feb. 1. 

Cold weather and snow are cut- 
ting in plenty this week but a 
couple of holdovers. “Vera Cruz” 
at Penn and “20.000 Leagues Un- 
der Sea” at Stanley are sturdy in 
second stanzas. Only new picture 
downtown, “Violent Men” at Har- 
ris. never got off the ground. “Sign 
of Pagan’’ is dropping off in third 
but still okay at Fulton. Squirrel 
Hill has another winner in "Mr. 
Hulot’s Holiday” with the em- 
braces of the crix for new entry 
at art naber. 

Estimates for This Week 

Fulton (Shea) <1.700; 65-$1.10) — 
“Sign of Pagan” <U> (3d wk). Slid- 
ing off at windup but okay $6,500. 
Last week. $11,000. 

Guild (Green) (500; 65-$l) — 
“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (6th wk). 
Starting to slip. Looks about same 
as last week or $1,500. 

Harris (Harris) <2,165; 65-$l) — 
"Violent Men” (Col). Weather and 
competition too much for only new 
downtown entry. Will be lucky to 
do fair $8,500 in 9 days. Holding 
through Thursday <3) in order to 
get “Beau Brummel” <M-G> off to 
Friday opening. Last week, “So 
This Is Paris” (U). $7,500 in 7 days. 

Penn (UA) (3.300; 65-$1.25) — 
“Vera Cruz” (UA) (2d wk). Still 
very sturdy at $16,000. May go 
another stanza. Last week, $24,000. 

Squirrel Hill (SW) (900 ; 65-$l)— 
“Mr. Hulot’s Holiday” (GBD). Big- 
gest Saturday (29) art naber ever 
had, big $4,700 or over. Should 
be around for awhile. Last week. 
“Detective” (Col) (5th vJt-6 days), 
$ 2 , 000 . 

Stanley (SW) (3.800; 75-$1.25)— 
“20.000 Leagues Under Sea” (BV) 
<2d wk). Heading for $16,000 or 
near. Probably enough to keep it 
going. Last week, had weather 
down stretch hurt, but still was 
terrific at $28,500. 

Warner (SW) (1.365; $1.25-$2.65) 
— “Cinerama” (Indie) (61st wk). 
Getting plenty of action with end 
of run only two weeks away. 
Weather holding it back a bit cur- 
rently but still fast at $13,000. Last 
week. $15,400. 


Mpls. 20-Below, B.O. Hard Hit But 
‘Bridges’ Lofty $9,500; ‘Chalice’ 8G 


Minneapolis, Feb. 1. 
Temperatures as low as 20 below 
zero here and 40 below nearby 
together with more snow aren’t 
encouraging theatre patronage, 
grosses falling with the mercury. 
Another adverse factor is the com- 
parative paucity of fresh arrivals. 
As holdovers cling to their perehes, 
the sole newcomers comprise "The 
Detective.” “Americano,” "Down 
Three Dark Streets” and “Bridges 
to Cross.” Last-named at Orpheum 
looms tops while “Detective” is 
rated sturdy at State. Still on tap 
are “Cinerama.” in its 42d week 
and still going strong. “Silver 
Chalice” is dragging bottom in 
second round at Radio City, 

Estimates for This Week 
Century (S-W) < 1 .140; $1 .75-$2 65) 
—"Cinerama” dndie) i42d wk). 
Hefty $12,000. Last week, $14,000. 

Gopher (Berger) (1.000; 65-85) — 
“Down 3 Dark Streets” (UA). Okav 
$4 500. Last week, “Vera Cruz” 
<U.\) (5th wk), $2,200 in 4 da vs. 
Lyric (Par) (1,000; 85-$l) — 


“Carmen Jones” <20th) (m.o.). Good 
$5,000. Last week. “Show Busi- 
ness” (20th) (4tli wk), $3,500. 

Radio City (Par) (4.100; 85-$ 1)— 
“Silver Chalice” (WB) (2d wk). 
Winding up a moderate run. Mild 
$8,000. Last week. $12,000. 

RKO-Orpheum (RKO) <2.800; 65- 
85) — “6 Bridges to Cross” (U). 
Fancy $9,500. especially good in 
view of weather. Last W'eek 
“Violent Men” (Col), $9,000 at 85c- 
$1 scale. Moves to Pan. 

RKO-Pan (RKO) <1.600; 85-$l)— 
“Violent Men” (Col) (m.o.). Here 
alter profitable Orpheum session. 
Good $5,000. Last week. “Passion” 
RKO) and "Sins of Rome” (RKO), 
$4,000 at 85c top. 

State (Par) (2.300; 65-85) “Amer- 
icano” (RKO). Modest $7,000. Last 
week, “Carmen Jones” (20th ), $10,- 
500 at 85c-$l scale. 

World (Mann) <400; 65-SI. 20) 

"The Detective” (Col). Sturdy 
$5,000. Last week. “Deep in Heart” 
(M-G) (5th wk), $3,000 in 6 days. 


Cincy Coldest in 4 Yrs.; Contessa’ 
Lively $10,090, Heart’ Okay 12G 


Key City Grosses 


Estimated Total Gross 
This Week $2,460,900 

( Based on 23 cities and 210 
theatres, chiefly first runs, in- 
cluding N. Y. ) 

Total Gross Same Week 

Last Year $2,433,600 

(Based on 23 cities and 196 
theatres.) 


Toko-ri’ Potent 



Cleveland, Feb. 1. 

Long spell of near-zero weather 
is not hurting cinema biz here 
much. "So This Is Paris” looks 
fair at Palace. "Bridges at Toko- 
Ri” playing the State is standout 
with big total. "French Line” looks 
stout for Allen. “Black Tuesday” 
shapes fine at Stillman. “Aida” is 
still stout at Ohio on second lap. 

Estimates for This Week 

Allen (S-W; 70-$l) — “French 
Line” *RKO). Held up long time 
by Ohio censors, nice $13,000. 
Last week. “Prince of Players” 
(20th), $9,000. 

llipp (Telem’t) <3,700; 60-90*— 
“Violent Men” (Col). Good $14,- 
000. Holds. Last week. “Sign of 
Pagan” (U) (2d wk), $12,000. 

Lower Mall (Community) ( 585; 
<60-90* — “Le Plaisir” (Indie). Okay 
$2,500. Last week, “Flamenco” 
(Indie.*, $2,000. 

Ohio (Loew’s) (1.200; 75-$1.25>— 


► Cincinnati, Feb. l 

Near - zero temperatures and 
snow, Cincy’s worst winter six !) 
in four years, hurt downtown bi z 
in the first half this week. In view 
of this barrier, three new bills are 
heading for pleasing totals. “Deo 
In M.V Heart” at Albee shapes okay 
but best showing by a newcomer 
is being made by “Barefoot Con- 
tessa,” sharp at Keith’s. “Day. at 
Black Rock” at the Palace looms 
passable. 

Estimates for This Week 
Albee (RKO) (.3100; 75-90) _ 
"Deep In Heart” (M-G). Okay $12 - 
000. Last week, “Young at Heart* 
(WB), $12,500. 

Capitol (Ohio Cinema Corn ) 
<1.376; $1.20-$2.65) — “Cinerama” 
(Indie) (33d wk). Maybe $18,000, 
solid, with assist from extra juve’ 
matinee after last week’s weather- 
slowed $15,000. 

Grand (RKO) (1.400; 50-84) — ",\ 
Woman’s Face” <M-G) and "Dr. 
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (M-G) (re- 
issues). Four days. Favorable 
$3,500. Last week. "Sign of Pagan * 
<U). 10 days, at 90c top, $16,000 

Keith's (Shor) (1,500; 75-$ 1 .25* 

“Barefoot Contessa” (UA). Lively 
$10,000. Holds for second stanza. 
Last week, “Vera Cruz” (UA) '5th 
wk-5 days), $5,800. 

Palace (RKO) (2.600; 75-90) — 
“Rad Day at Black Rock” (M-G). 
Fairly good $11,000. Last week. 
“Violent Men” (Col), $11,500 


‘This Paris’ Nifty 15G, 

K.C.; Toko-ri’ Sockeroo 
14G, ‘Cruz’ 7?G in 2d 


Kansas City, Feb. 1. 
Bright entries here currently 
“Aida” (1FE* (2d wk*. Solid : f re “5° T JJ*. Is Paris.” playing 

$5,000, following $7,000 last round. . [° UI \ F ° x Midwest theatres, and 
Palace (RKO) (3.287; 60-90'— I holdovers of Toko-ri” at the 
“So This is Paris” <U*. Fair [^amount and Vera Cruz” at the 
$9,000. Last week, “Destry” «U) Midland. Americano.” another 
and “Jamboree” (Indie*, $7,300. 


State (Loew’s) (3.500; 60-90*— 
“Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par). Big 
$23,000. Holds. Last week, 
“Green Fire” (M-G), $14,000. 

Stillman (Loew’s) (2,700; 60-90) 
— “Black Tuesday” <UA). Fine 
$7,500. Last week. “Vera Cruz'* 
(UA) (m.o.) (4th wk), $7,000. 


This Paris’ Lively 14G, 
Frisco; ‘Rock’ Rich 17G, 
‘Toko-ri’ Great 21G, 2d 

San Francisco, Feb. 1. 

Several new entries this round 
are brightening the first-runs here. 
“So This Is Paris” looms solid at 
Golden Gates while “Bad Day At 
Black Rock” is equally strong at 
Warfield. “Prince of Players” is 
a major disappointment at the 
huge Fox. “Bridges At Toko-ri” 
shapes socko in second Paramount 
session. 

Estimates for This Week 

Golden Gate (RKO) (2.859; 80- 
$1) — "So This Is Paris” (U), and 
"Dangerous Cargo” (Indie). Solid 
$14,000 or close. Last week, "20.- 
000 Leagues” (BV) (5th wk), $14,- 
800. ’ 

Fox (FWC) (4,651; $1.25-$1.50)— 
“Prince of Players” (20th) and 
“Flight of W’hite Heron” (20th). 
Sad $9,500. Last week. 
Business” (20th) (5th wk), 
in 5 days. 

Warfield (Loew’s) (2,656; 

—“Bad Day At Black Rook” 

Fast $17,000. Last week. 

Fire” (M-G), $13,000. 

Paramount (Par) (2,646; 95- 

$1.25)— “Bridges At Toko-ri” (Par) 


‘Show 
$9,800 

65-90) 

(M-G). 

“Green 


newcomer at the Missouri, is slow. 
Coldest weather of the year with 
temperatures near zero was no 
help over the weekend. 

Estimates for This W’eek 

Glen (Dickinson) (750; 75-$ 1) — 
“High and Dry” (U) (12th wk) and 
“The Promoter” (U) (2d run). 

Holds on at $800. Last week, ditto. 

Kimo (Dickinson) (504; 75-$l* — 
“Romeo and Juliet” <U> (6th wk'. 
Oke at $1,200. Holds. Last week, 
$1,300; 

Midland (Loew’s) (3.500: 60-80) 
— ("Vera Cruz” (UA) and “Return 
Treasure Island” (UA) (2d wk*. 
Pleasing $7,500. Last week, $15,000. 

Missouri (RKO) (2,650; 50-80'— 
“Americano” (RKO) and “Cairo 
Road” (Indie). Medium $6 000. Last 
week, “Cattle Queen Montana” 
(RKO) and “Killer Leopard” <AA) 
(2d wk), in three davs, “Suspicion” 
(RKO) and “The Window” (RKO) 
(reissues) last 4 days, split week, 
$5,000. 

Orpheum (Fox Midwest) 

75-$l) — “Show Business” 

(6th wk). Fine $5,000. Last 
same. 

Paramount (United Par) <1.900; 
75-$l) — “Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) 
<2d wk). Fat $14,000. Holds oil 
Last week. $19,000. 

Tower, Uptown, Fairway, Gran- 
ada (Fox Midwest) (2.100; 2.043; 
700; 1,217; 65-85) — "So This Is 
Paris” (U) and “Port of Hell” (AA>. 
Nifty $15,000. Last week, “Destrv” 
(U) and “Other W’oman” (20th', 
$15,000. 

Vogue (Golden) (550; 75-$l)— 
“The Detective” (Col) <6th wk) and 
“Four Poster” (Col) (2d run). Fast 
$1,500. Holds. Last week, $1,600. 


1.913; 

<20lh) 

week, 


$21,000. Last 


(2d wk). Socko 
week, $33,000. 

St. Francis (Par) (1.400; $1- 

$1.25)— “Violent Men” (Col) and 
“Women’s Prison” (Col) (2d wk). 
Fancy $11,000. Last week, $16,800. 

Orpheum (Cinerama Theatre. 
Calif.) (1.458; $1.75-$2.65)— “Cine- 
rama” (Indie) (57th wk). Smash 
$21,500. Last week, $21,000. 

United Artists (No. Coast) <1,207; 
70-$l)— "Vera Cruz” (UA) (6th 
wk)). Sturdy $7,500. Stays on. 
Last week, $8,900. 

Stagrdoor (A-R) (400; $1-$1 .25) 
— “Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (6th 
wk>). Trim $3,000 or near. Last 
week, $3,500. 

Larkin (Rosener) (400; $1) — ! 

“Mr. Hulot’s Holiday" (G-BD) I 
(6th wk)). Solid $2,400. Last 
week, $2,300. 

Vogue (S.F. Theatres) <377-$l)— 
“Ugetsu” (Indie) (11th wk)). Good: 
$1,500. Last week, $1,800. j 


‘6 Bridges’ Sock UG, 

D.C.; ‘Carmen’ Hot 18 G 

Washington, Feb. 1. 
There’s the usual dearth of new- 
comers along main stem current iy, 
and some of holdovers are sagging. 
Both entries, “Carmen Jones” at 
Loew’s Capitol and “6 Bridges To 
Cross” at Columbia, rated critical 
kudos and are lively, latter being 
especially sock. “Carmen” shapes 
as holdover prospect. “20.000 
Leagues Under Sea” in sixth stanza 
at Keith’s still is solid. Season’s 
b.o. phenomenon continues to he 
“Cinerama. “Vera Cruz” shapes 
big in sixth Palace week. 
Estimates for This Week 
Ambassador (SW) (1,400; 60-8^ 
— “Reap Wild Wind” 'Far) 
'reissue). Good $5,000. Last week, 
"Violent Men” (Col), $6,500 
Capitol (Loew’s) <3.434; 75-$ 1 
“Carmen Jones” (20th). Brisk SIR - 
000. but not up to hopes. Holds. 
Last week, “Green Fire” <M-d 
(2d wk). $6,500 in final 3 days 
(Continued on page 18) 



Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


PICTURE GROSSES 


Cold Wave Bops Chi Albeit ‘Pagan’ 
Torrid $22,000, Hock’ Smooth Wfa 
‘Men Mild 23G, ‘Sea 1 Stout 21G, 6th 


Chicago, Feb. 1. 

Biz this round looks to stay 
mainly in the doldrums with con- 
tinued sub-zero weather the con- 
tributing factor to the downbeat. 
Weekend temperatures of five and 
ten degrees below zero kept thou- 
sands home. 

However, several newcomers 
shape okay. “Violent Men” at the 
Oriehtal looks to garner a modest 
$23,000. “Bad Day at Black Rock" 
shapes lusty $22,500 in first frame 
at the Woods. 

‘‘Sign of Pagan” at United Art- 
ists looms big $22,000. At the 
Roosevelt, a sock $22,000 looms for 
“Women’s Prison" and “Human 
Desire" opening week. “The Other 
Woman” and “Outlaw’s Daughter" 
at McVickers is rated dull $16,000. 
First round at the Grand for “Cry, 
Vengeance” and “The Desperado” 
looks fairish $7,500. 

“Bridges At Toko-ri” is holding 
well in second frame at the Chi- 
cago with Sarah Vaughan heading 
stageshow. A lofty $54,000 is *in 
sight. The Carnegie’s “Ugetsu” 
continues smash in third week. 

A socko $21,000 shapes for “20- 
000 Leagues Under Sea” at the 
State-Lake in sixth round. “Aida” 
looms smash at the World, also 
sixth week. “Detective” continues 
solid at the Surf, also for sixth 
frame. 

Estimates for This Week 

Carnegie (Telem’t) (480; 95 * — 
“Ugetsu” (Indie) (3d wk>. Fancy 
$2 900. Last week, $4,500. 

Chicago (B&K* (3,900; 98-$1.50> 
— “Bridges At Toko-ri" (Par) with 
Sarah Vaughan heading vaude bill 
(2d wk*. Hefty $54,000. Last week. 
$ 66 , 000 . 

Grand (Nomikos) (1,200; 98-> 

$1.251 — “Cry, Vengeance” (A A) and 
“The Desperado" (AA*. Fairish at 
$7,500. Last Week, “Beau Brum- 
mcl” (M-G> and “Crest of Wave” 
(M-G) (3d wk-5 days), $3,100. 

Loop (Telem't) (606; 90-$1.25>— 
“West of Zanzibar” (U) and “Se- 
curity R'sk" (AA) (2d wk*. Fine 
$7,500. Last week, $9,000. 

McVickers (JL&S) (2,200; 65- 
$1.25)— “The Ottier Woman” (20th) 
and "The Outlaw’s Daughter” 
(20th t. Sluggish $16,000. Last 
week. “Tonight’s the Night" (AA), 
$15 000 

Oriental (Indie) (3.400; 98-$1.25> 
— “Violent Men" (Col). Slow $23- 
000 Last week, “Show Business” 
(20th) (5th wk>, $20,000. 

Palace (Eitel) (1,484; $1.25-$3.40* 
— “Cinerama" (Indie) (79th wk). 
Solid $24,500. Last week. $26,000. 

Roosevelt (B&K) (1,400; 65-98> — 
“Women’s Prison" (Coll and “Hu- 
man Desire” (Col>. Nifty $22,000. 
Last week. “Destry" (U) and “Bam- 
boo Prison” (Col) (2d wk). $12,000. 

State-Lake (B&K) (2,400; 65-98* 
— “20.000 Leagues Under Sea" 
(BV) (6th wk). Stout $21,000. Last 
week. $20,000. 

Surf (H&E Balaban) (685; 95*— 
“Detective” <Col) (6th wk). Staunch 
$4,000. Last week. $5,000. 

United Artists (B&K) (1.700; 98 
$1.25)— “Sign of Pagan" (U*. Lusty 
$22,000. Last week, “Prince of 
Players” (20th), $8,000. 

Woods (Essaness) (1,206; 98- 

$1.25*— “Bad Day at Black Rock” 
(M-G*. Swell $22,500. Last week. 
“Down 3 Dark Streets” (UA) (3d 
wk). 515,000. 

World (Indie) (697; 98*— “Aida" 
(IFE* (6th wk>. Smash $6,500. Last 
week. $7,500. 


Estimates Are Net 

Film gross estimates as re- 
ported herewith from the vari- 
ous key cities, are net; i.e., 
without usual tax. Distrib- 
utors share on net take, when 
playing percentage, hence the 
estimated figures are net in- 
come. 

The parenthetic admission 
prices, however, as indicated, 
include the U. S. amusement 
tax. 


‘Americano’-‘Cry’ 

Neat 16G, St. Loo 

St. Louis. Feb. 1. 

Only two new films are on cur- 
rent docket, with the Italian-made 
“Bread, Love and Dreams.” doing 
nicely at the Shady Oak. “Ameri- 
cano” and “Cry, Vengeance” 
combo wound up with a neat total 
Monday (31) at the Fox. “Vera 
Cruz,” one of the holdovers, con- 
tinues biggest draw with a lofty 
figure in second session at Loew’s. 
“Silver Chalice” also is trim on 
initial holdover week at the St. 
Louis. Cold weather over the 
weekend is credited with helping 
biz. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador (Indie) (1.400; $1.20- 
$2.40) — “Cinerama” (Indie) (53d 
wk». Fine $16,000 after $17,500 
1 last week. 

Fox (F&M) (5.000; 75) — “De- 
stroy” (U> and “Keystone Cops” 
(U>. Opened today (Tues.). Last 
week, “Americano” (RKO) and 
“Cry Vengeance” (AA), neat 
$16,000. 

Loew’s (Loew’s) (3.172; 50-85) — 
“Vera Cruz” (UA) (2d wk*. Tall 
$17,000 after $21,500 initial frame. 

Orpheum (Loew’s) (1,400; 75-$l) 
— "20,000 Leagues Under Sea” 
(BV)) (6th wk). Good $7,500. Last 
week, $9,000. 

Pageant (St. L. Amus.) (1.000;82) 
— “She-Wolf” (Rep) (2d wk). 
Nice $3,000 following $4,000 in 
first. 

Richmond (St. L. Amus.) (400; 
82*— “She-Wolf” (Rep) (2d wk*. 
Good $2,000. Last week, $2,500. 

St. Louis (St. L. Amus.) (4,000; 
75) — ' "Silver Chalice” (WB) (2d 
wk). Trim $13,000 after $16,000 
for first frame. 

Shady Oak (St. L. Amus.) (800; 
82) — "Bread, Love. Dreams" (IFE). 
Big $3,500 or over. Last week, 
“Romeo and Juliet" (UA) (3d wk), 
$2,700. 


‘6 Bridges’ Mighty 22G, 
Del.; ‘Fagan’ $15,000, 2d, 
‘Tues.’ 23G, ‘Sea’ Big 14G 

Detroit, Feb. 1. 

Biz continues good at downtown 
houses this week with holdovers 
mainly carrying the ball. Best 
newcomer is “6 Bridges to Cross" 
which shapes terrific at the Broad- 
way-Capitol. “Young at Heart” is 
.lust passable at the Michigan. 
Holdovers are led by “Cinerama" 
which picked up real steam in 
98th week at the Music Hall. 
“Black Tuesday" is okay at the 
fox in second round. “Sign of 
Pagan” at the Palms looms stout 
in second. “20,000 Leagues Under 
f*ea" at the Madison still looks big 
in sixth week. 

Estimates for This Week 
'Fox-Detroit) (5,000; $1- 

"j-25' — Tuesday” (UA) and 
10 Wanted Men” (Col) (2d wk*. 
( > k *y 523,000. Last week, wow 

Michigan (United Detroit* (4 000; 
M)-$l > — "Young at Heart” iWBi 
** nd ‘Crossed Swords” (UA). Pass- 
continued on page 18) 


‘Toko-ri’ Smash $20,000, 
Denver; ‘Chalice’ Oke 14G 

Denver, Feb. 1. 

“Bridges at Toko-ri” is having 
no trouble grabbing top coin here 
this week at Denham, and will 
hold. "Silver Chalice,” which 
looms fine at the Center, also will 
hold over. “Sign of Pagan” looks 
good in second Paramount stanza. 
“Violent Men” is rated good at the 
Denver, and stays over an extra 
two days. 

Estimates for This Week 

Aladdin (Fox) (1.400; 50-85) — 
“Bob Mathias Story” (AA) and 
“Mighty Fortress” (Indie). Fair 
$3,000. Last week. “Raid” (20th) 
and “Black 13” (20th), $3,500. 

Centre (Fox) (1.247; 60-$l) — 

“Silver Chalice" (WB). Fine $14.- 
000. Stays. Last week, “Show Busi- 
ness” (20th) (5th wk). $10,000. 

Denham (Cockrill) (1.750; 60-$i) 
— “Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par). 
Socko $20,000. Last week, “Fire 
Over Africa” (Col), $4,500. 

Denver (Fox) (2,525; 50-85) — 

“Violent Men" (Col) and “Bamboo 
Prison" (CoP. Good $11,000. Last 
week. “Young at Heart” (WB), 
$13,000 

Esquire (Fox) . (742; 50-$l) — 

“Romeo and Juliet” (UA>. Fair $2.- 
000. Last week. “Earrings of Mad- 
ame De’’* (Arlan) (2d wk). $1,000. 

Orpheum *(RKO) (2.600: 50-85)— 
“Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G* 
and “Utopia” (Indie* (2d wk). Fair 
$6,500. Last week. $16,500. 

Paramount (Wolfberg* (2.200; 50- 
85) — “Sign of Pagan” <U> (2d wk*. 
Good $9,500 in 5 days. Last week. 
$24,000. 


TOKO-RI’ SWELL 16G, 
INDPLS.; ‘SEA’ 11G, 2D 

Indianapolis, Feb. 1. 

Biz is stout at first-run situa- 
tions here this stanza despite the 
holdover of the cold wave, the 
worst since 1951. “Bridges At 
Toko-ri” is showing lots of power 
to lead the city at the Circle. “20,- 
000 Leagues Under Sea" still is 
sock in second week at Indiana. 
"Green Fire” at Loew’s is just 
okay. 

Estimates for This Week 

Circle (Cockrill-Dolle) (2.800; 60- 
95) — “Bridges At Toko-ri” (Par). 
Swell $16,000, and likely will hold. 
Last week, “Bridges To Cross” (U) 
and “Trouble in Glen” (Rep), $11,- 
500. 

Indiana (C-D) (3,20Q; 75-$l) — 
"20,000 Leagues Under Sea” (BV) 
(2d wk). Sock $11,000 on top of 
$20,000 opener. 

Loew's (Loew’s) (2,427; 50-80) — 
“Green Fire” (M-G) and “White 
Orchid” (UA). Just okay $9,000. 
Last week. “Vera Cruz” ,(UA) (2d 
wk), $8,000 at 70c-90c scale. 

Lyric (C-D) (1,600; 35-70) — 

“Naked Alibi’’ (U>> and “Fangs of 
Wild” - (Indie)). Modest $5,000. 
with All-Star Jamboree onCage 
replacing second feature Sunday 
only at $1.25. Last week, “She- 
Wolf” (Rep) and “Dark Violence” 
(Indie), $6,000, with same setup. 


Cold Clips B’way Albeit ‘Holiday 
Boffo 13^G; ‘Men Only Okay 20G, 
‘Unchained’ 18G, Toko-ri’ 145G, 2d 


‘6 Bridges’ Socko 

$25,000, Philly 

Philadelphia, Feb. 1. 

Firstruns are holding firm here 
currently, with newcomers helping 
to spurt biz, largely coming over 
weekend. Biggest coin total of 
new entrants is going to “6 Bridges 
to Cross,” rated sturdy at Stanley. 
“Prince of Players” is not getting 
far at the Fox. “Bad Day at Black 
Rock” shapes fairly good at Mast- 
baum. “Bridges At Toko-ri” looms 
staunch in second round at Ran- 
dolph. Closing weeks announce- 
ment boosted “Cinerama” to big- 
gest total in six months at Boyd. 

Estimates for This Week 

Arcadia (S&S* (625; 99-$1.35) 
— “Deep in Heart” (M-G) (6th wk). 
Steady $10,000. Last week, $10,500. 

Boyd (SW) (1,430; $1.25-$2.60)— 
“Cinerama” (Indie) (69th wk*. 
Boffo $23,700. Last week. $19,500. 

Fox (20th* (2.250; 90-$1.40) — 
“Prince of Players” (20th). Mild 
“17,000. Last week, “Show Busi- 
ness” (20th) (5th wk), $14,000. 

Goldman (Goldmart) (1,200; 65- 
$1.30)— “Black Tuesday” (UA) (2d 
wk). Bright $15,000. Last week, 
$27,000. * 

Mastbaum (SW) (4,370; 75-$1.30) 
—“Bad Day At Black Rock” (M-G). 
Fine $24,000. -d^ast week. “Leagues 
Under Sea” (BV) (5th wk), $13,000. 

Midtown (Goldman) (1,000; 74- 
$1.49)— "Sign of Pagan” (U) (4th 
wk). Okay $7,000 or close. Last 
week, $10,000. 

Randolph (Goldman) (2,500; 75- 
$1.40) — “Bridges At Toko-ri" (Par) 
(2d wk). Staunch $27,500. Last 
week, $39,000. _ 

Stanley (SW) (2.900; 74-$1.40)— 
“6 Bridges to Cross" (U). Sturdy 
$25,000 or near. Last week, “Young 
At Heart" (WB) (2d wk), $14,500. 

Stanton (SW) (1,473; 50-99) — 
“Theodora," (IFE) and “Rocket 
Man” (U). Slim $7,000. Last week, 
“They Rode West" (Col) $12,000. 

Trans-Lux (T-L) (500; 99-$1.50) 
— “Sabrina" (Par) (5th*wk). So-so 
$3,000. Last week, $3,500. 

Viking (Sley) (1.000; 74-$1.50) — 
“Last Time Saw Paris" (M-G) (7th 
wk). Heavy weekends boosting 
this to big $12,500. Last week, 
$10,500. 

Trans-Lux World (T-L> (604; 99- 
$1.50)— “Aida" (IFE) (6th wk). 
Fair $2,900. Last week, $4,000. 


‘Cruz’ Whopping 19G, 

Port.; ‘Chalice’ 10G 

Portland, Ore., Feb. 1. 

Biz is booming firstruns here 
with action pix helping. “Vera 
Cruz" lohks smash at the Liberty 
while “Silver Chalice” is stout 
Broadway entrv. “Carmen Jones" 
continues sturdy in second round. 
Estimates for This Week 

Broadway (Parker) (1,890; $1- 
$1.25) — “Silver Chalice” (WB). 
Stout $10,000. Last week, “Green 
Fire" (M-G* and “This Is Your 
Army" (Indie) 2d wk), $7,200. 

Fox (Evergreen) (1,536; $1-$1.25) 
— “Carmen Jones” (20th) and 
"Racing Blood" (20th) (2d wk). 
Lusty $9,000. Last week. $14,400. 

Guild (Indie) (400; $l>— “The De- 
tective” (Col* (3d wk). Big $3,000. 
Last week, $3,600. 

Liberty (Hamrick) (1,875; $1- 

$1.25)— ‘‘Vera Cruz’’ (UA* and 
(Continued on page 18) 


A cold wave of about a week’s 
duration, handed Broadway first- 
run business a crippling blow this 
stanza. The prolonged frigid 
weather, with readings below 15 
several days, was particularly 
rough on newcomers, few of the 
four living up to expectations. And 
the snow yesterday (Tues.) made 
travel hazardous in outlying areas 
and kept many from coming to 
Broadway. 

“Holiday for Henrietta," French 
import at the small-seater Fine 
Arts, heads the new entry list. It 
is soaring to a wow $13,500, one of 
the bigger totals at this house and 
especially strong in view of the 
severe cold. "Violent Men" w’ound 
up its initial round last night 
(Tues.) with an okay $20,000 at the 
State, but more was anticipated. 

Like “Men." the Victoria’s “Un- 
chained” was handicapped by hav- 
ing to open during the cold spell. 
It doesn’t look to top $18,000, only 
fair lor opening week. "Cattle 
Queen of Montana” also was 
sloughed, doing only a slow $6,500 
at the Globe. 

Second week of “6 Bridges to 
Cross.” with vaude, held surpris- 
ingly big at $20,000 or near in five 
days at the Palace. However, a 
ndw hill opens today (Wed.). 
"Young at Heart” wound up its 
second session at the Paramount 
with an okay $36,000. “Battle 
Cry” opens there today. 

The biggest thing on Broadway 
is "Bridges at Toko-ri," with stage- 
show. which looks to hold with a 
big $145,000 in its second stanza 
at the Music Hall. This pic was 
especially sock Saturday, with the 
total business that day comparing 
very favorably with the same day 
opening session. 

“Americano” is way off at a light 
$9,000 in its second Mayfair week. 
“Underwater” replaces Feb. 9. 

“Country Girl” continues its ter- 
rific pace, with $37,000 likely in 
the current (7th) round at the Cri- 
terion. “20,000 Leagues Under 
Sea” likewise still is smash, with 
$34,000 probable in its sixth week 
at the Astor. “Vera Cruz,” looms 
oke $16,000 in current (6th > frame 
at Capitol. 

“The Racers’* preems Friday (4) 
at the Roxy after the seventh week 
of “Show Business." 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; 75-$1.75) 
— “20,000 Leagues Under Sea" 
(BV) (6th wk). Current round fin- 
ishing today (Wed.) looks to hold 
with socko $34,000 or over, after 
$37,000 for fifth week.' Stays on 
indef at this pace. 

Little Carnegie (L. Carnegie) 
(550; $1.25-$2.20>— “Aida” (IFE) 

(12th wk*. Present session winding 
today (Wed) is likely to hold at 
loud $6,200 aft£r $6,500 last week. 
Now set to stay on until spring. 

Baronet (Reade) <430; 90-$1.55) 
“Game of Love" (Indie) (8th wk). 
Seventh round ended yesterday 
(Tues.) was good $5,300, after 
$6,000 last week. Continues on. 

Capitol (Loew’s) (4.620; 85-$2.20) 
—“Vera Cruz” (UA* (6th wk*. This 
frame winding up Friday (4* looks 
to hit okay $16,000 after $25,000 
for fifth week. Stays until Feb. 10 
when “Long Gray Line" (Col) 
preems. 

Criterion (Mos) (1,700; 75-$2.20) 
— “Country Girl" (Par) (7th wk). 
Present week ending today (Wed.* 
likely will hold around $37,000. 
great, after $40,000 for .sixth week. 
Stays on. _ 

Fine Arts (Davi^) (468; 90-$1.80) 
— “Holiday for Henrietta” (Arde> 
(2d wk*. Opening round ended 
Monday (31) soared to wow $13,- 
500. one of biggest opening weeks 
at ffie house and especially big in 
view of the weather. Rave reviews 
and excellent word-of-mouth all 
contributing to upswing. Looks to 
be around for some time. 

Globe (Brandt) (1,500; 70-$l .50 ) 
— "Cattle Queen of Montana” 
(RKO) (2d wk). First week ended 
Monday (31) hit slow $6,500. In 
ahead. “Theodora” (IFE) (2d wk), 
$6,500. 

Guild (Guild) (450; $1-$1.75) — 
“Gate of Hell" (Indie) (8th wk). 
Seventh session finished Monday 
(31) held with great $17,500 after 
$18,000 for sixth week. Stays in- 
definitely at this gait. 

Mayfair (Brandt) (1.736; 79- 

$1.80)— "Americano" (RKO) (3d- 
final wkw Initial holdover round 
ended yesterday (Tues.) was light 
$9,000 or less. Last week. $19,000. 
“Underwater" (RKO) opens Feb. 9. 

Normandie (Trans-Lux) (592; 95- 
$1.80) — “Camille” (M-G) (reissue). 
Opened stoutly yesterday iTues.). 


ahead. "Beachcomber" (UA) (2d 
wk) slow' $2,800 after disappoint- 
ing opening week. 

Palace (RKO) (1,700; 50-$1.60)— 
"Women’s Prison” (Col) and new 
vaudeville opens today (Wed.). 
Last week, "6 Bridges to Cross" 
(U* (2d wk). with new vaude, held 
at fancy $20,000 in five days ended 
yesterday (Tues.). Opening round 
was sock $28,000, best non-holiday 
week ever here uhder present 
policy. 

Paramount (ABC-Par) (3,664; 
85-$ 1.75* — “Battle Cry" (WB*. 
! Opens today (Wed.). Last week, 
“Young At Heart’’ (WB) (2d wk*. 
dipped to okay $36,000 after $48,- 
000 opening stanza. 

Paris (Pathe Cinema) (568; 90- 
$1.80) — “Animal Farm” (Indie) 
(6th wk). Fifth round ended yes- 
terday (Tues.) pushed up to fine 
$7,500 after $6,500 for fourth week. 
Stays on indef. 

Radio City Music Hall (Rocke- 
fellers* (6.200; 95-$2.75* — “Bridges 
At Toko-ri" (Par) and stageshow 
1 < 2d wk*. Holding at big $145,000 
in second session ending today 
| (Wed.). First week was big $155,- 
; 000, as anticipated. Stays on. 

Rivoli (UAT* <2.092; 85-$2)— 

“Bad Day At Black Rock” (M-G). 
Opened yesterday (Tues ). In ahead 
“Prince of Players” (20th) (3d wk*, 
dull $6,000 after $10,000 for 
second. 

Roxy (Nat’l. Th.) (5.717; 65- 

$2.40* — "Show Business" (20th) 
(7th-final wk*. Current frame 
winding tomorrow (Thurs.) looks 
to be mild $28,000, after $32,000 
for sixth week. "The Racers" 
(20th) opens Friday (4). “Show 
Business” enjoyed a highly suc- 
cessful run the first four weeks. It 
was held the last two weeks until 
print of “Racers” was available. 

State (Loews* (3.450; 78-$1.75) 
— “Violent Men” (Col* (2d wk*. 
First stanza * ended yesterday 
(Tues.) hit okay $20,000. In ahead, 
“3-Ring Circus" (Par) (5th wk-5 
days*, $9,500. 

Sutton (R&B* (561; $1-$1.80) — 
“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (7th wk). 
Sixth round ended yesterday 
(Tues.) was stout* $10,400 after 
$10,500 in fifth week. 

Trans-Lux 52d St. (T-L) (540; 
$l-$1.50i — “Tonight’s the Night” 
(AA) <6th wk*. This session wind- 
ing up today (Wed.) hit good $4.- 
200 after $5.00p last week. Holds 
until Feb. 17. when “Doctor in 
House” (Rep* opens. 

Victoria (City Inv.) (1,060; 50- 
$1.75* — “Unchained” (WB*. First 
week concluding today (Wed.) 
doesn’t look like it would top $18,- 
000, only fair for, initial stanza. 
Holds. In ahead. “Stan. Is Born" 
(WB* (15th wk-10 days), $17,200, 
to finish a very sock longrun here. 
“N. Y. Confidential” (WB) opens 
Feb. 18. 

Warner (Cinerama Prod.) (1,600; 
$1.20-$3.30) — “Cinerama" (Indie) 
(87th-final wk). The 86th wk. ended 
Saturday (2S» went to terrific $52,- 
600 after $49,800 in 85th session. 
Sundav (23) and last Friday and 
Saturday w^ biggest such days 
of run here. “Cinerama Holiday," 
second Cinerama production, 
opens here Feb. 8 after special 
preems Monday (7). 


‘Tuesday’ Brisk $13,000, 
Prov.; ‘Night’ Lush 9G, 
‘Bridges’ Big 12G, 2d 

Providence, Feb. 1. 

“6 Bridges To Cross” is carrying 
the Albee to a hefty take in a 
fairly active week all around here. 
Pic is in second round. Strand's 
“Tonight’s The Night” is also 
smooth. State’s “Black Tuesday” 
looks nice. Majestic’s “Prince of 
Players” is slow. 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) <2.200; 55-70)— “6 
Bridges to Cross” <U> (2d wk). 
Smooth $12,000 after $15,500 in 
first. 

Majestic (Fay) (2.200; 55-70) — 
"Prince of Players” (20th) and 
"Security Risk’’ (AA). Mild $6,500. 
Last week, “Silver Chalice" (WB), 
$ 12 , 000 . 

State (Loew’s) (3.200; 50-75) — 
"Black Tuesday” (UA) and “Opera- 
tion Manhunt") (UA). Very nice 
$13,000 or near. Last week. "Hu- 
man Desire" (Col) and “Bullet In 
Waiting" (Col*, $7,500. 

Strand (Silverman) <2.200; 50-75) 
—“Tonight’s the Night" (AA) and 
"Bob Mathias Story" (AA). Hep 
$9,000. Last week. “Phffft” (Col) 
and “Outlaw Stallion" (Col), 
$7,000. 



10 ' PICTURES 


T 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


Court Upholds Exhibs’ Claim on Tax 
Breakage’ But N. Y. City May Appeal 


New York City exhibitors won 
an important court victory yester- 
day <Tues.) when the second de- 
partment of the Appellate Division 
of the N. Y. Supreme Court ruled 
that the City administration was 
not entitled to collect the “break- 
age” on the 5% theatre admission 
tax. 

The City of New York, since it 
levied the tax last July, demanded, 
for example, that theatres pay 3c 
on a 50c admission when the 5% 
tax actually came to 2.5c. The 
theatres contended that this was 
illegal under terms of the State’s 
enabling act and argued for the 
payment of the lesser sum, or 2c. 

When the City put the new tax 
law- on its books, the theatres 
sought a temporary injunction on 
the ground that the entire City tax 
levy was unconstitutional. The 
Court denied the injunction on the 
overall issue, but granted the the- 
atre a temporary injunction on the 
“breakage” argument. The thea- 
tres, however, collected the higher 
sum from patrons when a frac- 
tional figure was involved. They 
paid the city the lesser amount, 
withholding forwarding the re- 
mainder under terms of the tempo- 
rary injunction until a final court 
decision was obtained. 

In ruling for the theatres in a 
three to two decision, Judge P. J. 
Nolan, writing the majority deci- 
sion. points out that the State’s en- 
abling act authorizes the collec- 
tion of “taxes not in excess of 5%” 
on admission to specified places of 
amusement. The New York City 
law, he said, provides for the col- 
lection of “a tax in excess of 5%.” 

In a dissenting opinon. Judge 
Bedlock declared the lawmakers 
may adopt a practical means to fa- 
cilitate the computation and collec- 
tion of the tax. He maintained 
that the enabling statute to impose 
a tax of not more than 5 % “must 
be construed so as to be subject to 
an exception through implication 
where the tax so imposed results 
in a fraction of one-hall' cent or 
more.” He noted that the amount 
to be paid by any individual pa- 
tron “is so trifling a* to be neither 
burdensome nor confiscatory.” 

Attorneys for the theatres are 
certain that the City will appeal 
the decision to a higher court since 
the exhibitors’ victory may have 
'Widespread repercussion* in the en- 
forcement of the City’s sales tax 
which has never been challenged 
on the “breakage” issue. 

If the theatres are eventually 
victorious, the question arises of 
what happens to the coin the ex- 
hibs have withheld from the City. 
Do the theatres keep it? Is it re- 
turned to the patrons? Some the- 
atres during the fight have been 
instructing their patrons to hold 
on to their ticket stubs. A lawyer 
spokesman for the theatres said 
the exhibitors probably would have 
to hold a policy meeting to deter- 
mine what to do with the money. 
He said it had added up to a sub- 
stantial amount. ^ 


Ceremonial Feb. 9 For 
Kaye’s UN Kid Short 

Leaders of United Nations and 
film industry will gather at UN 
Headquarters in New York Feb. 9 
for preem showing of “Assignment 
Children,” 20-minutc Technicolor 
film highlighting Danny Kaye’s re- 
cent overseas trip on behalf of the 
United Nations Children’s Fund. 

Speeches by UN officials and a 
message from Kaye via radio-tele- 
phone hookup from the Coast will 
precede showing of film made in 
cooperation with Paramount. 

Picture developed from Kaye’s 
tour of Asia as UNICEF ambassa- 
dor-at-large. It shows Kaye enter- 
taining youngsters at health con- 
trol centers and hospitals main- 
tained by UNICEF funds. rilm 
covers Burma. India, Korea, Japan, 
Thailand and Hong Kong. 

Film will be released world-wide 
on non-profit basis by Par. Narra- 
tion is being translated into all Eu- 
ropean languages, plus Arabic. 
Japanese. Mandarin. Tagalog, and 
Thai. First prints will be released 
in U. S. and Canada in mid-March, 
simultaneous with release in Aus- 
1 1 alia and New Zealand to help 
back UN appeals on behalf of the 
Childreh’s Fund. Distribution with- 
in three months will follow in Eu- 
rope, Middle East, and I.atin Amer- 
ica. 


Ban ‘Bamboo Prison’ 

' Memphis, Feb. 1. 

Three women members of the 
Memphis censor board banned Co- 
lumbia’s “Bamboo Prison” last 
week. Chief censor Lloyd Binford 
did not vote but said he agreed. 

Mrs. B. F. Edwards explained: 
“We ladies found this picture 
inimical to public welfare. It’s 
about an American who was cap- 
tured by the Chinese Reds in the 
Korean War.’ He seemed to be 
working undercover for us lor 
awhile but he was progressive. At 
the end the star, Robert Francis, 
denounced the United States. They 
tried to win him back. It was most 
unpatriotic. He said he didn’t be- 
lieve in democracy. I do not think 
it would be a good picture for our 
young people to sec.” 


United Paramount And 
Distribs Probe Video 
As Film-Selling Medium 

Various aspects of film advertis- 
i ing on tv were hashed out at a 
meet in N. Y., Monday < 3 1 ). be- 
tween ad-pub execs of United 
Paramount Theatres and the major 
distribs. 

Powwow, which was conclusive 
only in that it established both 
aides’ willingness and even eager- 
ness to use tv to the fullest as an 
exploitation medium, went over 
the lengthy report prepared by the 
UPT affiliates and distributed to 
the companies early in January. 

Recommendations in the report 
revolved primarily around the 
availability from the studios of 
more and better “tools” for pix 
promotion on tv, particularly 
longer and more imaginative 
trailers. The theatre group also 
had asked for more “gimmicks” to 
effect tieups with local tv stations. 

Although it’s rarely mentioned, 
and the subject again didn’t come 
up at the Monday meet, one of the' 
big roadblocks standing in the 
way of any effective cooperation 
between distribs and exhibs re tv 
is the theatres’ reluctance to sink 
coin into such efforts. Distrib 
spokesmen have long taken the 
position that, as one put, “the ex- 
hibitors talk big, but they won’t 
back up their ideas with cash.” It's 
acknowledged, however, that in 
some instances co-op deals re tv 
have been effected in time buying 
ventures. 

Exhibs’ complaints on the type 
of trailers they’re supplied with 
from the companies were brought 
up at t»ie confab Monday. One 
suggestion was made that distribs 
should use animated cartoons in 
trailers to soil their films. Reply 
was that this might tend to give 
the impression that the pix them- 
selves are cartoon subjects. 

Attending for UPT were Emil 
Bernstecker, Harold Brown and 
Henry Plitt. Group commended 
the distribs for their efforts so far 
in harnessing tv for the b.o. 


REPEAT PAYOFF TACTICS 
OF FIRST CINERAMA 

Mail order sales and pitches to 
group audiences, a policy estab- 
lished for “This Is Cinerama,” will 
be followed by Stanley Warner to 
drum up business for its second 
Cinerama picture, “Cinerama Holi- 
day.” 

According to SW prexy S. H. (Sit 
Fabian, more than 10 % of “This 
Is Cinerama’s” record attendance 
of 9.500,000 has been through ticket 
sales other than the purchase at 
the boxoffice. Fabian considers this 
something of a record in the his- 
tory of the entertainment business. 
He said that for many months the 
advance sale at many of the Cine- 
rama theatres exceeded $50,000. In 
some instances, he said, the mail 
order sales topped 500 in one day. 

Another gimmick that resulted 
in a hefty payoff was the special 
solicitation of conventions, travel 
agencies, school and scout groups, 
business firms, fraternal anch em- 
ployee associations. Frequently 
special screenings were given at 
the convenience of these organized 
audiences. 


My Favorite Rifle 

New Haven^ Feb. 1. 

Town played host to Robert 
Taylor last week (26) for its 
first film world preem on rec- 
ord. 

As a tiein with Winchester 
Repeating Arms division of 
Olin Industries, Taylor came 
in for presentation of a rare 
Winchester gun, firearm being 
featured Tn Metro’s "Many 
Rivers to Cross.” 

Visit of film player included 
public autograph session, cock- 
tail shindig for prominent city 
and state officials, sports edi- 
tors, and Winchester top brass, 
a tour of the Winchester plant 
and kleig light preem of pic at 
theatre. 


British Films Into 
Satellite Countries 


In films, as in other commercial 
areas, Britain is beating the U.S. 
to the punch in initiating trade 
with the Iron Curtain countries. 

Feeling seems to be that Britain 
might as well go ahead and get it- 
self established in the Red perim- 
eter while America is sitting it 
out. If and when the U.S. decides 
to ease its trading policy with Rus- 
sia and the satellites, and specifi- 
cally when Hollywood agrees to 
establish trade relations, the Brit- 
ish reason logically that they won’t 
stand much of a chance. 

Times of London recently had 
an article noting the general re- 
turn of British pix to the Iron Cur- 
tain countries which, are starved 
for outside product. British films 
have gone into Russia and also into 
Hungary, Czechoslovakia and East 
Germany. 

Meanwhile, chances of a resump- 
tion of film trade between the 
American film industry and the 
Russians are seen diminished in 
the light of reports that Metro’s 
“Waterloo Bridge” is playing in 
Moscow. Film, which was never 
licensed to the Russians, presum- 
ably is another one of the batch 
of pix that the Soviets have claim- 
ed as "wac booty” captured in 
Berlin. 

Metro spokesman said last week 
that the company didn’t see much 
sense in protesting these illegal 
showings in the light of past ex- 
periences with such complaints 
which were delivered in Moscow 
by the U.S. State Dept. He said 
Metro had no prior knowledge 
that the Russians had “Waterloo 
Bridge” and>that he could only 
assume this was another of the 
films tagged as Russian “prizes of 
war.” ^ 

Even though the State Dept, has 
indicated to the industry that it* 
would no longer object if a deal 
with the Russians were to be con- 
summated. no move appears to be 
on foot to establish contact with 
potential Moscow buyers. 


Sindlinger Tells Philly 
Exhibs Will Give Public 
Abolished Tax (of 10%) 

Philadelphia, Feb. 1. 

Proposals to halve the city’s 10% 
amusement tax were backed by 
film and athletics spokesmen at a 
hearing in City Council, with 
pronTTSes to pass the tax-cut on to 
the public. 

Albert E. Sindlinger, business 
analyst representing the Council 
of Motion Picture Organizations, 
told City Council’s finance com- 
mittee that the theatre operators 
►would give all tax cuts to the pa- 
trons. 

Reduction of the tax was also 
asked by Jeremiah Ford, director 
of athletics at the University of 
Pennsylvania. Cost of the tax cut 
in lost revenue would be approxi- 
mately $1,500,000, city revenue 
officials estimated. The amuse- 
ment tax is the city’s only revenue 
source which has been declining 
steadily in recent years, propo- 
nents of the cut argued. 


3 Columbias in Feb. 

Columbia has scheduled three 
releases for February. 

They are “Ten Wanted Men.” 
Randolph Scott Technicolor out- 
doorer; “Women’s Prison,” star- 
ring Ida Lupino, and “Pirates of 
Tripoli.” starring Paul Henried 
and Patricia Medina. 


Inside Stuff-Pictures 

Echoes of the famed “Birth of a Baby” case, litigated in 1937 and 
1938. sounded Friday (28) in the unanimous decision by the Board 
of Regents upholding Dr. Hugh M. Flick’s ruling of Sept. 23, 1954, 
that “Mom and Dad” could not be licensed in this State with the 
brief “Normal Birth” sequence retained. 

The Regent’s resolution supporting the chief censor’s finding, 
pointed out that “The Court of Appeals affirming the Board of Re- 
gents has held that such a scene cannot be shown in the amusement 
theatres of the State because it is indecent when shown in such 
theatres (American Committee on Maternal Welfare, Inc. v. Mangan, 
257 App. Div. 570, affirmed unanimously 283 N. Y. 551).” 


New printing of the Production Code, incorporating all revisions and 
amendments through 1954. is now available through the Motion Pic- 
ture Assn, of America. Changes in the new edition are comparatively 
insignificant. Eliminated, for instance, is the prohibition against 
showing methods of smuggling Miscegenation is no longer taboo but, 
like liquor and drinking, must be treated within the limits of good 
taste. Branding of people or animals as a “repellent subject” is no 
longer in the document. “Hell” and “damn” can now be used in 
moderation. 

— 

Joseph Kaufman, producer of “Long John Silver,” believes, he says, 
1 that Walt Disney’s telecasting of “Treasure Island” should serve as 
a multi-million-dollar trailer for his. Kaufman’s feature. There had 
been some suspicion that Kaufman would burn over Disney’s tv ex- 
I posure of "Island” because of the similarity of the two properties. 
Kaufman makes the point that his pic is in CinemaScope, color and 
stereosound whereas the Disney film, on tv, was on the small home 
screen in black and white. 


A special series ol' comic books, aimed at helping exhibitors combat 
juvenile delinquency as well as interesting school and teenage children 
in film-going, is being prepared under the direction of Martin Starr, 
Broadway and Hollywood commentator. Comic books will be pub- 
: lished by Timely illustrated Features, beaded by Arthur Jilfrey, 
| longtime film publicist. TIF is a subsidiary of Martin Goodman 
Publications, publishers of 50 regular newsstand comic books. 

In a move said by studio to meet increased property taxes, labor 
' charges, et al. RKO-Pathe studios in Culver City has upped rental 
! rates 10% for theatrical film producers and 20% for telepix makers. 
Differential is caused by fact that former rent stage space for much 
longer periods, while tv people use stages for comparatively brief 
periods of time. 

In a report last week of the activities of the indie distributor, 
Pacemaker Pictures, it was stated that three of the company’s recent 
releases grossed $100,000 each. Actually only "The Holly and the Ivy” 
i grossed $100,000. - "The Sinners” grossed $225,000 and “High Trea- 
I son” $200,000. 


LINDA DARNELL TO ITALY 


Carries Along Own Hair Stylist 
And Costumer j 

__________ I 

Linda Darnell, who arrived in 
New York from the Coast Sun. 
(30), planed to Rome the following 
day to* co-star with Vittorio De 
Sica in "The Late Five Minutes.” 
Film w ill be an English version of | 
a comedy by Italian dramatist Aldo 
de Benedetti. 

Venture is scheduled to roll Feb. 
l5%\ith Giuseppe Amato directing 
and producing. Accompanying Miss 
Darnell on her overseas chore are 
hair stylist Gale McGarry and cos- 
tume designer Yvonne Wood, 


UA THEATRE CIRCUIT 
STOCK OVER-BOUGHT 

Issue of 400,121 shares of United 
Artists Theatre circuit stock was 
oversubscribed the day it was put 
on the market last week, accord- 
ing to Allen & Co., managing un- 
derwriters. They were sold at $17 
a share. 

According to the UATC prospec- 
tus, the company intended to liqui- 
date a $5,200,000 indebtedness un- 
der two collateral bank loans, in- 
curred in connection with UATC 
financing of Magna Theatre Corp., 
distributor of “Oklahoma” in the 
Todd-AO widescreen process. The 
remaining $1,600,000 are being re- 
tained by UATC as "general work- 
ing capital.” 

The circuit now owns 839.800 
shares of Magna common. United 
California Theatres Inc., in which 
UATC has a half-interest, owns an- 
other 64,000 shares and warrants 
for the purchase of an additional 
73,000 shares. 


Training Jack Jackter 

Jack Jackter, until recently a 
salesman for Columbia in Wash- 
ington, will assume a sales post in 
the Panama City headquarters of 

the company Wednesday (2). He 
has been training for the assign- 
ment at the home offices -the past 
two months. 

Expected to draw an eventual 
South American assignment, the 
27-year-old Jackter joined Colum- 
bia in 1948, after army services 
overseas. He is a brother of Nor- 
man Jackter. Columbia manager 
in Albany, and a nephew of Rube 

Jackter, Columbia sales execu- 
tive. Jackter studied Spanish at 
City College. 


Some Theatres Use *Mixer’ 
For ‘20,000 Leagues,’ But 
Mum’s the Word Re Disney 

A number of exhibitors are 
getting around Buena Vista Dis- 
tributing Co.’s insistence that Walt 
Disney’s "20,000 Leagues Under 
the Sea” be shown only with 
Stereophonic sound by using a 
“mixer.” The Disney releasing 
org, in making “Leagues” available, 
required that the early engage- 
ments of the picture be with 
stereo sound only. Despite protests 
for Allied States Assn, and Theatre 
Owners of America, Buena Vista 
did not back down from itj original 
decision. 

Theatres using the “mixer” are, 
of course, doing it on the q t. The 
exact number of houses employing 
the gimmick is not known, but it’s 
not considered too many since only 
a few houses have installed 
“mixers.” This was done during 
the time of the fight with 20th- 
Fox. Latter insisted on a “must” 
stereo sound policy with all 
C’Scope pictures. A number of 
theatremen and 20th got into a 
hassle over the use of the "mixer,” 
but the ill feeling was smoothed 
out when 20th agreed to allow 
exhibitors to play the C’Scopers 
with or without stereo sound. 


Berry Greenberg Upped; 
WB Widens DagePs Base 

Berry Greenberg, far eastern 
sales representative for Warner 
Bros. International, has been 
named field division manager, with 
headquarters in Sydney, Australia. 
Greenberg will have jurisdiction 
over Australia, New Zealand, Sin- 
gapore, Indonesia, India Afghanis- 
tan, Ceylon, Thailand, Burma, and 
Pakistan. Promotion takes effect 
Feb. 13. 

At the same time, WB Interna- 
tional prexy Wolfe Cohen gave 
Jack Dagal, general manager for 
Japan, added duties. Dagal will as- 
sume supervision of the company’s 
offices in Formosa, Hong Kong, and 
lndo-China. 


Buena Vista’s Local Rallies 

Buena Vista Distributing Co. will 
hold a series of regional sales meet- 
ings in connection with the release 
plan of Walt Disney’s “20,000 
Leagues Under the Sea.” 

Confabs are set for Cleveland 
and Chicago, with sales manager 
Irving H. Ludwig presiding in 
Cleveland, and Harris Dudelson. 
midwest sales supervisor, in Chi- 
cago. 


Wednesday, Felwunry 2, 1955 


PICTURES 


11 


Amusement Stock Quotations 

(N.Y. Stock Exchange) 

For Week Ending Tuesday (1 ) 



/ 





/ 

Net 

1954-’55 

' Weekly Vol. Weekly 

Weekly 

Tues. 

Change 

High 

Low 

in 100 s 

High 

Low 

Close 

for week 

2 5 '4 

V 2 

Am Br-Par I n 761 

2814 

24 r, g 

26>h 

+ 13 4 

9414 

41H 

CBS, “A". . . 

51 

9414 

89 ’4 

89 1 2 

— V4 

93 -'*4 

41 '2 

CBS, “B” ... 

28 

93 ' , 

89 >4 

893^ 

— Vk 

39 >4 

1934 

Col. Pix. .... 

178 

39 Va 

35 

383k * 

+ 43* 

lRt-fc 

9V4 

Decca 

2 ”5 

15V4 

15 

15 -’ 8 

+ ^ 

74-‘* 

4374 

Eastman Kdk. 

96 

73 Va 

70’k 

725k 

+ 1)4 

ji 2 

’4 

EMI 

4 5 

4 1 k 

3 7 8 

374 

— 

22 

1IV-4 

Loew’s 

464 

203 H 

1 9V4 

1934 

+ V4 

lOVfc 


Nat. Thea. .. 

382 

10 ’ 8 

9 7 8 

10 

+ Mi 

40 3 « 

26 1 a 

Paramount . . 

130 

39 

3734 

38" s 

+ 7 s 

39-8 

28 

Philco 

166 

377s 

36 7 s 

37 

— Va 

42 4 

22 1 2 

RCA 

9 '3 

42 V 4 

39 

417k 

+ 3 

8 7 k 

2~8 

RKO Piets. . . 

(6 

8V4 

734 

7 7 h 

— 

ICh 

4V4 

RKO Thea. . . 

131 

9 3 s 

9Vk 

9’k 

— 

714 

3 

Republic . . . 

103 

6 7 8 

6 I 2 

6 f 2 

— 3* 

14 :! 4 

10)2 

Rep., pfd. . . . 

9 

14 3 8 

14 

14 

— 

20*8 

11 Vh 

Stanley War 

2 C 6 

2074 

19* 7 8 

207* 

+ n 

3l 3 8 

18” 4 

20th-Fox .... 

167 

?9 7/ * 

28 3 4 

293 4 

* + 

32 >4 

18V& 

Univ. Pix. . . . 

£4 

3014 

2674 

30. 

+ Mi 

87 1/ fc 

63 3 4 

Univ., pfd. . . 

*43 

88 1 2 

87 

83 

+ Vi 

21 Ifc 

137k 

Warner Bros.. 

108 

19*4 

1878 

19>k 

— Vk 

96 

63 >2 

Zenith 

61 

93’ 4 

89 >4 

90’ 2 

.+4 



American Stock Exchange 



6 

3'4 

Allied Artists 

55 

5 

4 7 8 

5 

+ Vk 

11 '8 

9'* 4 

Ail’d Art., pfd. 

22 

li a 8 

11 

11 


16-8 

9»8 

Du Mont .... 

217 

15 :i 8 

14>8 

15 

+ V 2 

16’ 4 

1 1 3 4 

Technicolor . 

80 

15 

I 434 

14 7 k 

— 

414 

2-4 

Trans-Lux . . . 

25 

4’2, 

4 Vs 

AVa 

+ Va 



Over-ihe-Counler Securities 








Bid 

Ask 


Capitol Records 



. 16 ’ 2 

17 Va 

— Va 

Chesapeake Industries . . . . 

• • •• . 


4’k 

434 

— 

Cinerama Inc 



27* 

3>* 

— 74 

Cinerama Prod 

. , 


5-2 

6>4 

— 13 4 

Official Films 



2 :! 4 

? ’ 8 

— 

Polaroid . . . 



* • • • • • 

4 

5.) 

— 1V4 

hxiatron 




4’k 

4 3 8 

— 3 4 

U. A. 

Theatres 



163 4 

18’4 

— V4 

Walt 

Disney 




22 

23)2 

— 


( Quotations furnished bi/ Dreyfus A Co.i 


* Actual volume. 


Amusement Stocks Static; 
1955 Has 2d Selloff; 
CBS’ Split-Stock Down 

By MIKE WEAR 

Although the stock market con- 
tinued to recover from its second 
sharp selloff of 1955, with some 
issues making marked gains, the 
bulk of the Amusement Group 
failed to participate widely in this 
improvement. However, there were 
four new highs registered by 
shares in the group. As with all 
stocks setting up splitups or stock 
dividends, there was one in the 
amusement division in this cate- 
gory — Columbia Broadcasting Sys- 
tem. 

Revelation by CBS of a plan to 
split both classes of stock 3 for 1 
and lifting the dividend to 50c per 
quarter apparently was no surprise 
to stockholders. Because both Class 
A and “B” stock sold down sharply 
Friday (28) after this had been re- 
vealed. However, both issues went 
to new 1954-55 peaks earlier in the 
week, apparently in anticipation of 
the actions. Class A shares hit 94V4 
and “B” stock went to 93-7.4. Latter 
boasted a 4-point advance on the 
week. 

General Precision Equipment 
soared to a new high at 587i and 
was up 4 78 at the close. The stock 
was regarded as falling in the cate- 
gory of a “war baby,” the type of 
issue boomed last week. Columbia 
Pictures climbed into fresh ground 
at 38 on the Friday windup for an 
advance of 17 4. Move was predicat- 
ed on the belief tl)at the company 
will split the shares soon. 

Zenith was caught up in the ad- 
vance of blue chip shares and 
pushed to 9274, a gain of five points 
on the week. 

Paramount was the strongest pic- 
lure issue outside of Columbia Pix, 
pushing ahead to 38V4 at the finish, 
lor an advance of Hk. Best acting 
theatre stock was ABC-Paramount 
Theatres. At the windup, the 
shares hit 247s, just 37Vkc. away 
from the best price for the last 13 
months. It was up 1 V4 points on 
the week. 

Radio Corp. of America climbed 
to 40, or a gain of 75c for the week. 
RCA common thus was less than a 
point from the 1954-55 high. 

While most film company shares 
"ere only up fractionally, the vast 
majority of them showed no losses. 
Fkiatron wound up about even at 
4 *4 as the bid price. At one time 
the shares sold as high as $5 or 
•slightly over. Both Stanley Warner 
and National Theatres were firm 
around their best prices of the year 
and longer. Technicolor was un- 
changed at 147i. 


ALLIED STILL THINKS 
D. J. THREAT STRONG 

Allied States Assn, will delay an 
appeal to the Government relating 
to distributor trade practices until 
after the outcome of the industry 
roundtable talks. If the exhibitor 
association receives the assurance 
it desires relating to the sale of 
pictures, it will drop its plan seek- 
ing the introduction of a bill in 
Congress calling for Federal Trade 
Commission regulation of the in- 
dustry. 

When Allied’s board meets in 
St. Louis over the weekend, it 
will sift reports from its member 
units detailing conditions in dis- 
trib-exhib relationships in various 
parts of the country. Even if the 
affiliated Allied units demand an 
immediate appeal to the Govern- 
ment, indications are that the 
board will urge a “wait-and-see” 
attitude. The appeal to the Gov- 
ernment will be Allied’s ace in the 
hol^. 

Although there has been strong 
opposition “to calling in the cops” 
both among exhibitors and dis- 
tributors, Allied feels that the 
threat remains a potent bargain- 
ing weapon. Few industryites be- 
lieve that Allied has a chance of 
getting a bill introduced in Con- 
gress although the atmosphere of 
the new Congress may be more 
favorable. However, industry 
leaders in general consider it poor 
public relations for the picture 
business “to wash its dirty linen” 
in public. Argument is that the 
industry has had a tough enough 
time in getting audiences back to 
the theatres and should not get into 
a public squabble at a period of 
film recovery. 

Publishers Advised Not 
To Under-Rate Fdm Eds 

Newspaper editors “should have 
a special interest in the resurgence 
of the movie business” since it 
augurs greater reader interest in 
their entertainment sections, ac- 
cording to the latest COMPO 
blurb in Editor & Publisher. 

Ad said that, with attendance 
up, the film pages w'ere again 
among the most popular in the 
paper, and it cautioned editors not 
to underrate their film editors. 
“If you’ll only give him a reason- 
able amount of space,” it said, 
“he’ll get you new readers and at 
the same time will make the movie 
pages one of the most-read de- 
partments in your paper.” COMPO 
also noted a tendency towards 
brighter layouts and more news in 
the film sections. 


KAUFMAN HOLDS SLOWER PLAYOFFS 
ADD SUBSTANTIALLY TO TOTAL TAKE 


Regardless of Process, 
Huston Rolls ‘King’ For 
AA in India Late ’55 

Irrespective of the process de- 
cided upon. “The Man Who Would 
Be King,” John Huston’s first pic- 
ture under his deal with Allied 
Artists, will roll between Novem- 
ber and January depending on 
weather conditions in India. AA 
prexy Steve Broidy declared Mon- 
day (31». Negotiations are con- 
tinuing with Mike Todd relating to 
filming the picture in the Todd-AO 
process. According to reports, 
which Broidy would neither con- 
firm nor deny. Allied will receive 
25% of the ownership in return 
for partial financing of the pic in 
Todd-AO. 

Discussing AA’s new participa- 
tion arrangements with a number 
of producers and the company’s 
deals taking on films for western 
hemisphere distribution, Broidy 
termed this as resulting from the 
new developments in the industry. 
“We’re not tied to any set for- 
mula,” he said. “We’ll make any 
kind of a deal if it’s constructive 
for us. All our arrangements de- 
pend on the situation. We’re in 
business to make and distribute 
pictures at a profit. If something 
we like comes along, we’re avail- 
able for a deal.” 

In addition to the recent part- 
nership arrangements made with 
Huston, William Wyler, and Billy 
Wilder, AA for the first time has 
taken on a couple pictures for 
western hemisphere distribution. 
These include "The Matador,” in- 
volving an arrangement with Co- 
lumbia. Jose Ferrer, and Mike 
Frankovich’s Film Locations, Ltd., 
and “Time Slip,” in a deal wdth 
Tony Owen’s Todon Productions. 

Broidy headed back to the Coast 
yesterday (Tues.). 


SMALL SITUATIONS 
IN ON CLOSED-CIRCUIT 

Neighborhood and smalltown 
theatres, heretofore shut out from 
closed-circuit video business, are 
eyeing a share of the coin from 
televised business meetings via 
the use of mobile units. While the 
class “A” houses with permanent 
installations are reluctant to give 
up prime film playing time for 
closed-circuit business sessions, 
nabe and non-key city houses are 
show-ing a willingness to take -the 
gamble. 

On Monday (31), for example, 
Box Office Television piped a busi- 
ness meeting to theatres in 15 cities 
on the west Coast from 6:30 to 7:30 
p. m. BOTV bypassed the class 
“A” houses and installed mobile 
units in secondary theatres. 

Previously, on Wednesday (26), 
BOTV staged a business confab for 
the Farm Bureau Insurance Co. in 
21 theatres in 20 cities. Eleven of 
the theatres employed were in 
cities which previously had not re- 
ceived a closed-circuit telecast. 
Portable units were used in these 
situations, enabling Farm Bureau 
reps to see the telecasts in such 
cities as Harrisburg, Pa.; New 
Haven. Conn.; Lynchburg. Va.; Ral- 
eigh, N. C.; Winston-Salem, N. C.; 
Canton. O.; White Plains, N. Y.; 
Charleston. W. Va.; Lima, O., and 
Columbus, O. 

In four situations, according to 
BOTV urexy William Rosensohn, 
15x20 RCA PT 100 units were used. 
Rosensohn said BOTV owned one 
unit and that the three others were 
rented. In the other spots, 9x12 
portable units, which • Rosensohn 
termed special BOTV Equipment 
without disclosing the name of the 
manufacturer, were set up. 


Maria Van Slyke's Job 

Maria Van Slyke. director of na- 
tional magazine publicity at Para- 
mount for the past five and half 
years, joins Rogers & Cowan Feb. 
14 as head of the publicity firm’s 
motion picture division. 

Prior to her Par affiliation, Miss 
Van Slyke w as film critic for News- 
week and feature writer for the 
Journal American and King Fea- 
tures. 


Liberalized Code 

Advocates of a mature re- 
vision of Hollywood’s produc- 
tion Code had all reason to be 
jubilant last week as they 
studied the updated version of 
the document. 

It’s now allright to tell 
traveling salesman and farm- 
er’s daughter jokes on the 
screen! 

New printing of the Code 
ni ji k e s further concessions 
in the “profanity” section. 
Taboos now lifted on the fol- 
lowing expressions: “Hold 
your hat” or “hats,” “Fanny.” 
"Nerts” and “Tom-cat” (if ap- 
plied to a man). 

— ■ ... ..-■■■ ■ .a, ■ „ - . 

Papers Owning TV 
Stations Tend To 
Curb Film Space 

Newspapers which also operate 
tv stations tend to slough off film 
industry coverage, some in favor 
of upped video space, a nationwide 
survey of COMPO’s regional press 
relations groups indicates. 

Total of 102 cities and towns 
were covered in the canvass which, 
according to Harry Mandel of 
RKO Theatres, chairman of the 
COMPO press relations commit- 
tee, showed that the attitude of 
newspaper editors towards the in- 
dustry is “generally sympathetic.” 
Survey showed that whereas some 
50 papers are covering film news 
more extensively than before, 15 
had reduced the space given to 
pix. The report said that some of 
the reduction occurred in locations 
where newspapers had either ac- 
quired an interest in or control 
of a local tv station. 

COMPO found intensified news- 
paper attention to tv in terms of 
space, but whereas 28 regional 
groups said film news coverage 
had suffered as a result, 74 others 
said it had not. 

Mandel observed that “personal 
contacts with newspaper editors 
established by industry represent- 
atives during the tax campaign 
unquestionably resulted in a better 
editorial understanding of the in- 
dustry problems” and added that 
the COMPO ads in Editor & Pub- 
lisher had made many editors 
aware of industry problems and 
difficulties of which they had had 
no prior knowledge. 

“In order that we may continue 
to retain the good will of the na- 
tion’s newspapers and improve our 
relations in those few areas where 
there is still some hostility. I think 
it is imperative that industry rep- 
resentatives improve and strength- 
en their press contact!,” Mandel 
slated. 

The COMPO sampling found 
that in 75 of the 122 replies to its 
questionnaires the local groups 
found that newspapers in their 
area were sympathetic towards the 
industry, and only 14 reported the 
local press as “critical.” Some '40 
said the press attitude was better 
than a year ago and 11 said it was 
worse. 


Appeals Ct. Reinstates 
$15,000,000 Trust Suit 

Three-man U. S. Court of Ap- 
peals yesterday (Tues.) reversed a 
lower court’s dismissal of Chesa- 
peake Industries’ $15,000,000 anti- 
trust suit against Loew’s, RKO 
Theatres and RKO Film Booking 
Corp. Judges Harry B. Clark. 
Jerome J. Frank, and Carroll 
Hincks in a concurring verdict re- 
manded the suit back to the U. S. 
District Court. 

Appeals Court upheld the dis- 
missal of RKO Pictures but re- 
manded the suit against the other 
defendants back to the lower court. 
Court disagreed with the conten- 
tion that all the defendants were 
dismissed when Chesapeake re- 
leased United Artists from the suit. 
Case involves charges that Eagle 
Lion product was not booked fairly 
on the Loew and RKO circuits. 


Asserting there’s “too much 
standardization” in the merchan- 
dising of pictures, indie producer 
Joseph Kaufman last week called 
upon exhibitors to lift up their end 
in the sales approach to the pub- 
lic. The filmmaker, whose latest 
is "Long John Silver,” for re- 
lease by Distributors Corp of 
America, states he believes fea- 
tures should be made available on 
a more graduated basis with each 
given individualized attention. 

He’s pitching for new techniques 
in promotion and. in line wdth 
this, disclosed his plans to present 
a property in various mediums as 
a means of drawing from it its 
lull potential. 

Getting down to the specifics, 
Kaufman asked that theatremen 
put to use all exploitation mate- 
rial made available by the produc- 
ers. Re “Long John,” he said 
this includes serialization rights 
to the “Long John” book, which 
showmen might plant in their lo- 
cal newspapers, along with stills 
from the picture, plus a radio 
series on the “Long John” char- 
acter which will be either sold or 
given gratis to local stations. 

He said the campaign further in- 
cludes six- and 12-minute tv trail- 
ers on how the film was made, 
special school promotions and 
tie-ups with department store* 
based on treasure hunts. 

As for long-haul selling, Kauf- 
man insisted that a slower play- 
off of “Sudden Fear,” his previous 
pic, would have drawn another 
SI, 000.000 in domestic rentals. He 
said “Long John” will be peddled 
regionally, pegged to promotional 
conditions in each area and to 
avoid, for example, the cold 
weather in the northwest. It goes 
in N. Y. in April because this is 
the best time for the Macy store 
to tie in with joint bally. Film will 
play on a saturation basis in New 
England next month to cash in on 
the Washington’s Birthday holi- 
day stretch for students. 

Kaufman revealed that a series 
of half-hour films on the “Long 
John” character are being made in 
Australia, where the feature was 
lensed and the a.m. series tran- 
scribed. and these will be sold 
.first to theatres and then, perhaps, 
to tv. Thus, he’s engaging in the 
theatrical film, radio and tv 
mediums with the same basic 
property. 

While “Long John” was lensed 
in Cinemascope with stereo- 
phonic sound, flat versions of the 
picture will be made available to 
theatremen subsequent to the 
C’Scope version, said Kaufman. He 
added that exhibs will have their 
choice of magnetic or optical 
sound. 

Kaufman said he has four new 
properties in work and indicated 
Australia as the likely scene of lo- 
cation shooting for at least a 
couple of them. 

UNITED ARTISTS GETS 
PINE-THOMAS PIX 

Pine-Thomas, ending a fourteen- 
year association with Paramount, 
have signed a deal with United 
Artists for the release of a pro- 
gram of pictures. Arrangements 
were concluded in New York fol- 
lowing confabs with UA execs 
Arthur B. Krim, Robert Benjamin, 
and Max Youngstein. 

Under the new deal, a maximum 
of three pictures a year will be 
produced by Pine-Thomas under a 
flexible production schedule. The 
first two films for UA will ’ be 
“Lincoln McKeever” and “Moun- 
tains Have No Shadows.” Pair 
have four productions awaiting 
Paramount release, “Run for 
Cover,” “The Far Horizons,” “Lucy 
Gallant,” and “Hells Island.” 


‘People & Places’ Due In 

Walt Disney’s newest film series, 
"People and Places,” tees off in 
February with the release of 
“Siam.” Key runs are currently 
being set for openings throughout 
the country. Disney’s Buena Vista 
is distributing the series. 

While Disney’s other series, 
"True-Life Adventures,” focuses 
on wildlife and nature, aim of the 
new films is to bring intimate cam- 
era reports of the people of coun- 
tries throughout the world. 



from 20th Century -Fox in 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


THE BURNING END 

OF A CIGARETTE! 


starring 


also starring 


with 

Charles Goldner 
George Dolenz 
Produced by 

JULIAN BLAUSTEIN 

Directed by 

HENRY HATHAWAY 

Screen Play by 

CHARLES KAUFMAN 

COLOR BY 

De Luxe 


“Why do you 
need a woman 
when death Is 
your mistress 
every afternoon l 


It’s a pleasure to do business with 20th! 





Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


PICTURES 


13 


Hollywood Production Pulse 

ALLIED ARTISTS 


Starts , This Year., 4 

This Date, Last Year 0 


"DARK VENTURE" 

Prod. — Lindsley Parsons 
Dir. — Harold Schuster 
Frank Lovejoy. Forrest Tucker. Peggie 
Castle. Marjorie Garetson 
(Started Jan. 2D 
"LAS VEGAS SHAKEDOWN'.' 

Prod.— William F. Broidy 
Dir. — Sidney Salkow 

Dennis O'Keefe. Coleen Gray. Charles 
Winninger. Mary Beth Hughes. James 
Millican 

(Started Jan. 24) 


"SPY CHASERS" 

Prod. — Ben Schwalb 

Dir. — Edward Bernds 

Leo Gorcey. Huntz Hall. Lisa 
(Started Jan. 27) 

Davis 

COLUMBIA 


Starts, This Year 

.. 4 

This Date, Last Year. .. , 

... 3 


"BRING YOUR SMILE ALONG" 

Prod. — Joni Taps 
Dir. — Blake Edwards 
Frankie Laine, Keefe Brasselle. Connie 
Towers. Lucy Marlow, William Leslie. 
Ruth Warren, Bobby Clark. Jack Al- 
bertson. Bob Hopkins, Richard Col- 
lier, Murray Leonard. Jack Lomas. 
Frank Sully. Gene Wesson. David 
Alpert. Patrick Miller, Barrye Chase, 
Stanley King 
(Started Jan. 14) 

"JAIL BAIT" 

Prod. — Sam Katzman 
Dir. — Fred F. Sears 

Tommy Cook, Frank Griffin, Molly Mc- 
Cart. Sue England, Kay Riehl. Kath- 
leen Mulqueen, James Bell 
(Started Jan. 17) 

"CALICO PONY" 

Prod. — Ted Richmond » 

Dir.— George Sherman 
Van Heflin. Joan Woodward. Phil Carey. 
Raymond Burr, Allison Hayes. Rich- 
ard Webb. Jean Willes. Steve Raines. 
Nancy Kulp, Myron Healey, Juney 
Ellis. Jimmy Hawkins 
(Started Jan. 18) 


METRO 

Starts, This Year 0 

This Date, Last Year 0 


"IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER" 

Prod. — Arthur Freed 
Dir. — Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen 
Gene Kelly. Cyd Charisse. Dan Dailey, 
Michael Kidd. Dolores Gray 
(Started Oct. 13) 

"LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME" 

Prod. — Joe Pasternak 
Dir. — Charles Vidor 
Doris Day. James Cagney, Cameron 
Mitchell. Robert Keith. Harry Bel- 
laver, Tom Tully, Robert Dix, James 
Drury 

(Started Dec. 6) 

"THE COBWEB" 

Prod. — John Houseman 
Dir. — Vincente Minnelli 
Richard Widmark. Lauren Bacall. Glo- 
ria Grahame. Charles Boyer. Lillian 
Gish. John Kerr, Oscar Levant, Paul 
Stewart, Jarma Lewis. Adele Jergens, 
Fay Wray, Susan Strasberg, Virginia 
Christine 
(Started Dec. 10) 

"KING'S THIEF" 

Prod. — Edwin H. Knopf 
Dir. — Robert C. Leonard 
Ann Blyth. Edmund Purdom. David 
Niven. George Sanders. Roger Moore, 
John Dehner. Isobel Elsom 
(Started Dec. 27) 


PARAMOUNT 


Starts, This Year 0 

This Date, Last Year 1 


"THE TEN COMMANDMENTS" 

(Shooting in Egypt) 

Prod.-Dir— Cecil B. DeMille 
Asst. — Henry Wilcoxon 
Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne 
Baxter, Yvonne De Carlo. Debra 
Paget. Nina Foch. Edward G. Robin 
son, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent 
Price. John Carradine, John Derek. 
Olive Deering 
(Started Oct. 14) 

"THE COURT JESTER" 

(Dena Productions! 

Prod-Dir.— Norman Panama. Melvin 
Frank 

Danny Kaye. Glynis Johns. Angela Lans- 
bury, Basil Hathbone, Cecil Parker, 
Mildred Natwick, Edward Ashley, Mi- 
chael Pate. Allan Napier. Patrick 
Aherne. Lewis Martin, Noel Drayton 
Robert Middleton. Richard Kean. Rus- 
sell Gaige, Leo Britt, Larry Pgnnell 
(Started Nov. 22) 

•'THE GIRL RUSH" 

Prod. — Frederick Brisson 
Dir. — Robert Pirosh 


Metro Workshops Memphis 

Memphis, Feb. 1. 

Metro held one of its "ticket sell- 
ing workshops here with some 300 
theatre owners and managers at- 
tending the all-day session at the 
Peabody Hotel. Mike Simons, 
from Metro’s homeoffice, presided. 
This was the sixth stop in a tour 
of some 40 cities. • 

Also addressing the session were 
Ivan Anderson, North Wilkesboro, 
N. C„ repping small town exhibs; 
Jack Bruno, city skipper of Cooper 
Foundation; Pueblo, repping major 
exhibs; William Powell, St. Louis 
division of Smith Management 
Corp., who reps the nation’s largest 
drive-in-theatre association and 
Edward Roskelly, Dallas. 


Rosalind Russell. Fernando Lama*. Ed- 
die Albert. Gloria De Haven. Jimmy 
Gleason, Marion Lome, Robert Fortier. 
Douglas Fowley, Jesse White. Darlene 
Fields. Dorothy Gordon 
(Started Dec. 6) 

"THE VAGABOND KING" 

Prod. — Pat Duggan 
Dir. — Michael Curtiz 
Kathryn Grayson. Oreste Kirkop, Sir 
Cecil Hardwicke. Walter Hampden. 
Rita Moreno. Phyllis Newman. Jack 
Lord. David Nillo, Sam Schwartz. Les- 
lie Nielsen, Frances Lansing. Richard 
'Tone, Albie Caye, Florence Sundstrom 
(Started Dec. 27) 


RKO 


Starts, This Year 

0 

This Date, Last Year 

0 


- REPUBLIC 


Starts, This Year 

2 

This Date, Last Year 

0 


"REBEL ISLAND" 

(Shooting in Nassau, Bahama Islands) 
Assoc. Prod.-Dir. — Edward Ludwig 
Yvonne de Carlo. Howard Dulf, Zachary 
Scott. Kurt Kasznar, Barbara O'Neill. 
Frieda Inescourt 
(Started Jan. 26) 


20th CENTURY-FOX 


Starts, This Year 0 

This Date, Last Year 0 


"SOLDIER OF FORTUNE" 

(Shooting in Hong Kong) 

Prod. — Buddy Adler 
Dir. — Edward Dmytryk 
Clark Gable. Susan Hayward, Michael 
Rennie, Alex D'Arcy, Gene Barry. 
Jack Kruschen, Frank Tang 
(Started Nov. 22) 


UNIVERSAL 

Starts, This Year 3 

This Date, Last Year 3 


"ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS" 

Prod. — Ross Hunter 
Dir. — Douglas Sirk 

Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Agnes 
Moorehead, Conrad Nagel, William 
Reynolds. Leigh Snowden. Virginia 
Grey. David Janssen. Gloria Talbot. 
Charles Drake, Jacqueline de Wit. 
Alex Gerry • 

(Started Jan. 7) 

"THE PRIVATE WAR OF MAJOR 
BENSON" 

Prod. — Howard Pine 
Dir. — Jerry Hopper 

Charlton Heston, Julie Adams, William 
Demarest. Sal Mlneo. Tim Considine. 
Donald Keeler, Nana Bryant, Mary 
Field, Tim Hovey 
(Started Jan. 24) 

"THE SPOILERS" 

Prod. — Ross Hunter • 

Dir. — Jesse Hibbs 

Anne Baxter, Jeff Chandler, Rory Cal- 
houn. Ray Danton. John Mclntire, 
Barbara Britton 
(Started Jan. 31). 


WARNER BROS. 

Starts, This Year # 2 

This Date, Last Year 0 


"THE MCCONNELL STORY" 

Prod. — Henry Blanke 
Dir. — Gordon Douglas 
Alan Ladd. June Allyson, James Whit- 
more 

(Started Nov. 24) 

"I DIED A THOUSAND TIMES" 

Prod. — David Weisbart 
Dir. — Walter Doniger 
Perry Lopez, Walter Abel, Beverly Gar- 
land. Ted De Corsia, Ken Tobey. 
Gregory Walcott, AUison Hayes 
(Started Jan. 5) 

"BLOOD ALLEY" 

Prod. — Batjac Productions 
Dir. — William A. Wellman 
John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Paul Fix, 
Anita Ekberg 
(Started Jan. 10) 


INDEPENDENT 


"THE BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN" 

(U.A. Release) 

(Nassour Studios) 

(Locationing in Mexico) 

Prod. — William A Edward Nassour 
Dir. — Edward Nassour 
Guy Madison, Patricia Medina, Eduardo 
Norriega 
(Started Jan. 10) 


Sound Editors’ Slate In 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

Morse Opper, president, and all 
other officers of Motion Picture 
Sound Editors were re-elected for 
another year. Others returned to 
office were Keith Stafford, veepee; 
Larry Kaufman, secretary; Rich- 
ard Jensen, treasurer, and Ed 
Scheid, sergeant-at-arms. 

Nominations for the new Board 
of Directors include Raymond Al- 
ba, Dave DeParie. Stanley Martin, 
Walter Elliott, Ed Sandlin, Sam 
Woodward, Kendrick Kinney, Burt 
Herrngeld, Harold Sweet, Frank 
Bayes, Ernie Reichert, James Lep- 
pert, Joe Kavigan, Wallace Haynes, 
James Bullock, Robert Carlisle, 
Dick LeGrande and Gene Eliot. 


17 C’Scopers from 20lh 

Release of 17 Cinemascope fea- 
tures between February and Sep- 
tember of this year is planned by 
20th-Fox. Average two C’Scopers 
are skedded for release each 
month. 

The entire eight-month C’Scope 
lineup will be in color and backed 
by heavy promotional campaigns. 
Company hopes to release 24 
C’Scope pix during 1955. 


India, Italy Labs 
For Technicolor? 

* # 

Establishment of a color lab in 
Italy is under consideration by 
Technicolor. Outfit also is definite- 
ly investigating the economic as- 
pects of establishing a lab in 'India. 

Kay Harrison, Techni topper in 
London, is getting ready for a trip 
to India f6r a personal look-see and 
a report to Techni prexy Herbert 
T. Kalmus. Labs set up anywhere 
in the world by Techni would be 
fitted to handle any color process, 
including Techni’s own imbibition 
three-strip method. 

Techni also has licensed DeLuxe 
Laboratories, N. Y., to establish a 
Techni plant in the East. How- 
ever, DeLuxe isn’t going to move 
until it’s found a new location, 
very likely in N. J. 

The Italo lab would be the third 
Techni plant in Europe. Techni- 
color prints and other lab work are 
currently being processed in Lon- 
don which, over the years, has serv- 
iced the European market. Later 
this year, Techni’s new French 
plant near Paris is expected to 
start accepting orders. 

It’s felt that Techni’s worldwide 
expansion mood is due primarily to 
the gradual switch of overseas in- 
dustries to color. In Italy, a special 
situation exists, since the govern- 
ment wants the American compa- 
nies to do dll of their tint print 
work locally. Technicolor pix, and 
films shot in Cinemascope, would 
be exempted under the order 
which is still pending. How r ever, 
an increasing number of producers 
are using Eastman single-strip color 
negative. Techni’s Coast lab has 
done a certain volume of Eastman 
color printing. 


MONROE FIRST RUNS 
‘SHOWBIZ/ BUT SECOND 

Chicago, Feb. 1. 

The Monroe Theatre here has 
booked “There’s No Business Like 
Show Business” direct from a five- 
week run at the Oriental Theatre. 
Both theatres are Loop first-run 
indies and this booking marks the 
first time in years that a picture 
has moved direct from ene such 
house to another. 

Oriental would have held 
“ShowbLz” longer were it not for 
the fact that it had a definite com- 
mitment to play “The Violent 
Meh.” Shortage of product is also 
thought to be responsible for the 
Monroe’s moveover booking, since 
no equally strong attraction was 
available for first run showing. 

The Monroe completed installa- 
tion of Cinemascope and Stereo- 
phonic sound the day before “Show 
Business” opened. 


SHY FROM GIFT TAMALES 


Odd Public Reaction to ‘Vera Cruz* 
Stunt in K.C. 


Kansas City, Feb. 1. 

Street ballyhoo dreamed up by 
Maurice Druker of the Midland 
Theatre for “Vera Cruz” proved 
effective but had an unexpected 
twist. Anent the Latin flavor of 
the film, young man of the house 
staff was was decked out in a Mexi- 
can gentleman’s attire of the per- 
iod of the picture. Then he was 
equipped with a tamale wagon and 
gave away hot tamale’s on down- 
town street corners while he ex- 
tolled features of the film to pass- 
ersby. 

After working the downtown dis- 
trict on downtown shopping night, 
it was found the lad had given away 
only 200 tamales. Asked why busi- 
ness wasn’t more buxom with a 
give-away stunt, the lad replied. 
“Thpy think there’s a catch to it.” 

Stunt, however, figured as one of 
most novel exploitations tried here 
recently. While some customers 
were charry about gift tamales, 
extra attention came from curious 
who stopped to ferret out the rea- 
son for the free food. 


San Francisco Port Passes Buck; 

Too Nervous About 'Dominica' 


ODD BEQUEST 

Film Man’s Will Names Sister 
Unrcported in Russia 


St. Louis, Feb. 1. 

Executors of the estate of Sol 
J. Ilankin, retired motion picture 
sales, exchange owner and man- 
ager who died of a stroke Jan. 14, 
{ have the job of finding his sister, 
Mrs. Sarah Rifkin. who is reported 
to be “somewhere in Russia” and 
is the beneficiary of his estate re- 
ported to be valued at approx- 
imate $50,000. Hankin’s will filed 
probate last week specified that 
letters are to be written, twice a 
year for seven years, to Mrs. Rif- 
kin at her last known address be- 
fore the trust may be terminated. 

Hankin was born in Russia, 
Feb. 7, 1885, and came to the U. S. 
as a young man and before enter- 
ing the motion picture field iq the 
early 1910s had been a waiter and 
maitre d’hotel in St. Louis. The 
attorney who is handling Hankin’s 
estate said he would appeal to the 
Russian Embassy in Washington to 
aid in the search for Mrs. Rifkin. 

Grab Those Plugs, Motto 
Of Film Personalities 
Hitting Video Shows 

Video personalities, with dual tv 
and picture interests, are taking 
advantage of their coaxial outings 
to promote their theatrical films. 
This type of plugging, in many 
cases, would add up to time 
charges in the six figure category 
if placed by an advertising agency. 
Of course, every film personality 
who makes a guest appearance can 
get a mention for his or her 
studio’s latest film. However, the 
big business in this nationwide tv 
selling is the personal pitch made 
by stars who control their own 
video shows. 

Perhaps the best example of 
this type of “sell” is that planned 
by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz on 
their “I Love Lucy” show. Hus- 
band-and-wife team, who have a 
deal to make a picture for Metro, 
will include the activity relating to 
the making the picture as part of 
the format of their program. 
It’ll be similar to the format 
followed when the pair prepared 
for the arrival of a “stage” 
baby as well as a real life 
one. Woven into their weekly 
story will be the preparations for 
making the Metro film, visits to the 
studio, occasional appearances of 
M-G stars, and even the introduc- 
tion of M-G production chief Dore 
Schary who’ll appear as a character 
(Dore Schary) to discuss the prog- 
ress of the film. 

While other tv personalities with 
similiar picture ideas may not in- 
clude their film activities as part 
of their tv show, the programs, in a 
sense, will serve as trailers for the 
picture. In these cases, the thea- 
trical project is based on the tv 
show as, for example, Danny 
•Thomas’ “Make Room for Daddy,” 
Peter Lawford’s “Dear Phoebe,” 
and “T-Men in Action.” 

The success of Jack Webb’s re- 
cent full-length picture for Warner 
Bros, is attributed to a large degree 
to the popularity of the tv “Drag- 
net.” Walt Disney has employed 
his weekly ABC-TV “Disneyland” 
to create interest in his many the- 
atrical ventures. His current “20,- 
000 Leagues Under the Sea” re- 
ceived hefty mentions on the tv 
shows. Disney’s “True-Life Ad- 
venture” and “People and Places” 
series also have been pitched on 
“Disneyland.” 

Frank Ferrin, who produces the 
Saturday morning ABC-TV’er 
“Similin’ Ed’s Gang,” a family ad- 
venture series hitting some 97 sta- 
tions, will utilize the show to 
drum up interest in his “Sabaka,” 
Boris Karloff-Reginald Denny-Vic- 
tor Jory starrer which United Art- 
ists will release. 

Similarly, General Teleradio 
employed the facilities of its full 
Mutual radio network to pitch its 
first full-length film production, 
“Gangbusters.” Every crime show 
on the web carried mentions yf the 
film. 


San Francisco. Feb. 1. 

The French art film, “Domi- 
nica.” which has been held at the 
Port of San Francisco by the Cus- 
toms authorities for the past three 
weeks pending a decision on 
w hether or not it could be admitted 
to the U.S., turns out to be too 
hot a potato for the local echelon 
of command. 

Unless Maury Schwartz, opera- 
tor of the Bridge and Rio Theaters, 
here, is willing to let the film be 
cut so that the three nude scenes 
are removed, the Customs people 
will not admit it. Instead, they 
wish to ship it on to Washington, 
D.C. and let the head office of the 
Customs Service come to a deci- 
sion. 

“The trouble is,” Schwartz says, 
“they screened it for a bunch ol 
cops. They have no precedent and 
no setup to screen such a film here 
and no standards to judge it by. 
It would ruin the picture com- 
pletely if they cut those scenes and 
anyway nothing is included that 
wasn’t in films like “One Summer 
of Happiness.” (Swedish) 

Schwartz is unwilling also to 
pass the buck to Washington. 
“That’ll just hold it up longer,” 
He says. Instead, Schwartz is him- 
self passing the buck back to his 
associates in New York, Walter 
Reade Theaters, for a decision 
either to allow the customs people 
to send the film on to Washington 
or else to send it back to France 
and try to bring it in all over 
again at some port of entry where 
what Schwartz terms “a reasonable 
screening” can be held. 

“Dominica.” a French film shot 
in Corsica, directed by Maurice 
Cloche and starring Odile Versois 
and Jean Pierre Kerrien, is the 
first feature length foreign film 
from Europe to be imported 
through the S.F. Customs in some 
time. If it had turned out that an 
easier censorship prevailed here 
than in New York, San Francisco 
had a fair chance of becoming a 
major port of entry ®Tor foreign 
films as there is no local censor- 
ship board and the Frisco police 
department has long been re- 
garded lenient in such matters. 

Brand Sloan, who is currently 
presenting a series of art films on 
a subscription basis at the Marines 
Memorial Theater, had planned to 
import a number of obscure 
French and Italian pictures if this 
test case had worked out well. 


SWEDISH ‘MISS JULIE’ 
PRECEDENTS IN MASS. 

Boston, Feb. 1. 

The Brattle Theatre, Cambridge 
art house, has filed an appeal from 
a ruling of the Middlesex Superior 
Court upholding the validity of the 
Sunday licensing law as it applies 
to pictures. The theatre is con- 
testing the rights of Commissioner 
of Public Safety Otis M. Whitney 
to deny a license to show the Swe- 
dish pic “Miss Julie” on Sunday 
on the grounds that the licensing 
law is itself unconstitutional. 

Peabody, Koufman & Brewer is 
handling the case for the theatre 
owner. They cite U. S. Supreme 
Court versus New York and Ohio 
Censorships. 

By its appeal the Brattle Thea- 
tre has placed before the Massa- 
chusetts Supreme Judicial Court 
the question of constitutionality of 
a law that has long been a vexa- 
tion to exhibs. The case is ex- 
pected to be argued within the 
next couple of months. 


Mishaps Dog ‘Blood Alley’ 

San Francisco, Feb. 1. 

“It looks like ‘Blood Alley’ is 
the right name; I’m the only sur- 
vivor” Lauren Bacall quipped 
when John Wayne, who flew up 
here last week to take over the 
Robert Mitehum role in the Bat-, 
jac produetion and then had to 
sub for ailing director William 
Wellman for two days, was hos- 
pitalized following a fall. 

Wayne suffered a severely 
wrenched back when he tripped 
on a gangplank and fell to a ferry 
boat dock Friday (28). He was 
taken to Marin General Hospital in 
San Rafael, some i5 miles from 
where the company is on location 
on the North Coast of the San 
Francisco Bay. 













Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


COLOR 


tfcptltiN h DON McCUK! 

On ■ Sl»r by NOWARO IttSlW h«MI| 

I '(A»C0i.V II SI 


NATIONWIDE BUSINESS 
TOPPING TOP-HITS 
LONG, LONG TRAILER” 
AND "EXECUTIVE SUITE”! 


TIME MAGAZINE says 


Starts M-G-M off on the new year 
with its best footage forward. 
Spencer Tracy at his best.” 


HOLLYWOOD 
REPORTER says: 

It has the chill and intensity of 
'High Noon’.” 


And Here's Another 


PRESS TIME FLASH! 


EXTRA \ 

LIFE MAGAZINE 

with Spencer Tracy cover and 
4-page section January 31st issue 
(out January 27th)! r^i 


HIT THE DECK” Screened 
in M-G-M’s Projection Room 
this week is terrific! Fastest, 
star-happy, laugh- packed 
CinemaScope — Color Musical 
of the Season! 


(AVAILABLE IN MAGNETIC STEREOPHONIC, PERSPECTA STEREOPHONIC OR 1-CHANNEL SOUND) 






INTERNATIONAL 


15 


'VARIITY'r LONDON OMICf 
t II. Martin'* Place. Trafalgar (quart 


wmiefY 


B.O. Success of Tomtom Thrillers 


Sways Film Plans of Italo Prods. 


Rome, Jan. 25. * 

Many local producers, in testing 
the recent and current boxoffice 
pulse, have been influenced by its 
tomtom beat, with the result that 
many more equatorial items are 
being shot or scheduled to follow 
up the b.o. successes this type 
film during the past season. Such 
tropical locationers as "Green 
Magic” (Jungle documentary which 
won a Cannes Festival prize); 
"Mystery of Matto Grosso,” a 
quick*e sleeper of a season ago; 
"Sixth Continent.” another Italian 
festival entry (doing well in local 
subsequents) and Yank-made "Mo- 
gambo” and "King Solomon’s 
Mines.” potent at local runs, are 
examples of the trend. In current 
release are. "Black Eva.” an epi- 
soder which doesn’t eschew the 
exploitable angles of the African 
femme; and "Fabulous India.” a 
Technicolored documentary on that 
country (made by Giulio Macchi 
and photographed by Claude Re- 
noir), both in similar category. 

"Tam Tam Mayumbe.” not to be 
confused with a recent African 
shoestringer titled, ‘Tam Tam Nell 
’Oltre Gluba,” still to be released, 
is one of the major projects now 
being leased in the tropics. Gian 
Gaspare Napolitano. who also 
made "Green Magic,” is directing 
"Tam Tam” in Technicolor for 
Documento, on location in Central 
Equatorial Africa. Pic cast includes 
Pedro Armendariz. Charles Vanel, 
Marcello Mastrolanni, Kerima and 
Michel Auclair, though not all are 
making the African Jaunt. They 
will be processed into the pic in 
local labs. 

Another Locationed in Egypt 

Armendariz is also starred in a 
Franco-Italian C’Scoper laid in 
Egypt, "Shaitan.” Film is just 
winding up its shooting sked, using 
Eastmancolor. Also being finished 
is "Nagana ” on location in Came- 
run with Barbara Laage, Renato 
Baldini and Enrico Luzi. llerve 
Bromberger directs for Cinefilms- 
Italgamma in Eastmancolor. 

The Bonzi troupe is just back 
from Indonesia, where it spent a 
year in backdropping "The Lost 
Continent” for Astra Cinemato- 
grafica. "Continent” was recorded 
in widescreen ratio and color by 
another part of the crew which 
made "Green Magic.” It includes 
Leonardo Bonzi, Giorgio Moser, 
and Enrico Gras. Finally, two pro- 
ductions are currently on location 
in South America — "Amazonia. 
Unknown Land,” which an Italian 
crew headed by Attilio Dottesio 
and Gerlado Vasconcellos is bring- 
ing in the Matto Grosso region 
(Ferraniacolor. for P.C.A.); and 
"La Grande Savana,” directed by 
Elia Marcelli, also in Ferraniacolor, 
for Successo Films. 

One thing all these Items have 
in common is an unusually long 
shooting schedule, made necessary 
by difficult filming conditions and 
slow displacement possibilities. 
"Tam Tam Mayumbe,” for ex- 
ample. has been shooting now for 
several months, will need several 
more before completion. 

O’Brien Asks Action To 
Save Old St James’s 

London, Feb. 1. 

In a protest over the announce- 
ment that the St. James’s Theatre 
is to be pulled down and replaced 
by an office block, Tom O’Brien, 
M.P., general secretary of the Na- 
tional Assn, of Theatrical Sc Kine 
Employees, urged in a speech to 
his members in Glasgow last week 
that the house should be retained 
as a national memorial to Queen 
Mary, "a great lover of the theatre 
and patron of the arts.” 

Commenting on "this 120-year- 
uld center of drama” whch was 
"likely to be thrown to the finan- 
cial wolves,” O’Brien thought it 
would be too idealistic to expect 
shareholders to put the rich beauty 
of English dramatic art, which was 
){ ie * ra( *ition °f the St. James’s 
.1 he atre, before their personal in- 
terests. 

Appealing for national Interven- 
tion, O’Brien added: "When mil- 
lions were being spent on atomic 
development, a few shillings by 
comparison could be found to wrest 

up . theatre from the clutches of the 
vulgar.” 


Hepburn Agrees To 

Old Vic Aussie Tour 

London, Feb. 1. 

Katharine Hepburn has agreed to 
appear as guest star on a six-month 
tour of Australia sponsored by the 
Old Vic, due to start in May. Three 
plays are being staged, and she 
will appear in each of them, play- 
ing Portia In "The Merchant of 
Venice"; "Katharina in "Taming of 
Shrew” and Isabella in “Measure 
for Measure.” 

The Old Vic company is officially 
being headed by Robert Helpmann 
who will also appear in the trio. 
The three plays are to be directed 
by Michael Benthall. Two year s 
ago, Jose Ferrer was paged for an 
Old Vic starring role but the proj- 
ect was abandoned. 

Yank Films Still 
Pace Berlin B.O. 

Berlin, Jan. 25. 

Second half of January sees 
Yank pix doing good biz at local 
firstruns. Five of the 12 principal 
houses are playing American films, 
five have local pix while the other 
two houses are showing a British- 
Italian and a French feature. 

"Star Is Bom” (WB>, now in its 
sixth week at Filmbuehne Wien, is 
still brisk. Pic is now running in 
synchronized version and has be- 
come, thanks to outstanding press 
notices, a must-not-be-missed item 
with the public. Same goes for "On 
Waterfront” (Col), in its third week 
at Delphi, is generally regarded 
here as one of the most impressive 
Hollywood films ever shown here 
after the war. 

Capitol is currently showing 
"Dial M for Murder” (WB), which 
received mostly good reviews. With 
good word-of-mouth a help, this 
film is doing okay biz. Another Hol- 
lywood film, "Black Shield of Fal- 
worth” (U) was preemed at Film- 
theatre Berlin. 

Of the new German crop, crix 
and public liked "Canaris” best. 
John Huston’s "Beat the Devil” (a 
British-Italian coproduction) star- 
ring Gina Lollobrtgida and Hum- 
phrey Bogart, was preemed at Bon- 
bonniere and the crix gave very 
good to average reviews. 


‘Special Delivery’ Winds 
Shooting in W. Germany 
After Lab Work Hassle 

Wiesbaden, Jan. 25. 

"Special Delivery,” the Joseph 
Cotten-Eva Bartok starrer, pro- 
duced by Trans-Rhein Films in 
Wiesbaden, has finished shooting 
its two versions. English and Ger- 
man. Producing outfit (headed by 
Peter Rathvon) wound up after un- 
scheduled trouble, and two days 
additional shooting for a total 55 
days used in filming. 

Source of the trouble is now 
in the dispute between the local 
Wiesbaden laboratory AFIFA (part 
of the old UFA monopoly of film 
production and distribution in pre- 
war Germany) and Kodak. The 
lab insists that streaks and shadows 
which appeared on some of the 
rushes were caused by faulty shoot- 
ing. However, Kodak maintains 
that the difficulty is due to the lab’s 
development. The matter Is still in 
dispute between insurance compa- 
nies repping both firms. 

While recompense will be made 
for the film costs and added fees 
for crew and actors, it will not take 
care of the loss of time and morale 
occasioned by the reshooting of 
several scenes. Eva Bartok, who 
was bound for London to begin re- 
hearsals on her new play, "The- 
rese Raquin,” had to delay her de- 
parture, while Joseph Cotton post- 
poned his. return to Hollywood to 
do the repeat shots. 

AFIFA Is the only laboratory in 
Wiesbaden serving all the film com- 
panies producing at the Under Den 
Eichen Studios where Trans-Rhein 
is housed. AFIFA also did the 
processing on the last Trans-Rhein 
film, "Double Destiny,” on which 
also several days had to be reshot. 


Eugenia Baird Set 

For London Colony 

London, Feb. 1. 

Harry Morris, operator of the 
Colony restaurant In Berkeley 
Square, who returned to London 
last week from a talent prowl in 
New’ York, has lined up U S. caba- 
ret artists to headline at his cafe 
for the rest of the year. 

New season will open on Feb. 
21, when Eugenia Baird will make 
her local debut ard she’ll be fol- 
lowed by another first-timer local- 
ly, Fay de Witt. In April Marti 
Stevens will return to the Colony 
and Wally Griffin will play a sec- 
ond date there in May. Dates for 
artists to play through the rest of 
the year are now being confirmed. 

Wembley, Southall Film 
Studios Taken Oyer By 
British Tele Interests 

London. Jan. 25. 

The Wembley Film Studios, con- 
trolled by 20th-Fox, has been sold 
to one of the four program con- 
tractors for the new commercial 
tele web which likely will use the 
plant mainly for the production of 
live tv shows. The deal reportedly 
involved a capital expenditure in 
the region of $180,000. 

The takeover was concluded by 
Rediffusion and Associated News- 
papers, who have been allotted the 
London commercial station from 
Monday to Friday of each week. 
The deal Involved the outright pur- 
chase of the 20th-Fox subsidiary 
company, Wembley Film Studios 
Ltd. 

As this is the first film studio to 
be taken over by commercial tele, 
it is considered certain that the 
deal will be discussed when the 
House of Commons resumes its 
sessions. • 

The Wembley Studios comprise 
two stages with 9,040 square feet 
of space. They were in active op- 
eration in pre-war years in fulfill- 
ing 20th-Fox quota commitments in 
the days when foreign films dis- 
tribs were compelled by law to 
have a percentage of British-made 
product. During the war years the 
plant was taken over by military 
authorities for production of train- 
ing films. Under the deal con- 
cluded. 20th-Fox is leasing back 
from the new owners the repair 
and despatch departments at the 
studios. 


Southhall Plant for Tele Ads 

Another major British film stu- 
dio has been lost to tv, Pearl & 
Dean, leading London screen ad- 
vertising outfit, having taken a 
longterm lease on Southall Studios 
for the production of tele commer- 
cials. Contract starts in March, 
with an output of 13 one-minute 
live action films a week planned, 
plus one weekly cartoon and two 
monthly puppets. Coincident with 
the announcement. Pearl Sc Dean 
named Byron Lloyd as exec pro- 
ducer at the studios and he will 
have a tieup wtih Joop Geesink on 
the production of animated and 
puppet films. 

The Southall Studios, controlled 
by Alliance Films, comprise two 
stages with a total area of 7,500 
square feet. It hitherto was used 
primarily for feature film produc- 
tion. 

‘WIND,’ ‘DESERT,’ ‘ROBE’ 
LONGRUNS IN BERLIN 

Berlin, Jan. 25. 

All-time longrun record for Ber- 
lin now is held by "Gone With the 
Wind” (M-G), which is past its 57th 
week at the Kurbel. The Cinema 
Paris’ longest run pic in 1954 was 
"The Living Desert” (Disney), 
which came up to this house and 
certainly could have stayed a bit 
longer. 

Astor’s topper in the lortgrun 
category was Paramount’s "Roman 
Holiday” which went seven weeks. 
"The Robe” (20th), first film in Cin- 
emascope, ran 12 weeks at the 
Filmbuenne Wien, followed by two 
other S’Copers, “Coin in a Foun- 
tain” (20th), seven weeks, and "How 
to Marry a Millionaire” (20th) five 
weeks. Last year’s record at the 
Gloria Palast was registered by the 
German Film, ”08/15”, six weeks. 
This could have stayed over for a 
couple of weeks but had to be taken 
off because of previous commit- 
ments. 


Value of Film Shares in London Up 
100% in ’54; 4 Leaders Soar $15,000,000 


8 Producers Signed To 
Longtermers by BBC-TV 

London, Jan. 25. 

In a bid to hold on to its produc- 
tion talent against the comoetitioa 
of commercial tele, BBC-TV has 
concluded longtermers with eight 
producers. They have been offered 
new pacts which bar them from 
working for the opposition web but 
give them freedom to function in 
films and legit. 

The eight producers who have 
signed the longtermers with the 
BBC are Patricia Foy, Alvin Ra- 
koff, Julian Amyes, Kenneth Car- 
ter. Ernest Maxim. Shaun Sutton, 
Kevin Sheldon and Robert Tron- 
son. It is understood the BBC 
have substantially upped their sal- 
aries to secure their exclusive serv- 
ices. 

Brit. Pix Council 
Okays 30% Quota 

London, Jan. 25. 

Unless there is personal inter- 
vention by the Board of Trade 
prexy, the British film quotas for 
the year commencing next Oct. 1 
will remain at 30% for first fea- 
tures and 25% for the supporting 
program. A recommendation to this 
effect is being made by the Films 
Council to the minister. 

The Council decided on the re- 
tention of the status quo at its 
meeting last week after it had con- 
sidered an analysis by the British 
Film Producers Assn, or the antici- 
pated volume of production for the 
1955-58 quota year. These figures, 
as already reported, indicate a drop 
from the current year’s estimate 
but not sufficient to justify a varia- 
tion of the quota. 

Under the provisions of the 1948 
Films Act, the minister has until 
March 31 to decide whether or not 
the quotas are to be altered. Any 
variation must be announced in the 
House of Commons six months be- 
fore they are due to operate. 

Jap Govt., Pix Agencies 
Rush Plans to Handle 
U. S. Frozen Film Coin 

Tokyo, Jan. 25. 

General comments by MPEA 
prexy Eric A. Johnston during his 
recent visit to Japan, about the dis- 
position of some $8,300,000 in fro- 
zen yen belonging to U. S. major 
film companies in Japan, has kicked 
off wild suggestions as to how the 
money should be used. Without 
consulting local MPEA chief Irving 
Maas or any of the companies con- 
cerned, three government and film 
agencies were reported this week 
to have made "concrete” plans as 
to the disposal of the money. 

After a meeting of the Motion 
Picture Producers of Japan Assn, 
and reps of the Finance Ministry 
and the Ministry of International 
Trade and industry a four-point 
program was advanced which in- 
cluded: 

An International Motion Picture 
House to contain screening rooms, 
hotel and club accommodations, in- 
formation center, etc.; 

An International Motion Picture 
Technical Research Institute for re- 
search in photography, lighting, 
film development, special effects, 
etc.; 

An International Film Library 
Center for exchange of educational 
shorts, circulation of same, and re- 
search in same, and 

A Film Fund for the purpose of 
loans to producers, writers, and 
companies and for the establish- 
ment of publicity organs for the 
promotion of Japanese-made films. 


Formby Plans Can. Tour 

Blackpool, Eng., Jan. 25. 

George Formby, vet English 
comedian, is planning a trip to Can- 
ada in April to appear in five con- 
certs. He recently ankled panto- 
mime on medical advice. 

Formby plans ar stage comeback 
on his return from Canada. He is 
currently reading a new play, “Too 
Young To Marry,” sent him by im- 
presario Emile Littler. 


By HAROLD MYERS 

London, Feb. 1. 

In a year in which the stock mar- 
ket boom in London compared 
favorably with the results on Wall 
Street, the share values of the 
lending picture companies soared 
by around 100%, with the upward 
trend being maintained during 
January this year. The stock mar- 
ket value of the shares of four 
leading exhibition companies have, 
in conseouence, climbed by more 
than $15,000,000. 

The most .notable advance dur- 
ing last year was recorded by J. 
Arthur Rank's Odeon group. Com- 
mon shares of the company were 
quoted at $1.50 in January last 
year. They climbed steadily as 
word got around that the group 
had pulled out of its financial dif- 
ficulties, and closed the year with 
a market quotation of $3.20, and 
slightly below the peak rating. Tha 
improvement has been maintained 
during the past month, being cur- 
rently quoted at $3.60. The Odeon 
group has an authorized capital ol 
$5,600,000 in common shares ol 
which, the last annual report 
showed $2,651, 6C0 worth issued. 
In the last financial year, the group 
declared a dividend of 15% on the 
common, equivalent to about 2.9% 
at the current market quotations. 

Less spectacular, but perhaps 
more 'consistent, was the steady 
rise in the value of Associated Brit- 
ish Picture Corp. common stock. 
These shares started in 1954 with an 
exchange quotation of $1.07, but 
mounted gradually through the 
year to close at $2.10. They 
now are quoted $2.25. On the 
basis of the last divvy of 20%, 
these shares have a gross yield of 
6.1%. ABPC common stock issued 
is par valued at $5,600,000. 

Gaumont-British Also Climbs 

The Gaumont-British group, 
which is part of the Rank setup, 
also recorded a marked improve- 
ment in the past year. The two 
classes of common have increased 
their stork exchange ratings by 
100%. Their $1.40 ordinaries, 
which were quoted at 80c the first 
month of 1954. soared to $1.65 in 
the year, while the 70-cont "A” 
shares, which opened the year at 
40c closed at 80r. 

Since the turn of the year both 
shares have improved further, with 
quotations $2.15 and $1 quotations, 
respectively. Total authorized cap- 
ital in these two classes of ordi- 
nary shares equals $10,850,000, of 
which $7,000,000 is represented by 
the $1.40 Issue. Facli group de- 
clared a divvy distribution of 
12'/fe% last year. 

In line with the general improve- 
ment, the Granada group also 
chalked up hefty rises for its two 
grades of preference stock, the 
first preferred rising from $1.48 to 
$2.10 and the second pfd., from 
$1.53 to $2.14. The common shares 
are privately held, not being 
quoted on the stock market. Total 
issued preference capital amounts 
to $4,480,000. 

Yank Pix Hit Foreign 
Dates Near U.S. Preems 

Frankfurt, Feb. 1. 

Despite the often-advanced ar- 
gument that in countries outside 
the U. S. the pictures being shown 
are oldies, according to a looksee 
in Germany, this appears to be un- 
true. Often an exhibitor is told 
by a local salesman that the ad- 
vantage of buying German pix is 
that these are shown when new 
W'hile those coming in from the 
U. S. are older. But in actual fact, 
openings here correspond to the 
firstruns in the U. S. for major 
productions of the Yank firms 
repped here. 

"Star Is Born” (WB) preemed 
in New York Oct. 11, and came in 
as a Christmas contender at Ber- 
lin's Kurfuerstendam (firstrun) 
just as it was doing its U. "S. play- 
dates starting around early in No- 
vember, was a Christmas opener 
wdth 20 prints in key German cities. 
And on both films, while the gala 
openings were being planned for 
N. Y., the productions had to be 
dubbed into German and extra 
prints made for the soon-to-follow 
showings in Germany. 

Major Hollywood studios are 
planning near-simultaneous exploi- 
tation for the whole world on big 
films, with the fast scheduling of 
pix in Europe. 


16 


INTERNATIONAL 


'VAHIITY'r LONDON OMICI 
St. JMUrtln'o Place, TrifilNr Metre 


8 New Plays Help Paris Legit Biz 
Even Post-Holiday; 7 Loom as Hits 


By GENE MOSKOWITZ 

Paris, Jan. 25. 

Legit still looms large here as 
boff holiday b.o. levels off. Thir- 
teen shows are vying for patrons 
with three of them reprises, two 
operettas and the others new. Of 
these, two are adaptations of Eng- 
lish plays and two are from 'lit- 
erary sources. Seven of them 
look to be successful with the re- 
mainder in for fair to short-lived 
runs. 

The retakes are Lucien Descavcs’ 
"Le Coeur Ebloui” (The Dazzled 
Heart) at Comedie-Caumartin. and 
Jean Anouilh’s 1941 opus, “Le 
Rendezvous De Senlis,” at the Ate- 
lier. “Ebloui” has a sterling jvv 
formance by Simone Renant and 
looks in for a fair nostalgia run. 
“Senlis.” which was seen < n y 
fleetingly at its creation, looks 
in for a longrun. with crix givin 
this the unanimous nod. It is not 
the thing for Broadway demands. 

Alexandra Rouby-Janska. whose 
Theatre Des Arts had a solid suc- 
cess in the Anita Loos-Colette 
“Gigi,” tried to repeat with a lush 
entry by Argentinian playwright 
Gloria Alcorta. However, "Seig- 
neur De San GoY.” treating politi- 
cal and filming passion in 19th 
century South America, came a 
cropper. Miss Janska wisely with- 
drew this after a critical drubbing. 

‘Colonels,’ ‘Paris’ Solid Hits 

Two solid hits are Marc Gilbert 
Sauvajon’s rendition of Peter Us- 
tinov’s “Love of Four Colonels” 
at the Fontaine, and Albert Vida- 
lie’s adaptation of the 19th century 
penny-dreadful “Les Mysteres De 
Paris,” by Eugene Sue, at the La 
Bruyere. "Colonels” has gotten a 
neat dress here and was well re- 
ceived with a probable extended 
run under the aegis of the Grenier- 
Ilussenot Troupe. 

“Paris” is solid melo. Expertly 
directed by George Vitaly, it brings 
its underworld heroics to a fine, 
fomented theatrical tour-de-force. 
Expertly acted and staged, this 
is in for a run. 

“Printemps Perdus” (Lost 
Spring), by Paul Vandenburghe. 
at the Gaite Montparnasse is a 
play about prisoners of war in a 
German camp during the Jast war. 
Reminiscent of “Stalag 17” only 
in locale, t his is so talky and in- 
fantile in its problems of homo- 
sexuality (which it tackles) that 
action languishes. Acted by be- 
ginners. this play is uneven and 
looks good for only a short run. 
‘Dr. Jekyil and Mr. Hyde’ Again 

"Dr. Jekyil and Mr. Hyde" stalks 
again at the Grand-Guignol in an 
adaptation by Frederick Dard with 
Robert Hossein giving proper 
downbeat London trimmings. 
Shapes as an offbeat success. 

A pair of back-to-back Left Bank 
theatres have interesting off beat- 
ers that should benefit from w f ord- 
of-mouth. A substantial run looms 
for "Negro Spiritual,” by Yves 
Jamiaque.” at the Noctambulos 
Henri Francois Rey’s "La Band A 
Bonnot" <The Bonnot Gang) at 
the Quartier Latin is clever thea- 
tre. and likely w ill stay on. "Spirit- 
ual’’ is about race tension in a 
small southern U. S. town, su- 
perby played by an all-Negro cast. 
“Bonnot” treats the story of a 
gangster who became the head of 
an anarchist group. It is done 
in opera buffo style, with a lilting 
score by Boris Vian and Jimmy 
Walters. 

'Arms and Man’ in for Run 

George Bernard Shaw’s "Arms 
And The Man” is given a fine per- 
formance by the Rene Dupuy 
group at the Theatre Gramont. 
This is in the good-run category. 
Sacha Pitocff has brought his ver- 
sion of Anton Tcheckov’s "Three 
“Sisters” into a regular run at the 
Theatre De L’Oeuvre after start- 
ing with oBly Tuesday showings. 
Neatly acted, this makes for the 
beginning of. a new young com- 
pany with fine reviews indicating 
the continuance of the great Pitoeff 
name in legit here. 

Chatelet has a new operetta by 
Raymond Vincy-Frnncis Lopez, “La 
Toison D’Or” (The Golden Fleece*, 
’this has the usual over-flamboyant 
book and music, and piles up 
enough spectacle and extravaganza 
to make its patrons happy. This 
looks in for a lengthy engagement. 


2 Productions in Work 
At W. Berlin Studios 

Berlin, Jan. 25. 

Twp pictures currently *re in 
production here while one was just 
completed. Films currently be- 
ing shot at West Berlin studios in- 
clude. “Star of Rio,” a CCG pro- 
duction directed by Kurt Neu- 
mann. and "Oberarzt Dr. Solm’ - ’ 
'Delos), directed by Paul May who 
received such big praise for 
"08/15” recently. CCC is prep- 
ping “Love Without Illusion^” 
which Erich Engel is going to 
direct. Apollo just completed “A 
Man Forgets the Love.” a pic 
directed by Volker von Collande. 
’ Over in East Berlin, DEFA is 
still shooting the second part of 
"Ernsf Thallmann,” biopic of the 
German Commie leader; “Fraeu- 
lein von Scuderi" (directed by 
Eugen York) and “Rustling Melo- 
dies,” directed by Ernst W. Fied- 
ler. A couple of other DEFA pro- 
ductions were completed in re- 
cent days. 


Gallic Legiters 
For Canada, U.S. 

Paris. Feb. 1. 

This year will see a good batch 
of Gallic actors and the staid 
j Comedie-Francaise ocean-hopping 
i to give a broadside of both con- 
; temporary and classic French thea- 
tre to Canadian and U.S. audiences. 
First group, called Theatre De 
i Paris, is already enroute to Mont- 
I real. It will present a series of 
1 five plays only in Canada, with the 
j Comedie-Francaise pencilled in for 
a two-month tour of Canada and 
j t he U.S. The main stop is in N Y. 
under the aegis of impresario Sol 
Hurok. 

Theatre De Paris is headed by 
I Claude Dauphin and Marthe Mer- 
eadier. It has Alain Cuny, Jean 
[Ghevrier,- Anne Carriere, Lila 
Kedriva, Michel Herbault and 
Alexandre Rignault in the com- 
, pany. They will present the plays, 
mostly modern, in Montreal as a 
special season of French theatre 
under the auspices of Canadian 
producers Eloi De Grandmont and 
Andre Roche. Pieces chosen, for 
two week runs each, are Barillet- 
Gredy’s "Le Don D’Adele” (Adcles 
Gift), Andre Roussin’s “Une 
Grande Fille Toute Simple” <A 
Great. Simple Girl), Ugo Betti’s 
"L’lle Des Chevies” (Goat Island', 
1 an Italo entry adapted by Maurice 
f Clavel, and the Claude Andre 
| Puget, Pierre Bost opus, “Un- 
Nomme Judas” (One Called Judas). 
Season vtill run from February 
* through April 7. 

C-F heads for Canada and the 
U.S. in September, being the first 
such trip to America. Itinerary 
calls for dates in Montreal. Quebec, 
j Ottawa and N.Y. Plays are Mo- 
I Here’s “Le Bourgeois Gentil- 
homme," Marivaux’s “Le Jeu De 
L’Amour Et De L’Hasard” with 
, other possibilities depending 
Hurok’s views for U.S. auds. 


on 


AUSSIE CONCERT BIZ UP 


Atwell, 'Sablon Among Names on 
Down Under Treks 


Sydney, Jan. 25. 

Winifred Atwell, pianist, will 
open at the Tivoli here Feb. 5. 
i Supporting artists in the show will 
; include ventriloquist Chris Cross, 
comedian Eddie Vitch, trick cycling 
I act called “The Three Hellos,” and 
(the U. S. acrobats, Ray Romaine 
; and Claire. 

i French crooner, Jean Sablon, 
goes direct from Melbourne to New 
Zealand, before undertaking his 
scheduled season here. 

| 4 

! France’s Pascal Quartet and 
Munich's Qoeckcrt Quartet both 
; will visit Australia this year under 
auspices of the Musica Viva So- 
ciety. The society’s concert season 
will include performances by Hep- 
zibah Menuhin (Yehudi’s sister) 
and Robert Pikler, both residents 
i in this country. 


S’Scope Lens’ Brit. Distrib 

London, Feb. 1. 

Distribution of the Tushinsky 
Superscope lens in Britain is to 

be effected through the regular 
equipment outfits, and not through 

RKO Radio as previously an- 
nounced. Robert S. Wolff, RKO 
topper here, said last week that 
all leading equipment Arms are 
being notified of the change, as 
well as exhihs who have signiAed 
interest in this lens. 

Decision was taken following 
consultation with the Tushinsky 
brothers, who agreed that equip- 
ment houses are best prepared to 
provide theatres with after-sales 
service. 


Yank Product Regained 
Old Prestige in 1954 
At Holland Boxoffice 

Amsterdam, Jan. 25. 

The Aim trade here sees Amer- 
ican pictures gaining prestige again 
as contrasted with the Yank losses 
in 1952 and 1953 when several Eu- 
ropean pictures did a tremendous 
business. Most of the U. S. champ 
pix like “White Christmas” (Par), 
"Caine Mutiny” (Col), “Glenn Mil- 
ler Story” (U), “Roman Holiday” 
(Par), "High and Mighty” <WB), 
"Demetrius” (20th) and “Broken 
Lance” (20th) were the big money- 
makers here too. 

A lot of other top grossers like 
“Egyptian” (20th), “Magnificent 
Obsession” <U), "On Waterfront” 
(Col) and “Sabrina” (Par) have 
not been shown here yet. Gen- 
eral feeling in the trade is that 
with such a big number of boxoffice 
hits, the old film supremacy of the 
U. S. is coming back. 

Of course, there were also some 
disappointments. Pictures like 
"Garden of Evil” (20th), “Long, 
Long Trailer” (MG). "Miss Sadie 
Thompson” (Col) and “Hondo” 
(WB) did not Jive up to hopes. 

Competition for French and Ital- 
ian pictures is consequently much 
tougher, with the number of box- 
office champions from those coun- 
tries gradually diminishing. The 
interest of the Dutch public in Ger- 
man pix is considerably less than 
before the occupation of this coun- 
try. Majority of the Dutch film 
crix are pro-European picture- 
minded. Generally they do not give 
hearty support to American pic- 
tures. but several of them have to 
admit that the U. S. film industry 
is marching ahead rapidly. 


British Exhib Prez Sez Producers 
Should Gear Pix (or U.S. Market 


Israel Mozarteum Set 

For Mozart’s Anni 

Tel Aviv, Jan. 25. 

The Israel Mozarteum, .headed 
by Prof. Yuval Ebenstein, musician 
and musicologist, has been com- 
missioned by the International Mo- 
zarteum in Salzburg with the job 
of arranging and coordinating the 
various Mozart memorial celebra- 
tions on the occasion of Mozart’s 
200th birthday. In this connection, 
the Israel Mozarteum has arranged 
for the publication of a Hebrew 
translation of Carl Einstein’s Mo- 
zart biography. 

During the 10 years since its 
foundation, the Tel Aviv Mozart- 
eum has organized several local 
music competitions, 120 concerts 
dedicated to works of Mozart and 
about 30 concerts featuring modern 
Israel composers. The association, 
which has 350 members, not only 
plans to continue these concert se- 
ries but hopes to build a centre of 
modern art with an auditorium and 
stage fof music, dance and theatre 
performances, lecture halls, and an 
adjacent open air theatre. The Jew- 
ish National Fund has secured the 
necessary ground for the project. 

Prof. Y. Ebenstein before his im- 
migration to Israel was professor 
for violin at the Vienna New Con- 
servatoire and a member of the 
Praesidium of the Vienna Teachers 
Chamber. 


VAF WOULD CARRY ITS 
PAY DISPUTE TO GOV’T 

London, Feb. 1. 

Unless the Hotel and Restau- 
rants Assn, agrees to raiify within 
the next fortnight an agreement 
negotiated last September for the 
introduction of a cabaret quota, 
the Variety Artists Federation will 

appeal to the Ministry of Labor to 
promote legislation protecting 
British cabaret performers. Nego- 
tiations between the hoteliers and 
the VAF ended on a compromise 
settlement of a 33 , ;»% quota after 
the union had agitated for 50 r ,c. 

About a week ago the VAF is- 
sued its ultimatum to the I1RA, 
accompanied by a warning that 
failure to ratify within the stated 
time would lead to the withdrawal 
of the compromise settlement, and 
a renewed demand for a one-for- 
one quota. 

A year ago the Ministry of La- 
bor succeeded in bringing the two 
parties together after the VAF 
had campaigned unsuccessfully 
for several years for protection of 
cafe performers. The Ministry in- 
timated to both sides that it was 
in favor of a quota and left it to 
them to agree on an acceptable 
percentage. 

According to a VAF exec, no 
provision has been made in this 
draft agreement for cafe operators 
• such as the Colony, Berkeley 
Square and Cafe de Paris) who are 
already committed to foreign acts 
for some time ahead. “We’re rea- 
sonable people,” he said, “but 
there has been ample time for the 
hoteliers to discuss such questions 
with us. Wc cannot overlook the 
fact, however, that since the 
conclusion of the negotiations 
the unemployment situation has 
worsened.” 


New Policy For 
Gl Show Tours 


London, Jan. 25. 

A new' policy for booking pack- 
age shows to tour GI installations 
in Europe has been inaugurated by 
Major Girkin, who recently as- 
sumed control at the U. S. enter 
tainment branch at Wiesbaden 
from Major Cameron. Under the 
latest arrangements, shows are be- 
ing booked on the open market I 
and not through a compact group 1 
of agents as in the past. As a re- 
sult. leading British agents are 
prepping packages for the GI cir- 
cuit, including top percenters of 
the calibre of Lew & Leslie Grade. : 
Fosters, Charles L. Tucker and 
others. 

Apart from acts booked to ap- 
pear at service clubs, there are ! 
never less than 10 complete shows 
on tour at GI camps in Britain, the 
Continent and North Africa. These 
are usually booked for a minimum 
eight weekij plus options and in- 
variably play one-night stands. The 
average package is paid around 
$1,000 per week. 


‘3 Angels’ Set For 

Scot Preem in Feb. 

Edinburgh, Jan. 25. 

“My Three Angels,” comedy 
based on the French play “La 
Cuisine des Anges.” is set for the 
Lyceum here Feb, 28. Cast will be 
headed by Ronald Shiner. Nigel 
Stock and George Rose. Adapta- 
tion has been made by Sam and 
Bella Spewack, who have written 
a number of plays including "Boy 
Meets Girl” and "Kiss Me Kate.” 

“La Cuisine,” by Albert Ilusson. 
was first presented at the Theatre 
du Vicux-Colombier, Paris, in Jan- 
uary 1952. Wilson Barrett rep sea- 
son is set to tee-off at Lyceum here 
March 7. 


Glasgow, Feb. 1. 

If British producers can supply 
the right type of film for the 
American market, there wdll be a 
strong demand to see them, accord- 
ing to J. K. Stafford Poole, newly- 
elected prexy of the Scottish sec- 
tion of the British Cinematograph 
Exhibitors Assn. He told the an- 
nual meeting of exhibs here it was 
time British studios really got 
down to producing pix for the 
world market. 

One answer to pessimists, he sug- 
gested, would be for the United 
King'dom to adopt the policy of its 
motor industry and make film prod- 
uct in two versions, one for the 
home and one for the overseas-mar- 
ket. This would avoid offending 
the purists of British film produc- 
tion. 

“To cater for the tastes of a 
great proportion of the overseas 
population, films should have li- 
cense to exaggerate,” declared 
Poole. 

Producers should make a real 
effort to stand on their own finan- 
cial two feet, and the only way they 
could do this was via the export 
of their films. 

“In the greater part of the U. S., 
with many different nationalities 
and languages, and certainly in In- 
dia and the Near East with their 
millions, the main appeal of the 
film is still essentially visual as 
distinct from verbal. Hence the 
universal popularity of the Ameri- 
can western and outdoor adventure 
film. Somehow or other our own 
producers must find a similar angle 
if they are to secure world distribu- 
tion.” 

Britain had lost many film op- 
portunities, he alleged. There 
were many folklore and history 
yarns, such as “Robin Hood.” 
“Treasure Island” and “Ivanhoe,” 
all with worldwide appeal and sim- 
ply asking to be made into films. 
But they had been made not by an 
English company but by American 
companies. x 

Over-Subsidized Doorstep 

It was time British producers 
were making an all-out eff ort to im- 
prove their foreign record. They 
should step off their present over- 
subsidized domestic doorstep. 

New' Scot prexy called for more 
glamor and oomph in British pix, 
declaring: “We have some very 
nice and intelligent British act- 
resses, but glamor and oomph seem 
to be practically non-existent. If 
we are to crash the world market, 
we simply must have some femi- 
ninity that occasionally inspires 
the wolf in the males and sighing 
admiration in the females. Italy is 
in process of extending its film ex- 
ports, and we have seen from the 
bevy of beauty in the shapes of 
Silvana Mangano and Gina Lollo- 
brigida what Italy can produce.” 

The latest improvements from 
America in cinema presentation 
were listed by Poole as reasons for 
growing optimism in the British 
cinema trade. He cited good pix, 
new developments such as Cinema- 
Scope, VistaVision and .stereo- 
phonic sound. 


John Ford’s Production Co. 

London, Jan. 25. 

John Ford lias formed an Irish 
production company which will tec 
off with “Three Leaves of Sham- 
rock" next summer. The director 
will visit Ireland to cast and select 
location, and will serve as direc- 
tor. 

The new company, named Four 
Provinces Films Ltd. (a reference 
to the four Irish provinces, Ulster, 
Munster, Connaught and Leinster), 
includes on the board Brian Des- 
mond Hurst, a British film director, 
Lord Killalin. who is chairman; 
and Michael Scott. The product 
will be released through Republic. 


French TV Series On 

Int’l Police Methods 

Paris, Feb. 1. 

French tv is backing a series of 
13 pix on international police meth- 
ods to be told through the charac- 
ter of a roving newspaper corre- 
spondent. Francois Villiers will di- 
rect this while Francois Patrice is 
up for the newspaperman with 
Daniele ,Godet as his female vis a- 
vis. 

Films will be shot in the variouM 
Continental countries, and will 
show the workings of the various 
police forces on cases turned up 
by the snooping reporter. Shooting 
is to start in April. 


3-Way ‘Rhapsody’ 

London, Feb. 1. 

A three-way distribution deal 
has bevn negotiated by Herbert 
Wilcox for his current production. 
“King’s Rhapsody,”^ now being 
lensed in C’Scope, with Anna 
Neagie, Errol Flynn and Patrice 
Wymore starred. 

In the United Kingdom, the pic 
will be released through British 
Lion to which Wilcox returns after 
his program for Republic. United 
Artists will have Western Hemis- 
phere rights while 20th-Fox will 
distribute in Australasia. 



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DETROIT, PHILADELPHIA! 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


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JAY C FLIPPEN * SAL MINEO Directed by JOSEPH PEVNEY • Screenplay by SIDNEY BOEHM ♦ Produced by AARON ROSENBERG 




Wednesday, February 2, 1955 



Latin Devaluation Crimps U.S. Gross; 
Cheap B.O. a Politicians Must 


Devaluation of native currencies ♦ 
is posing a serious problem for the 
American film distribs in Latin 
America where the rise in theatre 
grosses doesn’t reflect itself in the 
companies’ net dollars-in-New York 
take. 

In reporting this in N. Y. last 
week following a Latin jaunt, Ar- 
nold Picker, United Artists foreign 
sales topper, suggested the only 
solution was an increase in admis- 
sion prices which, in most of these 
countries, are frozen by the govern- 
ment as political insurance to 
working classes. Some exceptions 
have been made for Cinemascope 
pix in Brazil, Chile and Peru, but 
that they were limited to only a 
few theatres. 

Picker observed that Latin Amer- 
ica, which in UA’s case at least con- 
tributes about 20% of its overseas 
business, was already less import- 
ant dollar-wise than it used to be 
as a result of devalued currencies 
in such key countries as Brazil, 
Argentina, Chile, Peru and Colom- 
bia. Markets not affected to this 
extent include Uruguay, Venezuela, 
Cuba and generally the Caribbean 
area. Situation in Brazil is particu- 
larly serious since it alone accounts 
for about 20% to 25% of the entire 
Latinamerican market. 

UA’s business in Latin America 
in 1954, running to $3,000,000 in 
gross billings, was 20% ahead of 
1953, Picker disclosed, and he ex- 
pected it to double in 1955. How- 
ever, in view of his own observa- 
tions, he was careful to point out 
that this didn’t necessarily mean a 
proportionate rise in the net. As 
devaluation sets in, the American 
companies have to do more busi- 
ness locally to cover their dollar 
withdrawals. 

Picker, who visited eight coun- 
tries, said he found no product 
shortage anywhere and he noted 
the advances chalked up by French 
and Italian product. A good deal of 
theatre construction was going on 
in Latin America, he said, observ- 
ing that in his opinion there was a 
growing field for drive-ins in the 
area. 

Regarding UA’s 16m plans in 
Latin America, Picker said the 
company had none. Outside of 
Brazil, the 16m market is shrink- 
ing, he felt, and in Brazil it’s dif- 
ficult to get licenses. UA is con- 
stantly being propositioned on co- 
productions, but he didn’t make 
any deals on his trip. Picker said. 
The company has an interest in one 
Mexican film, "The Rebellion of 
the Hanged,” which it’s distribut- 
ing worldwide but not in the U. S., 
Canada or Mexico. 


Law to Regulate Print 

Inspection Again Up 

Albany, Feb. 1. 

The inspection and repairing of 
film immediately prior to shipment 
for projection, would be mandatory, 
before it could be taken into -the 
booth of any New York City thea- 
tre, under the terms of a bill spon- 
sored by Assemblyman Bertram 
L. Podell, Kings Democrat. A 
similar measure, introduced at the 
1954 session of the Legislature by 
Senator Mario M. De Optatis, 
Kings Democrat, and Assemblyman 
Irving Kirschenbaum, Manhattan 
Democrat, languished in commit- 
tee. 

Distributing and exhibiting 
forces registered a strong protest 
against its enactment, claiming the 
bill sought to provide “made” work 
for the New York City "backroom” 
film local. The latter urged pas- 
sage, to protect the public against 
the danger of insufficiently in- 
spected film. The State Federation 
of Labor supported the film union. 

Bill would amend the New York 
City administrative code. 


Ultascope Newest System 


A new “scope” system, providing 
an anamorphic print which can be 
projected on any Cinemascope or 
other similar anamorphic lens, will 
be introduced shortly in the U. S. 
via a series of European-produced 
shorts. New squeeze process is 
known as Ultascope. 

Shorts, produced by Gene Sharin 
for Transatlantic Productions Ltd., 
are tailored for showing as fea- 
turettes with C’Scope pictures. 
First two in the series are titled 
"Fiesta in Seville” and "Arabes- 
ques.” both filmed in Eastman 
color. 


Picture Grosses 


boston 


Films For Kids 


Continued from pa(e 5 


Producer Risks 


Continued from page 5 


WB BALK SEES FORMULA 
HEADING FOR PREX1ES 

Reluctance on the part of War- 
ner Bros, to provide billing infor- 
mation along with the other dis- 
tribs is seen forcing the whole 
question of an industry formula on 
foreign remittances and license al- 
locations up to the company presi- 
dents. 

Execs who’ve participated in the 
powwows on the formula seem 
somewhat unsure as to just what 
.he WB position is. Some say the 
outfit is opposed "in principle” to 
.jiving out any figures on its busi- 
ness but didn’t close the door on 
oarticipation in the formula which 
vould be based on both domestic 
md overseas averages. 

Others hold that WB quite cate- 
gorically let it be known that it 
wouldn’t go along with any idea 
that involved divulging what it 
considers to be confidential statis- 
tics. 

There is general agreement that 
WB, along with everyone else, 
heartily favors some solution to the 
problem of divvying up licenses or 
remittance coin which has involved 
the companies in lengthy and cost- 
ly hassles in the past. 

It’s on the basis of this feeling 
that execs are confident that, in 
good time', this issue will be put 
up to the company proxies and will 
be solved on that level. The orig- 
inal master formula, currently un- 
der study by the companies, was 
evolved by a committee consisting 
of Arthur Loew, Arnold Picker 
and Abe Schneider working along 
with George Weltner and Ralph 
Hetzel of the Motion Picture Ex- 
port Assn. 


or else there just won’t be any 
made," he said in N. Y. this week. 
"In ‘Hansel and Gretel’ we’ve 
made a picture for children. 
Everyone says it’s a good picture 
for them. There are, we figure, 
some 30,000,000 youngsters in this 
country. And yet we are getting 
only about 25% exposure. Why?” 

Myerberg doesn’t pretend to 
have the answers, but he thinks 
he has a pretty good idea why his 
picture has been something of a 
b.o. disappointment despite strong 
showings in some situations. "The 
problem simply is how to get the 
kids to the theatres,” he opined. 
"That’s the crux of the thing.” 
Although he’s working on some 
schemes of his own to overcome 
this inherent difficulty, Myerberg 
feels that there are no adequate 
answers available now. 

One of the prime problems of 
selling a children’s film, such as 
"Hansel and Gretel,” is that it 
must be booked in over a week- 
end, when the youngsters are free 
to come to the show. Furthermore, 
an exhibitor slotting a film such 
as this must resign himself to poor 
evening biz. Needless to say, it’s 
difficult to get a theatre to give 
up its profitable weekend business 
to book what amounts to a matinee 
attraction. 

In the instance of "Hansel and 
Gretel,” the first all-out children’s 
film to come along in quite a few 
years, this matinee business in sev- 
eral spots has brought the theatres 
excellent grosses, according to the 
RKO reports. In many instances 
the moveover weeks have exceeded 
the firstrun dates by considerable 
margins. 

In one case "Hansel” was held 
o\er in a Washington, D. C., house 
on a matinee basis only to cater to 
the juve trade. , 

Adult Pitch Next 

Myerberg, who’s currently at 
wo k on his next puppet opus, "Al- 
ladin and His Wonderful Lamp," 
said it would be pitched more to 
an adult level. "Alladin” is due to 
be completed by Christmas, 1956. 
Meanwhile, Myerberg feels that, 
with an expected gross of between 
$1,500,000 and $2,000,000 domesti- 
cally, "Hansel” isn’t going to lose 
him any money. 

"It’ll be profitable,” he said, 
“considering the foreign market 
and all. Then, too, there’s the very 
considerable 16m market in the 
schools, etc., but that’s not really 
the point. For this picture to be 
really enjoyed, it has to show on 
a large screen. So our problem is 
simply to get the kids to the thea- 
tres.” 

Myerberg minces no words in 
airing the view that the people 
who do most of the moaning about 
the lack of good films for children 
should put their money where 
their mouth is, i.e., get the chil- 
dren together with the entertain- 
ment meant for them. And by 
that he doesn’t mean television. 


the hope that they would collect 
from the b.o. receipts. 

"I become the producer,” he 
said, "when I pay the fight pro- 
moter or the producer to the rights 
to his events. I hire a special tv 
production crew, including direc- 
tors and cameramen. I pay the long 
line and other transmission costs. 
I foot the entire bill without a cent 
of guarantee from the theatres.” 

He pointed out that exhibitors 
on several occasions in the past 
have contemplated the idea<4>f do- 
ing it on their own, but so far have 
been unsuccessful. "Unless one or 
two chains are willing to put up 
all the money for the rights and 
then go out and sell the event to 
oth£r theatres, it can’t be done,” 
Halpern maintained. 

The TNT topper emphasized that 
it would be almost impossible for 
all the theatres with tv installa- 
tions to raise the coin to snare 
^n event on their own. "Suppose,” 
he said, "there are three theatres 
in a town. How do they determine 
which house gets the event. If they 
reach some agreement, they leave 
themselves open to conspiracy 
charges.” 

Several chains have gone di- 
rectly to the International Boxing 
Club and to the Metropolitan 
Opera, Halpern noted. He said both 
organizations gave the circuits the 
price to the rights to their attrac- 
tions but that the chains never 
returned to make a deal. Halpatri, 
who has put telecasts of IBC cham- 
pionship fights and metopera per- 
formances, feels that neither of 
these organizations would risk 
staging a theatre telecast on their 
own. “They’re not equipped for 
it,” he said. "They have enough of 
a problem producing their own 
shows.”, 

Halpern said the same applies to 
a Broadway producer. The TNT 
chief discounts the alleged prob- 
lems ttyat are delaying the presen- 
tation of a Broadway show via 
theatre video. "A Broadway show,” 
he said, "can be put on immedi- 
ately if there were someone avail- 
able to take the risk. All the union 
and other problems can be solved 
easily as long the the money is 
available/’ Halpern has been 
weighing the offering of a Broad- 
way show, but said he won’t take 
the plunge until he feels he has hit 
on the right combination of factors. 
"It’ll have to be a sock musical 
with star names who have box- 
office appeal throughout the coun- 
try. The costs are extremely high 
and I’m not quite sure yet just how 
it’ll be received throughout the 
country.” 

Halpern almost had a deal set 
for “Wonderful Town” when Rosa- 
lind Russell was the star of the 
show, but he ran into a snag when 
several of the authors demanded 
a hefty advance payment. 

Halpern is of the opinion that 
Spyros Skouras, once he decides 
to take the plunge in theatre video 
via his Eidophor system, will be 
able to succeed because he’ll have 
the risk capital to put up for the 
right events. 


British Lion 

Continued from pace 3 


limited volume of American prod- 
uct. 

The NFFC stake in British Lion 
already involved an outlay of over 
$8,000,000 plus a cash investment 
in the new company, but it has se- 
cured bank loans valued at $2,500,- 
000. Sir John Keeling, NFFC 
chairman, heads the new outfit, 
with Sir Arthur Jarratt named 
managing director. 

The government, according to 
Sir John, hopes to eventually bd 
able to hand the company back to 
private enterprise. 


(Continued from page 8) 

to amaze with slick $17,500 follow- 
ing $19,000 in previous week. 

Exeter (Indie) (1,300; 60-$l) — 
“Bread, Love. Dreams” (IFE) (6th 
wk). Fine $5,800 following $6,300 
in fifth. 

Fenway (NET) (1.373; 50-90)— 
"Gangbusters” (Indie)) and "Hell’s 
Outpost" (Rep) (2d wk). Solid $7,- 
500 after $11,000 in first. 

Memorial (RKO) (3,000; 60-$l) 
— "6 Bridges to Cross” (U) and 
"Killer Leopard” <AA) (2d wk). 
Terrific $32,000 following $41,000 
in first. 

Metropolitan (NET) (4,367; 60- 
$D — “So This is Parfs” (U) and 
"Ricochet Romance” (U). Mild 
$17,000. Last week, "Young at 
Heart” (WB) and "Trouble in 
Glen” (Rep) (2d wk), $13,500. 

Orpheum (Loew’s) (3,000; 60-$l) 
— "Vera Cruz” (UA) (3d wk). Fair 
$11,000 following $15,000 for 
second. 

Paramount (NET) (1,700; 50-90) 
— "Gangbusters” (Indie) and 
"Hell’s Outpost” (Rep) (2d wk). 
Tasty $15,500 following $21,500 in 
first. 

State (Loew's) (3.500; 60-$ 1) — 
"Vera Cruz” (UA) (3d wk). Slender 
$5,000 following $8,000 in second 
frame. 


Trison’ Bright $10,000, 
Seattle; ‘Chalice’ 8G 

Seattle, Feb. 1. 

Two Evergreen houses have 

holdovers, "Vera Cruz” being big 
at the Paramount and "Carmen 

Jones” good at Fifth Avenue. 

“Silver Chalice” is just okay at 

Music Hall while "Women’s Pris- 
on” at Coliseum shapes fine. 

Estimates for This Week 

Blue Mouse (Hamrick) (800; 90- 
$1.25) — "Romeo and Juliet” (UA). 
Slow $2,800.» Last week, “Bread, 
Love, Dreams” (IFE), $4,200 at $1 
top in 10 days. 

Coliseum (Evergreen) (1.829; 75- 
$1) — "Women's Prison” (Col) and 
"Masterson of Kansas” (Col). Fine 
$10,000 or near. Last week, "Violent 
Men” (Col) and "Cannibal Attack” 
(Col) (2d wk), $6,500 in 6 days. 

Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) (2.500; 
900-$1.25) — “Carmen Jones” <20th) 
and "Port of Hell” <AA) (2d wk). 
Good $9,000 or close. Last week, 
$12,400. 

Music Box (Hamrick) (850; 90- 
$1.25) — "Tonight’s the Night” 
(AA). Okay $4,000. Last week, 
“High and Dry” <U), $4,100. 

Music Hall (Hamrick) (2,300; 90- 
$1.25) — "Silver Chalice” (WB). 
Barely okay $8,000. Last week, 
"Brigadoon” (M-G) and "Little 
Kidnappers” (UA) (2d wk-4 days), 
$5,200. 

Orpheum (Hamrick) 42,700; 75- 
$1) — “Destry” <U) and "Race for 
Life” (Lip). Lean $6,000. Last 
week, "Athena” (M-G) and “Tobor” 
(Rep), $6,200. 

Paramount (Evergreen) (3,039; 
$1-$1.25)— “Vera Cruz” (UA). (2d 
wk). Big $12,000 or over. Last 
week, $20,000. 


‘DESIREE’ DANDY 25G, 
TORONTO; ‘DRUM’ 13*G 

Toronto Feb. 1. 

Playing a two-house combo, 
“Desiree” is leading the town with 
socko biz. "Drum Beat”. is in sec- 
ond place with "Beachcomber” 
crowding. All three newcomers 
are landing top returns. Of the 
holdovers, second stanzas of "Vera 
Cruz” and "Romeo and Juliet” 
shape best. 

Estimates for This Week 

Christie, Hyland (Rank) (848; 
1,354; 75-$l) — “Romeo and Juliet” 
(Rank). Big $8,000. Last week, 
$11,500. 

Downtown, Glendale, Scarboro, 
State (Taylor) (1,059; 955; 698; 694; 
40-70) — "Yellow Mountain” (U) 
and "Ricochet Romance” (U) 
Light $10,000. Last week, “Raid” 
(20th) and "Fast and Furious” 
(Rep), $13,500. 

Eglinton, University <FP) (1.080; 
1,558; 50-80) — "Desiree” (20th). 
Wham $23,000. Last week. "Hajji 
Baba” (20th) (2d wk), $12,000 in 4 
days. 

Imperial <FP) (3,373; 60-$l)— 
"Star Is Born” (WB) (4th w’k). 
Hefty $13,000. Last week, $17,000. 

International (Taylor) <605; 50- 
80) — "Belles St. Trinian’s” (IFD). 
Neat $3,500. Last week, $4,000. 

Loew’s (Loew’s) (2,090; 60-$l) — 
"Vera Cruz” (UA) (2d wk). Okay 
$15,500. Last week, $24,000. 

Odeon (Rank) (2.380; 60-$l)— 
"Beachcomber” (Rank). Big $12,- 
000. Last week, "Black Knight” 
(Col), $8,000. 

. Shea’s (FP) (2,386; 75-$l)— 

"Drum Beat” (WB). Hep $13,500. 
Last week, "Show Business” (20th) 
t5th wk), $9,000. 

Towne (Taylor) (693; 60-90) — 
"Vanishing Prairie” (Disney) (6th 
wk). • Hep $4,500. Last week, 
$5,000. 

Uptown (Loew’s) (2,745; 60-80) — 
"Destry” (U>. Mild $8,500. Last 
week, "Athena” (M-G) (2d wk) f 
$7,000. 


BUFFALO 

(Continued from page 8) 

"Trouble in Glen” (Rep) (2d wk). 
Good $15,000 after $20,000 open- 
ing week. 

Center (Par) <2.000; 50-80) — 
"Prince of Players” (20th). Mild 
$7,000 or under. Last week, 
"Black Tuesday” (UA)) and 
"Atomic Kid” (Rep) (10 days, 
$ 12 , 000 . 

Lafayette (Basil) (3.000; 50-80) — 
"Violent Men” (Col) and “True and 
the False” (Indie) <2d wk). Okay 
$7,000 in 5 days. Last week, 
$ 10 , 000 . 

Century (Buhawk) (3,000; 60-85) 
— “Americano” (RKO) and "Re- 
turn From Sea” (Indie). Nice $11,- 
000. Last week. "Gangbusters” 
(Indie) and "Bowery to Bagdad” 
(AA), $10,000. 


* PORTLAND, ORE. 

(Continued from page 9) 

“Return Treasure Island” (UA). 
Torrid $19,000. Last week, "Sign 
of Pagan” (U> and "Naked Alibi” 
(U) (2d wk), $8,300. 

Orpheum (Evergreen) (1,600; 65- 
90) — "Violent Men” (Col) and 
"Bamboo Prison” (Col). Fine $7,- 
000. Last week, "Black Knight” 
(Col) and "Jungle Man-Eaters, 
(Col) $7,600. 

Paramount (Port-Par) <3.400; 65- 
90> — "Americano” (RKO) and 
"This Is My Love” (RKO). Okay 
$7,000 or near. Last week, "Des- 
try’’ (U) and "A Race For Life” 
(Lip), $6,400. 


WASHINGTON 

(Continued from page 8) 

and moved to make room for Lon- 
don Festival Ballet. 

Columbia (Loew’s) (1,174; 60-85) 
— "6 Bridges to Cross” <U). Sock 
$11,000 or close. Stays. Last week, 
"Battleground” (M-G) and "Asphalt 
Jungle” (M-G) (reissues), $6,500. 

Dupont (Lopert) (372; 65-$l) — 
"Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (6th wk). 
Very steady $4,500 after $5,200 
last week. Stays. 

Keith’s (RKO) (1,939; 75-$l) — 
"Leagues Under Sea” (BV) <6th 
wk). Still solid at $12,000 for 
second consecutive week. Stays. 
Metropolitan (SW) (1,200; 60-85) 

— "Reap Wild Wind” (Par) (re- 
issue). Fine $7,000. Last week, 
"Violent Men” (Col), $9,000. 

Palace (Loew’s (2,370; 70-95) — 
"Vera Cruz” (UA) (2d wk). Bright 
$17,000 after $28,000 last week. 
Holds over. 

Playhouse (Lopert) (435; 70-$l) 
— "Sign of Pagan” (U) (6th wk). 
Good $4,000. Last week, $4,200. 
Warner (SW) (1,300; $1.20-$2.40) 

— "Cinerama” (Indie) (64th wk). 
Astounding upswing, with best 
Sunday since September. Looks 
hefty $14,000 second consecutive 

cpccion 

Trans-Lux (T-L) (600; 70-$l) — 
“Phffft” (Col) (5th-final wk). Big 
$6,000 in final 9 days. Last week, 
$5,000. Being pulled to make 
room for "Country Girl” (Par). 


DETROIT 

(Continued from page 9) 

able $17,000. Last week, “3 Ring 
Circus” (Par) and "Masterson of 
Kansas” (Col) (2d wk),.$15,000. 

Palms (UD) (2,961; 95-$1.25)— 
"Sign of Pagan” (U) (2d wk). Stout 
$15,000. Last week, $25,000. 

Madison (UD) (1,900; 95-$1.25) 
— "Leagues Under Sea” (BV) (6th 
wk). Moving up to big $14,000. 
Last week, $13,000. 

Broadway-Capitol (UD) (3,500; 
80-$ 1 ) — "6 Bridges to Cross” <U) 
and “Bowery to Bagdad” (AA). 
Terrific $22,000 or close. Last 
week, "Theodora” (IFE) and 
"Sleeping Tiger” (Lip), $9,000. 

United Artists (UA) (1.938; 80- 
$1 ) — "Green Fire” (M-G) (2d wk). 
Slim $9,000 or close. Last week, 
$ 11 , 000 . 

Adams (Balaban) (1.700; 95- 

$1.25) — "Bad Day at Black Rock” 
(M-G) (2d wk). Down to fair 
$7,500. Last week. $10,000. 

Music Hall (Cinerama Produc- 
tions) (1,194; $ 1 . 40 -$ 2 . 65 )— "Cine- 
rama” (Indie) (98th wk). Wow 
$27,000. Last week, $26,700. 





:«•»<> 




EDWARD SMALL 


New York Confidential 


WARNER BROS 


fc lUPO'S 4 
KILL m 
THEORY ■ 
Use a good m 
killer-then S 
\ hire a better |jj 
one to kill him' 9 


| • Suggested by 
Wj the sensational 
W best seder by 
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1 top two I 
crime reporters, J 

JACK LA/J and if 
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Wedneeday, February 2, 1955 


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20 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


UR rIET? 

I " ■ 1 ■ 


Current Income Tax Rules 

Continued from page 2 ^ 

support. But all the others contributing at least 10% must waive the 
$600 ex emption in writing. 

A person 65 or over receiving “retirement income” is now entitled 
to a direct credit against his tax, of 20% of the amounts included in 
gross income from pensions, annuities, interest, rents and dividends, 
up to $1,200, but to qualify, he must have earned wages or other com- 
pensation of at least $600 a year in each of any 10 previous years. A 
husband and wife can both qualify if they both meet the earnings re- 
quirement and the* survivor may qualify if the spouse would have 
been eligible. Both husbands and wives can qualify in community 
property states on the basis of the earnings of one. Retirement in- 
come excludes tax free income and social security benefits. For per- 
sons between 65 and 75, compensation in excess of $900 and social 
security and annuity benefits excluded from income, reduce the $1,200 
limit, but no such limitation applies to persons over 75. 

Widows and Widou>ers 


Widows and widowers with dependent children are entitled to a 
continuation of the benefits of a joint return the same as married 
persons for two years following the year in which the spouse died. 
Thereafter the head of a household status applies. 

The lower tax rate for “Head of a Household” is now also allowed 
for one who provides more than half the cost of maintaining a de- 
pendent parent in a separate household. 

| Medical Expenses | 

Deductible medical expenses now include amounts in excess of 3% 
of adjusted gross income, except for persons over 65, to whom the ex- 
clusion does not apply. There is a separate allowance for drugs and 
medicines. The maximum medical deduction has been raised to 
$2,500 for each exemption, with an over-all limitation of $5,000 for a 
single taxpayer and $10,000 for a married couple or a head of a 
household. 

A deduction up to $600 is now permissible for total expenses in- 
curred by a taxpayer for child care which is necessary while working. 
Working wives are only entitled to the deduction if they file a joint- 
return with their husbands. If their joint income exceeds $4,500 the 
deduction is cut by this excess. However, this limitation doesn't 
apply if the husband is incapable of self-support. 


Editorial Note — Ernest D. Loewenwarter is a Member of the New 
York State Society of Certified Public Accountants; American 
Institute of Accountants and a Lecturer at New York University 
Taxation Institute. 


Exhibs All Talk 

ss Continued from pate 5 — . 


Can. Pix Boards 
$4,008,421 Take 

Ottawa, Feb. 1. 

National Film Board’s annual 
report lists increases in practically 
everything except quantity of film 
exposed. Decrease here is ex- 
plained by concentration on 35m 
color shooting and considerable 
upping of black-and-white 16m 
shooting for television. Board’s fi- 
nancial statement shows $4,008,421 
income and $3,859,497 expendi- 
ture. Report covers year ending 
March 31, 1954. 

NFB’s Canadian tv bookings 
rose to 797 from the previous 
year’s 229, prints made available 
to government and privately- 
owned stations on a royalty basis. 
Outside Canada, video bookings 
upped from 1,799 to 2,019, of 
which 1.862 were in the United 
States. NFB produced 66 tv films. 

In the 1953-54 fiscal year, 11,447 
Canadian theatres booked NFB’s 
theatrical releases, mostly its 
“Canada Carries On” series. Book- 
ings in theatres outside Canada 
went up 33 per cent to 21,505, 
nearly three-quarters of them in 
the United States. 

Non-theatrical attendance at 
NFB showings totalled more than 
14,000,000 in Canada, almost 14,- 
000,000 abroad. 

NFB’s film production included 
251 films of ali types, from news- 
reel clips to short features. News- 
reel releases rose to 613 from tfce 
previous year’s 451. Of its total 
film production, 33 was in French. 


‘Showbiz’ Paced 

ESm Continued from page 4 SmSSSm 

ing even “High Noon” and “Moulin 
Rouge” business in many spots. 

“Deep in My Heart” (M-G) 
wound up a strong fourth although 
it never rose above fourth place in 
any week during the month. This 
musical, which won favorable 
word-of-mouth and lasted six weeks 
as the N. Y. Music Hall Christmas 
pic, seemingly never had the mar- 
quee impact of the other three big 
grossers. 

Fifth place went to “3-Ring Cir- 
cus” (Par), the great impetus it re- 
ceived via yearend holiday book- 
ings helping to put it over the top. 
The Martin-Lewis comedy was bol- 
stered by some socko individual 
playdates. This along with the fact 
that it was the second VistaVision 
production released by Par gave it 
a nice assist. Victor Saville’s "Sil- 
ver Chalice” (WB) captured sixth 
position. 

“Sign of Pagan” (U) was a rous- 
ing seventh place winner, seldom 
dropping below fifth spot in weekly 
ratings. “Cinerama” (Indie), aided 
by "final weeks” notices in several 
big key cities, improved and 
grabbed off eighth money. 

“'Young at Heart” (WB) took 
ninth spot despite spotty showings 
in a few weeks during the past 
month. “So This Is Paris” (U) 
managed to cop 10th position. 

Others fell into the runner-up 
category. They were “Romeo and 
Juliet” (UA); “Phffft” (Col); 
“Hansel and Gretel” (RKO), and 
“Green Fire” (M-G), in that order. 

“Carmen Jones” (20th), which 
had not finished all of its bigger 
key city playdates prior to Xmas, 
showed enough stamina late last 
month to cop eighth place one Jan- 
uary week via a batch of fresh dat- 
ings. "Young at Heart,” which 
still had several keys to play as 
January ended, brought crix ex- 
pressions of disappointment that it 
was not a musical with more come- 
dy. “Phffft,” like “Carmen” as to 
playdates, pushed ahead in the final 
two weeks last month. 

“Aida” (IFF) repeated its N. Y. 
success though perhaps on a small- 
er scale during the month in largqr 
key cities. It displayed enough 
b.o. strength to wind as a runner- 
up pix one week. Film is playing 
arty theatres for most part. “Bread. 
Love, Dreams,” from same dist rib, 
also collected sizable coin in such 
smaller theatres. “The Detective” 
tCol) did well enough to finish as 
a runner-up pic in two different 
weeks. 

"Last Time I Saw Paris” (M-G), 
w hich has about completed its main 
key city dates, finished 10th one 
week during the month. “Tonight’s 
the Night” (A A) did nicely on sev- 
eral key hookings. ‘ Gangbusters” 
(Indie) was good in RufTalo and big 
in Boston, its first two engage- 
ments. 


All Studios 

^ Continued from pare 3 sees; 

ing new areas of using video as a 
promotional medium. 

“In the early days of radio,” re- 
called Goldenson, “picture produc- 
ers would have spent millions to 
get into the homes to billboard 
their pictures and yet today, now 
that they have it, they resist it. 
The danger of over-exposure is 
ever present but guestarring to a 
limited extent could be extremely 
helpful. After picture people have 
learned to make tv work for them 
it could create the biggest boom in 
the history of pictures.” 

Goldenson pointed out the value 
of pre-selling with the proper 
know-how. One of the bigger pic- 
tures in current release will out- 
gross another because of the 
tactical selling although the high- 
grosser is on a compative lower 
qualitative level. The “hard sell” 
did it as with "20 Leagues,” he 
offered, and proved its point that 
the pre-sell savvy is one of Holly- 
wood's most effective implements 
"if used right.” Radio gave phono- 
graph records their biggest boom, 
he added, and tv can do the same 
for theatres. 

Disneyland, both the tv series 
and the amusement center, is the 
"pet of the moment” with Golden- 
son. The upcoming (in March) 
"Outer Space” science-fantasy on 
tv has tapped his enthusiasm* to 
the highest praise. Two German 
scientists were imported to work 
on the Disney film. While he is 
highly gratified with the Disney- 
land ratings on ABC, he would 
rather that the show never hit the 
top. “When you’re high man every- 
one shoots at you; we’d rather stay 
second.” 

Radio, Goldenson believes, is 
bouncing back strong and he looks 
for the medium to make a strong 
comeback. "It’s the old story of 
guts and leadership,” he said, “and 
like any other medium it has its 
own vitality to stay actively com- 
petitive. The pattern of life hasn’t 
changed. Water seeks its own level 
and there’ll always be an audience 
for radio.” ABC’s owned stations 
are now super-powered and stereo- 
phonic sound is being introduced 
to make radio more attractive. 

Goldenson said he is highly 
pleased with Earl Hudson’s opera- 
tion of ABC’s western division and 
that “we’re beginning to see day- 
light.” By next quarter we will 
be in the black,” he said. “We’ve 
turned the corner.” 

Goldenson returns to N. Y. to- 
morrow night after a press con- 
ference at Television Center. 


Favghl Roasts 

— — Continued from pare 4 — — ; 

emptying threat to more than 
15,000 other theatres on that same 
night. I’d almost call that an eco- 
nomic miracle — like eating cake 
and having it too. 

“But when the theatre owners 
now turn around and form a com- 
mittee to ‘save free tv’ by making 
sure that it doesn’t get its own 
boxoffice in the home — so that it 
can then get its best sports pro- 
grams back from the theatre tv 
blackout — and protect its world 
series on tv— and maybe in the 
future even afford some good 
movies — and some Broadway hit 
plays; well. I’m sorry but I can’t 
keep up with the logic of Just how 
all this is supposed to save home 
television.” 

As Faught sees it — though he’s 
hardly objective in his comments 
— toll-tv would aid exhibs by stim- 
ulating greater production activity 
in Hollywood. "Once produced, 
these added films would obviously 
be shown in both markets — in the- 
atres and on home tv; naturally not 
in direct competition in a given 
market,” he declared. 

As for the tv stations and the 
advertisers, Faught saw the advent 
of pay-as-you-see as a distinct 
boom to both, providing the eco- 
nomic base for double the existing 
stations. "Today television has to 
ride piggyback all the way on ad- 
vertising,” he maintained. “When 
tv becomes a marketing device it- 
self, with direct economic revenue 
of its own. advertising will get its 
' turn at some comfortable, thrifty 
and profitable piggyback riding.” 
Faught laughed off the idea that 
fee-tv would deprive “free” tele- 
vision of programs, pointing out 
that the pay-as-you-see shows 
would have to be that much of an 
improvement over existing mate- 
rial to induce viewers to spend coin 
1 on them. 


BUYS IN, TOOLS UP 


Kaufman Upgrades Page wood 
Studio in Australia 


Hollywood, Feb. 1. 
Producer Joseph Kaufman has 
bought into Associated TV, the 
company owning Pagewood Stu- 
dios in Sydney, Australia, In order 
to expand his upcoming produc- 
tion program Down Under. He 
previously had a five-year lease. 

Construction on three new 
stages is scheduled to begin short- 
ly. The studio will import $250,- 
000 worth of equipment to add to 
the $100,000 lighting and sound 
equipment Kaufman shipped there 
for the production of "Long John 
Silver.” 

Kaufman is currently in New 
York for huddles with Fred 
Schwartz anent the domestic dis- 
tribution of "Silver” by DCA. He 
then hops to London to complete 
release deals on the Continent 
where his deal with 20th-Fox does 
not apply. DCA holds western 
hemisphere rights and 20th eastern 
rights except in certain countries 
retained by Kaufman. 


Danes Competing 

— Continued from page 5 — ^ 

frame exposure now in use. This 
was made possible, he said, via 
mechanisms — remotely controlled 
— inside the puppets. The first 
film made in the process, and also 
to be offered by Larsen, is “Little 
Flikka,” a Danish folk saga. 

In the belief that Denmark is in 
a position to compete with other 
dubbing countries such as Germany 
and Italy both in cost and quality, 
Larsen reported he had set up in 
Denmark a dubbing studio subsid- 
iary called International Film 
Sound. It will seek dubbing work 
from both the U.S. and Europe. 
Larsen said he could turn out a 
feature dubbing job, with very 
good quality, for $5,000, about one- 
third of what it would cost in this 
country. 

To avoid mistakes made by oth- 
ers in the past, IntL. Film Sound 
has recruited a corps of American 
actors from all over Europe and 
has their voices on file in Copen- 
hagen. They’ll be called on when 
a film Is to be dubbed for the U.S. 
An improved method of dubbing, 
which at the same time allows 
lower costs, has been developed 
by Danish technicians, Larsen 
said. 

He reported that Scandinavia- 
American Pictures had established 
an office in Stockholm, Sweden, 
and had acquired five Swedish pix 
starring Viveca Lindfors for dub- 
bing and importation into the U.S. 
Larsen also hopes to produce a fea- 
ture In Denmark. Before return- 
ing home, he expects to appoint a 
U.S. rep to negotiate distribution 
deals for his outfit with major 
companies. 


Corporate Shell 

Continued from page 5 

capital stock then outstanding. Of 
the cash received, $5,717,952 was 
used to redeem 952,992 shares 
tendered at $6. The offer expired 
Dec. 31, 1954. 

Grainger notes in his annual re- 
port that "your company’s holdings 
have consisted entirely of cash and 
your management’s efforts have 
been primarily to husband the cash 
reserves.” 

The present holdings of the com- 
pany consist of 2,961,921 shares 
outstanding, equal to at least $6 
each. Of this total, Hughes owns 
1.262.000 and the Atlas Corp. 
1.200.000. with 500,000 spread 
among other holders. __ 

Under a new federal tax code, 
Grainger notes, the substantial 
capital tax loss resulting from the 
sale of its assets continues to be a 
capital-loss-carry-forward available 
under the right circumstances as a 
setoff against capital gains which 
might be realized in the future, 
i The capital - loss - carry - forward, 

1 Grainger indicates, may be as 
much as $30,000,000. 

As of Dec. 31, 1954. RKO Pic- 
tures reported total assets of $17,- 
833.567, consisting of cash in bank 
and interest receivable. Accounts 
payable were $14,649. 

The wholly-owned IIughes-RKO 
Radio Pictures Corp. turned out 
only two pictures during the year 
I — “Underwater” and “The Con- 
queror.” Former is now' In re- 
lease. with the latter slated for 
j distribution shortly. 


can afford to shell out the advance 
money. Many of those involved in 
the projects *ill take deferments. 
However, when the deferment slice 
is spread around, it doesn’t leave the 
original packager with too much for 
himself. 

The problem is most acute with 
the screenplay, according to one 
indie producer. A major company, 
before considering the deal, wants 
a topnotch screenplay. It takes 
outstanding writers to accomplish 
the Job and they don’t come cheap. 
One recent demand of a name 
scribe was $60,000 to develop a 
screen treatment. 

In a nutshell, the Indie pro- 
ducer’s greatest problem is finding 
pre-production coin. Except for 
United Artists, which occasionally 
will advance pre-production financ- 
ing, none of the majors is willing 
to take the gamble, sight unseen. 

Appeals to exhibitors for this 
coin has, in most instances, failed. 
There are many examples, too of 
theatremen reneging on commit- 
ments once made to exhib-backed 
production projects. It hasn’t come 
out in the open yet, but theatre- 
men who are lending their time 
and money to efforts to increase 
production are plenty burned by 
the lack of financial support from 
fellow exhibs. 

Goldman’s Example 

William Zimmerman, former 
RKO executive now active in indie 
production, says “there are few ex- 
hibitors with vision and courage” 
as, for example, William Goldman, 
Philadelphia theatreowner. Gold- 
man is backing Gregory-Goldman 
Productions of which Zimmerman 
is a v.p. He’s providing the pre- 
production financing for “The 
Naked and the Dead,” the outfit’s 
initial project. 

Zimmerman has also gained ex- 
perience in dealing with exhibs via 
his partnership deal with Gottfried 
Reinhardt. After almost nine 
months of work, pair have assem- 
bled the package, “Rosalinda,” 
which Warner Bros, will partially 
finance and distribute. Also on the 
Reinhardt-Zimmerman agenda are 
“Ivory Tower” and “Before Sun- 
set,” for which financing is cur- 
rently being assembled. Another 
exhibitor seen as having the neces- 
sary “vision” is Fred Schwartz, 
the Century Circuit topper, who 
succeeded in organizing Distribu- 
tors Corp. of America. 

Theatre Owners of America Ex- 
hititors Film Finance Committee is 
also seen as a step in the right di- 
rection, but most indie producers 
agree there’s still a long way to go 
before full exhibitor support is ob- 


tained. The theatremen want more 
pictures, it’s noted, but their gen- 
eral policy is "to let the other guy 
do it.” 


Bankers Join Goldman 

Philadelphia, Feb. 1. 

Philadelphia bankers are look- 
ing over the film industry as pos- 
sible source of investment. Two 
of town’s largest banks, Pennsyl- 
vania Company and Bankers Se- 
curities Corp., sent reps with Wil- 
liam Goldman to Coast (27). 

Goldman planed for Hollywood, 
to supervise final preparations for 
Gregory-Goldman Enterprises first 
production, “The Naked and the 
Dead.” Accompanying him on trip 
were William. F. Kelly, exec v.p. 
of the Pennsylvania Co., and An- 
thony J. Felix, president of Bank- 
ers Securities. Hays Solis-Cohen, 
Goldman’s attorney, was also in 
party. 


Universal . 

■5S Continued from pane 7 

came after provision of $5,600,000 
in Federal Income taxes and $500,- 
000 for contingent liabilities. After 
dividends on the preferred stock, 
the 1954 net was the equivalent of 
$3.58 per share. 

The comparable figures for 1953 
were: Net, $2,616,356. Earnings of 
$2.35 per share. 

Report showed amortization up 
to $40,664,852 for 1954 compared 
to $38,780,282 the prior year. Sell- 
ing and administrative expenses 
were up by approximately $1,000,- 
000 in both domestic and foreign, 
the former total running to $16,- 
657,570 and the latter to $9,037,998. 

In their report Blumberg and 
Rackmil stressed U’s determina- 
tion to maintain flexibility in its 
programming. “We anticipate that 
ultimately there will be a unifica- 
tion and simplification of techno- 
logical advances, but until that 
point is reached we shall continue 
a production policy which will in- 
sure our attaining all sales poten- 
tials.” 

There was one reference to U’s 
stormy British tieup. “Our ar- 
rangement with the J. Arthur Rank 
Organization continues to be a 
most satisfactory one. In our dis- 
tribution of its pictures here and 
in Latin America, we are doing all 
that is possible to augment our 
revenue. At the same time, we 
are fortunate in having our pic- 
tures distributed in Great Britain 
by the J. Arthur Rank Organiza- 
tion.” 



13MA i 


W«dneMlay, February 2, 1955 










-vr.'-fl 


Never mind the “blue sky”. . . stick to 

| J 

realities and your audience will, too. 


When your patrons are in their 
seats, your screen has their 100 ( /c undi- 
vided attention . . . and that’s the kind 

t 

of “sell” an advertiser dreams about. 


So use this 100% attention to 
greatest advantage by selling all your 
shows in advance . . . features, promo- 
tions and special shows. 


Contact your N.S.S. Salesman 
today, and profit by the power-packed 
sales possibilities of your theatre screen! 


Your screen 
gets ALL 
the attention! 


Cf£€/t SERVICE 

pft/zf Bflsv of me mo us try 


22 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


'Momentum’ Best 
Word to Describe 
Boxoffice Tempo 


Sherwood 


Continued from pace 4 


“Momentum” is the new key 
word in describing the resurgence 
In the ration's film attendance. By 
"momentum” theatremen mean 
the interest in film-going a block- 
buster attraction can create over 
an ex ended period. For example, 
if there’s a lull in picture attend- 
ance caused by poor product, leth- 
argy, or television, a sock film 
will br'ng the crowds out not only 
for the »artv , ular picture but a’so 
for lesser product for several weeks 
to come. If there’s a run of just 
ordinary films, the attendance will 
wane a'/mn, and it takes qnothcr 
"big” picture to start the cycle 
over again. 

The i’p and down vacillation in 
attendance has been a by-prod- 
uct of trie picture biz’s new era 
and is <it:d by the advocates of 
"bigger ard fewer pictures” as an 
argument in favor of their cause. 
A run of pictures just for the sake 
of finin'* the screens, it’s noted, 
cannot bring out a steady stream 
of cus omers. Those favoring 
more pictures discount this argu- 
ment, saying the theatres need 
more and better pictures. 

As explained by theatremen. the 
aock pictures succeed in tak'ng 
people awav from television, ex- 
pose them to trailers for upcom- 
ing p'clures, cause renewed inter- 
est in the picture-going habit, and 
give:? the public a taste of wuat 
it's like to get out of the home 
again. 

Kxamplcs of the "momentum” 
cycle are cited in recent experi- 
ences. Prior to the Thanksgiving 
holiday in November, the nation’s 
t heal res had a run of top product. 
Attendance was at a peak. How- 
ever, the quality of the product 
fell ofT during the Thanksgiving 
to Christmas period and attend- 
ance took a dive. Then such pic- 
tures as “White Christmas” and 
"Sabrina” came along to extend 
the momentum into January. 
There was a slight fall off until 
"On the Waterfront” hit the 
screens. “Waterfront,” incidental- 
ly. racked up a new Saturday and 
Sunday record for Loew’s Thea- 
tres. On the basis of "Waterfront.’’ 
Loew’s expects the picture-going 
habit to continue for several 
weeks. 

The “momentum” theory has 
been employed to justify huge ex- 
penditures for occasional stage 
shows as. for example, the pre- 
Xmas outing of Jackie Gleason at 
the Paramount, N. Y. Although 
many felt that the Par could not 
emerge with a profit because of 
Gleason's astronomical percentage, 
the move is seen as justified on 
the ground that it brought many 
more people into theatre, placed 
the Paramount in the spotlight, ex- 
posed the customers to the trailers 
for upcoming films. The attend- 
ance for the straight films shows 
following Gleason’s appearance 
bears out these arguments. 


land to cover the retreat of 
Napoleon’s army in the Russian 
snows. The final three months will 
be spent in Italy for interiors. 

DeLaurentis does not name his 
writers, saying that it’s the work 
of five collaborators, including two 
French and three Italian writers. 
In addition, a* Hollywood writer 
will be hired to prepare the Eng- 
lish version. DeLaurentis will 
shoot* his film in Vista Vision. 

Sclznick, meanwhile, has re- 
mained quietly on the sidelines. 
He, however, reiterated recently 
that he is not abandoning his 
project. There are reports that 
Sclznick may he associated with 
Metro for his “War and Peace.” He 
received a bid from Stanley War- 
ner to make the picture in Cine- 
rama, but Sclznick had made no 
decision on the process as yet. Ben 
Hecht is writing the screenplay lor 
the Selznick version. 


WON'T HEAR APPEAL 


Top Court Spurns Fanchon & 
Marco Bldwin Case 


India's Many 'Barriers’ 


Washington, Feb. 1. 

The U. S. Supreme Court has re- 
fused to hear an appeal by the 
Baldwin Theatre of Los Angeles in 
its treble damage antitrust suit 
against Paramount, I^oew’s, RKO, 
Universal, United Artists, 20th-Fox, 
National Theatres and Fox West 
Coast Theatres. 

Fanchon & Marco, operating the 
Baldwin, charged the distributors 
with illegal conspiracy to withhold 
first run product from the house 
because it is not located in the mid- 
city. It has been getting second 
runs on a 21-day clearance after 
the first run. 

Fanchon A Marco lost before the 
U. S. District Court in L. A., with 
the Ninth Circuit Court upholding 
the trial court. Final effort was 
made to have the U. S. Supreme 
Court hear an appeal. 


Continued from pas* Z 


Mike Todd: “Let ’Em’’ 

Hollywood, Feb. I. 

At a press conference here at 
’ the home of Joseph M. Schenek, 
lot’ the Todd-AO Corp.. Mike Todd 
said he “wouldn’t be intimidated” 

. even if other producers were doing 
' the picture. Commenting on the 
fact that both David O. Selznick 
and Metro had registered the title 
with Motion Picture Assn, of 
America, he said that the Todd 
Co. isn’t bound by the MPAA 
agreement governing stories in the 
public domain. He asserted that he 
was "just as justified as any- 
body” to work on the property and 
bring it to the screen. 

If more than one version is 
made, Schenek stated, “the better 
picture will get the money.” Todd 
added that “the unconscious 
genius — the public — has a w’onder- 
lul way of knowing the difference.” 

Todd is sending a unit man to 
Yugoslavia in 30 days to make 
preparatory arrangements for the 
picture which will be filmed in 
Eastman color, with interiors prob- 
ably being shot in London. The 
use of the Yugo army won’t require 
any financial outlay, Todd said, 
since on his last visit to Belgrade 
two weeks ago the Supreme Coun- 
cil stressed that it was not to be 
paid. 


What Price? 


THEATRE EXECUTIVE 

Years of experience all types 
theatre operation. Creative, orig- 
inal boxoffice ideas, and promo- 
tional prixe-winning campaigns. 
Knows shew values. Now em- 
ployed. desires change. 

Address P.O. Box 1196 

Grand Central P.O. Annex 
Lexington Ave. & 45th Street 
New York, N. Y. 


West Pa. and IA Agree 

Pittsburgh. Feb. 1. 

Concluding negotiations which 
started last August, the Allied Mo- 
tion Picture Theatreowners of 
Western Pennsylvania signed a 
new two-year contract with the 
Moving Picture Machine Operators. 
Local 171, International Alliance of 
Theatrical Stage Employees. 

The theatreowmer’s labor com- 
mittee consisted of Harry Hendel, 
Norman Mervis, Paul Bronder, 
Morris Finkel, and George Tice. 
They represented 46 theatres in the 
Pittsburgh area. 


Continued from part 7 


tional in what may be an uncon- 
ventional film in some instances 
had led to something closely akin 
to misrepresentation via a stress 
on non-key scenes. This has long 
been true of the foreign imports 
with their play on the sex angles, 
almost regardless of whether they 
arc there or not. 

Striking example of the diffi- 
culties experienced by a film com- 
pany in selling “arty,” i.e. reason- 
ably sophisticated, entertainment 
came recently with 20th’s “Prince 
of Players,” a film about the late 
Edwin Booth in which Richard 
Burton, a British actor little known 
on this side, plays a good many 
Shakespearean scenes in dramatic 
and expert fashion. 

Apparently convinced that the 
public considers Shakespeare in a 
picture b.o. poison, ads for the film 
barely mentioned the bard. In- 
stead they stressed the Booth mad- 
ness “Was he madman or genius? 
. . . Was he Saint or Sinner? . . . ” 
Ads were plainly non-committal on 
pic’s content. 

This fits in with the 20th policy 
of selling the Philip Dunne pro- 
duction as a regular commercial 
release. With “Prince” getting a 
light run at the Rivoli, N.Y., 20th 
has now’ come up with a new set 
of ads stating plainly — and in 
fact emphasizing — the legit as- 
pects of the picture. In Los An- 
geles, the productions has been 
booked into the Fine Arts Theatre, 
a semi-art showcase. 

There have been several other 
pix which underplayed their main 
theme in favor of routine romantic 
doings in the ads. Good example 
is a war pic which, in the bulk of 
its ads, showed its principals in 
what appear to be civvies rather 
than uniforms. 

According to Gordon White, in 
charge of enforcing the advertis- 
ing code at the Motion Picture 
Assn, of America, there has been 
no increase in recent months of 
"misrepresentation” in pix ads, 
i.e. scenes that are in the ads but 
not in the films themselves. How- 
r i ever, 


Arthur Lubin 


Continued from page 2 


in Technicolor, it was screenplayed 
by Lenore Coffee and Dorothy 
Reid under a new tag, “Re- 
bound.” 

Lubin, who had also made five 
Abbott A Costello pix plus a whole 
string of Maria Montez “Arabian 
Nights” films at Universal, blue- 
printed his plan for gaining artis- 
tic independence. As lie explained 
it "I get the property, hire the 
writers and get the script written 
the way it should be.” 

Sometimes, Lubin conceded, it’s 
a little difficult to sell his per- 
sonal "packages.” For instance, 
he recalled. “Francis” made the 
rounsd at the studios for three 
years before anyone would take 
it. But those stories of a "talk- 
ing” mule have shown real b. o. 
stamina for the fifth “Francis” 
film ("Francis Joins the WACS”) 
outgrossed the second, third and 
fourth entry in the series. 

Sixth “Francis” pic, "Francis 
Weighs Anchor” which rolls Feb. 
15. may be the last for Donald 
O’Connor. He’s appeared in all 
of ’em but his U contract is up and 
whether he’ll continue with “Fran- 
cis” isn’t known. As far as Lu- 
bin’s longtime association with 
“Francis’ is concerned he puts it 
this way: "I think I’m the only 
one who can make a mule talk.” 

"Rebound,” incidentally, is the 
second of four pictures which 
Frankovieh’s Film Locations will 
deliver to Columbia over an un- 
specified period. Initialer, al- 
ready in distribution, was “Fire 
Over Africa.” Third will be 
“Ghost of Drury Lane,” due to go 
before the cameras in the fall in 
Britain w ith Lubin directing, while 
the fourth is "Matador.” As pre- 
viously announced, latter will be 
co-produced, directed and starred 
in by Jos Ferrer. Allied Artists 
and Col will jointly distribute. 

Lubin, who just completed “Re- 
bound” at the Shepperton studios 
near London, was impressed with 
the economic savings to be made 
in shooting pictures abroad. “It’s 
tremendously cheap, he said,” for 
a producer can take advantage of 
frozen money and lower wage 
scales.” For that matter, he added, 
British studio workers get "so 
damn little pay, it’s shocking.” 

As an example Lubin compared 
the $75 weekly an assistant direc- 
tor receives in Britain compared 
with the $325 weekly a Hollywood 
employee, is paid for the same 
chore. But, he pointed out, living 
expenses in England are consid- 
erably less than in the U. S. So 
actually the financial gap, al- 
though a great one, isn’t quite as 
wide as it appears on the surface. 


.‘Star of India’ 


Continued from page 3 


Stross and Titanus Films, “Star” 
was made in several versions. Orig- 
inal dubbing job. it’s understood, 
was rapped by Wilde who com- 
plained that it didn’t do right by 
his wife. Miss Wallace. He then 
brought suit to restrain release of 
the picture until revisions were 
made. 

With UA’s funds now available, 
presumably the producers will be 
free to distribute the film — that is, 
if the new dubbing meets with 
Wilde’s approval. A swashbuckler 
set in medieval times, picture was 
directed by Arthur Lubin. Among 
others in the cast are Herbert Lorn 
and Yvonne Sanson. 


out a number of picture* in Sin- 
halese for exploitation exclusively 
in Ceylon. They have set up a dub- 
bing plant in Ceylon to dub out- 
standing Tamil. Telugu and Hindi 
pictures into Sinhalese. This is 
bound to increase the revenue for 
Indian pictures from overseas dur- 
ing 1956. 

Due to licensing difficulties. 
Touring and Mobile Cinemas 
showed allround decline. Actually 
the number of such cinemas in op- 
eration is so small today that 1954 
may well be said to have been a 
bad year for them. Possibly such 
cinemas are on their way out a 
quaint relic of India’s past. 

Apart from making an effort to 
rr-codify all Cinematograph Rules 
and make them uniform for all 
States under one central authori- 
ty, the only other implementation 
of the recommendations made by 
the Film Enquiry Committee has 
been in respect of institution of 
Awards for the Best Picture and 
Documentary of a Gold Medal from 
the President and the Prime Min- 
ister. 

After holding a Children’s Film 
Festival in Bombay during Novem- 
ber last, the Women’s Council has 
decided to build a theatre in Bom- 
bay exclusively for children. The 
Central Government has also taken 
an Initiative in this direction. Last 
year they invited Miss Mary Fields 
from Britaiif to advise them on 
the production of juvenile films. 
There is widespread feeling that 
present films tend to undermine 
discipline and morality among the 
youth of the country. A petition 
was also presented to the Prime 
Minister to ban all unhealthy 
10%, while Bombay came next 
with a drop of nearly 25%. Bengal 
seems to be the w'orst affected 
with the drop, well over 30%. Of 
eoujse, since Bengal was parti- 
tioned to make way for Pakistan, 
the market for Bengali pictures 
has narrowed and the number of 
pictures by 13,000 housewives of 
Delhi, followed with a recommen- 
dation from Calcutta that children 
should be barred from theatres. 
These verbal recommendations 
w'ere followed by a motion in the 
Parliament for a total ban on all 
"bad” pictures. Pressure in this 
direction became very heavy dur- 
ii.g the last two months of last year 
and its effect can be sufficiently 
guaged only during 1955. Ameri- 
can films will undoubtedly lcel 
censorship more. 

The outside impression has been 
that the censors in India do not 
love .foreigners or foreign films. 
This is untrue. They hate Indian 
producers equally as much! Some- 
times up to 4,000 feet of film have 
been ordered cut! The number of 
cuts ordered in one single film 
would stagger Hollywood’s imagi- 
nation. 

The year under review has been 
remarkable in quite another direc- 
tion. It brought Cinemascope to 
India. Finances, need to rebuild 
theatres and slump in India’s econ- 
omy all hamper growth of wide- 
screen systems; nonetheless the 
bigger cities have installations and, 
at year’s end, Paramount’s Vista- 
Vision joined 20th’s Cinemascope 
in representation. 

As to individual releases from 
the United States, “Roman Holi- 
day,” Paramount’s release with 
Italian backgrounds, played 27 
precedental weeks in Calcutta. A 
lesser release. “War of the World,” 
also caught Ihe fancy of Calcutta 
and ran nine weeks. Other imports 
to click with the populace here 
includes “The Robe,” “Knock on 
Wood.” “The Million Pound Note,” 
from Britain, and “Kilmanjaro.” 

There is conversation at present 
concerning the spread of “co-pro- 
duction” into India. Common 
enough- in Europe where Anglo- 
American, Anglo - Italian and 
French-Italian co-producing is well 
established, India will necessarily 
regard co-production as an innova- 
tion. American, Italian, French 
and Swiss interests are “investigat- 
ing.” 

Last year also saw a total col- 
lapse of all film trade between 
India and Pakistan. Many attempts 
were made to bring about an at- 
mosphere of understanding, but to 
no result. Since the Pakistan 
Customs had seized a number of 
Indian pictures and refused to 
release them, Indian producers 
also imposed a total ban on the 
export of Indian films into Pakis- 


tan. Pakistan also imposed a sales 
tax of 20% on all pictures, apart 
from the normal Entertainment 
i Tax. 


Pre-Sell 

Continued from pace 3 

reviews. and certain others, but 
also had heard via the mysterious 
v.ord-of-mouth about them, and 
were looking forward to them.” 

This “mysterious word-of-mouth” 
was what impressed Seaton most 
during their eastern junket. “If a 
picture has been properly pre-sold, 
it’s in the air,” he reported. “We 
found this to be the case eve no- 
where, in every city w’e visited, 
and were made even more aware 
of it when some of the exhibitors 
started to make amazing guaran- 
tees for ‘Country Girl.’ 

"One theatreman in Chicago, to 
give yoq "an example, with only a 
600-seat house, bid $100,000 for 
the picture. He wanted it for a 
year. Mind you, he hadn’t even 
seen it; only what he had heard. 
In Washington, D.C., another ex- 
hibitor sent us the key to his the- 
atre, saying he’d never before 
bid more than $25,000 but now was 
offering a guarantee of $60,000. 
He, too. hadn’t seen it; it was the 
pi e-selling that had penetrated to 
him.” 

Seaton estimated that while he 
and Perlberg touched only seven 
cities they reached 30 smaller key 
cities through telephone inter- 
views arranged for them while on 
their tour. He talked with many 
film critics and one of the most 
startling discoveries made on the 
whole trek, according to the di- 
rector, was the attitude of many 
of these in regard to their writ- 
ings. 

‘They feel that they’re writing 
in a vacuum, for a blank wall, and 
nobody pays any attention to their 
reviews.” he observed. “They do 
not think that either audiences or 
the motion picture Industry are 
interested, and their criticisms do 
not wield the influence that the 
dramatic critics on the same pa- 
pers do. Some said they might as 
well just do a short paragraph 
with who’s in a picture and let it 
go at that 

"I think I was able to change 
their minds, that their stuff is 
j read in Hollywood and does carry 
: weight with the public. I pointed 
out that producers are careful to 
study their findings, that if weak 
spots are found producers instant- 
ly investigate them and honest 
criticsm tends to raise the stand- 
ards of the film business.” 

Producers currently are prep- 
ping Lucy Herndon Crockett’s 
“The Magnificent Bastards” lor 
the next Perlberg-Seaton film, 
! which rolls in July for Paramount 
' release. 


Gea’I Teleradio 


Continued from pace 3 


fully so far. General Telcradio may 
make a deal with a major distrib 
for the additional distribution. 
According to Turner, General Tele- 
j radio just doesn’t have the sales 
; force and physical facilities to 
reach all possibilities. Company is 
currently dickering with two ma- 
jors. Stipulation of any deal with 
a major company would be that 
saturation engagement policy be 
followed under Turner’s direction. 

As envisioned by Turner, the 
upcoming saturation dates would 
include (1) the New York area. < 2 > 
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh. and 
Washington, and (3) Cincinnati, 
Indianapolis, Cleveland, and De- 
troit. Picture has the added ad- 
vantage of having the full backing 
of General Teleradio’s Mutual net- 
work of 580 stations. Film has 
been plugged throughout the coun- 
try on all the Mutual crime shows. 



_MOIO CUT MUSIC KILl — r 

Rockefeller Center 

“THE BRIDGES AT T0K0-RI” 

in color by TECMMC010R ttorring 

WILLIAM HOLDEN • 6 RACE KELLY 
FREDRIC MARCH • MICKEY ROONEY 

A Poromount Picture 

and SKCTICH4R STM mSXTinM 



Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


23 


TELEVISION’S BIGGEST GAMBLE 


- Comos Singing Commercial 

Whether by design or completely unaware of the NBC vs. CBS 
“stay on your own side of the street” talent “boycotting” that 
seems to be reaching new heights, Perry Como probably precipi- 
tated some added inter-network discomfitures on Sunday (30) 
when the CBS star did a guest stint on the NBC Max Liebman 
“Variety” spectacular. 

Como, who along with Herb Shriner represented (unofficially) 
the Columbia contingent on the rival web’s spec, surprised every- 
one when he paid an on-camera tribute to Liebman. It was strictly 
an ad lib not-in-the-script testimonial (combined, incidentally, 
with an occasional Ed Sullivan plug for NBC on his “Toast of the 
Town” tribute to radio on the same night ) that, if anything, only 
accented the “how silly can you get” two-web rivalry. 


CBS-TV’s Tamiment Showcase 


Full Hour Summer Replacement Show Planned 
From Pocono Retreat 


Camp Tamiment, the summer re- 
treat in the Pocono Mts. of Penn- 
sylvania, famed as perhaps one of 
the foremost incubating grounds 
for some of tv’s most gifted talents 
(Max Liebman, Sid Caesar, lmo- 
gene Coca. etq. >, may be the origi- 
nating point for a full-hour sum- 
mer replacement series on CBS-TV 
this year. Project is now being 
evolved under the collective aus- 
pices of CBS, Jonas Silverstone, 
the show biz lawyer-manager; Moe 
Hack, as producer, and agent Abe 
Lyons. 

Primarily such a series, it’s felt, 
will Jllow for a showcasing of new 
talent and development of new 
techniques. The Tamiment Work- 
shop is perhaps one of the most 
ambitious in the strawhat sectors 
(camp puts on a full two-hour pro- 
duction weekly) and it’s the feel- 
ing at the web that the Tamiment 
Workshop could be utilized as a 
tryout spot for directors, pro- 
ducers, choreographers, designers, 
etc. , 

What hour the Tamiment show 
would occupy, if a deal is finalized, 
remains to be determined, depend- 
ing on a crystallization of the sum- 
mertime schedules. 


Bing’s 200G Tag 
On Pair or TV’ers 


Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

Bing Crosby’s pair of 60-minute 
telepix shows will carry a budget 
tag of $200,000 with sponsqr split- 
ting the tab and CBS figuring on 
recouping the balance via the re- 
run route. Latter angle is also tied 
in with the coin potential on re- 
lease of the Crosby twain as the- 
atrical pix abroad. 

Producer-director Ralph Levy 
(who masterminds the Benny 
shows! says the key to partial solu- 
tion of tv’s whammo appetite for 
material lies in hour long tele- 
filmcrs such as the Crosby type fbr 
network exposure. Fact of residual 
values, including theatrical exhibi- 
tion, gives a producer greater op- 
portunities to latch on to major 
story properties unreachable by 
half-hour pix reiners. As an ex- 
ample. Levy cited Sir James 
Barrie’s "A Kiss for Cinderella” 
as possible Crosby starrer being 
negotiated. Incidentally. Levy’s 
deal for Crosby, Burns & Allen, 
and Benny to appear in a full 
hour “Mikado” treatment collapsed* 
w hen the rights couldn’t be cleared, 
but the web is still negotiating. 

Crosby’s first tv film will roll in 
March, but there’s been no decision 
yet on content. 


CBS-TV ‘Morning Show’ 
Hits Revlon Coin Jackpot 

CBS-TV has wrapped up one of 
its biggest orders for “Morning 
Show.” Revlon Products is down 
for 104 participations in the Jack 
Parr-ringmastered 7 to 9 a.m. 
stanza. Cosmetic outfit is taking 
Wednesday at 7:40-43 and Friday 
at 7:35-40 and those days thereaf- 
ter starting next week <9>. 

William H. Wentraub agency set 
the deal for Revlon. 


Revlon Axes ‘Panto’ 

Revlon has brought the axe 
down on its ABC-TV exposure of 
“Pantomime Quiz,” with the show 
exiting its Sunday-at-9:30 slot Feb. 
27. Win. Weintraub agency asked 
ABC for another time slot, but 
when the web offered all its open 
time, agency found none of the 
slots acceptable. 

Net -hasn’t come up with a re- 
placement yet. It would like to 
continue “Panto” in the time, but 
the show is under contract to Rev- 
lon. 


Sullivan’s 51.8 
An All-Time High 
In Sunday Rivalry 

In delivering its Trendex big 
blowr Sunday (30) against Max 
Liebman’s NBC “Variety” telacu- 
lar, Ed Sullivan’s CBSalute to 
the radio era on “Toast” pulled a 
51.8 for its final half-hour, an all- 
time segment record in the show’s 
seven-year span. The Lincoln-Mer- 
cury menu w'ound up with an over- 
all overnight rating of 45 to Lieb- 
man’s 16.7. The spec drew a low 
calorie 12.3 while “Toast” was rid- 
ing to its plus-51 peak. 

Liebman’s stanza got in its best 
licks for the first 30 minutes 
against “Toast.” with 29.7 (to Sulli- 
van’s score of 38.2). The specola 
was holding to its batting stance in 
the 29-point class that it had built 
in the 7:30 to 8 slot, where it en- 
joyed morel than a five point edge 
over Ann Sothern’s “Private Secre- 
tary.” which racked 23.5. 



II 




Liebman May Do Regular Series 
Next Season (Plus Some Specs) 


By GEORGE ROSEN 

The greatest gamble in show 
business today, and you have Niel- 
sen’s word (and figures* for it, is 
the regulation half-hour tv net- 
work show. It’s a strange turn 
of events when one considers that 
only two or^ three years ago any 
other buy would have been char- 
acterized as unorthodox and in- 
volving too great an element of 
risk. But things are different to- 
day, as witness: 

Item One: On ABC-TV, there is 
not a single half-hour show' in 
the 8 to 10:30 periods, based 
on the newest Nielsens, that can 
boast a rating of 30. (Considering 
the high cost of programming to- 
day, it’s not unreasonable for a 
client to shoot for a 30, or a 28 at 
the least, to achieve a satisfactory 
cost-per-thousand return on his 
investment.) 

Certainly the best situation com- 
edy on the ABC-TV channels (and 
one of the best in video) is Danny 
Thomas’ "Make Room for Daddy,” 
but the last Nielsen gives it the 
unrewarding score of 16.2. (Show' 
carries a $40,000 weekly price tag.) 
In the same cost range is the Ray 
Bolger show (reportedly in sponsor 
trouble). It doesn’t do better than 
a 13.0. ABC does have a smash in 
its "Disneyland” Wednesday night 
entry — but it’s a full-hour show, if 
anything a departure from the 
stereotype B attractions inundat- 
ing the video lanes that charac- 
terize the majority of the Holly- 
wood-originating halLhour product. 

Item Two: Of the approximately 
30 half-hour network shows that 
put in an appearance since the 
start of the ’54-’55 season, only 
three can be called a success in 
4erms of copping a 30 rating — 
George Gobel on NBC-TV; “De- 
cember Bride” Monday nights on 
CBS-TV (which manages to inherit 
some of the “Lucy” audience but 
even so has yet to hit the Nielsen 
peak that Red Buttons attained in 
the same slot a couple seasons 
back); and the Sunday night at 9 
"General Electric Theatre” on 
CBS-TV. which seems to have hit 
on the right star and story formula 
that makes for the bigtime. 

A Dismal Picture 

Otherwise it*s been a pretty dis- 
mal picture so far. Even the 
Thursday night “Justice” on NBC- 
TV, sandwiched between Groucho 
Marx’s 45 and “Dragnet’s” 44, 
manages no better than a 25 rat- 
ing. CBS’ Friday night “Lineup" 
has yet to hit a 30 (last Nielsen 
reading was 27.9>; the costly 
Mickey Rooney Saturday night 
show on NBC-TV is a flopperoo 
with its 19.1; ditto “Father 
Knows Best” (the cancellation 
warning is already posted), which 
shows up with an 18.8; Art Link- 
-(Continued on page 46* 


Millionaire Stanton 

Frank Stanton, CBS prexy, 
has personally made $2,800,- 
000 on the stock market — on 
paper, at any rate. The Wall 
St. Journal yesterday (Tues.) 
noted that the current bull 
market is bringing huge paper 
profits to execs in many U S. 
corporations, with the CBS 
proxy’s returns among the 
most spectacular. 

• Stanton, since 1950, has 
been isued options permitting 
him to purchase 50,000 shares 
of the corp’s stock for $1,703,- 
000. At market prices this 
week, the same 50,000 shares 
were worth about $4,500,000 
(if Stanton bought', an ad- 
vance bf 164?r, according to 
The Journal. 


Hope Tired No 
TV Next Season; 
Mebbe As Guest 


Hollyw'ood, Feb. 1. 

Agent James Saphier will make 
no television deal* for Bob Hope 
next season, on instructions of the 
comedian, who is making a tem- 
porary retirement from tv because 
he’s tired. Hope wants to take it 
easier. His present NBC contract 
expires alter this cycle. 

Deal with General Foods for 
monthly show runs year to year. 
He’s not renewing either. Tem- 
porary retirement came to light 
w hen General Motors made him a 
fabulous offer for series next sea- 
son. His only activity will be indie 
pix. possibly an occasional guest 
shot on a color spectacular or a 
show of the stature of Chrysler’s 
current series. He feels he’s had 
too little time for himself. 


♦ Max Liebman has indicated that 
he may go back to a regular week- 
ly series next season, in all prob- 
ability an hour-length show. That 
being the case, he would cut dowji 
drastically on' producing the spec- 
taculars, settling for perhaps a few 
throughout the ’55-’56 season. 

Liebman will not, however, re- 
vive his association with either Sid 
Caesar or Imogene Coca (although 
it’s understood the latter has made 
some overtures toward a reunion 
next season). Caesar is happy 
with the progress of his 60-minute 
Monday night show, particularly 
since the integration of Nanette 
Fabray in to tht^ permanent cast, 
and NBC teels assured that the 
same sponsors will be back in the 
fall. 

Liebman is still negotiating on 
his future contract with the web, 
having met with both prexy Pat 
Weave* and Abe Lastfogel (Wil- 
liam Morris). Nothing, however, 
has been finalized as yet. 

As for the specs, Raymond Spec- 
tor will definitely yank his Hazel 
Bishop client out of the 90-minute 
Sunday night once-a-month series, 
(lie would have done it a long time 
ago except for a contractual com- 
mitment.) Oldsmobile, which spon- 
sors the Saturday night specs, has 
indicated that it’ll be back in next 
fall (client has been heartened 
considerably by its No. 1 Nielsen 
status for the “Babes in Toyland” 
production), and the fact that the 
Monday night “Producers Show- 
case” series is already projecting 
the Sol Hurok talent pacts in terms 
of next season suggests a. continu- 
ance of the Fred Coe productions. 


'There ’s Good (Gov’t,) News Tonight 9 


It may not show’ on the surface, 
but Gabriel Heatter’s famed 
phrase, “there’s good news to- 
night,” is now figured by foremost 
executives in the television news 
field to apply throughout the year 
in the Federal Government area. 


the product bluepeneilled than not 
to have any product available at 
all. Some of them will even set- 
tle for a weekly five-minute ses- 
sion on celluloid, theorizing that 
such a capsule would be of suf- 
ficient impact as a highlight when 
given so regularly, whereas an “ex- 
tended play” (15 minutes to a half- 
With Speaker Sam Rayburn having hour) might easily become a dull 
put the kibosh on “cameras in the routine with few surprises. 
Congress” immediately upon re- 1 Broadcasting news sectors have 


suming his lofty seat in the House 
last month, news toppers now feel 
satisfied that they are reaching the 
halls of Congress through th« back 
door, at least, with direct frontal 
invasion not too far off. 

The first dent in the lines came 
some months back when Ike & 
Co. permitted the tv cameras to 
look in on them in prearranged 
Cabinet session. The next big 
breakthrough, of course, was the 
film of the President’s news con- 
ference a couple of weeks ago un- 
der a White House censorship to 
which there was no known objec- 
tion before the fact. Some tv news 
and public affairs factotums take 
the position that it is better to have 


long been knocking at the door for 
permission to enter Congress it- 
self, but as has been pointed out, 
this was merely for the purpose | invasion, 
of establishing a principle of equal ! newsmen 
(though visual) access to the news 
vis-a-vis the dailies, wire services, 
etc. These same sectors wouldn't 
turn any handsprings at being 
given the daily “live show”. passkey 
to either of the houses of Congress; 
the money factor is but one prob- 
lem, but even, if the HCL — High 
Cost of Lensing — were not in- 
volved, the biggest headache w'ould 
be in the programming field: up- 1 nouncements, is 
setting of regular (including com- J easier, quicker. 
merciaD schedules, with no guar- 


LESTER GOTTLIEB’S 
CBS-TV ONE-SHOT 

CBS Radio program v.p. Lester 
Gottlieb, one of the strongest ad- 
l herents of the aural medium, turns 
his attention to television Feb. 16 
when he’ll produce as a one-shot 
venture the Wednesday night 
“Arthur Godfrey & His Friends.” 
Godfrey will be on vacation at the 
time, and the show' will feature the 
1 regular “friends” cast plus special 
guests. It’ll have a Washington s 
Birthday theme. 

It's Gottlieb's first try at adding 
I sight to sound. 


you 

and 

De- 

lias 


could be maintained. (How do 
go about producing Kefauver 
McArmy hearings, with those 
Mille overtones?) 

Meanwhile, another door 
been opened in Edward R. Mur- 
row'.x two-part looksee of the 
Senate Foreign Relations Commit- 
tee in action both as an assembled 
panel and for individual -question- 
ing by the CBS analyst via his 

"See It Now.” If such a strategic 
committee can be cracked, it’s fig- 
ured that nearly every other com- 
mittee is wide open for a similar 
Some Washington based 
think the Murrow ap- 
proach provided by indirection 

how futile it would be to pitch the 
cameras *>t Congress itself. Their 
thinking is that it’s the committees 
that produce the major news, so 
that, when an Important issue 
arises that Ls not yet ready for kick- 
ing around in the House of Reps 
or the Senate, lensing the panel 
as a group or with individual pro- 
the answer. It’s 

less costly and 

doesn’t impinge as much on regu- 


P&G Seeks Comic 
Vice Fireside’ 


Procter & Gamble plans ringing 
the curtain down on the oldest con- 
tinually sponsored telefilm series, 
"Fireside Theatre,” after six years 
with the show. Compton agency is 
currently scouting for a comic to 
step Into the Tuesday-at-9 NBC 
slot in the fall as a replacement for 
“Fireside,” which has been riding 
the pickup from Milton Berle & 
Co. at 8 p. m. for some years now’. 

Decision to cancel the show at 
the end of the season follows by a 
couple of months Frank Wisbar’s 
exit as producer. ‘Wisbar turned 
in his resignation over a reported 
policy disagreement. "Fireside” 
has long been viewed as the grand- 
daddy of the vidpixers, not only 
from length of time on the air 
but from the unsurpassed record 
of residuals the show has racked 
up in rerun syndication. Original 
P&G deal on production, incident- 
ally, pioneered the pattern under 
which the producer of a telepixer 
turned out the films for under cost 
to the sponsor in return for a hold 
on residual rights, with the bank- 
roller also getting a share in the 
rerun coin. 


antee that viewer interest would or , lar programming. 


Pabst Bouts Return To 
Every Week Slot in May 
When ‘B’way’ Cycle Ends 

Pabst Beer will get back into an 
every-Wednesday kick on its box- 
ing bouts after May 4 when “Best 
of Broadway” gives the last in ils 
cycle of hour long dramatics. West- 
inghouse had made a deal with 
the lager outfit to take over the 10 
to 1 1 p.in. slot every fourth Wed- 
nesday of the time held by Blue 
Ribbon. 

Pabst will thus be on the prowl 
to stock the stanza with bigtime 
fights on a steady Jjasis despite the 
fact that uniaterrupted scheduling 
of the fisticuffs with star-tagged 
bouts is difficult to achieve. The 
one upbeat factor, however, is that 
spring and summer make passible 
an al fresco setting for the fights 
and the outdoor jousts often have 
some interest on that basis alone. 


24 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


CBS & NBC RADIO FLAG-WAVING GETS 
A HOTFOOT ON VARIETY OF FRONTS 




CBS and NBC were hanging out 
the banners for network radio on 
multiple fronts in "Operation Co- 
incidental" last week. Both relied 
heavily on listener surveys, with 
the chips falling as freely as 
protocol would allow on "hate tele- 
vision — hate newspapers — hate 
magazines,” though in varying de- 
grees, depending,- apparently, on 
how far the aural side was per- 
mitted to go by the higher brass 
in nuasuring its graphs versus the 
same webs’ younger tv cousins. 

CBS "just happened” to be in a 
position to have a spot sales meas- 
urement announcement coincide 
with a program purchase bundle 
amounting to nearly $3,000,000 
wrapped under the aegis of sales 
v.p. John Karol. The gross billing 
spanned daytime and nighttime 
and involved ^General Foods and 
Campana, with both getting back 
into the nocturnal picture after 
dropping several shows. 

The major coup brought OF into 
camp with two nights of Bing 
Crosby’s crossboarder- (Wednesday 
and Friday starting this week), 
thus giving the Groancr a thrce- 
for-five sponsorial score since Con- 
solidated Cosmetics handled the 
Monday freight. GF’s increased 
daytime outlay takes in the 
“Wendy Warren” dramas Tuesday 
and Thursday, and another of its 
afterdark latchons is Galen Drake’s 
new Saturday gab stanza, also as 
of current week, with Young & 
Rubicam handling the deals. 

Campana Sales Co. rides into 
full underwriting of Rosemary 
Clooney's 9 to 9:15 Thursday show 
starling early next month. It also 
goes for co-sponsorship (with 
Philip Morris > on the Sunday "My 
Little Margie” and buys into the 
web’s Power Plan for cross-the- 
board Tennessee Ernie on Fridays 
(via Wallace-Ferry-Haniy of Chi). 

Starch Analysis 

Carrying the ball for NBC’s 
listener survey via the Starch or- 
ganization (made originally for the 
magazine field, with supplemen- 
tary material built in on the web’s 
arrangement with. the sampler) was 
radio v.p. William Fineshriber Jr. 
It was long and detailed and dem- 
onstrated to the press as a slide- 
show. Running theme was “last 
night on the radio” — with the big 
point being that 56,250.000, or ’al- 
most one out of every two persons 
over 10 years of age in the U. S., 
dialed in during the prime night- 
time periods <6 to 11*. The main 
(Continued on page 38) 

Barber Fed Up 
With Desk Job 

Red Barber has “had it” — he 
couldn’t see himself deskbound any 
longer, and hence has quit as coun- 
selor on sports for CBS, effective 
March 1. Hereafter he’ll divide his 
time between his prime grooving, 
that of broadcasting < radio-tv), to 
which he’s devoted himself for 25 
years, and finishing his autibiog- 
raphy for Doubleday. 

Barber’s exit jrom his chairborne 
vise has the same overtones as Ed 
Mur cow's ankling of the web’s 
news and special events veepeeship 
a few years ago to return w holly to 
broadcasting. It’s not expected 
that the counselor's berth will be 
continued by the network. 

Barber, who left his longtime 
Brooklyn Dodgers niche a season 
ago to cover the N. Y. Yankees 
with Mel Allen, joined CBS in 1946 
as sports director and switched to 
the counselor post four years ago 
(John Derr was named two-ply- 
sports director for both radio and 
tv a few' months ago in the web’s 
decision to merge that and other 
departments (news and public af- 
tairs. for instance). Barber hopes 
to bring in the first couple of chap- 
ters of his book, tentatively titled 
“Sittin* in the Catbird Seat.” in 
March, the month he marks up his 
quarter century as a sportscaster. 
His previous tome was doing the 
text for the profusely illustrated 
“The Rhubarb Patch,” about the 
Dodgers' life and times. 


‘Hey, What About Me?* 

Chicago, Feb. 1. 

Due apparently to an over- 
sight, ABCs Don McNeill 
was a last minute entry in Ed 
Sullivan’s Sunday night “Toast 
of the Town” toast of radio’s 
down-through-the-years head- 
liners. When Chi ABC pub- 
licity chief Ell Henry noticed 
McNeill was among the miss- 
ing in the advance guest line- 
up last week, he immediately 
called the omission to the at- 
tention of Hal Davis, Kenyon 
& Eckhardt veepee .and the 
rest was a cinch. 

After all. McNeill only owns 
one of network radio’s long- 
est continuous track records. 
He’s now in his 22d year as 
host of "Breakfast Club,” first 
on NBC and now on ABC. 


ABC Counter-Suit 
In B. B. Pen Action 

B. B Pen Co.’s suit against 
ABC-TV, charging the network 
with breach of contract in connec- 
tion with last season’s “George 
Jessel Show,” has resulted in a 
countersuit by the network against 
the pen company, asking monies 
allegedly owed the web by the 
company. Summons were handed 
B. B and Hilton & Riggio, its 
agency last week, returnable in 
New' York Supreme Court, asking 
payment of “a balance of consid- 
erable proportions still owing ABC 
under facilities and program ar- 
rangements” for the show. 

’ABC claim that B.B’s suit, filed 
two weeks ago in Los Angeles “os- 
tensibly as an affirmative action,” 
is “really a defensive move.” Web’s 
general counsel, Geraldine Zor- 
baugh, said. “It is evident that the 
B. B Pen Co. action was intended 
to blunt the effect of ABC’s action 
commenced in N. Y. to collect that 
balance. W’eb has retained the firm 
of Hawkins, Dellafield & Wood to 
handle the counterclaim, while the 
L. A. firm of Lillick, Geary & Mc- 
Hose have entered a defense to 
B. B’s suit. Balance owed to ABC, 
a network attorney said, is “in the 
upper five figures.” 


‘Lone Ranger’ as 1-Shot 
Full Hour TV Showcase 
Vs. Sullivan’s ‘Toast’ 

“Slotting of the year” will find 
an hour-long version of the history 
of “The Lone Ranger” bucking Ed 
Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” 
come Feb. 13. ABC-TV has sched- 
uled the one-hour special, w’hich 
Jack Chertok has whipped up for 
Lone Ranger Inc. toppers Jack 
Wrather and Helen Alvarez on the 
occasion of the show's 22d anni, at 
8 p. m., right opposite “Toast.” 

Filmer, incidentally, will run as 
a sustainer, since it’s a promotion 
piece and General Mills isn’t foot- 
ing the bill. CBS-TV is trying to 
clear an hour of sustaining time 
for the special, with the probabil- 
ity that it will slot it on a Saturday 
afternoon, which is w'hen the web 
carries the repeats of the regular 
show. An ABC wag queried: “Why 
don’t they put it opposite ’Disney- 
land?” 


ALAN GALE AUDITION 
SETS TERESA BREWER 

• With Teresa Brewer as the 
initial guest, the proposed half- 
hour comedy-variety series star- 
ring Alan Gale undergoes the au- 
dition route on Feb. 10. This is 

the Irving MansAcld-Ted Ashley 
package which NBC-TV is under- 
writing as a proposed nighttime 
series in a bid to find new talent 
in the tv comedy sweepstakes. 

Coleman Jacoby and Arnie 
Rost n have been pacted as the 
show’s chief writers. 


WRCA-TV ‘Go for Broke’ 
As Daytime Showcased 
Bill Hayes Also Set 

Veteran announcer - personality 
Normal Brokenshire is being set 
by WRCA-TV, N. Y., to take over 
a daytime cross-the- board slot with 
a variety show under his name, 
stanza, will have some service as 
well as standard entertainment ele- 
ments and will include a mixed 
pair of singers, Bill Hayes featured 
vocalist and an orch. There’ll be 
guest interviews. 

Slotting of 1:05 to 1:30 repre- 
sents an overhaul by program chief 
Steve Krantz, with “Sentimental 
You” getting the axe and with no 
word on the future of that short- 
termer. It follows the newest 
trend (as per WABC-TV) in spot- 
ting daytime entertainment. Ken- 
neth Banghart will lead up to the 
Brokenshire showcase with a news 
capsule and Richard Willis remains 
at 1:30 with his “Here’s Looking 
at You” beautifier. Richard Eck- 
ler will produce and direct and 
Bobby Lane script. Show will kick 
off middle of this month. 

WOV&WATV In 
Open Warfare On 
Italo Programs 

Bad feelings are high in N. Y. 
between Italo radio station WOV 
and the producers and star of a 
new block of Italo video shows on 
WATV. In the past two weeks mud 
slinging and tactical counterfire 
have been rampant on the airwaves 
and even in the dailies. 

Uniquely, WOV has become the 
virtual critic of another station's 
programming, and it’s also believed 

the first time that a radio station 
has indulged in open warfare with 
a tv station in N. Y. 

First the radio outlet, which has 
held almost sole electronic sway 
among N. Y.’s large Italian popula- 
tion for a long time until advent of 
the tele shows on WATV a few 
weeks back, allegedly began with 
a dig at Aldo Aldi, who left after 
eight years with the radio station 
to take up as emcee of an hour 
daily in the WATV Italo sked. As 
Aldi himself reports it, a regular 
WOV announcer, explained on the 
air to Aldi’s replacement why the 
former left after five years in the 
same time spot. Without mention- 
ing Aldi by name, he was said to 
have declared that WOV had told 
the emcee not to leave, because 
in time the station would have its 
own tele show. But, the announcer 
added, he decided to go anyway. 
Aldi noted that the entire tone of 
the conversation was of the “I told 
you so” genre. 

Shortly thereafter a regular cam- 
paign against WATV Italo pro- 
gramming, which runs until noon, 
was said to have begun in strength 
on WOV. First, the radio outlet 
told its Italo audience to read an 
upcoming article in the Italian-lan- 
guage newspaper II Progresso. 
Then the paper printed an editorial 
blast of the new tv shows. (The 
video shows are run by Aldi and 
the Fernand Pcttinella ad agency 
as well as WATV having a hand in 
policy matters.) The article started 
with “the mountain has had labor 
pains and has given birth to a lit- 
tle mouse.” The article also stated: 
“What has been offered us to date 
is a jumble of variety numbers 
badly put together. We have seen 
finer performances in the small 
amateur theatres that are formed 
by elementary schools.” It con- 
tinued in the same tone, adding 
that the Italo video in which Aldi 
'by name) is starred "doesn’t touch 
the high quality of Italian talent 
which is presented in other spheres 
of entertainment.” The production 
and low regard for the tv audience 
were also taken to task, and Aldi 
(Continued on page 38) 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


Hurok’s Got Himself a Poser 

Sol Hurok’s newly-established consultancy with NBC-TV (he’s 
currently in Europe negotiating for talent for the network’s “Pro- 
ducers Showcase” spec series), has raised the. question in some 
quarters as to Hurok’s future status in relation to Ed Sullivan's 
“Toast of the Town” on the competing CBS-TV. 

Until now the concert impresario has had an almost exclusive 
tv identity with the Sullivan show, as with the guest appearances 
of such personalities as Roberta Peters, Moira Shearer, etc. In 
view of the current “stay on your own side of the street” talent 
schism which finds both webs steadfastly rejecting any talent 
interchanging, the assumption is that from here on in it’s to be 
a one-way thoroughfare where Hurok-pacted talent is concerned. 

The fun, some say, will start when Sullivan dangles those offers 
for performers in Hurok’s already-existing stable, with attendant 
reading of the fine print to determine whether he or NBC can 
stop it. 


A Local Makes AD Stops 


Case of When a Network Masterminds a Local Show 
The Station May Miss the Train 


Philly Nite Life Cues 
WPEN Sponsor Bonanza 

Philadelphia, Feb. 1. 

Unusual sponsorship setup finds 
11 cafes and restaurants picking up 
tab for WPEN’s “After Hours,” 
early ayem (2 to 5) program of 
disk and interviews with show folk 
emceed by Bob London in station’s 
Ranch Room. 

Bill Rodstein, owner of Latimer 
Club, paved way for project by per- 
sonally sponsoring program for 
seven weeks to stir public interest 
in local night life. 

After having set pattern, Rod- 
stein turned program back to Yar- 
dis Advertising Agency, which set 
up deals with cafes. Participating 
are the Latin Casino, Celebrity 
Room, the Rendezvous, Sdolla’s, 
Orsatti’s. Frankie Bradley, the 
Wagon Wheel, P. M. Bar, 800 
Lounge, Steve Brodie s and Hat- 
boro Inn. 


Weaver Tint Hint: 
Economic Plateau 

. Detroit, Feb. 1. 

Pat Weaver, NBC prexy, urged 
non-consumer facets of American 
industry* to get aboard television in 
support of the end products of 
their customers in a speech at the 
Detroit Economic Club yesterday 
(Mon.). Building a dream picture 
of individual earnings that would 
have to find an outlet in purchases. 
Weaver’s address was punctuated 
by constant reference to the color 
era, current and upcoming, declar- 
ing that: 

“An explosion which will lift 
business to another economic pla- 
teau is in the making, and the 
dynamite for its lifting is with us 
now. It is color television. It will 
sharpen the incentives, alert the 
minds, enlarge the spirits, build up 
hopes, harden the determination, 
and enlighten the view’s of our peo- 
ple.” 

Tint tv, he said, would "quad- 
ruple the impact of the incentive 
system on society itself. The trans- 
fer of information about the 
strength of the economy, which 
sets the climate for confidence or 
fear, is and will be done by the 
mass media,” and particularly by 
color video. He described the 
color medium as one which would 
“take people out into the wide, 
wide world — to the cascades of the 
Sierras, the Everglades of Florida, 
the glitter of Broadway, and to the 
romance of far places. It will give 
people a new sight of the present 
that they never saw before.” 

Denning as Margraf Aide 
'On NBC Contract Deals 

James Denning has been taken 
out of the legal department of NBC 
and installed as manager of talent 
and program contract operations 
under Gus Margraf, veepee in 
charge of talent. (Margraf himself 
came out of the legal end of the 
netw ork operation a couple of years 
ago.) . | 

Moving of Denning has been oc- ! 
casioned by the stepped-up activity | 
in formulating new program-talent ; 
deals looking toward ’55-’5«. 


CBS-TV and its Gotham flag. 
| ship, WCBS-TV, are in the midst 
of working out a "purchase” 
| w hereby the station takes over 
“An Eye On New York,” which is 
strictly a local show to begin with. 
The web is regarded as having 
given the show too much of a 
black "Eye’ via an all-encompass- 
ing aura, sort of a panel on-t lie- 
channel view that, for all its high 
flown discussion and even more 
highflown guests, didn’t hit. New 
Yorkers with what they wanted to 
see and hear — what’s wrong with 
the town and how to go about im- 
proving it. This would call for up- 
dated, up-to-the-minute accent on 
the goings-on in Gotham, whether 
it’s smog or fog, garbage collection, 
the transit and traffic situation, or 
juve delinquency. And without 
pulling too many punches. 

“Eye” has had a hop-skip-jump 
history in slotting and panelmas- 
tering since its June ’53 premiere, 
with such CBS stalwarts as 
Charles Collingw’ood, Edward P. 
Morgan (now ABC), Jim McKay 
and Bill Leonard as the modera- 
tors. It’s been in various time 
periods and only recently got 
ousted from 3:30 p.m. Saturday to 
make way “Big Ten” basketball 
on the web. The pitch now is to 
install Leonard permanently as 
producer on-camera and to tailor 
t,he show strictly in the “for New 
Yorkers” groove, complete with 
spot news film under the overall 
supervision of Clancy Worden, 
head of public affairs for~*tiie 
station. The o&o is 'currently 
balking “Eye to Eye” to Leon- 
ard to work out the deal for 
switching him and the show from 
network public affairs. Idea is to 
give it a Sunday morning wharf- 
ing at 11 o’clock, preceded by the 
“Wake Up &c Live” religioser and 
followed by "Camera Three” (an- 
other localite that’s been all over 
the sectrum despite its bigtime edu- 
cational cultural-entertainment fa- 
cets ) . 

When and if that’s settled and 
the show reaches an audience, the 
next move may be to provide a 
better time. The fussin* and 
feudin’ stem from the fact that 
“Eye” would be installed as the 
most expensive of the stations 
public service programs, with 
Leonard’s fee a not inconsiderable 
part of the bundle. Leonard is one 
of the best informed minds around 
when it comes to knowing the 
toyvn, including its restaurants, cul- 
tural and theatrical facets, streets 
and city affairs. 


BaUantine Biz 
In JWT-to-Esly 

A major shift in beer advertis- 
ing strategy brings the P. Ballan- 
tine & Sons account, the New Jer- 
sey outfit, into. the William Esty 
agency camp. J. Walter Thompson 
had been operating for that client 
for some time. 

Ballantine is heavily repped in 
radio-tv with the telepix end ac- 
cented by the spot-marketed Eddie 
Cantor new comedy series out of 
the Fred Ziv production arsenal, 
plus the longtime Shelley Rey- 
nolds "Foreign Intrigue” skein. 
Beer and ale company also is 
strong on the sports side season- 
ally. 






Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


25 


FCC CAN REGULATE NETWORKS 

— — — — — . ♦ — ■ ■ - 4 


Plotkin Report Highlights 

Washington, Feb. 1. 

These are the highlights of the Plotkin report: 

On the network front, it recommends that the FCC take steps 
to insure that "no arbitrarily discriminatory practices” are fol- 
lowed by the webs in awarding affiliations. The Commission 
would be required to set up standards to be followed by the nets 
in giving affiliations and stations meeting these standards would 
be entitled to contracts. 

It recommends that the FCC set up procedures to insure that 
network programs not carried by a regular affiliate be made avail- 
able to other stations. 

It further calls on the FCC to impose restrictions on station 
choice of network programs in intermixed areas when conversion 
has reached a certain point, with provisions to insure that no net 
is "frozen out” of a substantial number of markets. 

The report recommends that the Commission abolish or modify 
the option time rule "to provide that a network option should not 
be permitted to oust a national spot program any more than it is 
able to oust the program of another network.” The nets would also 
be required to get out of the national spot representation field. 

The commission is also called on to (1) consider separation bt 
AM from tv networks; (2) consider reducing the ceiling on mul- 
tiple ownership to three stations; (3» inquire whether multiple 
owners have violated antitrust laws in securing “desirable” af- 
filiations; (4) rule out contracts binding the affiliate for two years 
but giving the network cancellation privileges; and (5) investigate 
reasonableness of coaxial cable charges. 

On the deintermixture front, report requests FCC to reexamine 
proposals it rejected to eliminate intermixture and to advice the 
committee what action it plans. 

In respect to receivers, the report recommends that if the excise 
is to be lifted on all-channel sets the exemption should be granted 
only on a showing that the manufacturer would produce all-channel 
sets exclusively. . ^ 

Both the FCC and the Justice Dept, are required to report to 
committee on recommendations within 30 days and submit progress 
reports later. 

Why AT&T Grows Rich 


Closed-Circuit ‘Telephone Convention* Links NBC 
Sales in N. Y., Chi, Detroit 


Hour Dramatic Stanzas Generating 
Lots of Steam in Bid for Laurels 

f 


A new wrinkle in telephonic 
conventions was sprung at NBC 
last week when the entire sales op- 
erations in New York, Chicago and 
Detroit engaged in a three-way 
several-hour kickaround of the net- 
work’s sales problems and at the 
same time were given a first-hand 
glimpse by the web’s high com- 
mand into the projects being pat- 
terned for the ’55-’56 semester. All 
problems were tossed back and 
forth as though in assembly and 
network chieftains claim it_was as 
successful as an in-person get-to- 
gether. 

Immediately after the closed* 
circuit powwow, the entire pro- 
ceedings were put on tape and 
flown to Hollywood, where the 
Western Division sales staff was 
able to do a playback the follow- 
ing day to alert itself on what's 
new in NBC sales plans. 

Albany’s WTRI 
(UHF) Signs Off 

* Albany, Feb. 1. 

The Albany area suffered its first 
UHF casualty Monday night (31), 
when WTRI, after spending a large 
amount of money to get on the air 
in Feb., 1954, and then to build 
modern studios and offices, signed 
off. The reason: the CBS affiliation 
was lost to WROW and no other 
network tieup was available. 

WROW retained its ABC and 
DuMont connections, while pick- 
ing up the limited Columbia feed. 

The Stanley Warner Theatre 
Corp. held a 50% interest in Van 
Curler Broadcasting Corp., headed 
by Col. Harry Wilder and general- 
managed by Richard B. Wheeler. 

Since hitting the air, WTRI had 
carried "some programs from the 
CBS Television Network”; was 
“severely limited by the fact 
WRGB, using its power as a VHF 
station, maintained a monopoly of 
the best tv programs of all four 
networks and made it difficult for 
WTRI to operate.” 


PHILCO UPS TWO 

Philadelphia, Feb. 1. 

Joseph A. vLagore has been 
named vice president-manufactur- 
ing. and James D. McLean has been 
upped to v. p. in charge of sales 
for the Goveniment and industrial 
division of Pmlco Corp. 


New Dennis Day Series 

Dennis Day, who planes back to 
the Coast today (Wed.) after wind- 
ing his nitery stint at the Copa- 
cabana, N. Y., will shoot a pilot on 
a new variety show format for 
NBC-TV in a couple of weeks. 

Day’s situation comedy segment 
folded last season after being slot- 
ted against “I Lova Lucy.” 

Bowling Takes 
The Keg Light In 
Chi TV Hassle 

Chicago, Feb. 1. 

Sudden popularity of bowling on 
tv has touched off a dingdong bat- 
tle centered here over video con- 
trol of the nation's top keglers. 
Background of the skirmish over 
the signing up of the name bowlers 
is the belief the sport has a net- 
work future, on the basis of astro- 
nomical ratings being knocked off 
locally by the two weekly WNBQ 
live shows and the filmed version 
sold in 62 cities. 

Squared off. interestingly enough, 
are the producer and the bank- 
roller of the original WNBQ pack- 
age which first demonstrated 
bowling’s tv wallop. Sponsor Pete 
DeMet, Chi car dealer turned tv 
impresario, was in New York last 
week pitching a network tenpin 
package to ABC-TV and CBS-TV. 
DeMet, who also financed and pro- 
duced last year the “Champion- 
ship .Bowling” film series now run- 
ning in 62 tele markets, the past 
several weeks, has been inking 
bowling headliners to exclusive tv 
1 pacts. At week’s end he reportedly 
had over 30 pactees sewed up for 
network, local and film deals. 

Since the DeMet contracts could 
preclude use of the bowlers on his 
local shows. Matt Niesen, producer 
of the WNBQ packages which ema- 
nate from his alley, has turned the 
matter over to his attorney San- 
ford (Bud) Wolff. Latter last week 
dispatched a “cease and desist” 
notification to DeMet, threatening 
“necessary legal measures” to fore- 
stall the car dealer’s attempts to 
tie up a maximum of 40 top bowl- 
ers. Niesen, incidentally, owns 20% 

(Continued on page 52) 


JUSTICE DEPT. 
ALSO GETS NOD 

Washington, Feb. 1. 

The majority report on the Sen- 
ate inquiry into the relation of net- 
work operations to UHF problems 
places responsibility for correcting 
inequities in the tv broadcasting 
industry with the FCC and Depart- 
ment of Justice. 

The report, to be issued tomor- 
row (Wed.) by Chairman Warren 
Magnuson (D., Wash.) of the Senate 
Interstate Commerce Committee, 
was prepared by Harry Plotkin, 
Washington attorney, who became 
majority counsel when the Demo- 
crats assumed control of Congress. 

A minority report, by former 
FCC Commisioner Robert Jones, 
who was originally appointed ma- 
jority counsel by former commit- 
tee chairman John W. Bricker is to 
be issued later this week. 

Entitled a “memorandum” on 
"television network regulation and 
the UHF problem," the Plotkin re- 
port is the first important docu- 
ment to come out of Congress on 
the role of networks in the tv 
broadcasting field. Although it was 
prepared for the committee as a 
basis fo f legislation, it makes few 
legislative recommendations. 

Instead, it tells the FCC, in ef- 
fect: "It’s your job to regulate the 
networks. Here’s our sanction to 
do so.” 

It also tells the Justice Dept.: 
"Don’t wait for the FCC to move 
in on the broadcasting industry. 
Exercise your antitrust preroga- 
tives." 

UHF Problem ‘Serious’ 

In restrained but nonetheless 
pointed language, the report finds 
the UHF-network problem a “seri- 
ous" one which warrants “the most 
earnest consideration” of Congress 
and the government agencies in- 
volved. While not claiming to 
provide "the complete answer,” it 
regards its recommendations as "a 
good starting point in an endeavor 
to find a .solution.” 

Its purpose, it declares, is "to 
devise means of increasing the 
number of tv stations in the vari- 
ous communities through a re- 
invigoration of UHF operations 
and to promote full, free, and in- 
dividualistic self-expression of tv 
station licensees by mitigating the 
economic dependence of station 
licensees upon a few network or- 
ganizations.” 

"The objective." it asserts, "is 
vital. The price of failure as a re- 
sult of inaction w'ould be enor- 
mous.” 


RED ROWE’S ROW 

CUES KFWB EXIT 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

Red Rowe has exited KFWB. 
where he’s been a disk jockey for 
eight years, the d.j. accusing man- 
ager Harry Maizlish of forcing him 
out, although his contract had 10 
months to run. 

' Maizlish was not available for 
comment on the hassle. His office 
admitted Rowe had exited, but as 
for the reason, said "you’ll have 
to get that from somebody else.” 

Rowe accused Maizlish of bring- 
ing him in for renegotiation of his 
pact long before the customary 
time, then offering him a new deal 
which amounted to a 60% paycut.” , 


So What’* New 

Major ripley attending the 
current tv semester is the 
“suddenly taking cognizance” 
of the manner in which stars 
are being utilized to plug the 
client’s products. 

Despite the present “viewing 
with alarm,” actually the situ- 
ation goes back a full 20 years 
in radio, when the same hue 
and cry went up as Amos ’n’ 
Andy were extolling the vir- 
tues of Pepsodent; Rudy Vallee 
was carrying the commercial 
torch for Fleischmann’s Yeast; 
Eddie Cantor was a star sales- 
man for General Foods, etc.-— 
all doing the personal message 
routine then, as now. 


I’ll Be a Dirty — 

The gent who does the Dial 
soap pitch on the “George 
Gobel’’ show is being manifest- 
ly unfair to his competitors. 
Point of the pitch is that Dial 
gets off more dirt and bacteria 
than its competition, and he il- 
lustrates this through the use 
of a human figure outlined on 
a blackboard with chalk repre- 
senting the dirt. Using a dry 
blackboard eraser, he wipes 
the figure only half-clean, and 
this represents the action of 
the ordinary soap. Then with 
a wet eraser to represent Dial, 
it comes completely clean. 

Point -of all this — but he 
doesn’t make it — is that if the 
other soaps used water too, 
they’d be just as effective. 


It’s Now Buy Me 
Buy My Summer 
Replacement Too’ 

Looks like Jackie Gleason start- 
ed something when he convinced 
CBS that there was nothing wrong 
with a Gleason Enterprises pack- 
age (the Dorseys) taking over for 
him as a summer replacement and 
filler show, not to mention the fact 
that the selfsame Dorsey musical 
will go in back-to-back with Glea- 
son next season. All of which 
swells the Gleason coffers consid- 
erably. 

Now it’s Sid Caesar’s turn to call 
the summer replacement shot, the 
comedian’s own package having 
been pitched up to NBC to take 
over the Monday 8 to 9 period dur- 
ing the 13 weeks that the regular 
show lays off. Clients are now 
pacted on a year-round basis (ac- 
tually it’s still 39 weeks, with the 
one-a-month preemptions for the 
specs making up the differential), 
but the network is now obliged to 
think in terms of 52-week major- 
league programming, rather than 
13-week puff material. Caesar’s 
package will showcase bigtime tal- 
ent. 

Similar “buy me, buy my sum- 
mer replacement” situation may 
also apply to some degree in terms 
of Milton Berlc’s Tuesday 8 to 9 
slotting. It’s understood Berle will 
take over complete supervision of 
the time period next summer. 


MEDICOS SET IKE 
FOR CLOSED-CIRCUIT 

President Eisenhower will open 
the first closed-circuit televised 
“Videclinic” next Wednesday (9) 
at which doctors in some 31 cities 
will see and hear new develop- 
ments in medicine demonstrated 
and discussed by top medical re- 
searchers and specialists. The 
President will speak from the 
White House to an estimated audi- 
ence of 20.000 doctors at theatres, 
auditoriums and hotels in the 31 
cities. 

Ike’s remarks will kick off an 
hour and one-half clinical session, 
with live and film pickups from 
Boston, Cleveland, Minneapolis, 
Chicago and New Orleans. Session 
is being transmitted over facilities 
of Theatre Network Television, 
with Smith, Kline & French Labs 
sponsoring and producing in co- 
operation with the American Medi- 
cal Assn, and state and local medi- 
cal societies. Latter will host the 
screenings in their own cities. 


Mannings Texaco Coin 

Cleveland, Feb. 1. 

Cleveland — Tom Manning has 
been signed by Texaco for cross- 
the-board five-minute 6 p.m. sports- 
cast, giving him at least 12 Texaco- 
pacted stints per week, according 
to WTAM-WNBK Assistant Gen- 
eral Manager Bill Davidson. 


Television’s full hour dramatic 
showcasers will be on a super- 
binge from here in, and with some 
unusual prebuilt facets. NBC’s up- 
coming cluster ofTour stanzas start- 
ing Sunday (6) alone encompasses 
a “soup to nuts” spread with (1) 
an original, (2) adaptation of a 
Broadway and Hollywood big click. 
(3) transplantation of a smash film 
(from bestselling book), and (4) a 
bona fide, Honest John “return en- 
gagement by popular demand” 
original within four weeks of its 
premiere. 

The numerals refer respectively 
to Gore Vidal’s "A Sense of Jus- 
tice" on “TV Playhouse" Sunday; 
Clare Boothe Luce’s ‘The Women” 
(with half a dozen stars in its all- 
femme cast> on Monday’s “Produ- 
cers’ Showcase” back-to-back with 
Charles Jackson's “Lost Weekend” 
on “Robert Montgomery Presents” 
(Jackson, incidentally, has joined 
J. W. Thompson as script editor on 
ABC-TV’s “Pond’s Theatre”); and. 
with the mostest “coast to coast" 
interest, the return of Rod Serling’s 
“Patterns” next Wednesday (9' 
after jts sleeper whammo last 
month on Kraft’s “TV Theatre." 
(Kraft’s opus tonight (Wed.» will 
be John Galsworthy’s done-every- 
five-years-or-so “Skin Game” in 
adaptation by Robert Howard Lind- 
say.) ' , 

On the CBS side, Reginald Rose, 
who apparently does it with mir- 
rors, will be repped with his fourth 
script on “Studio One" this season 
(having opened the skein last fall 
with his acclaimed "Twelve Angry 
Men"). Rose’s Feb. 14 play will 
(Continued on gage 46) 


Leontyne Price s 
‘Tosca for O’Seas 

Gratified with the reaction from 
its two-hour “Tosca” telecast last 
week, in which the network set a 
precedent by starring Leontyne 
Price, a Negress, in an otherwise 
all-white cast, NBC has initiated 
overtures with the State Dept, to 
make kinescopes available for over- 
seas viewing, via Voice of America. 
In addition, the sound portion will 
be made available for Radio Free 
Europe. 

In all, 62 stations carried the tel- 
ecast, with not a single beef regis- 
tered from any affiliate, including 
those in the south. Board chairman 
David Sarnoff has made no bones 
as to his own pleasure over the 
results. 

Of the 62-station spread nearly 
half were over the Dixie or south- 
land “traditiQn” route. These in- 
cluded Washington (D.C.), Louis- 
ville, Columbia (Mo. and S. C.), 
Huntington. Memphis, Nashville, 
Norfolk. Alexandria (La.), Charles- 
ton, Charlotte, Columbus (Ga.), 
Durham, Greenville (N. C. and 
S. C.», Jackson (Missr), Knoxville, 
Macon, Meridian TMiss.), Mobile, 
Orlando, Roanoke, Wheeling, Win- 
ston-Salem, Tulsa; and Temple- 
Wico, Wichita Falls and El Paso 
(all Tex.). Ordering the show thus 
far for kinnie exposure (delayed 
seven to 28 days) was Atlanta, in 
addition to Boston, Johnstown 
(Pa.), Toronto, Honolulu, Pueblo 
(Col.) and Anchorage, Alaska. 

SHOWERMAN HELMS 
MILWAUKEE’S WISN 

Milwaukee, Feb. 1. 

Appointment of vet broadcasting 
exec I. E. (Chick) Showerman as 
manager of WISN in Milwaukee, is 
announced by D. L. Provdst, veepee 
and general manager of the Radio 
and Television Division of The 
Hearst Corp. 

Showerman’s appointment is 
effective today (Tues.) He succeeds 
Harry D. Peck who resigned as 
WISN manager as of Jan. 27. Peck 
is to announce his future activities 
shortly. For more than two dec- 
ades “Chick” Showerman has been 
a prominent figure and a key exec- 
utive in the broadcasting industry 



: v • . •‘Tvxp 

WmmSX. 




Wednesday, February 2, 1935 


Rush Memo: 

To: Television Management 


Detroit 

WXYZ-TV 

Monday-Friday 


TOPS IN MARKET 

80% of the audience 6:00-6:30 
ONLY MULTI-WEEKLY PROGRAM IN 
TOP 15 (Hooper Nov. *54) 

WEEKLY CUMULATIVE RATING 42.5 
(ARB Dec. \54) 


We're breathless -things are moving so fast 
we’ll be brief. Since release to television 
a few short months ago, 

THE LITTLE RASCALS have taken over 
the kiddie audience in market after market. 
Adults are flipping too! Ratings -Sales- 
Audiences -are SIMPLY FABULOUS 
— here’s a sample; 


Los Angeles 

KNXT 

5:30-6:00 

Monday-Friday 

Buffalo 

WBEN-TV 

5:15-5:45 

Monday-Friday 


TOPS IN MARKET 

53 y. of the audience 5:30-6:00 
WEEKLY CUMULATIVE RATING 35.9 
CARB Dec. ’54) 

TOPS IN MARKET 

60 •/* of the audience 5:15-5:45 
STATION RATING UP 500% 

(ARB Oct. ’54) 


- TELEVISION CORP. 

TORONTO Sterling Films, Ltd 


DALLAS 304 S. Harwood St. 
Prospect 1658 

BALTIMORE 4417 Norwood Rd 
Hopkins 7-5530 


CINCINNATI 1635 Central Pkwy 
Parkway 0179 

DES MOINES 1115 High St. IJ 
3-4117 n 


King Edward Hotel 


1560 Broadway 
Plaza 7-3070 


43 76 Sunset Drive 
Normandy 2-9181 





Wednesday, February 2, 1935 


P'SkIEty 



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LITTLE RASCALS 


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LITTLE RASCALS now NUMBER ONE Multi-Weekly Show in: 


LITTLE RASCALS just sold in: 


. WXYZ-TV 

Los Angeles 

KNXT 

.WBEN-TV 

SanTrancisco 

KRON-TV 

KBTV 

San Diego 

XETV 

. .KING-TV 

Phoenix 

KPHO-TV 

. . . .WABT 

Philadelphia 

WPTZ 

. . . .WBKB 

Salt Lake City 

KSL-TV 

, WCCO-TV 

El Paso 

KTSM-TV 

. . KDAL-TV 

Cleveland 

WEWS 

. . WRC-TV 

San Antonio 

KGBS-TV 

. . WBZ-TV 

St. Louis 

KWK 





. / V 







PKJ 

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JUST SOLD IN NEW YORK 


£7:-S«5 .£ ■& vW; 




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Wimm 




What a record. ..what a program. ..what a TV buy.. .call today, 


2-6500 


4 : 30 - 5:00 


Wwlncwlay, February 2, 1955 


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Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


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5:30 - 6 PM 
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6 : 00 - 6:30 












80 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


^ edn«Mlay, February 2, 1955 


"Third of a Nation Adopted by Radio 
In New Power Play on FDR Concept 


When Franklin D. Roosevelt de-4 
veloped his “third of a nation” 
theme, he intended it to convey the 
downbeat economic status of that 
segment of the U. S. population. 

Updated to read approximately 
56.000,000 persons, the figure can 
bo stretched to mean several dif- 
ferent things as far as network 
radio listenership is concerned. Ac- 
cording to the NBC-Starch survey 
announced last week, roughly that 
many persons listened to radio 
“last night” (meaning almost any 
night in the prime hours). But 
this isn't FDR's piece of pie, since 
NBC observes in its “Validation” 
section of the survey that "evening 
radio listeners are not simply 
paupers, ‘white trash,’ shut-ins or 
people who have no more wants.” 

Coincidentally, John Karol’s lec- 
ture stances around the country in- 
clude the 56,000.000 figure, but it 
has no direct relationship to the 
NBC theme. Karol, network sales 
v.p. of CBS Radio, makes this pitch: 
“On a Monday-to-Friday daytime 
or evening basis, network radio 
delivers enormous audiences each 
week. For example, a run-of-the- 
mill five-a-week daytime program 
on a nationwide network (wonder 
which one? i reaches 6.123,000 dif- 
ferent listeners, and a total of 
about 14,000,000 listeners during 
the week. During a four-week 
span, this same program reaches 
over 10.000.000 different listeners 
and over 56,000,000 total listeners.” 

Under this pitch, Karol wonders 
why radio hasn’t been getting the 
share of billing that its qualifica- 
tions indicate and attempts to give 
the answer. It’s this: 

“This is partly due to a feeling 
on the part of some advertisers and 
agencies that radio just isn’t so- 
cially correct since television came 
on the scene. This is a frame of 
mind or fear that time is correct- 
ing. A far more dangerous point 
of view about radio has to do not 
with the facts but rather with the 
way some agencies and clients are 
reporting the facts.” 

Karol’s example of “unreason- 
able” reporting of facts: 

“If I tell you I know a man who 
just lost $25,000,000, you would 
think that here is a fellow who has 
.indeed lost his shirt. But if I tell 
you that I know a man whose for- 1 
tune has . been reduced from 
$100,000,000 to $75,000,000, your 
thought — and rightly so — is on the 
fact that he still has the $75,000,- 
000. Now it’s perfectly true that in 
the past six years radio has lost_ 
audience. But it is just as true* 
that radio still has an enormous 
audience.” 


AM-TV Dialing 
Among Teenagers 

Sid Ascher’s Teenage Survey 
Service has come up with some in- 
teresting figures on radio-tv dial- 
ing among 17.792 highschool teen- 
agers. Radio summary: 17.763 
have radios: 8.651 have more than 
one set: 563 listen less than an 
hour a day; 3,412 dial in from one 
to two hours; 11.300 from two to 
three hours, and 2,847 more than 
three hours daily. 

Television synopsis: Of 17,763 
questioned. 6,970 have telesets; 186 
rarely tune in; 816 tune in up to 
an hour a day; 4.735 from one to 
two hours; 1,084 from two to three 
hours, and 149 more than three 
hours daily. 

Many expressed a desire for pro- 
grams slanted to them. They re- 
sent “brain wash” programs sup- 
posedly for teenagers (with ex- 
amples given*. They don’t want 
programs "written down” to them, 
but by the same token they want 
shows devised for them. 

Survey covered about 30 of the 
largest cities. 


TV Stars Push Coast 
Auto Show to Top Gross 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

Appearance of telestars brought 
in the highest paid admish in his- 
tory of the L. A. Auto Show here, 
when 32,317 persons paid $1 plus 
tax one night at the Pan Pacific, 
crowing in to see a show toplined 
by Lawrence Welk and his orch, 
Danny Thomas. WTliam Lundigan, 
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, James 
Dunne and Bill Bishop. 

They are sponsored on video by 
Chrysler, and it was Chrysler night 
at the show. Figure is three times 
higher than that recorded for any 
single night last year. John Gaunt 
produced the 45-minute show. 


Toy CouncO’s 
AM-TV Campaign 

The Toy Guidance Council has 
made plans for a radio-tv cam- 
paign this year that looks to ex- 
ceed the $509,000 spent by the or- 
ganization for pre-Xmas ’54. Last 
year the org bought into estab- 
lished half-hour juve shows in over 
40 video markets through agency 
Friend-Reiss, but plans have been 
changed drastically for ’55: for the 
upcoming Xmas selling season, 
TGC will shoot a series of 13-min- 
ute vidfilm shows plus tape a 15- 
minute completely separate radio 
skein. 

Coin for the intense radio-tv 
campaign comes from the overall 
advertising - promotion - publicity 
budget of $1,500,000. an increase of 
$200,000 over '54. Distribution on 
both the vidfilm and audio pack- 
ages will be handled through the 
agency. 

Several toy manufacturers and 
several hundred merchandisers 
would not disclose the specific dis- 
tribution plans on the two series 
but said that greater coverage 
(based on the number of subscribing 
merchandisers) is expected (and 
therefore the budget for radio-tv 
“would increase proportionately"). 


ABC-TV’s Closed-CircTIIr 
Dept, as a Sales Hypo 

ABC-TV last week pointed up 
the jguickly-mushroomirfg field 0 f 
closed-circuit television for busi- 
ness clients by setting up a closed- 
circuit department of its own. New' 
setup, which will handle sales of 
closed-circuit shows, production, 
programming and every facet of 
the business but booking theatres 
and auditoriums for the sessions, 
will be headed by Bill Balaban. 
who moves over from the wwb’s 
New York flag. WABC-TV, where 
he was assistant program director. 


CBS Names Eliasberg 
For Research Projects 

CBS-TV has created the post of 
research projects supervisor under 
research director Oscar Katz and 
brought Jay Eliasberg back to the 
web to head it. He will serve as 
overall coordinator and supervisor 
of major surveys and analyses. 

Eliasberg left CBS six years ago 
to engage in research and related 
spheres in the ad agency field, in- 
cluding posts with Kenyon & Eck- 
hardt and Foote, Cone & Belding, 
and latterly with ABC Radio, his 
most recent position. 


Flynn’s ‘March or Die’ 

As 1st CBS Film Series 
To Be Produced Abroad 

CBS Television Film Sales goes 
into its first foreign production 
deal, an “adult" Foreign Legion 
series starring Errol Flynn titled 
“March or Die.” Film Sales is 
financing and will distribute the 
series, to be produced in Britain 
and French Morocco by the Jersey 
Corp., a new corporation headed 
by telepix producer Tony Bartley 
and his wife, Deborah Kerr. 

Bartley leaves for London tomor- 
row (Thurs.) to set up production 
with Aubrey Baring, a British film- 
maker who’s in on the deal, with 
the first 26 to roll about Feb. 14. 
Series stars Flynn as narrator, tell- 
ing stories of why men joined the 
Legion, etc. First teleplay in the 
series was scripted by Paul Mo- 
nash. 


30- Year Zenith Stripes 
For Robertson, Kaplan 

Chicago. Feb. 1. 

Zenith RadiS prexy Eugene F. 
McDonald Jr., presented special 
30-year service awards to exec 
veepee Hugh Robertson and vee- 
pee-treasurer Sam Kaplan, both 
up-through-the-r a n k s executives. 
Robertson joined Zenith as office 
manager in 1924 and worked up to 
the exec v.p. post 10 years later. 

Kaplan started working in the 
company’s mail room right after 
graduating from high school in 
1923. While working in the ac- 
counting department, he earned 
his degree from the Northwestern 
U. night school. He was made a 
v.p. in 1948 and became treasurer 
in 1952. 


HAPPY CHIRPING FOR 'BIRDS' 

r j Dallas^ Feb. 1. 

WFAA’s “Early Birds,” world’s 
oldest live breakfast airer, doubled 
its air time yesterday (Mon.) and 
now' has a 120-minute showcasing 
six ayems weekly, 6-8:30 a. m. 

Show debuted in March, 1930, 
and has run continuously Monday 
through Saturday, on WFAA-820, 
7:15-8:30 a. m., with a quarter- 
hour news break. For the past 18 
months there has been a Sunday 
45-minute transcribed “Birds” air- 
ing, which continues. This week, 
in advance of its soon due 25th 
anni, live show added the extra 
hour, 6-7 a. m., on WFAA-570, com- 
panion station here. 


WXIX’s 'Little Germany 

» Milwaukee, Feb. 1. 

Milwaukee Isn’t “the best beer town In the country” by coin- 
cidence. It’s the German-born and Germap extraction popula- 
tion that rides the lager graphs way up to the stratosphere, 
not to mention the addition of the homegrown non-Teutonic 
Americans who are not averse to quaffing the stuff^to the point 
where one suds outfit (Schlitz, of course) made national capital 
out of “the beer that made Milwaukee famous.” When CBS-TV 
bought WOKY-TV (changing the letters to WXIX to dovetail 
with the Roman numerals for channel 19), it began stocking the 
station with staffers from New York, Los Angeles elsewhere, 
with a good many of them bearing “Fritz” names. 

The web sent in such last-namers as John Lathrop Viemeister, 
newly ordained business manager; Arthur F. Schoenfuss, direc- 
tor of operations; By Colvig (when he writes a feature piece, it 
goes under the Gertrude Stein-ish byline of By By Colvig), who’s 
the new promotion and publicity chieftain; and, as the latest 
appointment, Robert Heuberger, the chief engineer (he’s been 
supervisor of technical operations) in Gotham. 

Others tapped by Columbia for Milwaukee (with or without 
German connotations) are Leon Drew, program director, from 
KNXT, Hollywood, and Theodore Shaker, general sales manager, 
from CBS-TV spot sales in N. Y. The new general manager js 
Edmund C. Bunker. 


State Laws— Plus Television— Cloud ’56 


Looks Like Atlantic City Is Under-Equipped for 
Republicans, Democrats 


ARF Survey on Ratings 
Up for Chi Discussion 

Chicago, Feb. 1. 

Dr. E. L. Deckinger, Biow 
agency’s research veepee, has been 
set as the featured speaker at the 
initial luncheon meeting Feb. 23 
of the Broadcast Advertising Club. 
Deckinger's topic will be the first 
public exposition of the contro- 
versial Advertising Research Foun- 
dation report on radio-tv rating 
services. 

Newly organized club, comprised 
of Windy City radio-tv and adver- 
tising execs, was formed through 
the merger of the Television Coun- 
cil and the Radio Management 
Club. 


Television ? s Empire Builders 


Kansas City — Edith Sacco has 
a pp o‘ n (cd chief at Station 
£ 11 * succeeds Florence 

tyhel, who joins continuity de- 
partment of the R. J Potts-Calkins 
ii Holden, Inc., ad agency. 


Washington, Feb. 1. 

The age of the broadcasting em- 
pire builder is at hand. Television 
has given him the impetus to 
spread out. More and more oper- 
ators are shooting for the limit on 
station ownership. Despite the high 
investment needed for getting into 
the field, the proportion of multi- 
ple owners in tv is far greater than 
in radio. 

A study of FCC records reveals 
that more than one-third of the tv 
stations on the air are owned or 
controlled by multiple license hold- 
ers. There is, in addition, a sizable 
number of companies or individuals 
with minority interests in two or 
more stations. 

The trend toward group owner- 
ship in television has been stepped 
up in recent months by expansion 
of such stalwarts as Westinghouse, 
Storer and Hearst. These three 
have laid out over $20,000,000 to 
increase their holdings. This group 
alone 'assuming FCC okay of the 
Hearst channel 12 purchase in Mil- 
waukee) has a total of 13 stations 
worth perhaps $65,000,000. 

There are other tv empires, es- 
tablished or in process, among 


them Crosley with four valuable 
properties. General Teleradio with 
five, Meredith Publishing with four, 
Time-Life with two and a half, 
Scripps-Howard with three, the 
Gannett newspapers with three, 
Donald W. Reynolds newspapers 
with three, the Samuel I. New’house 
newspapers with two and a half, the 
John T. Griffin group with three, 
and the Steinman newspapers with 
three (including WDEL-TV in Wil- 
mington, Del., just sold). 

Nor do these include the net- 
works with their 16 owned and 
operated stations. Only DuMont, 
among the webs, has reduced its 
holdings 'through sale of its Pitts- 
burgh outlet to Westinghouse). 
NBC and CBS are in the process 
of expanding to reach the “five 
plus two” limit and ABC may do 
likewise. DuMont’s only indication 
of going after more stations is its 
participation in the contest for 
channel 5 in Boston. 

The multiple owners are most- 
ly in the two-station class and quite 
a few of them are newspapers. 
They include John E. Fetzer, Cen- 
tral Broadcasting Co., the Cox 
newspapers, the Washington Post, 


CBS Rolls Pilot 
On ‘Navy Log Pix 

Pilot film of “Navy Log.” which 
CBS Television Film Sales will 
finance and distribute, goes into 
production Feb. 15 with location 
shooting by the Navy at Key West. 
Pilot" w illTfe' produced OTTThe coast 
by Joel Malone, who turns out “The 
Whistler” for Film Sales, with 
package-owner Sam Gallu as exec- 
producer and Bud Andrews as 
director. 

Initialler in the series is about 
the Navy frogmen, and the Navy 
is sending a five-man camera team, 
along with a Snorkel submarine, to 
Key West to shoot underwater se- 
quences. Other location and 
studio shooting will be done on 
the Coast. Only permanent mem- 
ber of the cast, the narrator, hasn’t 
been set yet. but Film Sales v.p. 
is talking to Arthur Godfrey about 
doing it. 


Washington, Feb. 1. 

The Republican National Com- 
mittee meets Feb. 17 to select a 
city for the 1956 G.O.P. Qonven- 
tion, with the choice expected to 
be made between Chicago and 
Philadelphia. 

Although Atlantic City is also 
in the runnning, its lack of facili- 
ties for the networks to pipe out 
television coverage of the sessions 
appears to eliminate the seashore 
resort town which, otherwise, 
would be ideally suited as a con- 
vention site. The broadcasters have 
made clear they would be unable to 
provide proper video coverage 
from Atlantic City. 

The Democratic National Con- 
vention is expected, as usual, to 
be set in the same city as the Re- 
publican conclave. The broadcast- 
ers pointed out that the cost 
would be prohibitive, if they had 
to set up radio and television fa- 
cilities in two different cities. 

However, there is considerable 
of a problem in the Democratic 
( announcement that its convention 
w ould be at the end of August, with 
the Republicans following in mid- 
September. This would require a 
change in the election laws of 
some states which now provide 
that names of candidates must be 
certified at least 60 days before 
date of election. It will also. pose 
a headache for the networks, both 
radio and tv. 

The old custom of having the 
conventions at the end of June and 
early in July med’ns that, gener- 
ally speaking, mostly summer re- 
placement shows must be knocked 
off the air. However, a mid-Sep- 
tember convention means the web* 
will have to pre-empt the more ex- 
pensive, sponsored fall shows. 


R i d d e r Publications, Jefferson 
Standard Life Insurance Co., the 
Chicago Tribune and New York 
Daily News < McCormick), the San 
Francisco Chronicle, Cincinnati 
Times-Star (Taft family), the Harry 
M. Bitner family, the John J. Louis 
family. Jamestown Broadcasting 
Co. 'John Boler*, and R. H. Drewry 
and associates. 

On the whole, the empires in tv 
have been built by those with 
broadcasting knowhow, as witness 
Storer, Westinghouse and Crosley. 
In the early post-freeze days, many 
newcomers planned to enter the 
field, some with the full limit of 
stations. Multiple applications were 
filed by wealthy oil men, theatre 
operators, manufacturers, actors 
(Including Bing Crosby and Mary 
Pickford*, labor unions, and engi- 
neers. 

Most of those who filed for VHF 
channels dropped out when they 
found they’d have to go throi^h 
hearings. A few merged their ap- 
plications with competing appli- 
cants. Some of the applicants for 
; UHF channels got permits but only 
a few went through with construc- 
tion. 


TvB Taps Nelson 
As Natl Spot Chief 

The new Television Advertising 
Bureau pencilled Raymond E. Nel- 
son, ex-ad agency chieftain, as it* 
director of national spot sales. Si- 
multaneously, the sales promotion 
org for video announced that Blair 
TV had become the first station rep 
outfit to join. * 

Appointment of Nelson, who sus- 
pended his Keystone Advertising 
Agency as well as Nelson Produc- 
tions, to take up the TvB post, was 
in part at least an effort to satisfy 
members of the Station Represen- 
tatives Assn., who drumbeated last 
summer for the original- tv industry 
sales promotion group, which was 
to be without network ties. (The 
“no network” agency was intended 
to avoid what SRAers then felt was 
a weakness in TvB’s radio counter- 
part, Broadcast Advertising Bu- 
reau, in not paying special atten- 
tion to the needs of spot.) How- 
ever, NARTB stepped in. and TvB 
was finally conceived as an “all-in- 
dustry” group, with a stipulation in 
the original org precepts allowing 
for station rep membership. 

Ollie Treyzs, TvB prexy, pointed 
out that national spot tv was only 
4 % of the national ad dollar. He 
said Nelson’s job w ill be 'to “lift the 
tv national spot expenditures above 
the $190,000,000 1954 level.” 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


31 


NBC-TV’S ‘SUN. MATINEE’ SPECS 


Everybody’s In a Meeting 

Everybody’s in a meeting these days. Call a network exec and 
it’s a 100 to 1 safe bet that the answer’ll be: “He’s in a meeting.” 
The surprising part of it, the secretary isn’t kidding. If there are 
more of them going on at NBC than at CBS, the chances are it’s 
because there aren’t as many meeting rooms at Columbia. Prob- 
lems, yes. 

The baffling part of the whole thing is that the meetings go 
on at such a clip and in such fast succession that there’s little 
time in between to do something about the decisions of the pre- 
vious meeting. 

NCAA Decision on TV Grid to Be 
Revealed Feb. 26; Set Web Parley 


Chicago, Feb. 1. 

Network, agency and advertiser 
reps have been invited to sit in on 
the public hearings the tv commit- 
tee of the National Collegiate Ath- 
letic Assn, has scheduled for Feb. 
10-11 in New York. With its 1955 
football policy still very much up 
In the air, the NCAA tv planners 
will use the two-day session as a 
sounding board for all and sundry 
proposals on how to handle the 
vexing video problem. 

On the surface, the two-day 
closed meeting held here last week 
was productive of little more than 
a timetable and a new tv commit- 
tee chairman. Elected was E. L. 
(Dick) Romney, commissioner of 
the Mountain States conference 

who succeeds Harvey Cassill, U of 
Washington athletic director. Rom- 
ney was chosen as a “neutral,” not 
being identified with either the 
status quo camp plugging for the 
continuation of the single national 
“Game of the Week” program, nor 
the regional jurisdiction camp 
spearheaded by the Big 10. 

Walter Byers, NCAA exec direc- 
tor and spokesman for the tv 
group, confirmed that the recent 
flurry of state legislative interest in 
the football tv situation as it ap- 
plies to tax-supported schools came 
in for discussion. 

After the Feb. 10-11 gettogether 
the committee expects to convene 
here again the following weekend 
1he*’55 — It’s 

hoped to get the proposal into the 
mails on Feb. 25 for the member- 
ship referendum which closes 
March 8. Byers said he probably 
will be able to reveal the plan pub- 
licly on Feb. 26. 


‘PERSON TO PERSON’ 
SLOTTINGS ON BBC 

London, Feb. 1. 

Telerecordings of a selected 
number of “Person to Person” pro- 
grams presented by Edward R. 
Murrow on his live CBS-TV show 
in the U. S. will be seen here dur- 
ing the first quarter of 1955, ac- 
cording to an announcement in 
BBC’s Television Broadcasting 
News. (Specific programs had al- 
ready been announced in the 
States. Among them was the 
screening last February of Mrs. 
Eleanor Roosevelt at her home in 
New York and Captain Sorrell on 
the Queen Mary when berthed in 
Gotham.) 

In the programs, described as 
making considerable use of the 
technical process of inlay (dubbed 
“picture window” remotes in the 
U. S. when applied to “P to P”), 
viewers saw an interview with Lily 
Pons on Jan. 18 and with Eva 
Gabor on Jan. 26, and coming up 
are Eddie Fisher and Ralph Bunche 
on Feb. 17. In later slottings, the 
“Person” subjects are Earl Wilson 
and Jacqueline and Floyd Odium. 


Kukla at Sat. 
Whirl for Kids; 



Lamb Hearing To 
Resume On Feb. 9 

Washington, Feb. 1. 

FCC hearings before Examiner 
Herbert Sharfman on Commie 
charges against broadcaster - pub- 
lisher Edward Lamb, will resume 
next week (Feb. 9) after a recess of 
nearly three months. The pro- 
ceedings had been twice postponed 
at the requests of attorneys for 
both sides. 

At a conference with lawyers last 
week, Examiner Sharfman upheld 
a contention by FCC counsel 
Joseph Kittner that the govern- 
ment has not “rested” its case. His 

ruling, in effect, disposed of a mo- 
tion filed by Lamb for an im- 
mediate dismissal of the proceed- 
ings on the grounds that the Com- 
mission offered no substantial evi- 
dence to sustain its charges. The 
motion was based on the premise 
that FCC had completed its pres- 
entation. 

Kittner refusing to disclose 
whether he plans to call more wit- 
nesses against Lamb and Sharfman 
denied a request by .Philip Berg- 
son, counsel for Lamb, to require 
him to do so. 

The hearings will resume with 
cross-examination of William Cum- 
mings, one of four government wit- 
nesses which Lamb’s attorneys 
have requested be recalled. 


Chicago, Feb. 1. 

| Burr Tillstrom, whose “Kukla, 
Fran & Ollie” family is now firmly 
entrenched as an ABC-TV dinner- 
hour co-opped strip, is strongly 
considering the web’s invite to en- 
ter the Saturday morning sweep- 
stakes with a new experimental for- 
mat angled for the kids. Gordon 
Baking, sponsors of the daily show 
in four markets, is anxious to cut 
itself in on the weekender in five 
major cities in its distribution area. 

Tillstrom’s present thinking is 
to give the Saturday show a whirl 
this spring on a shortterm basis, 
with the idea of rounding out a for- 
mat for a full-season ride next fall. 
His plans do not include an ex- 
pansion of the KFO family into the 
sixth day, but rather the develop- 
ment of a new stable of puppet 
characters and the use of fairy tales 
and fantasies along the lines of his 
Xmas treatment of James Thur- 
ber’s “Many Moons. 

ABC-TV will send out the Sat- 
urday program under the same 
“per program” deal as for the 
cross-the-boarder with the affili- 
ates. excepting those ordered out- 
right by Gordon, paying a percent- 
age of their rate card for the show' 
and then selling it locally. 

Meanwhile, the strip continues to 
gain “subscribers,” although now 
that it’s in its second 13-week cycle 
the tab has gone up from 10 to 20% 
of the stations' highest Class A 
hourly rate. Forty-two ABC out- 
lets are carrying the show 1 , includ- 
ing New York and Chicago where 
the baking firm bought the show 
direct, and Detroit and Elkhart 
where it came in under the co-op 
deal. 

Tillstrom has received bids to 
film commercials for some of the 
various local KFO hankrollers 
around the country and is studying 
a move in that direction. 



SET FOR 1-1 


Spec-happy NBC is shooting in a 
new direction, now that its night- 
time 90-minute rotating rosters 
have been put in order. This time 
the network’s big tv noise is “Sun- 
day Matinee” — a $5,000,000 enter- 
prise which represents, at least in 
its blueprinting, the most ambitious 
venture yet into before-nightfall 
programming. Unless it’s pre-sold 
prior to kickoff date (and a lot of 
flexible sponsorship patterns are 
currently being evolved to expedite 
the ban rolling) the whole thing’s 
off. But NBC is confident the whole 
$5,000,000 kaboodle will be in the 
client bag long before the fall 
premiere, with agency nibbles and 
feelers already rolling in. 

This, in essence, is the plan (and 
it’s already been closed-circuited to 
key personnel, sales people, poten- 
tial clients, etc.). 

There will be three separate and 
distinct program operations — (1) A 
Maurice Evans series of eight 90- 
minute productions, in which Evans 
will star in at least two productions 
(“Hamlet”) and “Devil’s Disciple” 
which will be slotted once a month 
in either the 3:30 to 5 p.m. slot, 
or from 4 to 5:30, depending on 
what happens to existing sponsor- 
ship schedules. Kickoff date of the 
Evans series is Oct. 23. However, 
in the case of “Hamlet,” it will be 
expanded to two full hours. 

(2) An every-other-week produc- 
tion of “Wide, Wide World,” either 
in 90-minute or 60-minute form, in 
which NBC-TV camera crews will 
roam far and wide to bring dif- 
ferent aspects of Americana into 
the living room. This has been one 
of the long-cherished program am- 
bitions of NBC prexy Pat Weaver, 
and a full series complement is al- 
ready in working order. Only last 
week NBC tested the initial entry 
for execs of American Tel & Tel, 
which has indicated sponsorship in- 
terest. 

(3) A one-a-month slotting of the 
NBC-TV Opera Theatre, in 90-min- 
ute form, with the present sched- 
ule to be expanded to encompass a 
full season of every-fourth-week 
production from October to May. 
Thus; alL three separate produc- 
tions will be rotated week to week, 
with “Wide Wide World” to get the 
most frequent exposure. All the 
shows will be in color. 

Evans is down for a 90-minute 
tint production of Shaw’s “Man and 
Superman” in March, but this pre- 
dates the new series, going into the 
Hallmark Sunday afternoon period 
(as have Evans’ previous Shake- 
spearean productions on tv). George 
Schaefer will continue his longtime 
association as Evans’ director. 

NBC will sell the three program 
units (Evans, "Wide World” and 
Opera) to different clients, either 
wholly or participating, with each 
designed to bring in $150,000 week- 
ly ($75,000 cost of production; $75,- 
000 for 90 minutes of Class B time). 
Evans, meanwhile, was pacted to 
an exclusive NBC contract last 
week. 

Already mentioned as possible 
guest stars when Evans will be pro- 
ducing and not appearing are Kath- 
arine Cornell, Katharine Hepburn 
and Vivien Leigh. 

Jack Rayel heads *up the Evans 
unit production staff; veepee Da- 
vidson Taylor is doing exec duty 
on “Wide World,” and Samuel 
Chotzinoff is production factotum 
on the opera series. 


NABET Strike Averted as NBC, 

ABC Come to Last-Minute Terms 


CANADA B’CASTERS 
FACE NABET STRIKE 

Toronto, Feb. 1. 

Trans - continental television 
screens of the Canadian Broadcast- 
ing Corp. will be dark and many 
radio programs will also be blacked 
out tomorrow (2) should the vole 
of technicians, held in 20 centres, 
call for a strike. Tomorrow’s de- 
cision would empower the Na- 
tional Assn, of Broadcast Engineers 
and Technicians Union (CIO) to 
call a walkout if satisfactory agree- 
ment is not reached by Feb 16. The 
union says the average wage of its 
members is $63 a week and w ants 
a 30 % increase. 

On stalemate, up to current 
threat of tomorrow’s action, 
NABET’s membership of 700 signed 
its first contract with the CBC in 
July, 1953. with this expiring in 
j August last year. Negotiations for 
a second contract were begun in 
May, 1954, with frequent talks in- 
volving three top issues — wa°cs, 
overtime rates and job classifica- 
tions. The dispute then went on 
to a conciliation board. 


Berle Still Can’t 
Make Up His Mind 
On Film Vs. Live 


Milton Berle still can’t make up 
h ? s mind whether he wants to go 
film or stay live next season, with 
result that, until the matter is 
firmly resolved, NBC is holding 
him off from sale for the ’55-’56 
season. (His present sponsor, 
Buick, has cancelled out in prefer- 
■ ence for Jackie Gleason.) 

Berle doesn’t want to work as 
hard next semester. He’s alternat- 
Ling_ wi-thu Martha Raye and Bob 
| Hope in the Tuesday 8 to 9 slot 
this season, but even if he goes live 
again next year, he may cut down 
to as few' as 10 shows. But also 
hanging in the live vs. film bal- 
j ance is disposition of the entire 
8 to 9 segment, which in turn in- 
volves the future slotting of Miss 
Raye, Hope and several others. 

NBC is using its full persuasive 
powers in trying to convince Berle 
to remain live. 


‘Stand-By Broadway’ 

To Preem in Philly 

Philadelphia. Feb. 1. 

Mike Ellis, who currently does 
“Tonight in Philly” five times a 
week on WPTZ, has a new one 
coming up on the station. It’s a 
Sunday 6:45 to 7 show' called 
“Stand-By Broadway,” which starts 
Feb. 13. Sponsor is Tronrite. 

Show will highlight talent quests, 
using a panel of name judges. Win- 
ners will get professional auditions, 
at Bucks County Playhouse and 
elsewhere. 


Tenn. Solons Relieve 
Radio-TV Stations Of 
‘Defamatory’ Liability 

Memphis, Feb. 1. 

Tennessee’s State Senate passed 
a bill by a count of 27-3 at the 
Nashville state capital this week 
“relieving radio and television 
stations from liability for defama- 
tory statements” made during 
broadcasts by anyone other than 
persons connected with the sta- 
tions. The bill which was hypoed 
by broadcasters all over the state 
was engineered by the Tennessee 
Association of Broadcasters. The 
TAB also received the greenlight 
from the parent NARTB on the 
measure. 

The radio-tv bill was an after- 
math of the $2,000,000 law suits 
filed by Edward Lamb against Pat 
Sutton, defeated candidate for the 
U. S. Senate and WSM, WSM-TV 
and WLAC last year. 


Threat of a strike against NBC 
and ABC by the National Assn, oi 
Broadcast Engineers & Technicians 
dissolved this week when the net- 
works and the unions came to last- 
minute terms. NBC settled over 
the weekend, but ABC’s agreement 
didn’t come until the last minute, 
Monday night (31), the date of the 
expiration of the contract. Both 
three-year agreements are subject 
to ratification by the NABET mem- 
bership, with ratification probably 
lo take the form of a mail ballot. 

Final settlements represented 
compromises on both sides, with 
NABET finally dropping demands 
for a pension from ABC, one of Its 
major demands. Contracts call for 
a 10' o salary increase within the 
three years of the contract, with an 
8% increase to come in the 
first 18 months, a 2% hike In 
the second half. A key compro- 
mise on the part of the union was 
its relinquishment of jurisdiction 
over film production at both net- 
works, a move which will enable 
the webs to produce their own tv- 
films (see separate slory in TV 
Films Section). 

Re the pension fund negotia- 
tions, ABC pleaded hardship, 
claiming that if it granted NABET 
a pension, it would have to insti- 
tute a pension plan not only for 
ABC’s 2,500 personnel, but for 
the 35,000 at United Paramount 
Theatres in order to achieve the 
tax writeoff. Web estimated this 
would cost $50,000,000 to put into 
effect. Union countered by pro- 
posing a 6 f 'h trust arrangement 
similar to NBC’s pension plan, but 
couldn't sell the proposal. Martin 
Romanoff, NABET New York top- 
per, said a strike was averted only 
through the desire of NABET re- 
gional directors to avoid one it pos- 
sible. 

‘Watch Daly’ Cue 
To Ike TV Pickups 

ABC, which will carry half-hour 
television and radio 
President Eisenhower’s Wednesday 
press conferences, has set up a 
novel metjiod of notifying stations 
whether the press footage will be 
available that night. Web has no- 
tified stations that John Daly’s 7:15 
news show will he used as the net- 
work "closed-circuit” wherein Daly 
will cue them as to whether the 
netw-ork will air the half-hour 
wrapup. 

Web is planning t<* air the show 
Wednesdays at 10 on tv and 9:30 
on radio. Since there may be 
time* when the President either 
doesn’t hold the news conference 
or decides not to release its con- 
tents to television, the web has to 
face the problem of notifying sta- 
tions there will be no show, and 
notifying them in time. So the 
web has put out a special memo 
instructing stations to watch the 
Daly show. In the event there’s 
to be no television footage. this will 
be considered "sufficiently news- 
worthy” to be mentioned by Daly 
on the show, thus serving as the 
cue. In this case, there will be no 
network service for television at 
10 p.m. 


Set Chrysler Stars 

Johnnie Ray and nitery comic 
Larry Storch have been signed by 
CBS-TV as costars with Harry 
James and Betty Grable in “That’s 
Life" on Chrysler “Shower of 
Stars” Feb. 17. 

It’s adapted from the legit musi- 
cal that played Las Palmas Thea- 
tre here last year. 


KRON-TV’s Cutback 

San Francisco. Feb. 1. 

In a cutback of personnel and 
live programming. KRON-TV has 
dropped four engineers and foui 
members of the art department 
this week and also cut Marjorie 
Trumbull’s live show from 30 to 15 
minutes, dropped Bonnie Keever’s 
“Designs for Leisure” as a live pro- 
duction and let the Dick Lane trio, 
featured on the show, go. 

The engineers and art depart- 
ment men were not on the perma- 
nent payroll, although union 
spokesmen said that the net of the 
deal would be to give the station 
a smaller payroll than it bad prior 
to the successful contract negotia- 
tions of last fall. A similar situa- 
tion is reported brewing at KPIX. 


r — r 



Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


VARIETY 






At 9 :00 P.M. on December 18th a little toy soldier 
stepped in front of a TV camera. Ninety minutes later 
he walked off . . . and “Babes in Toyland” had 
become the number one-rated program.* 

A Max Liebman color Spectacular, “Toyland” was 
seen in over 14,500,000 homes with a rating of 50.5, 

Our toy soldier was joined in the Nielsen Top Ten by 
“Dateline” a Producers’ Showcase Spectacular. ~ 

Thus far this season Eleven Spectaculars have 
appeared on NBC. Here is the record. 

• Eight of the eleven won Nielsen Top Ten 

% 

rating honors. 

• Average rating — 40.3 

• An average of more than 11,400,000 homes 
reached by each Spectacular. 

In addition to “Babes In Toyland” and “Dateline” 
four other NBC programs were in the Top Ten, 
bringing the total to six for the latest Report. That’s 
twice as many as the second network. Such program 
leadership as this over the last fourteen weeks has 
enabled NBC evening shows to deliver an average of 

576,000 more homes than the next network. 

• 

All of which puts our advertisers a big step ahead, too. 



NBC PROGRAMS IN THE TOP TEN 

RATING 

HOMES REACHED 

Babes in Toyland 

50.5 

14,569,000 

Dragnet 

44.1 

12,824,000 

Buick-Berle Show 

42.0 

12,243,000 

Grouclio Marx — You Bet Your Life 

41.1 

12,063,000 

Martha Raye Show 

40.4 

11,655,000 

Producers'. Showcase (Dateline) 

40.3 

11,506,000 


Exciting things are happening on 



*Niel$en • econd December Report. All data verified by A. C. SieUen Co. 


I, 



34 


TELEVISION REVIEWS 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


SAN FRANCISCO TONIGHT 
With Bill McGraw, Barbara Mc- 
Ritchie. Glen Kerr, George El- 
liott, Otto Clare, the Ceruttl 
Combo (3), Phil Bovero's orch 
(9), Mel Torme, guest 
75 Mins. M-F, 10:45 p.m. 

Executive Producer: Bill McGraw j It’s regrettable that Red Buttons’ 
Producer-Director: Jim Baker ! new writers weren't disposed to 
Participating ! yok it up some more when the 

KGO-TV, San Francisco i comic's new format “pieemed” last 

Bv all odds the most ambitious ! Friday in the 8 to 8.30 Pontiac 


Tele Follow-Up Comment 




♦♦♦+»♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ ♦♦♦♦ 


live tv show in local history, this 
new nighttime Bill McGraw catch- 
all got underway with an open- 
ing performance that, despite 
creakiness, dull spots and a nerv- 
ous emcee, was outstanding for an 
electrifying guest shot by Mel 
Torme, some fine singing by Bar- 
bara McRitchie and a truly master- 
ful job of lighting directed by 
Milt Cooper. 

Whether or not running an hour 
and a quarter nightly can continue 
to come up with interesting gim- 
micks and interesting guests is 

{ >roblematical. At any rate there 
s no doubt that if it can do so, 
despite all the faults inherent in 
such a lengthy tv spectacle, it is 
going to provide more interesting 
fare to the nighttime viewe» than 
the streaky prints of old, bad 
films. 

- Emcee of the ..show, and the 
personality who ties it all together, 
is Bill McGraw who, with most of 
the current mob, formerly did an 
afternoon grab-bag on KGO-TV. 
As a nighttime host, he has all the 
ease and fluidity of Ed Sullivan. 
Understandably nervous in his 
opening show’, he nevertheless got 
completely hung at times, recited 
lines from memory and seemed 
unable to dispense with the word 
“bit’’ — at last count it was up to 
12. more than two per quarter- 
hour seg. Not only does McGraw 
do the commercials (and here he’s 
much more at home, giving with 
a powerful sell) but he essays oc- 
casional vocals singly and with 
Miss McRitchie. • Majority of his 
numbers were sung in squatting 
or sitting positions and this is al- 
ways awkward unless handled in- 
telligently. 

Miss McRitchie, who shares bill- 
ing with McGraw, is a very good 
gal singer and, blessed with the 
superb lighting and the excellent 
camera work on this show, looks like 
a million dollars and w as particular- 
ly effective on her solo of “April 
In Paris.” 

The Ceruttl combo, accordion, 
bass and guitar, is innocuous, cock- 
tail lounge style music spotted 
throughout the show and coming 
across well enough but marred 
somewhat by the forced comedy 
antics of bassist Glenn Krtr. The 
Bovero orchestra is a good, clean 
house band, but nothing is going 
to make a lively personality out 
of the leader and he might better 
be left in the background 

George Elliott, sax and vocals 
— wit1T"the~bana, got in s~few extra 
spots on the opening show but 
suffers from a sort of unfinished 
stage presence and an inability 
to hold attention while vocalizing. 
Voice is okay though. 

Highlight of the opening show 
was the appearance of Mel Torme 
who did two songs, accompanying 
himself on tlfe piano, and ended 
the show sitting on drums with 
the band. Torme’s sock rendering 
of “Goody Goody” and “Lullaby 
of Birdland” makes you wonder 
why he’s never had the kind of 
tv show where he just sits and 
plays and sings for 15 minutes. 
He came across like "Gangbusters.” 

Throughout the show, intelligent 
use was made of the superior fa- 
cilities of ABC’s new big Studio 
A with the camera panning from 
set to set, and occasionally Me 
Graw r walking with the mike from 
one through the curtains to an- 
other. 

By almost any standard, the 
show is a definite bright spot in 
local tv and should grab a majority 
of the late evening viewers. The 
lighting alone gives it class. But 
the load of emcee is too much 
for McGraw who drops into 
•trained casuality and the entire 
production would be greatly aided 
by the development of an assistant 
to him. Rafe. 


slot. For basically there’s nothing 
wrong with Buttons’ new situation 
comedy 'which at least has a point 
of view) that a half-dozen good 
guffaws won't automatically cure. 
That, coupled with the fact that 
they gotta plant a couple of 
“segues’’ into the script which will 
permit the comic to go into his 
now standard buffooneries, W’hich 
were missing last Friday. 

Otherwise the Buttons show’ has 
some refreshing aspects in which 
he plays himself — a tv comic — with 
some understandable intra-trade 
kidding-efn-the-square barbs (even 
the guy who played a Coast net- 
work program veepee, if you didn’t 
ook too close, suggested a kinnie 
version of Fred Wile, who’s the 
lollywood mccoy counterpart). 

Buttons has surrounded himself 
with some pleasant people, notably 
in Bobby Sherwood, who’s as good 
a foil as they come; Phyllis Kirk as 
his wife and Paul Lynde as the 
Fred Wile viz a viz. Bill Davenport 
and Johnny Green <ex-“Ozzie & 
Harriet,” Danny Thomas, et al.) 
are the show’s new writers (signed 
by the comedian to a lifetime con- 
tract, says the network), and, save 
for the aforementioned lack of 
some hearty laughs, the aura of pro 
writing is evident. Rose. 


WWRL All-Night Foreign 
Language Deejay Show 

In going all-night WWRL, the 
specialized market radio indie in 
N. Y., is presenting what may be 
the first allnight foreign language 
deejay show in the met area. On 
Monday (7', the station will start a 
six-night a week, midnight to six 
ayem “Spanish Night Patrol,” show 
being a request session. 

Allnighter will up to 83 hours 
weekly the total of Latino carried 
on the station. Edith Dick, station 
boss, has so far inked old station 
hand Rafael Diaz as one half of the 
gab combo which'll handle the 
•tanza. 


which he made his tele thesping 
debut on CBS-TV's "General Elec- 
tric Theatre” Sunday '30). was a 
plodding drama of a small town 
boy on his way to a singing career 
in New York. It missed in all de- 
partments. 

Although the stanza did nothing 
for Ray’s thesping career, it may 
help push his current Columbia 
disk release, "Paths of Paradise,” 
into the big money bracket. Tune, 
which was penned by Ray, got a 
solid showcasing during the 30- 
minuter and could bring lots of 
viewers into the record shops for 
copies. It’s a sensational, emotional 
ballad right up Ray’s piping alley. 

Tune is used as audition copy to 
launch Ray’s career in the big city. 
Once he gets there, however, the 
agency people want him to change 
his singing style and his name. He’s 
willing to go along with them in 
the crooning department but he 
bolts on the monicker switch. He’s 
been Johnny Pulaski all along and 
no career is worth a change to 
Johnny Harvard — so he goes home 
to his father and his girl. 

Nancy Gates was properly sac- 
charine as the hometown gal and 
Stephen Geray was okay as the 
father. Other cast members were 
competent. Mel Goldberg scripted. 

Gros. 


The “Hamlet” that was or might 
have been, contrasted with to- 
day’s Melancholy Dane interpreta- 
tion. comprised the meaty portion 
of Sunday’s edition of "Omnibus.” 

A vislual dissertation on fencing 
and a technical exposition on the 
development of aviation provided 
the trimmings. It was the com- 
mentary of Walter Kerr, the N. Y. 

Herald Tribune drama critic, and 
the playing of the Canadian Play- 
ers, an itinerant repertory group, 
that made for worthwhile viewing. 

The “Hamlet” sequences w’ere 
valuable from a number of view- 
points. among them the “discov- 
ery” of Kerr as a candidate for the 
television ranks and the unveiling 
of Douglas Campbell, w’ho plaved 
the contrasting Hamlets, as an ac- 
tor of the first rank who should 
catch fire by virtue of this expo- 
sure. Although his theme, the 
modern-day changes in the stag- 
ing and interpretation of the play, 
wasn't the strongest of arguments 
nor the most provoking of com- 
mentaries, it revealed Kerr as an 
articulate and telegenic gentleman 
of letters who no doubt will be 
in greater demand among tele- 
visio»^producers a liar his Suir#ny*f-^- -*“ 
outing. 

Even more effective was Camp- 
bell in his dual interpretations; on 
the one hand the moody, hesitant 
soul-tortured man of thought 
rather than action as in the 20th 
Century interpretation, and on the 
other, the virile, hell-bent-for-re- 
venge man of action of what Kerr 
indicated might have been the 
Elizabethan Hamlet, unfettered by 
what he termed “Chekovitis” and 
the Freud-inspired mother-incest 
angle, for example. Campbell was 
socko throughout, rendering both 
parts colorfully and articulately. 

No less a factor in the success- 
ful “experiment” was the staging 
of Eliott Silverstein and the di- 
rection of Seymour Robbie. Kerr 
worked on an open stage, with the 
settings blacked out behind him 
until the scene was ready to be 
played. Scenes were highly ef- 
fective, and the final duel scene, 
played for its broad melodramatic 
and action values, was a real 
humdinger. 

Fencing segment, which opened 
the show, featured members of the 
U. S. Olympic Team, with an ex- 
planation of the art and its history 
detailed by captain Jose R. de 
Capriles. Visually, it was an ex- 
cellent study, with Tad Danielew- 
ski’s camera direction catching the 
fine points of the action flawlessly 
de Caprile’s excellent 
tion, written by James , Bleach, 
kept the segment an above-par one 
for this type of fare. Other seg- 
ment was Maj. Arthur Murray, 
who set the world altitude record, 
first explaining the technical de- 
velopments in aviation (with an 
assist from the British animation 
team of Halas & Batchelor with 
excellent animated visualizations) 
and then describing what it feels 
like to break the sound barrier 
and to fly at 85.000 feet. Some- 
what overlong and overinvolved, 
with the recordholder’s personal 
reactions the most interesting 
part. 

Chan. 


“Climax,” which up to now has 
concentrated on straight mystery 
and suspense stories, turned its 
attention to the “adult” western 
last Thursday (27) with “The 
Mojave Kid,” a pseudo-psychologi- 
cal story of a sheriff who loses his 
nerve and lets a gunman take over 
the town. In spite of the psycho- 
logical overtones, the play was more 
plot than character study, and the 
plot was right out of the Class B 
western category. Only unusual 
facet of the show’ was the unusually 
facile and fast gunplay, which got 
a credit line at the close, to wit: 
“coached by Fred Carson.” 

Otherwise, it was pretty much 
on the trite side. Ward Bond, the 
sheriff, loses his nerve when chal- 
lenged to a draw by John Lupton, 
the Mojave Kid, and Lupton then 
takes over the town, waiting for 
Bond to show himself. Sheriff 
loses face with everyone except 
Ricardo Montalban, a vagrant 
whom Bond’s helped out. Montal- 
ban is taught to draw and shoot, 
rises to the occasion qnd runs the 
Kid out of town, but not before 
Bond has shown that he’s regained 
his nerve. 

Story line couldn’t elicit much 
more than posturing from the 


cast, Bond looking pretty much 
agonized as the sheriff, Montalban 
determined as the vagrant, Lup- 
ton properly villainous as the 
heavy. Barbara Ruick, as the 
sheriff’s daughter, the most im- 
probable character of all, did a 
fairly convincing job of delineat- 
ing her shifting moods. Remain- 
der of the cast, Richard Reeves, 
Gale Robbins and others, were 
competent. 

William H. Brown Jr.’s direction 
kept the story by Louis L’Amour 
(adapted by Gil Doud) moving 
pretty quickly, but it was strictly 
a throwaway so far as dramatic im- 
pact went. 

Topper was the fact that this 
was probably the only hoss opera 
ever staged without a horse. 

Chan. 



Johnnie Ray should get an 
artists & repertoire man to pick 
out his scripts. “The Big Shot,” In 


NINE DAYS WONDER * 

With Frank Owen, Michael Good- 
life, Ella Slack, James Ottaway, 
Austin Trevor, Arthur Ridley, 
Paul Whitsun - Jones, Frank 
Pemberton, Jack Howarth. 
Producer-Director- Writer: Michael 
Mills 

30 Mins.; Mon. 8:45 p.m. 

BBC-TV, from London. 

This new BBC-TV series played 
live from the studios in London 
and beamed throughout the coun- 
trywide state web, is introduced by 
Frank Owen, a noted local news- 
paperman. Object of the feature 
is to present some of the odd 
things that have happened in the 
past and then to probe the myster- 
ies. 

Owen’s robust personality proved 
ideally suited for the introductory 
chore and also as the connecting 
link between the three items 
portrayed in the initial show. The 
first oddity was from World War I 
in which a bullet fired from a Ger- 
man rifle ended “up the spout” of 
a British rifle about to be fired by 
a Tommy. As the prospects of this 
happening were estimated to be in 
the region of 1.000.000 to one this 
explana-fptece conveniontly led into the 
second feature, a boy mental-wiz- 
ard who could do abnormal mental 
calculations but was unable to do 
the simplest arithmetic on paper. 
And, finally, there was a third 
feature of a man in the 18th cen- 
tury who could see beyond the 
horizon and determine the arrival 
of ships several days before they 
were spotted by lookout men. This 
man was billed “the human radar.” 

Success of the series will obvi- 
ously depend on the interest con- 
tent of future programs, on the 
basis of the first, it has bright pro- 
spects for a healthy future. In the 
issue reviewed, principal roles were 
competently enacted by Michael 
Goodlifc, Ella Slack. James Otta- 
way, Austin Trevor. Arthur Ridley, 
Paul Whitsun- Jones, Frank Pem- 
berton, Jack Howarth. Myro. 


“Camera Three” on WCBS-TV, 
N. Y., has a rep as a master educa- 
tional stanza that’s ready to ex- 
plore anything. Last Sunday (30) 
the pubserv program, done by the 
State Education Dept., featured an 
original ballet story (choreography 
by John Butler) of the Davey 
Crockett legend. It was the finale 
to a series on “Frontier Ballad.” 

In trying to be imaginative, the 
stanza exceeded its limits; the 
show’ was more interesting than 
educational, although occasional 
comments between terp scenes by 
host James Macandrew supplied 
some history. The nature of the 
experiment was exciting but the 
result was often a failure. 

Butler choreoed. to guitar-song- 
and-whistle accompaniment, sever- 
al scenes lacking in continuity, but | 
perhaps this was due to the time 
limits of a half-hour show’. They 
were unevenly conceived too. The 
first depiction done by Butler’s 
own dancers was on the birth of 
Crockett, and. hoping to be true 
to the nature of the legend, he did 
a session in which the hero ended 
up by spanking his parents (to 
show’ his phenomenal strength). In 
reality, there was mugging and 
cute motions but no dance. Then 
after unimpressively twirling a 
femme to the tune of “Hey, Black- 
Eyed Susan.” Crockett, danced by 
a strutting Glen Tetley, met w’ith 
another man almost as big and 
tough (according to the legend and 
the musical narration) as he. But- 
ler didn’t make any demands on 
gracefulness but composed a dance 
in which the two men squared off 
against each other like awkward 
four-footed animals. This «!• 
slightly better than other scenes. 
A song by Ed McCurdy at the same 
time consisted solely of animal- 
like shouts. 

|— -Butler -fared better later-on-in 
a boy-girl dance to a folk love 
tune, but this was really a devia- 
tion from the Crockett story. It 
seemed that Butler felt more at 
home with symbolic touches than 
with a literal story telling. Art. 


Satire Is a rough production job 
anywhere and video is no excep- 
tion. Wise, crisp scripting by Van- 
couver columnist Eric Nichol saved 
Canadian Broadcasting Corp.’s 
presentation of “Antiquity — 1954 
or The Big Dig” from being a weak 
spot in the CBS “Scope” series 
(Sun., 11:15 p.m.). Norman Camp- 
bell produced the satire on ex- 
plorers of the year 6155 AD dig- 
ging deep Into Canadian soil and 
finding relics of the 1954 city of 
Toronto. They dug so deep, said 
the script, that 1954 “is about as 
low as you can get!” However, 
with the assistance of a 1954 
femme who had slept those thou- 
sands of years, the show sort of 
proved 1954 wasn’t such a bad 
time to have lived, main argument 
being that women completely dom- 
inated the 6155 world, their dom- 
ination beginning with the Flat 
Look which progressed to the point 
where they showed no signs of 
femininity, even sprouted whisk- 
ers. Campbell had to battle space 
restrictions and his sequence on 
the exhibit of 1954 customs and 
people, done in ballet, was over- 
long. Stanza was strong enough to 
fill the time capably and keep the 
"Scoop” series on top. 


McCutcheon Exits WPTZ 

Philadelphia, Feb. 1. 

Dick McCutcheon, news director 
at WPTZ, has resigned In a sur- 
prise move. Producer of the high- 
ly regarded “Telerama,” McCut- 
cheon's crusading tactics have kept 
him In the forefront of local tv 
newsmen since coming to the sta 
tion a year ago. 

Although there was no official 
comment, talk around the station 
was that there had been friction 
over the allotment of top newscasts 
to another commentator. 


SPLATTER PARTY 
With Tom Pjckerinr, guests 
Producer: Qrover J. Alien 
Director: Doug Gabrielle 
60 Mins.; Sat., 11:30 p.m. 

POLK BROS. 

WBKB, Chicago 

There’s the nub of a good, out- 
of-the-rut teevee idea in this off- 
beat deejay variation remoted 
from the Town Club swimming 
pool in the Sheraton Hotel. Also 

there’s the guess that the dialers 
still dawdling around at 11:30 at 
night are pretty easily entertained 
birds. However, the party watched 
(22), while long on novelty with a 
few flashes of fun, lacked that 
overall spark that wins friends and 
influences viewers for keeps. 

Most of the flaw’s can be reme- 
died, especially when host Tom 
Pickering becomes more sure of 
himself, weeds out those cliches 
and shines up his patter. His task 
too will be easier when producer 
Grover J. Allen gets the format 
shaken down. The routining went 
awry this outing with too much 
programmed for the hour with 
time out for those marathon Polk 
Bros.’ spiels by Bill Hamilton. 

It all added up to a little bit of 
everything and not much of any- 
thing. Best of the lot was a pickup 
of a handball game from the Club 
court and a relay sw’im featuring 
a cute tribe of sub-teens. Okay 
too, but hurried was a quickie Red 
Cross demonstration on water 
safety and an amateur water bal- 
let. Lolita Lynn, state of Arizona’s 
Chi tubthumper, w’as on hand with 
two sunshine state fashion dis- 
plays. One was plenty. Name 
guest was pic starlet Cleo Moore 
Whose entertainment values were 
more visual than vocal. She’s the 
same lass whose last visit to the 
Chi ABC-TV station touched off a 
blast of righteous indignation by 
the brass that caused the firing of 
gabber Jack Eigen when they tried 
to set a new video smooch record. 
Pickering and Miss Moore kept the 
table between them. 

In between the turntables were 
given an occasional whirl and the 
“studio” guests provided the visual 
background splashing around In 
the pool. If nothing else. It’s 
“clean” fun and could well become 
real fun for once Allen and cohorts 
figure out just where they’re go- 
ing. Dave. 


BOWLIN’ WITH MOLEN 
With Sam Molen 
Producer: Ken Greenwood 
Director: Joe Adams 
Saturdays, 5-6 p.m. 

SCHOLZMAN MOTOR CO. 
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, Mo. 

What probably is the most ex- 
tensive coverage of bowling by 
television is this hour session on 
Sati$aday- * afternoons by C w m 
Molen, sports director of KMBC- 
TV and KMBC. It began months 
ago as a half-hour evening show, 
then moved to Saturday and then 
extended time a few months back. 

It has been steadily gaining in 
popularity ever since. 

Cameras are set up in the Plaza 
Bowl, one of the town’s leading 
maple pin centers. There ara 
gathered a delegation of bowlers 
who qualified the preceding week. 
They compete for a long list of 
prizes which Molen has lined up, 
ranging in values upwards to a new 
Ford car. An elimination process 
sifts the gang of keglers down to a 
few finalists, and Molen covers 
these closely in the runoff for the 
prizes. 

In addition he embellishes the 
hour with a session of younger 
bowlers, and the femmes, too, have 
their inning. Growing interest is 
seen from fact that bowlers from 
outlying towns, St. Joseph, Topeka 
and Emporia, now seek to qualify 
every week. 

Show is sold in quarter-hour 
segments, Scholzman Motors (Ford 
dealer) presently being t on a 15- 
minutes. At various times Molen 
has had all segments sold. Curi- 
ously, the show has bigger inv- 
est in the. summer, the usual off 
season, than it does in the winter. 

Standard commercial segments 
are devoted to the sponsor with a 
pressurized type of delivery by 
Molen himself. 

Channel 9 now has an impor- 
tant hour-long show every Saturday 
afternoon out of what began as lit- 
tle more than routine coverage of 
another sport. Molen has the 
bowling world here tuned in on 
this one for sure. Quin. 


MEEKER BUYS KCOH 

Houston, Feb. 1. 

Robert C. Meeker, former man- 
ager for KCOH, has purchased the 
outlet for a reported sum of $86,- 
500. 

William A. Smith was former 
prez of the Call of Houston, Inc., 
operators of the outlet. 


Wc«lne»<lay, February 2, 1955 


TKLKVIS10.\ IIKY1EWS 


35 


Sullivan’s Toast’ to Radio 

Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” took a swing down memory 
lane on Sunday (30) in an hour-long salute to radio on the occasion 
ot its 35th anniversary. The stanza was jampacked with person- 
alities — those of a bygone day and some still carrying the AM 
torch. As a bit of nostalgia, it had some memorable moments, 
si>otlighting the comedians, the singers, the announcers, the com- 
mentators who made the bigtime in network radio and recalling 
some of the highlights spanning a three-decade period in the 
sound-only medium. 

To the veterair recalling the days when Rudy Vallee was topdog 
in the Crossley rating sweepstakes; when Milton Cross was the 
commercial spieler on the A&P Gypsies, when Rubinoff’s violin was 
as universally known as Liberace’s piano is todav and when Jane 
Pickens was still singing with sisters Patty and Helen (reunited 
for this occasion after 18 years i, the “Toast” salute packed the de- 
sired wallop. But Sullivan’s stanza made no further pretensions. 
It had no point of view and no particular sense of direction — save 
to go backward — and it’s regrettable that somewhere along the 
line “Toast” couldn’t have dedicated itself to a forward look in 
constructing a format that would champion the radio of tomorrow, 
or even today. In this respect, there were too many “In Memorium” 
undertones and not enough “let’s bring it back” overtones. 

Sullivan spotlighted a representative group — 16 heroines of the 
daytime soaps in a “Happy Birthday” salute; Rudy Vallee and his 
inevitable “Your Time Is My Time,” “Vagabond Lover” and “Stein 
Song”; some standup reminiscing by Jack Benny (“The year 1920 
was a bad one for comedians; that’s the year George Gobel was 
born”), with George Burns on for a brief ie; a Norman Brokenshire- 
David Ross-Milton Cross-H. V. Kaltenborn roundtable recollection 
ct fluffs and memorable occasions; Harry Von Zell from the Coast; 
Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy reminiscing on 17 years of 
radio; Paul Whiteman fronting the band and with Vincent Lopez at 
the piano (“Pops” reprising of “Day Is Done” as featured 25 years 
ago at the N. Y. Palais Royale was one of the show ’s best bits ) ; 
Eve Arden reprising one of her “Miss Brooks” radio broadcasts; 
appearance by Ed Murrow (with some of his “Hear It Now” down- 
through-the-years playbacks) and finally the presentation of a ra- 
dio-tv execs scroll to Sullivan by Roger Pryor. 

Introduced from the audience (both N. Y. and L AD were a 
patade of personalities representing a who's who in radio: Hal 
Peary, George Givot, John Gambling, Bob Burns, Jean Hersholt; 
Ken Murray, Ed Wynn, Art Linkletter, Ed & Pegeen Fitzgerald, 
RubinofT, Jimmy Wallington; Don McNeill, J. Carrol Naish, radio- 
tv critic Ben Gross (whose “I Looked and I Listened” tome in- 
spired the Sullivan salute), etc. 

And Adrian Murphy, the CBS Radio prexy, who, like his net- 
work, is slightly more concerned about the radio of tomorrow’. 

Ruse. 


FORD THEATRE PLAYBILL 
(Mr. Finchley vs The Bomb) 

With John Drainie, Kate Reid, Aus- 
tin Willis, William Shatner, 

Richard Gilbert, Bob SherrifT, 

Murray Westgate, others 
Producer: Murray Chercover 
Writer: Rod Serling 
Host-Narrator: Mavor Moore 
30 Mins., Wed., 9 p.m. 

FORD MOTORS (CANADA) LTD. 
CBC-TV, from Toronto 

(Cock field, Brown) 

Though they’ve had a three- 
months’ strike on their hands at 
their three Canadian plants, with 
obvious dropoff in Spring sales on 
non-production models in this 
country, Ford Motors of Canada 
Ltd. has switched over from its 
radio play series of past four sea- 
sons to tv, with new Wednesday 
night 30-minute play program go- 
ing across Canada to a 19-stations 
hookup for a 32-weeks’ tenure. 

Apart from this economic prob- 
lem and the company’s decision 
to still keep the brand name of 
makes — Meteor, Lincoln, Mercury 
— before the Canadian public, “Mr. 
Finchley vs The Bomb” is a fast- 
moving comedy-drama, with plenty 
of production values, dealing with 
an adamant old desert rat who 
refuses to move out of his shack 
and sandy acreage even though 
this is in the middle of a test 
site that has been selected for 
the exploding of a new type of 
aerial bomb. 

With scenes alternating between 
Dead Man’s Flat and the city 
room of a New’ York daily. Rod 
Selling’s “Finchley” has plenty of 
suspense packed into its 30 mins., 
with the crusty old squatter, armed 
with squirrel gun. defying the 
Army to put him off the porch of 
the home he established many 
years before, this despite the pres- 
ence of Army tanks and the plead- 
ings of the area general and the 
ultimate threat of the 30-mins. 
deadline when the military will 
leave him to be blown into obliv- 
ion. Though the land in a 100- 
mile radius has been expropriated 
by the Federal government, w’ith 
all leases cancelled, the old boy 
demands his pioneering, territorial 
rights where “I built this house.” 

Apart from the comedy values 
of crusty characterization, as con- 
trasted with the grim but human 
instincts of the Army general to 
take the old man forcibly from 
the danger zone, plus the tense 
city room scenes on what has 
turned out to he a great human 
interest story versus the progress 
of war-making procedure, “Finch- 
ley” is also profoundly moving in 
the democratic acceptance of per- 
sonal property rights. 

John Drainie plays the part of 
the squatter-curmudgeon as any 
competent actor could in bearded 
makeup, with those lines and such 
a surefire situation; Kate Reid is 
excellent as the big-city girl re- 


STl'DS TERKEL’S BRIEFCASE 
With Burr Tillstroin, W’arren 
Brown, guests 

Producers: Charles Carnegie, Ter- 
kel 

Director: Dan Schuffman 
30 Mins.; Sun., 11 p.m. 

LEADER CLEANERS 
WBKB, Chicago 

After a too-long layoff since the 
demise of “Studs’ Place,” Studs 
Terkel is back regularly on teevee 
with this informal, easygoing half- 
hour that’s something of a lineal 
descendant of those earlier inti- 
mate projects that bore the “Chi- 
cago school” tag. As such, this 
entry is one of the most refresh- 
ing bundles to come down the 
video pike in a long spell and 
should have no trouble snagging a 
follow ing despite its late Sunday y 
eve slotting. U 

l’ II h 


STAGE 7 

(‘The Deceiving Eye’) 

With Frank Love joy, Ann Robin- 
son, Jean Howell, Russ Conway, 

Hugh Sanders 
Producer: Warren Lewis 
Director: Alvin Ganzer 
Writers: De Witt Bodeen, Norman 

Retchin, Ganzer 
30 Mins.; Sun., 9:30 p.m. 
BRISTOL-MYERS 
CBS-TV, from Hollywood (on film) 
(Young & Rubicam ) 

“Stage 7,” a replacement for 
“Your Favorite Playhouse” in the 
same CBS-TV spot under the same 
pharmaceutical banner, was 
launched Sunday night ( 30 > with a 
routine Hollywood-filmed mystery 
meller. The script was an assorted 
collection of whodunit chestnuts 
while the performances were 
marked by a perfunctory character 
not calculated to promote either 
credibility or suspense. Total im- 
pact was that of a grade B Holly- 
wood pic of the 1930s. 

Climax of half-hour ‘drama had 
all the suspects in a murder case 
assembled in the D.A.’s offiee 
where the strained logic of the; 
evidence finally entraps the guilty 
party. The buildup to this windup 
w as in the same predictable groove. 
The yarn revolved around a college 
criminologist who gets hooked on 
a murder rap after poking as a 
vagrant in order to do some re- 
search. Fact that his gun was used 
in the killing and that he w«as seen 
on the scene of the crime made it 
look bad lor him until he discov- 
ered the vital clue which implicat- 
ed his landlady. The meller's cen- 
tral theme thae eye witness ac- 
counts are usually deceiving was 
completely contradicted by the plot 
since the denouement hinged pre- 
cisely on the murderess’ perfect 
vision and nfemory. This, however, 
was a minor flaw in an overall lack- 
lustre production. 

Only Frank Love joy, as the 
criminologost, played w’ith some 
skill. Rest of the cast walked 
through their improbable roles 
without conviction. The settings, 
editing and camera work were okay 
but could not compensate for the 
inferior script. 

Plugs for Mum, Ipana^ootb paste 
and Sal Hepatica were slugged 
over with quasi-scientific pitches. 
Mum. it says here, now’ contains a 
new ingredient, M-3, while Ipana 
claims that no other pas»e ca t 
clean more effectively, a plug 
which, under examination, says 
little. Herm. 


Essentially a deejay^orRat TvifOi 
a different twist, unadorned layout 
has Terkel spinning both jazz and 
longhair disks, backgrounded by 
his anecdotal familiarity with both 
fields. Then there are guests, ob- 
viously invited because they have 
something to say rather than 
something to sell. On board on 
chapter watched (23) were the Chi- 
cago American’s Warren Brown, 
since (he death of Grantland Rice 
correctly dubbed the dean of 
American sports writers, and Mad- 
ame Ophelia Ooglepuss of the 
“Kukla, Fran & Ollie” clan accom- 
panied by Burr Tillstrom. It was 
a meaty parlay with Brown chin- 
ning about the early days of Jack 
Dempsey’s career and Madame 
Ooglepuss giving Studs the 
lowdown on opera singers. Latter 
was an amusing bit in Tillstrom’s 
best tongue-in-cheek style. 

Also in the longhair vein was 
Terkel’s “poolhall” version of Car- 
men as seen through the eyes of 
Longshot Sylvester. Runyonesque 
narration of the operatic classic is 
a small classic itself. Jazz fans 
came in for a slice of Muggsy 
Spanier. 

Client’s simple, yet effective in- 
stitutional blurbs, were given a 
sincere sell by the host. Dave. 


porter who solves the problem 
with understanding feminine in- 
tuition; and Austin Willis, an un- 
canny double for Robert Taylor 
of films, is outstanding as the 
Army general in his pleading exas- 
peration. 

Whole opus is taught on tension, 
from bomb test to city room 
scenes, with plenty of credit to 
Rod Serling. writer; and the hefty 
direction of Murray Chercover. 
Commercials between both acts 
are commendably tight, plus re- 
laxed delivery of Mavor Moore, 
the host-announcer. If the dramat- 
ic and comedy calibre is main- 
tained, Ford Motors should have 
no difficulty in maintaining its tv 
audience across Canada, despite 
the present plant stoppage of new 
car models. McStay. 


THREE TO MAKE READY 
Producer - Director: Nat Campus 

(Cartfpus Film Productions) 

30 Mins., Sat. (29), 2 p.m. 
WRCA-TV, New York (film) 

To launch the $500,000 New’ 
York drive of the Institute for the 
Crippled and Disabled, WRCA-TV 
slotted "Three To Make Ready”, 
out of Campus Film Productions,” 
.to lure coin from viewers in the 
metrppOlitan area. '^Well-m’Scle 
case history of three persons 
struck down by various ailments 
* polio, cerebral palsy, etc.) had its 
upbeat factor in detailed demon- 
stration of the rehabilitation proc- 
ess, whether of children or adults, 
and without touching moments in 
the mental struggles of the af- 
flicted before they have been in- 
spired by words and medicine to 
face the battle. 

Overall theme shows evolution 
from incapacity to productivity, 
giving subjects new hope for ac- 
tive life and livelihood. There was 
good covering narrative as well. 
Typical public service stanza^and 
with dignified pitch for funds. 

Trait. 


CONVERSATION WITH EDWARD 

STEICHEN 
With Wayne Miller 
Producer-pxec-director: Henry 

Salomon 

Director-editor: Lsaac Kleinerman 
30 Mins., Sun. (30) 5:30 p.m. 
NBC-TV, from N. Y. (film) 

NBC-TV’s series of filmed con- 
versations with “eld^r wise men” 
brought Edward Steichen, dean of 
American photographers, to the 
tv screen Sunday (30). for what 
proved to be an ennobling experi- 
ence. Half-hour started slowly, 
awkwardly, but built quietly, sure- 
ly .to a walloping close, to hold 
one spellbound. 

It was an impressive study of a 
great mind and a great American. 
Young-looking at 75. serious of 
mien, halting and jerky of speech. 
Steichen was however alert of 
mind, lofty of thought and elo- 
quent of phrase. Talking informal- 
ly, colloquially, gesticulating fre- 
quently or nipping his nose, he 
discussed himself and his work 
impersonally but honestly, with 
qUiet pride. His early painting 
years in Paris, his war experiences 
with the camera, his stint with 
! the onetime mag, Vanity Fair, pho- 
tographing such greats as Charles 
Chaplin, were woven fascinatingly 
into what was essentially a mono- 
log. (Wayne Miller, his young 
friend and fellow-photographer, 
was a clever interrogator, asking 
just a few, pointed questions and 
simply letting Steichen talk). 

What made this an exalted half- 
hour, however, was Steichen’s re- 
action to his war experiences (he 
photographed three*, and his 
plainly-expressed optimism and 
faith in love and mankind. A 
rugged American pioneer like Carl 
Sandburg (incidentally, his brother- 
in-law), he looked the part of a 
man groping for perfection, for 
peace, while fighting bigotry, hate 
and fear. When Steichen came to 
the time that war halted his cam- 
era experimenting, he paused for 
moments as his mind mulled over 
the ugliness and waste of war, 
before he would discuss it. These 
silences, so wfell caught by the 
tv camera, were eloquent. 

Steichen referred to the unique 
weapon that a camera was m pho- 
tographing a war. But when he 
was asked whether he was satis- 
fied with such work, he rushed 
over to Miller, slapped him on 
the thighs like a worried parent, 
and remarked: “Photographing 
this horrible monstrosity we call 
war, this butcher shqp; how can 
an artist be satisfied with this?” 
Then he added, as slow after- 
thought. “I don’t know what satis- 
fied is.” 

As director of photography for 
the Museum of Modern Art, N. Y., 
Steichen is responsible for an ex- 
hibition now running, titled 
“Family of Man.” H^dLcijssed it 
at length, pointing To uie need 
for a greater accent on the sweet, 
simple things of life. “The danger 
of our misunderstanding the mean- 
ing of life is more dangerous than 
the A-bomb,” he said. Bron. 


GO 

With Edward R. Wallace, narrator; 
Mayor Anthony J. Celebrezze, 
Curtis Lee Smith, Albert S. 
Porter , / 

Producer-Writer: E. R. Wallace 
Director: Charles Dargan 
30 Mins.; Sat. 6 p.m. 

WNBK, Cleveland 

This is a provocative series of 
ailments dealing with Greater 
Cleveland’s traffic problems. Pur- 
pose is to present to community a 
film report of the complexities 
dealing with a metropolitan area’s 
arterial traffic headaches and, at 
the same time, through narration 
and interview put experts on the 
spot in eliciting possible cures. 

In the opening stanza (15) Ed 
Wallace offered film-clip high- 
lights of traffic problems to be 
probed in fuller detail in weeks 
to come. For studio interviewees 
he presented Cleveland’s Mayor 
Anthony J. Celebrezze; Chamber 
of Commerce Prexy Curtis Lee 
Smith, and County Engineer Al- 
bert S. Porter. Their kickoff re- 
marks presaged 13 weeks of com- 
munity enlightment through a 
highly documented traffic series. 

As narrator, along with having 
planned the stints, Wallace keeps 
program moving, ably assisted by 
efficient camera-and-film-handling. 

Mark. 


PLAY NATCO 

With Jimmy Valentine, Ruth Targ 
Producer: Ken Barry 
Director: Earl Nlemi 
90 Mins.: Sun., 1:30 p.m. 
KSTP-TV, Minneapolis 

Involving a comparatively small 
production cost and apparently 
grabbed eagerly by sponsors be- 
cause of its direct and indirect ac- 
complishments as an inexpensive 
sales medium, tv bingo under vari-' 
ous names and forms^has caught 
on like glue and spread like wild- 
fire in this video area. 

WTCN-TV started the vogue and 
the show proved such an instan- 
taneous success and attracted so 
much attention for its sponsors 
that KSTP-TV and WMIN-TV loSt 
no time in launching similar pro- 
grams for which ^hey found bank- 
rollers waiting, eager and willing. 
Each station has its own different 
show name — WTCN's is “Marko”: 
KSTP - TV’s, “NATCO,” and 
WMIN’s. tv bingo. There also are 
slight differences in the manner 
o? calling the numbers, filling 
cards and handling winners’ phone 
calls. But each is on the air at a 
different time so that bingo addicts 
can-play on all three stations. Un- 
doubtedly biz is being hurt for 
legalized bingo games in the flesh. 

Video players pick up their 
cards at grocery and food stores 
handling the advertised items or 
sponsoring the show — a lure to 
bring them into the establish- 
ments. Manufacturers of the ad- 
vertised food item foot all or part 
of the television cost. The appeal, 
of course, is the gambling angle. 

' whatever fun results from playing 
! the game of chance for free and 
the opportunity to win valuable 
prizes w ithout risking any loss. It’s 
all within the law. 

This KSTP version is well ban- 
idled by one of the station’s ace 


VARIETY 

With Perry Como, Herb Shriner, 
Buddy Hackett, Kitty Kallen,* 
Pat Carroll, Bill Hayes, Jack 
Russell, Danny Scholl, Clair* 
Chatwin, Ray Charles Singers, 
Charles Sanford orch, others 
ProducerDirector: Max Liebman 
Writers: Billy Friedberg, Neal 
Simon, Will Glickman, Al 
Schwartz, Fred Saidy 
Choreographer: Rod Alexander 
90 Mins., Sun., 7:30 p.m. 
SUNBEAM, HAZEL BISHOP 
NBC-TV. from N. Y. (color) 

( Perrin Paus; Raymond Spcctor) 

Max Liebman ’s "Variety” 
specula last Sunday <30* was of 
a pattern that for most of the way 
displayed the entrepreneur of the 
90-minute weekend showcasers at 
the top of his “Show of Shows” 
form. With no apparent try at 
bringing in any segment with a 
whammo whip, this was a Liebman 
in a mood for pitching smooth and 
extremely pleasant entertainment, 
based on finely integrated com- 
ponents and some very bright sec- 
tions that led up to the half-hour 
“Pinafore”-in-jazz finale. No. 1 in 
the good news department was tho 
teledebut of Buddy Hackett, the 
amply proportioned comic who's 
been scoring in Sidney Kingsley’s 
“Lunatics & Lovers” legiter. Hack- 
ett has a catching style amid his 
capers and shenanigans and is a 
visual wallop. He fronted a pair 
of efforts, both with Pat Carroll, 
who dovetails with him beauti- 
fully; first in a free-wheeling, semi- 
whimsical subway conductor role 
that set pff his way with a line and 
situation, and later in the fray as 
the irate husband to Miss Carroll’s 
ditto wife meeting at a lawyer 
friend’s office to work themselves 
into a divorce lather. Liebman has 
himself a click team for later use 
in the color specs. , 

Click No. 2 was no particular sur- 
prise in Perry Como; not merely a 
singing Como, the perennial pleas- 
er, but a Chesterfield man set 
shrewdly into a thin but service- 
able story line on a level that fit 
him like a mitten. It was a re- 
hearsal as the jumping off point 
for songs and dialog, meantime 
serving him well for production 
tunes with the Ray Charles Singers 
(plus the choreos devised here and 
elsewhere by Liebman mainstay 
Rod Alexander) and solo efforts 
that embraced “Papa Loves Mam- 
bo.” “You’ll Always Be My Life- 
time Sweetheart” and an especially 
lively “Kokomo.” Interlarded un- 
der a neat story device that got 

Como offstage via a phone conver- 
sation was Kitty Kal&n's best- 

seller “Little Things Mean a Lot.” 
For the windup of his stint (which, 
incidentally received the same type 
of careful writing and staging, in- 
cluding insertion of cute Beverly 
Lunsford and two other kids pos- 
ing as his offspring, that was a big 
scorer for Frank Sinatra in his 

initial appearance under the Lieb- 
man banner earlier in the season) 
Como gaye his typically restrained, 
effective treat mept to the hyinnal- 
type “Peace of Mind” »by Mrs. Gus 
Kahn). Mitchell Ayres expertized 
on the baton for Como’s session? 

Herb Shrincr’s one spot was the 
capsule fillup anchored at about 
8:30 to immediately precede the 
syncopated “Pinafore.” It was a 
long, lively play on the G & S 
songs, wordage and libretto, along 
with snappy staging of the produc- 
tion facets aboard H.. M. S. The 
topper was “De Queen’s Navy 
Mambo” led by “Admiral” Jack 
Russell (ex-“Show of Shows”) and 
there was a hearty “Sisters, 
Cousins and His Aunts” workout by 
the ensemble operators. Miss Car- 
roll did well by ‘Jttuttereup Baby” 
as did Miss Kallen (playing Jo- 
sephine) and “Gob”’ Bill Hayes 
(another “Show of Shows” alum- 
nus) in solos and pairings. The big 
voices were Russell’s and Hayes, 
with Danny Scholl piping in’ as 
Capt. Corcoran. A good show, easy 
to take and moving rapidly, with 
the .brilliant hues and shadings of 
the NBC-RCA compatible tint giv- 
ing it all an added bright fillip. 

Tran. 


staffers. Jimmy Valentine, and his 
pretty assistant, Ruth Targ. Valen- 
tine explains the game’s rules, 
spins a wheel and calls off the 
numbers, announces the “Natco” 
( bingo >. takes the telephone call 
from and interviews the winner 
and checks back with the latter to 
make sure the victory is bona fide. 
Miss Targ posts the numbers on a 
blackboard that's a replica of the 
player’s card. 

There are plenty of commercials 
and the show' has no entertainment 
value for non-players, as far as can 
be detected. In this latter connec- 
tion, a morning newspaper this 
week published a reader’s letter 
protesting because the Twin Cities 
area video viewers wouldn’t get 
| the NBC-TV network presentation 
■ of the opera “Tosca” Sunday *23) 

I because “the time on its NBC sta- 
tion <KSTI») will be taken bv a lo- 
j cal bingo game.” Rcc$. 


86 


P'XkIETy 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 







W>«ln<w<lay, February 2, 1955 



UlL-lMi 






You feel its heartwarming humanity and enjoy its hap’>y 
twists of plot. And no one in all the wt>rld of the theatre so 
captures that “feel of America”, makes it live so lovably, so 
genially, so memorably as Gene Lockhart. 

Through 39 half hour episodes, he lives to the full the 
home and professional life of a fine engaging man. And he 
creates a warm response for your name and your product. 




NBC FILM DIVISION 

SERVING ALL STATIONS 


SERVING ALL SPONSORS 

30 Rockefeller Plaza, N. Y. 20 

Merchandise Mart, Chicago, III. • Sunset & Vine Sts., Hollywood, Calif. 

In Canada: RCA Victor, 225 Mutual Street, Toronto; 1551 Bishop Street, Montreal 




38 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


. Television Chatter 


New York 

Harry Kosnik, musical director 
of the NBC-TV Producers Show- 
case spec series, composing spe- 
cial score lor next Monday’s (7) 
presentation of "The Women." 

It’s Marv 'for Marvin) Camp — not 
Mary! — as public affairs coordi- 
nator in Bill Herns’ dept, at 
WRCA-plus-tv . . . MMM (Scotch 
Tape) drops "Arthur Godfrey 
Time" Monday and Wednesday 
segments after Feb. 16 . . . Glenn 
Hassrlrooth, WCBS-TV’s "film- 
flammer,” plays a return engage- 
ment at University Hospital with 
Virginia Allison subbing him on 
the celluloid continuity . . . Hal 
Holbrook of CBS-TV's "Brighter 
Day" started nitery date at the 
Purple Onion . . . Larry Spivak, 
headman of “Meet the Press.” to 
Miami for fortnight, putting in at 
the Fountainbleau where they’re 
rumored to be installing an indoor 
ocean . . . Judy Johnson relieving 
Betty Cox for a week starting Feb. 
7 as latter vacations in Cuba, with 
Miss Johnson doing vocal work- 
outs with husband Mort Lindsey on 
George Skinner’s WCBS-TV morn- 
ing stanza . . . It’s "Esso News” 
with John Wingate for WRCA-TV 
capsule breaks on "Today” at 7:25 
and 8:25 am. with Wingate also 
operating at 6:45-55 p.m. and Tex 
Antoine sustaining to 7 . . . After 
finishing as stage mgr. of "Tea- 
house of Aug. Moon” on B’way, 
Paul Davis goes into ABC-TV’s 
“Pond’s Theatre” tomorrow iThurs.) 
, . . Martin Ashe tapped for NBC- 
TV’s "Big Story" Fridav (4) . . . 
Irving Gitlin. CBS-TV public af- 
fairs director, back at his desk 
after sampling three weeks of Key 
West fisheries. Web’s Ed Shurick, 
nat’l director of station relations, 
apeeching at Ad Club on "Network 
TV" during radio-tv clinic Feb. 17 
. . . Add CKCW-TV, Moncton, N.B., 
and CHCT-TV, Calgary, as second- 
ary. hon-interconnected affils of 
CBS. 

Five former child stars, Jackie 
Coogan, Dickie Moore. Bobby 
Breen. Robin Morgan and Peggy 
Ann Garner, appear on “Juvenile 
Jury” Sunday (6) . . . Nina Talbot 
Into NBC’s "Producers Showcase” 
version of "The Women” next 
Monday (7) . . . Jamie Smith on 
“U.S. Steel Hour” Feb. 17 . . . 
Ford Rainey, who did a "Danger” 
show last week, repeats on the 
CBS’er Tuesday <8) . . . Brenda 
Lewis into another "Opera Cam- 
eos" on DuMont April 10 . . . 
Tomorrow's (Thurs.) "Pond’s Thea- 
tre" outing on ABC, "Thirty. 
Honey. Thirty," was scripted by 
Bob Emmett, hubby of actress Kim 
Hunter . . . Marge & Gower Cham- 
pion guest on Ed Sullivan’s “Toast" 


Sunday (6) . . . Jack Livesey plays 
a lead on tonight’s (Wed.) “Kraft 
Theatre” . . . June Walker into the 
cast of "Pond’s Theatre" Feb. 10. 

Lisa Howard pacted by Stark- 
Layton for a lead in “Modern Ro- 
mances" all this „week, and then 
goes into' rehearsal for the femme 
lead in Feb. 11 "Big Story" . . . 
Ben Pratt is business rep for ac- 
tresses Mary Reid, Patsy Campbell, 
Treva Frazee, Peggy Lobbin. Patti 
O’Neill, Doris Van Treek, Bunny 
Lewbel and Beverly Lunsford, 
whose ages range from 9 to 35. 

George C. Castleman from CBS 
Spot Sales to account exec at Free 
& Peters, station reps . . . A1 Hodge 
will have been “Captain Video" 
1,100 times after tomorrow’s 
(Thurs.) performance . . . Cel- 
luloider Constance Binney shaking 
retirement to kick off some tv with 
an appearance Sunday <13> on Igor 
Cassini’s WRCA-TV casing . . . 
Herminlo Traviesas a new BBD&O 
v.p. He’s been on the American 
Tobacco accounts since ’50 . . . 
Latest of “The Fourth R" skein via 
WRCA-TV last Sunday (30) gave 
over time to Union of American 
Hebrew Congregations in a video- 
dized “Sunday School” sesh . . . 
WATV’s got a "telespondence” 
course in labor-management rela- 
tions 'going on its "Report From 
Rutgers" one-a-week stanza. 


Chicago 

Marlin Perkins, headman of 
NBC-TV’s Zoo Parade and director 
of the Lincoln Park zoo, elected 
prez of the Windy City Adventur- 
ers Club . . . There were 33,662 tv 
sets installed in the Chi area dur- 
ing December, bringing the total 
to 1,838,813, according to the latest 
Electric Assn, tally . . . Atlas Film 
veep and general manager Larry 
Mominee in Florida oir combina- 
tion biz-vacation jaunt . . . WGN- 
TV will play host to 21 1 2 City of 
Hope telethon Feb. 18-19. . . . 
WBBM-TV’s weatherman P. J. Hoff 
beaming a late afternoon forecast 
to the kiddie audience . . . Pro- 
ducer Phil Patton and Mary Hart- 
line, Claude Kirchner and Cliff 
Soubier of ABC-TV’s "Super Cir- 
cus" planed up to Winnipeg for 
a Kellogg sales convention first 
part of the week . . . Fred Living- 
ston launching a monthly survey of 
Chi viewing habits . . . H. W. (Wee) 
Risser, who has been heading up 
Chi NBC-TV’s staging services, de- 
parted the web to set up his own 
senic shop . . . Lever Bros, is ex- 
panding Johnny Coon’s Saturday 
morning moppet show to 31 CBS- 
TV outlets next month . . . Ron 
Terry bowed with a Monday, Wed- 
nesday and Friday midnight show 7 


on WGN-TV, with Gottfried Mo- 
tors aboard Fridays and the other 
two nights being sold in participa- 
tion slices . . . Frankie Masters 
hosting Tom Duggan’s WBKB 
afternoon show while the latter 
recoups from his recent ulcer oper- 
ation . . . Cole-Finder Mercury 
bought "Paragon Playhouse” series 
three nights weekly on WNBQ. 


W0V & WATV 

Continued from pace 24 

» 

was personally chewed for not 
speaking Italian properly. 

The day after the article ap- 
peared in II Progresso Aldi took 
the air during his own show 
to read the piece and then to blast 
WOV and II Progresso. The emcee 


flavored his comments w-ith impli- 
cations of "hand-in-hand" efforts by 
the radio station and the paper to 
get Italo tv off the air, and said 
that it was strange that the station 
where he so long worked should 
suddenly support an article berat- 
ing the wa& he’s always spoken. 

The next step at WOV was to 
air comments about not approving 
of morning Italo tv unless it is 
done with dignity. To that Ferdi- 
nand Pettinella, second in com- 
mand at the agency, h^d his own 
answer: "As far as we’re concerned 
WOV is trying to defend itself be- 
cause between 9:30 and noon in 
which they broadcast in Italian it is 
disintegrating commercially.” He 
pointed out that the 11 to noon tv 
segment with Aldi already had 
four program sponsors and several 
adjacencies. He said that “we 
have recently gotten inquiries from 
several more of WOV’s morning 
sponsors.” 

Another ramification of the en- 
tire affair is the negotiations that 
went on between WATV and WOV 
at just the time (around Jan. 1) 
that it became definite there’d be a 
morning Italo video block. WOV, 
long wanting its own tv outlet (it 
was up for a UHF channel until 
four months ago in a tiein with the 
II Progresso-owned radio station 
WHOM ) had alone engaged in 
meetings with WATV for two 
hours on Sunday nights. Those 
dealings^ were believed still ua prog- 
ress until Bert Lebhar, sales boss 
of WATV, disclosed last week that, 
in light of the way WOV has let the 
matter fade, he can only assume 
that to start negotiations and then 
announce them to the public as a 
near-fact was probably a method 
to confuse Italo advertisers as to 
what video show they should buy. 
WOV would have run its own 
shows and reaped its own profits, 
it has been explained. 



DISC JOCKEY, MOVIE-MAKER 

ART FORD 

sounds off on 

“HOW TO HELP YOUR COMMUNITY” 

through photograpHy 
in the March issue of 

I 

Photography 


Inside Stuff — Radio-TV 

The top radio-tv newsmen in the field in an attendance of nearly 400 
turned out for the awards dinner of the Sports Broadcasters Assn, 
held at New York’s Park Sheraton Hotel last week. (This was the fete 
at which citations were presented to Leo Durocher, Billy Talbert, 
Lou Little, Hank Greenberg and "Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons.) Net- 
works, flagships and indie stations were repped in John Derr, Red 
Barber, Mel Allen, Jim McKay, Bill Hickey, Connie Desmond, Vincent 
Scully, Tom Gallery, Jim Corbett, Lindsey Nelson, John Kieran Jr., 
Russ Hudges, Don Dunphy, Dean Miller (prexy of SPA), Sam Taub, 
Bill Stern, Ted Husing, Howie Cosell and Guy Lebow. 

Boston’s Bill Cunningham was emcee of the strictly-stag shindig at 
which a film was shown of Fitzsimmons receiving his award from 
Clem McCarthy at Hialeah Park, Miami, 

Dance Magazine will announce in its March issue the first of its an- 
nual Hlevision awards in the terping department. Honors are evenly 
divided between CBS (shows) and NBC (individuals) in the four 
citations. Columbia rates the kudos on “Omnibus” and "Adventure," 
both of which are Sunday slottings. John Butler has done several 
dance sequences on the latter. 

On* the NBC side, spec producer Max Liebman is plaqued for his 
consistently good dance contributions over the years this current 
choreographer is Rod Alexander; his dance deviser on "Show- of Shows" 
was James Starbuck). Tony Charmoli is cited for his work on "Hit 
Parade." 


Jack A. Pegler has planed out to the West Indies, upper South 
America and Mexico to put the "zoom" into studio pi*oduction at 
various tv stations there. The prexy of Television Zoomar Corp. will 
be gone on a six-week looksee of operations to showcase Dr. Frank 
G. Back’s new lens developed especially for studio use. The Studio 
Zoomar is a vestpocket version of the longrange parent lens used 
at conventions, prizefights and field sports. 

Pegler will take in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, 
Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico, plus the southwestern U. S. 


Simon & Schuster, the book publishing house, is breaking out with 
four titles that will have an NBC-TV tag attached. Coming up this 
month are "Somebody Up There Likes Me" ($3.95), by Rocky (Martha 
Raye) Graziano, written with Rowland Barber, and "Steve Allen’s 
Boy Fables" ($1>. In April S&S will make with Paddy Chayefsky’s 
six miniature dramas, "TV Plays” ($4), and Wally Cox’s "A Sort of 
Novel” ($3.50). 


Henry Kaplan of Toronto, who shuttles betw’een there and N. Y. di- 
recting plays for both CBC-TV and ABC-TV, had to pass up a chance 
to direct Marlene Dietrich in order to complete a third project — di- 
recting George McCowan ir. "The Biggest Thief In Town" at Crest 
Theatre. Toronto’s winter stock. He was asked to helm a pilot kinnie 
of Miss Dietrich in a projected tv version of her radio "Cafe Istanbul," 
but had to refuse because of his Crest stint. Soon as it’s done he flics 
to N. Y. to direct Carleton Carpenter in "Good For You” for ABC-TV. 


CBS & NBC Radio 


Continued from page 24 


pitches for an advertiser are that 
he can: cover 90.7% of all house- 
holds by adding evening sound to 
evening sight; use the medium 
nighttime as a supplement to day- 
time tv and reach 31,203,000 un- 
duplicated households; use ’em 
both together and reach 34,193,000 
unduplicated. 

Other figures: 

On any given night 19,704,000 
households are tuned to radio. 

Percent of households with one 
or more radio sets is 94.3, com- 
pared with 60.3 for telesets. 

In the northeast, with its high 
tv saturation, night radio reaches 
more than one out of every three 
persons on an average e veni ng. 

In cities with over 500,dWT popu- 
lation — “tv’s main stronghold" — 
evening radio had 9.675,000 listen- 
ers "last night.” 

In the biggest markets, evening 
radio reaches 36.7% of all persons 
over 10 years of age on an average 
evening. In rest of country, it 
reaches about one out of every 
two. 

Of the 56,000.000-plus listener- 
ship "last night,” nearly 35,000,000 
in urban ajreas and upward of 21,- 
000,000 in cities over 25,000,000 
dialed in. 

Also covered were age and in- 
come levels, sex divisions, marital 
status, farm families; home, ap- 
pliance and auto ownership, the 
listeners’ grocery bill, etc. 

The "versus tv and magazines” 
was covered in a section that 
stated: 

Of the nighttime listeners. 37,- 
597,000 did not watch evening tv 
at all; 43,046,000 did not read a 
current issue of any of the four 
major weeklies, and 50.354,000 did 
not watch daytime tv; in tv house- 
holds with tv sets up to one year 
old, 15.9% listen to nighttime ra- 
dio, but in homes with telesets five 
or more years old, 26.6% listen to 
the evening stanzas. Starch said it 
interviewed 16.000 "pre-selected” 
individuals living in 13,100 "pre- 
selected" households. 

CBS fronted a spot sales pane- 
gyric under a panoply of statistics 
covering "Radio Vs. Newspapers in 
14 Major Markets." Webs New 
York. Chi and Los Angeles stations 
(WCBS, WBBM. KNX) are given 
as models of "dominant market 
coverage, equal to expensive com- 


bos of daily newspapers" (with ad- 
vertisers in N..Y., for instance, re- 
quiring 35 dailies to cover the 
basic area of its o&o; and 12 and 
29 dailies, respectively, required in 
Chi and L. A.). Brochure points 
to declining circulations among 
large metropolitan dailies since 
1946, with line rates having in- 
creased 43% dtiring that period in 
the 14 spot sales markets of the 
web. Each market is broken down 
in minute detail. 


AN IMPORTANT 
NEW POLICY... 



it now undor tha direction of 

JACK LOW 

formerly mana«in| director of 




Tht tamo world-famed 
hospitality will peeve it 

50 

datfy par parson 
daoMa accvponcy 

INCLUDING MEALS 

Breakfast and Deluxe Dinner 
EUROPEAN PLAN AVAILABLE 

SUN SNINKS 
AU DAY l-O-N-O 

on our pool, cabanas and private beach. 

AIR CONDITIONED 



ON THE OCEAN AT 58th ST. 



IVIRY DAY 
ON (VERY CHANNIl V 


BROOKS 

COSTUMES 

> W*sl Mil St_ N.Y C-lsl n. 7 uoo 



Wednesday, February 2, 1935 


RADIO-TELE VISION 


<► 

Eurovision: A Progress Report ii 

♦ JEAN D^ARCY * **** ♦♦♦♦+♦♦♦♦++♦ ' 

( General Manager, Radiodiffusion-Television Francaise) 


Paris, Feb. 1. 

The year 1954 gave Europe a 
Television Network. We call this 
network Eurovision. In less than 
five years Europe did for television 
more than the continent did in 30 
years for radio. 

Eurovision resembles any Amer- 
ican network, the only difference is, 
that it connects eight different 
European countries and six various 
languages. An international Radio 
Network was an impossibility. An 
international Television Network 
became a reality, which only proves 
how much more cosmopolitan a 
mass medium television is. 

Eurovision, the first international 
network in history of visual com- 
munications (motion pictures not 

being counted) has an affiliation of 
50 tv stations and 100 relay-trans- 
mitters and covers 4,000 miles of 
territory in England, France, Bel- 
gium, Holland, Germany, Denmark. 
Switzerland and Italy with a poten- 
tial listening audience of 220,000,- 
000 people. 

From the very beginning Euro- 
vision faced many problems and 
obstacles. The main problems and 
obstacles being: the distance, the 
various identification standards and 
the unification of six different 
spoken words. With a limited 
knowhow and very limited funds 
we had the task not only to spin 
Europe with 6,000 kilometers of 
cable, but at the same time cross 
the Channel between Calais and 
Dover and push through the for- 
midable barrier of Alps on the 
Franco-Sfcriss-Italian border line. 
The mountains had to be conquered 
the same way as Hannibal solved 
his problems. High towers and 
relay equipment were transported 
to the top of the mountains, new 
power stations erected and the val- 
ley of Piedmont connected with the 
shore of the Atlantic. No perma- 
nent solution was found immediate- 
ly for the Channel. At present 
only a Herzian Wave beam is used 
to carry the signal from the con- 
tinent to Great Britain. This sys- 
tem provides only a One Way Traf- 
fic, and it is very unsatisfactory. 

Takes Time & Money 

We hope to overcome this ob- 
stacle with more time and money, 
the solution being an underwater, 
double coaxial line. 

Three different standard identi- 
fications for the European televi- 
sion: 405 lines in Great Britain, 
819 for France and Belgium and 
625 for Germany, Switzerland, 
Italy, Holland and Denmark, neces- 
sitated the creation of « giant 
transformer, in Lille (Northern 
France) where the three standard 
identifications are being adapted 
to one system. As for the language 
barrier, we learned quickly that 
there is really no barrier at all. 
The picture being the main part, 
the universal appeal was based on 
vision, and the commentary in each 
country given in its own tongue. 
(Kept to the strictest minimum.) 

For obvious reasons, it was de- 
cided to build the programming of 
Eurovision around special events, 
news and artistic presentations, so 
that the spoken ^ord-would not 
Interfere with the universal import- 
ance of the item. At the preseht 
time Eurovision is on the air three 
times a week, on a selected and 
predetermined hour (not always 
the same). 

The highlights of Eurovision in 
1954? 

Well, sports were leading. We 
televised the International Soccer 
Matches from Switzerland, tennis 
from Wimbledon, Chataway estab- 
lishing a new record, ski-jumps 
from Chamonix and Megeve, swim- 
ming in Copenhagen and six days 
bicycling from Paris. 

The music lovers In Europe 
heard Yehudi Menuhin from Lon- 
don (Covent Garden) and Mozart’s 
operas from La Scala in Milano. 

The midnight Mass on Christmas 
Eve was telecast from the Notre 
Dame in Paris and during the East- 
ern, Europe saw and heard Pope 
Pius directly from the Vatican. 

The opening of the Parliament 
in England, the film festival at 
Venice and Cannes, the Mardi Gras 
on the Riviera and many other spe- 
cial events and features made the 


headlines in our International tv 
effort. 

Of course it is only a beginning. 
What we are striving towards is a 
regular program day after day, 
when we will be able to intercom- 
municate between all the nation 
members of the Eurovision and ex- 
change news and entertainment, as 
well as features and educational 
material. 

We hope to be able to establish 
in the next 10 years the Univision 
in cooperation with the United 
States. 

Hearst M’Waukee 
Buy Brews Beef, 
Competitive Bid 

Washington, Feb. 1. 

Hearst acquisition of WTVW 
(TV) in Milwaukee (channel 12) 
may run into rough weather, it de- 
veloped last weele as the FCC re- 
ceived word that theatreman L. F. 
Gran, a substantial stockholder 
in WTVW, is filing a competitive 
application for the channel. 

Notice came from Gran’s Wash- 
ington counsel, Marcus Cohn, who 
advised the Commission he is also 
petitioning for a hearing on the 
WTVW transfer application which 
was filed Jan. 24. Cohn told FCC 
he “assumed” it will wait the usual 
30 days before acting on the Hearst 
purchase. 

Sale of WTVW for approximately 
$2,000,000, Cohn informed the 
Commission, was agreed to by the 
directors despite the objections of 
Gran who had previously offered to 
meet Hearst’s terms. As chairman 
of the board, Gran made this offer 
at a stockholders’ meeting on 
Dec. 17. 

The record of Gran’s remarks at 
the board’s last meeting on Jan. 7, 
which was submitted to FCC, dis- 
closed that sale negotiations start- 
ed about a month after WTVW 
went on the air (Oct. 27) and as 
Gran was returning from a vaca- 
tion in Hawaii. Gran said he was 
advised that an “immediate” deci- 
sion was required as Hearst was 
planning to merge with the com- 
peting applicants for channel 6 in 
Whitefish Bay and had the ABC 
affiliation “in their pocket.” Gran 
said the WTVW contract with ABC 
carried a six-month cancellation 
clause. 

The record recounts that Gran 
originally offered to “better” 
Hearst’s offer, that Hearst later re- 
vised its offer, and that three days 
before the agreement was made 
Gran proposed to organize a new 
company to operate the station and 
to subscribe to 15% of its stock. 

Gran concluded by saying that 
he undertook “community” as well 
as business obligations in joining 
in the operation of WTVW and 
that he was opposed to selling to a 
company whose owners “think of 
Milwaukee the same as they think 
of any other city in which they 
own- a newspaper, a radio station or 
a tv station.” 

Gran said he thought the pro- 
posed sale “comes from fear” over 
the relationship with ABC. The 
affiliation problem, hf added, “can 
and will be solved.” 

“I did not enter into this ven- 
ture light-heartedly or half-heart- 
edly,” he said, **nor did I enter 
into it for the purpose of making 
what I would describe as a ‘fast 
dollar.’ I have lived in Milwau- 
kee the major portion of my adult 
life. It has been good to me and 
my family. 

“Of course, I want the tv station 
to make a profit but I never would 
have become associated with the 
venture if I thought the time 
would come when a sale would be 
made simply because there was an 
opportunity of making a profit on 
our investment. 

“It is particularly disappointing 
since the venture which is pro- 
posed to be sold is only in its in- 
fancy and has really never been 
given an opportunity to demon- 
strate its potentiality — not only as 
reflected on a profit and loss state- 
ment, but equally important, doing 
the public service job which we 
pledged ourselves to-do.” 


59 


Pat’s Ski Jaunt 

NBC prexy Pat Weaver, accom- 
panied by his wife, leaves Friday, 
Feb. 11, for a month in Europe. 

He’ll spend most of the time 
skiing in the Alps. 


Bigotry’ Vs. ‘Fast Buck’ Enigma 
Puts Spotlight on 'Negro Radio’ 


NBC’s UHF Buy 
May Precipitate 
A Major Battle 

Hartford, Feb. 1. 

A stiff fight is threaten by sev- 
eral tv stations of the area over 
the proposed sale of neighboring 
WKNB-TV (New Britain) to NBC. 
Sale of the uhf’r and the upping 
of it* power to 1,000,000 watts has , 
already been protested to the FCC 
by WNHC-TV of New Haven. Pro- . 
test was filed immediately after the ' 
filing of an application by NBC, 
on Wednesday (26 > to up the sta- 
tion’s power. 

WNHC-TV protest may result in 
the matter of the sale and upping i 
of power going to a hearing be- 
fore an FCC examiner. If this 
happens, it will be months before 
action is taken. 

Several other tv casters of the 
area have joined WNHC-TV in the 
protest. Both WNHC-TV and 
WWLP-TV of Springfield, Mass., j 
see a serious impact on program- 
ming if NBC if. allowed to acquire I 
the New Britain uhf’r. Both stand 
to lose NBC programming. The 
soon-to-come finalizing of a decree 
for the stiffly contested Channel 3 
fight In Hartford will remove an- 
other major net from the station’s 
programming possibilities. Chan- 
nel 3, a vhf’r, will definitely become 
a CBS outlet, if NBC is allowed to 
retain WKNB-TV. 

According to Edward C. Obrist, 
manager of WNHC-TV, the protest 
before the FCC will cover the en- 
tire field of FCC allocations. 

NBC recently purchased WKNB- 
TV for some $1,103,000. WNHC- 
TV is ihe state’s pioneer telecaster 
and was one of the few stations 
licensed before the FCC “froze” 
all applicants for a new distribu- 
tion of channels 


Nashick’s Ha. Post 

Miami, Feb. 1. 

Appointment of Robert Nashick 
as promotion and advertising man- 
ager of WGBS-TV, Ft. Lauderdale, 
has been announced by Noran 
(Nick) E. Kersta, managing direc- 
tor of the new Storer property. 

Nashick was formerly associated 
with Loew’s-MGM publicity de- 
partment, New York, as director of 
radio and television exploitation 
and publicity. 


By ART WOODSTONE 

! The impression left after a meet- 
ing on Negro radio (and, in effect, 
tv also) was that it was an evil 
perpetuated (1) by intelligent Ne- 
groes who feel that because there 
is no immediate way out of a big- 
oted set of social and economic cir- j 
cumstances Negro “community” ra- ( 
dio can be made to do some good t 
and (2) by powers, regardless of 
the negative effect their efforts 
might have, seeking the almighty 
buck. There was no way to tell | 
from a Radio and Television Exec ! 
Society clinic-luncheon last Thurs- ! 
day (27) whether the make-the- j 
most-of-a-bad-situation guys or the 
easy-buck bandit prevailed in pro- 
gramming for the Negro. 

To one Negro leader the current 
set of social circumstances “make 
radio what it is.” He was the man 
who also said that “the words ‘Ne- j 
gro radio’ are an abomination.” To ! 
a man speaking from the floor of I 
the RTES meeting, it seemed to all ; 
observers that Negro radio was still 
a money matter — that “popular” 
programming (inference being! 
rhythm and blues and other types I 
of “idiomatic” programming that 
has often been disdained) was, 
after all, the only way to make 
money and justify the continued 
existence of Negro radio. 

If the intelligent Negro com- 

Miner 'Brief Case’ 
Legal Counterpart . 
Of ‘Medic’ Series 

What the Tony Miner-produced 
“Medic” series has accomplished 
for the men in white fraternity 
will find its counterpart in a 
dramatization of the legal profes- 
sion on the basis of a new half- 
hour series already blueprinted. 
This one will also carry the Miner 
stamp, out of the Ted Ashley 
stable, and will bear the tag “Brief 
Case.” (Ashley office also repre- 
sents “Medic” series.) 

“Brief Case” carries the “in as- 
sociation with” California Bar 
Assn, tag, with the series to be 
based on actual documents of the 
organization. Pilot will be shot on 
the Coast. In view 6f Miner’s NBC 
identity, series is being projected 
for that network. 


A Panacea for Cancer Scare? 

The Station Representatives Assn. Is out to sell spot radio and 
tv as the cure for the cancer scare. Speaking in behalf of the 
reps who thrive on spot biz, the outfit is making capital of the fact 
that Brown & Williamson (Viceroy, Kool and Raleigh), using spot 
very heavily in its budget, was the only ciggle manufacturer to 
show an increase of any kind in sales during cancer-scared 1954. 
Likewise, SRA takes a rap at glamor programming, inference be- 
ing that the big-rated “Lucys.” “Dragnets” and Bennys don’t pay 
off in commensurately big ciggie sales, much less stave off a 
decline. 

Spot rep outfit documented a rise for all three B&W brands, 
with the explanation that the company, long a believer in spot 
(often spending as much as 85% of the total ad budget in that 
area) leaped over 25% in ciggie sales from 1953. Not one of the 
bankrollers supporting “glamor” programming saw a rise among 
standard ciggie types. 

Using consumer advertising as his only yardstick (“only con- 
sumer advertising sells cigarets. Nothing else. Salesmen, display, 
point of purchase have little to do with it”), SRA chieftain Tom 
Flanagan says that through spot advertising B&W has been able 
in a year to jump from sixth among ciggie makers to fourth in 
manufacturing. Also B&W gets 9.4% of all ciggie biz whereas 
before it got 5.4%. 

Taken individually, all three B&W brands were up, but of the 
standard brands, according to SRA figures, Camels was off the 
most, followed by Chesterfields, then Philip Morris, Luckies and 
Old Gold, in that order. Among king-size and filter ciggies, there 
was a general biz upbeat, but not one great enough to offset the 
overall decline. Flanagan feels that while filters were up 23 
billion in sales in 1954, he attributes it only to the cancer scare, 
pointing out that “it still takes advertising for a manufacturer to 
secure his volume and maintain his place in the industry,” since 
Kent and Parliament “lost ground” and several filters “sold prac- 
tically none.” 

Chesterfield kings were up as were Tareytons (a filter as well), 
Raleigh, Old Gold and Cavaliers — all in the king size class. Philip 
Morris (despite “Lucy”) were the only kings to fall off. (Those 
other ciggie firms bankrolling top rated stanzas have suffered in 
sales generally too.) 

Since appearance of Flanagan’s observations re spot and ciggie 
sales, Chesterfields, hitherto a network only buyer, has made its 
first real jump into spot radio -and tv. Llgget & Myers, via Cun- 
ningham & Walsh, has bought 15 major markets in both 'taflio 
and tele at a undisclosed “very high” budget. 


munity leader wishes then to con- 
tinue programming specifically for 
the Negro to help him with com- 
munity news and pointed education 
(for so long as the bigotry situation 
exists', he must also accept the ex- 
istence of the highly commerciad 
type stanza to pay station bills. 
The attitude, before, during and 
after tfle RTES meet, vas that this 
enigma would remain. 

George W r . Goodman, one of 
three speakers at the powwow, 
took a middle view in answering 
the theme: “Is Negro market radio 
an asset or a liability?" He de- 
clared that Negro programming “is 
no more obsolete than radio itself; 
it depends directly on the meSsure 
of service rendered.” Goodman, 
who is director of community re- 
lations for station WLIB, N. Y. t 
continued: “If the objective is 

purely one of making a ‘quick 
buck,’ then there is no ei.d to the 
depth to which this programming 
can descend — as it is quite appar- 
ent in many cases about the coun- 
try. On the other hand if there is 
an honest and sincere effort to give 
value for value rendered, there is 
likewise no foreseeable end to the 
constructive services that may be 
rendered and audiences captured.'* 

Goodman said that keen competi- 
tion in other markets of radio was 
“the point where the Negro came 
into the picture as a possible 
source of revenue.” And noting 
that “the venture paid off,” he add- 
ed that it was because the Negro, 
in striving for recognition among 
all men, met part of his urge 
through an identification with ra- 
dio. 

‘Unduplicated’ News 

The WLIB exec expressed a de- 
sire to bring news to the Negro 
community that no other communi- 
cations spurce duplicated. (It might 
be noted paranthetically that even 
this need may eventually fade be- 
cause there are early traces now of 
“white” publications taking cogni- 
zance for the first time of Negro 
society.) 

“Unfortunately, at the moment 
the majority of the industry that 
beams at the Negro market is still 
of the opinion that straight blues, 
spirituals, boogie and rhythm rep- 
resent the height of the Negroes’ 
appreciation.” Goodman concluded 
his speech by labeling this kind of 
showcasing “Juke Box” program- 
ming. 

J. B. Blayton, Jr., topper at 
WERD, a Negro station in Atlanta, 
also spoke. He concurred with 
Goodman in saying that “it is an 
advantage of any station to identify 
itself to the community it is trying 
to reach.” 

The third speaker was Madeleine 
Allison, media director at the 
Herschel Deutsch ad agency in N. 
Y. Inferred from her words was 
the idea that station reps and sta- 
tion management were exaggerat- 
ing the power of the Negro market. 
She said that there was insufficient 
info available on which to base an 
intelligent appraisal of a Negro ra- 
dio buy. It was she who noted that 
there are some 300 radio stations 
covering the Negro market. 

But it was in the after lunch q.a. 
period and in the very informal 
asides after the meeting broke last 
week that most of the revealing 
dissatisfaction with Negro radio 
came to light. 

One of the men from the floor, 
trying to diminish Goodman’s point 
of view toward using programs 
that have a tangible tie to the Ne- 
gro community (like spot news or 
facts re the National Assn, for the 
Advancement of Colored People — 
news that most likely would be 
sloughed off elsewhere, according 
to him), asked of the WLIB spokes- 
man: “Would you hold to the prin- 
cipal that a speech by Walter 
White would pull as much as 
rhythm and blues?” Goodman an- 
swered by allowing that there 
should be a certain amount of “di- 
versification” but that it shouldn’t 
get out of hand. 

After the meet, one Negro sta- 
tion exec commented that Negro 
radio was as necessary as Italo, 
Spanish or German radio — other 
“specialized” groups. Answer to 
that was being unable to speak 
English offers a much more real 
need for specialized radio than the 
color of a person’s skin. 


40 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 



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Wednesday, February 2, 1953 


IS NEFF YORK CITY . . . 

John Royal to Mexico for several weeks . . . Singer Joan Edwards 
convalescing in Miami Beach and hopes to report back to work soon 
for WCBS . . . Jacquelyn Hyde on CBS “Nora Drake’' tomorrow 
(Thurs.) and Lynn Thatcher on web’s “21st Precinct” tonight (Wed.) 
. . . Helen Hayes, Mary Martin, golf champ Ed Furgol, playwright Clif- 
ford Odets and Harold Stassen are Bill Leonard’s string of guests on 
WCBS “This Is N. Y.” this week . . . June Colbert, radio-tv producer- 
writer, to McCann-Erickson as creative supervisor in tv (from three- 
year hitch at Young & Rubicam where she was contact on ‘Talent 
Scouts” and did live commercials and jingles for various clients . . . 
Four Biow-Beirn-Toigo copy chiefs became agency veeps last week, 
Guild Copeland, Edward Sherry, Thomas Greer and Wilson Shelton 
. . . ABC Radio has wiped out Its post of director of program sales 
and shifted Addison Amor from that to the sales department as ac- 
count exec. 

Fritz Kreisler, who turns 80, wll be feted tonight (Wed.) via WQXR. 
Fiddle faddler’ll be interviewed in a rare speaking chore by Abram 
Chasins . . . Burt Lambert ankles WNEW after 15 years with the music- 
news station. He was ass’t director of sales . . . N. Y. Publicists Guild 
gonna yak tomorrow (Thurs.) with Bill Berns, WRCA; Nancy Craig, 
WABC-TV and Eloise McElhone In a “Radio and Television Round 
Table” at the Warwick . . . Joel (Home Boy) Tunero is in his second 
week in a new WOV 8 to 9 p.m. strip . . . His Excellency Abba Eban, 
Israeli striped pantser, o.o.'s the “Hebrew Heritage" today (Wed.) on 
WMCA’s “The Challenge” stanza . . . H. M. S. Richards, regular on 
the “Voice of Prophecy,” being feted by Mutual on a tribute show 
Sunday <6>. 

IS CHICAGO . . . 

James Shelby, ex-McCann-Erickson, joins MacFarland, Aucyard 
this week as veepee and radio-tv director . . . Edward Borroff, former 
ABC veep and most recently Chi rep for Broadcast Advertisers Re- 
ports, has signed on with the Chi NBC radio network sales crew . . . 
Deejay Bill Evans into his 12th year as WGN wakerupper ... In one 
of the fattest bundles of the week, WBBM inked North American 
Airlines for a year’s schedule of 40-minute blurbs weekly . . . Bill 
Wright (and Mrs. W.) of the Wright-Campbell ad shop vacationing in 
Arizona and Mexico . . . Hal Fredericks, ex-KXOK, St. Louis disk 


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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. 


spinner now freelancing here, helming two cross-boarders on WAAF 
. . . WMAQ airing pub-service series in conjunction with the Chicago 
Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Producer Is Chi NBC’s assistant 
public affairs and education director Betty Rosa with Morgan Perron 
scripting . . . WTAC, Flint, Mich., in a novel promotion stunt played 
host to Windy City timebuyers and other interested parties in a week- 
long “open house” aboard a trailer parked on Wacker Dr. . . . Robert 
Elrod has departed his national sales slot at WSBT, South Bend, to 
become assistant to Chi NBC network ad-promotion chief Hal Smith 
. . . Margie Koeka new assistant in the WBBM flackery, vice Mary 
Lines. 

IS MINNEAPOLIS . . . 

Eric Sevareld to be presented U. of Minnesota’s Outstanding Achieve- 
ment Award Feb. 4 at Northwest Radio-TV News Association meeting 
to be held in conjunction with university’s radio-tv news short course 
Feb. 4-5 .. . WCCO radio staged two-hour kickoff rally in local Armory 
for March of Dimes’ Mothers' March on Polio, participated in by 
many of its top personalities, and carried show over air . . . Minne- 
apolis and suburban high school basketball games being televised for 
first time, new station KEYD-TV choosing one of contests each day 
. . . Sev Widman, WTCN-TV personality, named his station's program 
director, succeeding Judy Bryson who resigned to take similar post 
with KEYD-TV . . . New station KEYD-TV doesn’t start programming 
until 2:45 p.m. daily, compared to WCCO-TV’s 6:30 a.m., KSTP-TV s 
7 a m. and WTCN-TV and WMIN-TV’s 8 a m. . . . Lem Singer from 
WCAN-TV, Milwaukee, joined KSTP-TV where he inaugurated Monday 
through Friday space show', "Commander Saturn” . . . Bob Woodbury, 
WCCO radio sales service and traffic manager, always carries about 
w'ith him in his inside coat pocket a pocket-sized portable radio which 
is connected to his ear with a hearing aid attachment . . . Mrs. Carrie 
Lorenana, traffic manager of the two Manila. P. I., radio stations the 
past eight years, spending a month at WCCO-TV studying American 
tv and radio techniques. 

IN CLEVELAND ... 

Keith Baldwin, ex-WGAR, has resigned as WAKR-TV sales mana- 
ger . . . WSRS newest disker is Roy Morris formerly of Chattanooga 
. . . Paul Wilcox moves from WGAR to WEWS . . . WJW’s Pete Lee 
conferencing with Raymond Burr about taking his Radio Nanigans 
on military installation tour in February . . . Heile Dodge purchased 
5-minute daily WGAR 5 p.m. newscast with Charles Day ... La Riche 
Olds pacted 10-minute Monday-thru-Friday 6:10 p.m. WTAM news 
stint with Karl Bates . . . WGAR’s Karamu Quartet touring South . . . 
NBC Sports Director Tom Manning in Florida hiatus with “Skip” 
Ward doing verbals . . . WGAR Sales Manager Bob Forker reporting 
record number of 325 local and national accounts carried last year 
. . . Flo Roth ex-WJW promotion-publicity director, into town with 
Denise Darcel. 

fTV DALLAS . . . 

Reuben Bradford started his sixth year of “Opera Once Over 
Lightly” on WFAA . . . KGKO d. j. staff debuted a new weekly show, 
“The Best for Sunday,” rotating in a 150-minute wax stint . . . Cass 
County Boys, who graduated at WFAA here, with Gene Autry at 
Houston’s Fat Stock Show, Feb. 2-13 . . . KRLD-TV drew $8,500 for 
the March of Dimes in a four-hour auction, variety show and grunt- 
n’-groan exhib at the Sportitorium . . . Allen Jones, WFAA-TV staff 
singer, officially changed his tag'to Allen Kase on “The Jerry Haynes 
Show” Thurs. (27) in a contest tieup . . . Ralph Widman, for seventh 
year, did blow-by-blow airing of Golden Gloves regional boxing tour- 
nament, Jan. 26-30, on WFAA . . . Bernadette Whitehead, local ac- 
tress set for NBC-TV filming of “My Man Sing” Coast series, home 
on a visit, accompanied by Eddie Foy 3d . . “Horace Heidt Show 
Wagon” set for live telecast Feb. 19 from State Fair Auditorium. 

IN PITTSBURGH ... 

Pete Shore, who did parttime announcing at WCAE last summer, 
has become a regular member of the staff . . . Sam Sliver cooking up 
a new radio sports format for Nick Perry . . . Sterling Yates, an ex- 
associate of Rege Cordic’s at WWSW, has rejoined Cordic & Co. on 
KDKA, where Yates is also regularly employed . . . Paul Shively has 
started his 13th year as boss of the control room at WJAS . . . George 
Peppard, drama student at Carnegie Tech, breaking in as a Sunday 
announcer at WLOA in Braddock . . . Jack Cvetic is back in the 
KDKA-TV engineering department after a two-year stretch in the 
service . . . LuAnn Simms and her husband, Loring Buzzell, in town 
to exploit her records, house-guested with Joe Deane, the KOV dee- 
jay. Deane and LuAnn both hail from Rochester, N. Y., and are old 
friends. 

IN WASHINGTON . . . 

Film star Tyrone Power, currently dividing his time between his 
chores in the Broadway-bound legit, “The Light Is Dark Enough,” in 
which he is co-starred with Katherine Cornell, and tubthumping for 
his latest film, “The Long Gray Line,” guested on Art Lamb’s tv 
show over WTTG-DuMont . . . Latter show, “Lamb’s Session,” inci- 
dentally, conducting a “long Gray Line” contest, which accounts for 
Lamb picking this choice guest plum . . . Dorothy Looker, producer 
of WTOP-CBS’ educational telecast, “Ask It Basket,” has teamed with 
local terp teacher Evelyn Davis in a new dramatic school venture . . . 
Norman Plotnick, music librarian for WWDC-MBS, has been tapped 
by Uncle Sam for military duty, and will be replaced by Robert Paris, 
recent Maryland U grad . . . Roger Shea, WTTG director, transferring 
to WUSN, Charleston, S. C., where he will act as executive director, 
with Bob Goodman replacing him on staff of WTTG. 

IN DETROIT . . . 

WXYZ-TV preems an hour afternoon show Sat. (5) titled “A World 
of Speed." Host will be station’s sports director, Don Wattrick, and 
featured will be Floyd G. Lawrence, Detroit editor of Steel Magazine 
and prexy of Detroit Sports Car Assn. Format includes films of 
Jalopy races, line shots of new cars, introduction of new inventions, 
safety devices and appearances of top personalities in auto industry 
. . . WWJ Square Dance,” starring Ed Dingier as caller, is attract- 
ing studio crowds for the two-hour Saturday night broadcasts and 
radio sales reps are using it as case in plant in stressing cameras are 
not always necessary . . . Thomas F. O’Leary, for 23 years a radio 
and tv sales rep at WXYZ, died last week. 

IN PHILADELPHIA . . . 

Jack Valentine, WCAU-TV featured staffer and Western songster, 
has been pacted by MGM Records ... Mr. and Mrs. iTdward D. Clery. 
(he’s general manager of WIBG) to Laredo, Tex., to see Edward, Jr., 
receive pilot wings . . .Morton Simon, tv and radio legal specialist, 
will address dinner meeting of Television Assn, of Philadelphia (Feb. 
2) at Poor Richard Club . . . Chef Halftown (WFIL-TV staffer) will 
attend American Bowling Congress in Chicago in April . . . Mary Doit, 
WFIL-TV celeb and licensed pilot, is off in family plane for Carib- 
bean to collect film shots and native gadgets for her “At Home” pro- 
gram . . . “Romper Room,” Claire Coleman’s popular tv kindergarten, 
returned to full-hour schedule (10 to 11 a.m.), Jan. 31. 


KayKyser’s ‘Educl 
TV for Masses’ 

Chapel Hill, Feb. 1. 

Kay Kyser, former radio quia- 
master and bandleader, has thrown 
all his time into the new U. of 
North Carolina educational tv’er. 
As no-pay executive director, he 
got WUNO-TV underway earlier 
this month on a 41-hour-a-week 
telecast basis. 

Kyser, who is still pressing for 
a unique tieup with commercial 
video operations with regard to 
taking their top network feeds 
(sans commercials) to build his 
audience, has so far skedded 27 
hours of live programming per 
week. Station’s first regular tele- 
cast was basketball game between 
U. of N.C. and Wake Forest. A 
fortnight ago, WUNC-TV did a 
two-hour and 50-minute stanza of 
the complete “Marriage of Figaro” 
(with “full costumes, scenery and 
a 24-piece orchestra”). To date, 
the station does 41 hours weekly- 
all of its own. 

Kyser seems to be aiming for a 
“popular” fillup in educational tv, 
idea being that the best way to 
pull an aud for educational pro- 
gramming is to give them teaser 
shows geared to compete with reg- 
ular commercial channels. His 
plan to pick up network casings is 
part of his “educational tv for the 
masses” theory. 

In building the station staff, 
Kyser is said to have relied heavily 
on experienced tradesters. Pro- 
duction and writing staffers are 
from commercial operations by 
and large. 


WYLIE TOME CLIX 
SAYS NIX 
TO TV’S CRIX 

Ad Alley and TV Row are 
finding plenty of red meat in 
Max Wylie’s new book, “Clear 
Channels: TV and the Ameri- 
can People.’’ It’s a real back- 
of-me-hander aimed at the 
snipers and potshotters who’ve 
been putting the blast on TV. 
Wylie, novelist, playwright, and 
longtime network staffer, does 
a bang-up job of legwork, gives 
the lowdown on who’s-doing- 
what-to-whom. 

“Clear Channels,’* an aggres- 
sive and witty report, should 
trigger some studio and agency 
veeps into a little more daring 
when skedding programs. Wylie 
gives them ammunition to 
spare. Frxample, book digs 
deep into TV and Baseball, 
comes up with some surprising 
answers. Another topic is TV 
and Reading Habits. Old Miss 
Public Library isn’t as down on 
video as some people think. 
Wylie also dives headfirst into 
TV and Juvenile Delinquency. 
There’s solid food for thought 
here, with TV not coming out 
the villain some critics would 
have us think it is. 

Chapter on TV, cigarettes 
and lung cancer is worth price 
of book alone. Required read- 
ing for tobacco men and their 
account execs. “Best study of 
its kind ever printed,” said one 
reviewer. “Should go far to- 
ward clearing the air over this 
vital subject.” 

Check on bookstores reveals 
stock of “Clear Channels” is 
moving fast. Priced at $4.75, 
with pix, charts, special appen- 
dices on NARTB Code. Just 
published by Funk & Wagnalls, 
153 East 24th St., N. Y. 10. 


A TOUCH OP INSPIRATION 

and loti af Mild atil itanta araduaiaf yeur 
talavitlan thaw 

PRODUCER'S ASSISTANT 
available 

•Ida TELEVISION— Radla— Thaatra 
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PRODUCTION aad SCRIPT 
Ban V 1)135, Variety, 134 W. 46 St.. N. V. 



43 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 



RADIO REVIEWS 


ST. PAUL WINTER CARNIVAL 
SHOW 

. With Robert Q. Lewis. Carmel 
Quinn, Chordettes (4), Jaye P. 
Morgan, Lois Hunt, Earl Wright* 
son, Jan Arden, Don Llberto, 
Lee Vines, Whoopee John’s 
Band (10), Bob Mantxke’s Chor- 
alaires (60), Cedric Adams, Bob 
DeHaven, Wally Olson’s Orch 
(25) 

Producer: Bob McKInsey 
Director: Ed Viehman " 

Writer: V. A. L. Linder 
120 Mins.: Sat. (29), 8 p.m. 
Participating 
WCCO, Minneapolis 
This two-hour show before a St. 
Paul Auditorium audience of 10,- 
000 that paid up to $5.50 a seat and 
also on the air via live audio was 
the first salute to the current St. 
Paul Winter Carnival civic celebra- 
tion by enterprising WCCO, a radio 
station that continues to do big 
things in a big way. 

It was in the same fashion as 
WCCO’s contributions to the Min- 
neapolis yearly Acquatennial, 
which also is a mardi gras affair. 
And. judging by public reaction, it 
should take its place permanently 
as an outstanding Carnival attrac- 
tion, just as the WCCO Acquaten- 
nial shows have been doing since 
1947. 

That the St. Paul shindig should 
have called upon WCCO to dupli- 
cate its Minneapolis whoopdedos’ 
promotions seems in itself a recog- 
nition of the important place this 
radio station still occupies in the 
local airlanes’ scheme of things de- 
spite tv’s encroachments. 

And, as to be expected, in the 
manner that has kept WCCO so 
very much in the swim, the sta- 
tion did it up in topdrawer enter- 
tainment style to further cement 
its high place, providing a big 
boost for the Carnival, making its 
participating advertisers happy 
and reflecting credit on itself. 

Such Minneapolis WCCO Ac- 
quatennial shows have been head- 
lined by top stars like Bob Hope, 
Arthur Godfrey, Victor Borge, Ed- 
die Cantor, George Jessel, Dennis 
Morgan, Edgar Bergen and Ken 
Murray. On this Carnival occasion 
WCCO brought in Robert Q. 
Lewis, also a leading luminary, and 
his entire Saturday morning radio 
show cast, including announcer 
Lee Vines. These performers were 
supplemented by songstress Carmel 
Quinn from the Arthur Godfrey 
show and some local topnotch 
talent. 

Emceed by breezy, good-natured, 
friendly Lewis, who has a smile in 
his voice, and following the format 
used so successfully for the Min- 
neapolis Aquatennial shows, the 
performance stacked up as almost 
a carbon copy of his Saturday net- 
work shows expanded to two hours. 
Dominating the scene completely, 
Lewis worked like a trojan. He 
was on much of the time with his 
jabbering. Even Milton Berle 
probably has never monopolized 
the video or audio spotlight more 
completely and the Lewis fans had 
a feast. 

With warbling by such an array 
of vocal stars as Carmel Quinn, the 
Chordettes, Jaye P. Morgan, Lois 
Hunt, Earl Wrightson, Jan Arden, 
Don Liberto, one of the nation’s 
finest mixed singing groups, Bob 
Mantzke’s 60 members’ local Chor- 


JAZZ ALBUM 
With Andy Chappell 
25 Mins., Sat. 6 p.m. 

WAVE, Louisville 

"Jazz Album,” a new disk show 
featuring the nation’s currently 
lively musical craze, teed off on 
WAVE radio Saturday (29 ), emceed 
by Andy Chappell, and was made 
up of jazz both old and new. 

The new "cool” jazz was repre- 
sented by such exponents as Dave 
Brubeck and the George Shearing 
Quintet, the latter to appear in 
person at a bash to be held at the 
Jefferson County Armory shortly. 
These small combo men, together 
with Gerry Mulligan and Errol 
Garner, will be spelled by such 
new-style big bands as Stan Ken- 
ton, Les Elgart, and Dan Tern 1 . 
Longer established "hot” jazz ex- 
ponents — Gene Krupa. Duke El- 
lington. Louis Armstrong, Art Ta- 
tum, Lionel Hampton, Benny Good- 
man. and Eddie Condon, some rep- 
resented on the initial show', will 
have their innings on ’subsequent 
airings. 

Aim of “Jazz Album” is to com- 
bine the best of the New Orleans, 
Chicago, and West Coast schools, 
of one of the most basis types of 
all pop music — jazz. Andy Chap- 
pell is a young, enthusiastic m.c. 
who gives the tunes modestly fit- 
ting introes. He doesn’t get techni- 
cal, nor does he indulge in hep 
lingo. “Notice that 4/4 beat to- 
ward the end,” says Andy, and 
that’s just about enough to lead 
the listener into a full enjoyment 
of the rendition. This show should 
be solid with the “Cats,” as well 
as with the less hep listeners. 
Spotted in a choice slot. “Jazz Al- 
bum” should rate sponsorship, and 
probably will achieve that status 
in short order. Wied. 



alaires, and even Lewis himself, 
the show, of course, was much the 
strongest in its melodic portions, 
which isn’t amiss for a radio pro- 
gram. Faltering somewhat com- 
edically because of mostly light- 
weight material and some unhappy 
excursions into patter, it neverthe- 
less in toto hit an entertainment 
high. 

Lewis was only moderately suc- 
cessful in generating mirth with 
pedestrian topical and local quips, 
gags, yarns, jokes and drolleries. 
In addition to his patter he also ex- 
tracted some fun from a “Dr. I. Q.” 
spoof. But it was in his usual 
lively and personable emcee role, 
rather than as a comedian, that he 
scored. As always, he was ar- 
resting and his own evident enjoy- 
ment in performing his chores 
must have' been contagious to his 
audience. Incidentally, he didn’t 
overlook pitches for his own and 
associates’ records as well as for 
the city of St. Paul and the Carni- 
val. 

Chalk up another ace WCCO 
public relations job, one more of a 
succession of successes. Give 
credit, too. to ace staffers Cedric 
Adams and Bob DeHaven for their 
smooth handling of commercials 
and to such others as Bob McKin- 
sey, Ed Viehman, V. A. I. Linder, 
Don Stolz, Wally Olson, Ernie 
Garven and Vine Bastien, all of 
whom played prominent parts in 
putting together and staging the 
show. Rees. 


Radio FoDowttp 


"Hallmark Hall of Fame” came 
up with an unexciting tribute to 
British Prime Minister Sir Wins- 
ton Churchill last Sunday <30». 
CBS airer saluted Sir Winston 
with a half-hour dramatization of 
an incident from his early days 
as a newspaper correspondent. 
Tagged "The Escape of Winston 
Churchill,” program dealt with the 
former reporter's coverage of the 
Boer War, specifically his capture 
by the enemy and his eventual 
escape to neutral territory. 

Script by Antony Ellis was void 
of any dramatic punch, with char- 
acters appearing .much too cool, 
even for Englishmen. Interesting 
sidelight to the proceedings was 
the spotting of Gary Montgomery, 
23-year-old nephew’ of Field Mar- 
shall Viscount Montgomery, in the 
title role. Actors performed 
capably, but William Froug’s di- 
rection failed to give show’ a 
needed boost. “Hallmark” series is 
, nroduced by Froug and hosted by 
Edward Arnold, with Frank Goss 
j as announcer. . Jess. 


CENTENNIAL THEATRE 

With John Corrigan, Don Morin, 

Bill Casey, Bill Holland 
Producer: Holland 
Writer: Charles Edward Wright 
15 Mins.; Sun., 5:30 p.m. 

Sustaining 
CFRA, Ottawa 

Built as a gesture to the 100th 
year of Ottawa as Canada’s Capital, 
“Centennial Theatre” is running 
52 weeks on CFRA, local indie 
which, though not affiliated with 
any network, manages to keep its 
24-hour programming extremely 
alive and attractive. Offered as a 
public service in the Capital’s cen- 
tennial year, “Theatre” has plenty 
of color to draw on for scripting, 
teeing with the arrival of the ex- 
plorer-discovery group and running 
from Indian days to 1955. 

Because the formation of any 
capital is accomplished by long- 
drawn mull sessions between city 
and national powers, some stanzas 
of the 52 are bound to be dry but 
scripter Charles Edward Wright 
manages to keep them interesting 
enough lor cast to carry effectively. 
Players, incidentally, will change 
as stanzas reach various points in 
Ottawa’s history with different 
demands for voices. Show caught 
• 23) had John Corrigan as narrator, 
producer Bill Holland doubling a*s 
Sir Richard Sdott, a member of 
parliament; Don Morin as Ottawa’s 
first mayor, J. B. Lewis, and Bill 
Casey as a councillor, Edward 
McGillivray. 

Production was close-knit and 
lightness was maintained in spite 
of heaviness of the episode. 

Gorm. 

Hartford — Travelers Broadcast- 
ing Service Corp., operators of 
WTIC here, has named Walter C. 
Johnson a member of its board of 
directors. Johnson has been with 
the station since 1925, its first year 
of operation. He was the station’s 
i first announcer. 


THE SEVENTH CONTINENT 
With Fahey Flynn. Everett Clarke, 

Dr. William McGovern 
Producers- Writera: Virginia 'Re- 
I naud, Budd Blume 
Director: Doug McKay 
30 Mins.; Thurs., 7:30 p.m. 
Sustaining 
WBBM, Chicago 

Although a far cry from those 
earlier award-winning WBBM doc- 
umentary probings into hometown 
problems such as “The Quiet 
i Answer” on race relations and 
"The Untouchables” on narcotic 
addiction (both produced by Perry 
"Skee” Wolff), this latest public 
service series is nonetheless a 
highly worthwhile venture in the 
realm of international understand- 
ing. As always, when the Chi CBS 
station sets out to do a job in the 
j pubservice vein, the pursestrings 
are loosened with slickly profes- 
sional results* 

A product of the station’s educa- 
tional department headed up by 
Virginia Renaud, “The Seventh 
Continent” takes dialers overseas, 
via narration and tape recordings, 

; for a peek at the lives and habits 
! of other nations. Overall thesis 
being that what happens in Tim- 
, buktu affects the guy in Pearia. 
Country examined on chapter 
heard <27) was Tibet, effectively 
depicted as that “introvert among 
nations.” 

%• 

Fahey Flynn and Everett Clarke 
handled the descriptive backgound 
which neatly limned in the domi- 
nant role the Buddhist tradition 
plays in Tibet. The best segment 
was an interesting taped interview 
with Northwestern U. prof. Dr. 
William McGovern who told of his 
1923 visit to the country. Disguised 
as a native, McGovern was one 
of the first Occidentals to penetrate 
the Tibetian interior. Half-hour 
was backgrounded by some excel- 
lent sound effects to give a realistic 
flavor. Dave. 

TRI-STATE NETWORK 
FOR WCKY’S DISKER 

Cincinnati, Feb. 1. 

A tri state network of 12 sta- 
tions has been assembled to carry 
the Monday through Friday 5:05 
p.m. platter hit tune series origi- 
nated here by WCKY with its 
I jockey, Rex Dale, in command. 
Kicks off today. Bavarian Brewing 
Co., Covington, Ky., opposite 
Cincy, is the . tagger. 

Along with spinning three or 
four of the current top song faves 
in the area, Dale will ring in an 
occasional interview with a celeb 
or gab about a new 7 number that 
i listens promising to him. 

Linkings in Ohio are WBNF. Co- 
l lumbus; WHIO, Daytor.; WPAP, 

I Portsmouth; WMRN. Marion; 
WBEX, Chillieothe; WMVO, Mt. 
Vernon; WCHO, Washington Court 
House; WOHP, Bellefontaine, and 
WHIZ. Zanesville. Others are 
WFTM, Maysville, Ky.. and WCNB, 
Connelsville, and WKBV, Rich- 
mond, Ind. 

Regional netting idea sparked 
from the indie 50,000-watt WCKY, 
headed by Charles H. Topmiller, 
and was developed by Bavarian’s 
i ad rep, the Peck-Heekin agency. 


GOSPEL TRAIN 

With Prof. Charles Taylor, Daniel 
Singers. Kate Smith, Skylitea, 
Alfred Miller and the Miller,* 
aires, Kaiser Singers, Candle- 
light Chorus of Belleville, John- 
son A Capella Chorus, Sunset 
Jubilee Singers, Angel Light*, 
Sons of David, Golden Jubilee 
Singers, Five Gospel Tones, 
others; Victor Bozeman, Hal 
Jackson, emcees 
Producer: Bill Jenkins 
Director: Nat Rudich 
300 Mins., Sun. (30), 7 a.m. 
Participating 
WLIB, N. Y. 

N. Y. audio indie WLIB got its 
second annual “Festival of Negro 
Music and Drama" (14 days from 
Franklin Roosevelt’s birthdate Jan. 
30 through Lincoln’s birthday 
Feb. 12) off in a five-hour <30 ) ex- 
pansion of its regular Sunday 
morn “Gospel Train.’' Event was 
held in the Lawson Auditorium up 
in Harlem, with cuffo tix for 
pewsters. 

Tenor of stanza was semi-religi-/ 
ous in character with several gos- 
pel warblers, solo and group stuff, 
presenting before WLIB mikes. 
However, the station’s face could 
only be red due to the absence of 
CBS' Mahalia Jackson, who was 
publicized as star of the casing. 
Wha’ happen hasn’t yet been 
divulged. 

In all though, there was an 
abundance of gospel talent, with 
24 groups involved — ranging from 
solo Prof. Charles Tay.or (with 
three femmes in support) to the 
30 voices of the Johnson a Cap- 
pella chorus. Taylor, a w.k. in the 
religioso song field, clicked with 
“That Old Time Religion.” John- 
son group did “Lord’s Prayer” (as 
with Taylor’s piece, a disk click), 
but its offbeat rhythm might have 
been unfamiliar to outsiders. Most 
acts heard presented more popu- 
lar stuff Kaiser Singers with 
“Beautiful City of God;” Skylites 
did version of "Lord Have Mercy,” 
Daniel Singers gave out with “By 
and By” and the Milleraires 
wrapped up their turn with "Job.” 
In early morning segment of show, 
Five Gospel Tones whacked out 
their tunalog with authenticity. 

Emcees Vic Bozeman and Hal 
Jackson, former doing daily record 
edition of the Sunday gospelacu- 
lar kept the show clipping along 
with minimum gab. One down- 
i beat fillip is that this five-hour 
show 7 , handed to the aud as sort 
of at one-shot special feature, was 
packed with commercial time < all * 
to the good of the station coffers, 
it’s sure) with a voice offstage de- 
livering spiels over emcee’s voices 
and other auditorium sounds so as 
not to bother live audience. Gave 
listeners to the radio show the im. 
press ion they might be missing 
something. 

WLIB’s “Festival” continues 
through Feb. 12 with a total of 
125 special shows. One reviewed 
here was only one of four free 
concerts to be held by the outlet. 
It’s a pretty ambitious sked for a 
small indie in the fiercely com- 
petitive N. Y.- specialized radio 
| mart. * Art. 


Dallas — Cecil D. Hobbs, salesman 
at KLIF, has been promoted to sta- 
tion manager, succeeding Bill 
Weaver. 


Congratulations to our friend and client 

Will Glickman 

And to our friend and somebody-else 's client 

Joe Stein 

For writing the smash Broadway hit 

“ Plain and Fancy” 

FRANK COOPER ASSOCIATES AGENCY 

FRANK COOPER, President 

SY FISCHER, Manager, New York Office 

*) 

New York 
SY FISCHER 
WILLIAM COOPER 
S21 Fifth Avtnuo 
Now York, N. Y. 


Hollywood 
MARTIN SPERBER 
JOEL COHEN 
6277 Selma Avenuo 
Hollywood 28, California 





It isn’t every night you can turn on TV and get 
Radio. But you could last Sunday, when 
Ed Sullivan gave Radio one of its finest hours. 

The competing program was truly spectacular, 
and had a half-hour head start. But when it 
came time for “Toast of the Towp,” twice as 
many people showed up. And by the time the 
whole thing was ending, ‘ Toast” was entertaining * 
four times as many. (Trendex ten-city rating.) 

It all goes to prove two things: The way people 
rally round CBS Television. And the way people 
rally round Radio . . . wherever they happen to 
find it. For as usual Sunday nights from 8 to 9, 
many millions were off somewhere else, enjoying 
a couple of other fine* shows: “Our Miss Brooks’* 
and “My Little Margie” on . . . 





Second half hour 51.8 
Other Party 12.3 



IIADIO-TKI.K VISION 


Gainfully, February 2, 1955 



Hitz Appraises Midwest Marts 
And Sees Big Year on Daytime TV 


Chicago, Feb. 1. 

This is the year daytime network 
television will really come into its 
own and by the time the new sea- 
son rolls in next fall it should reach 
boom proportions. That’s the pre- 
diction of Chi NBC-TV sales veep 
Edward R. Hitz after a first-of-the- 
year appraisal of the midwest 
marts. 

Hitz. whose 25-year sales career 
with the web spans the radio cycle 
and the arrival of tv, sees the AM 
pattern being repeated in video 
with more and more advertising 
coin being channeled into the day- 
time hours now that SRO status 
has become an established fact of 
life for after-dinner tv for the top 
two networks at least. With many 
advertisers still shaping up their 
budgets for the current year and 
looking ahead to next fall, Hit/, 
claims that interest in tv generally 
is at a new’ peak and that there’s 
more activity in sunlight fare than 
e # ver before. 

It’s his theory that heretofore 
lots of bankrollers and their agen- 
cies blinded themselves to daytime 
values with their preoccupation 
with the “glamor” overtone of being 
associated with a bigtime evening 
show. Like in radio this novelty as- 
pect is disappearing as they become 
more value conscious. And now that 
daytime shows have established 
track records with concrete cost- 
per-thousand data, the hep buyers 
are recognizing they ofttimes can 
get more for less on the day shift. 

But the daytime perkup is more 
than just a matter of nighttime 
overflow. Hitz argues. Through the 
various flexible participation pat- 
terns evolved for the daily cross- 
the weekers, the little guys can 
stake out a national claim and the 
ins-and-outers can tailor their ex- 
posure to their sales drives. It’s 
pointed out that the current sea- 
son has seen a whole flock of new 
spenders hitching onto the daytime 
bandwagon and that the list of net- 
work tv ‘rookies’’ is just starting to 
snowball under the impetus of 
competitive self-defense. 

For example, there’s the John 
Morrell packing firm which is mak- 
ing its NBC-TV bow Feb. 3 with 
a Thursday insert in the afternoon 
Pinky Lee show. It’s a 52-week 
ride. Then there’s Rath Packing 
entering with 26 participations on 
“Today.” Next month Morton Salt 
makes its network debut with 13 
identities each on the “Today- 
Tome-Tonight” tripod. Salt work’s 
entry also marks the first associa- 
tion with the TUT roundelay of its 
agency, Needham, Louis & Brorby. 

The Rath and Morton biz alone 
exceeds $400,0b0, all of w hich here- 
tofore went into other media or re- 
mained in the company treasury. 


‘Ozark’ Snares Client 

ABC-TV has come up with its 
first client for the hour-long “Ozark 
Jubilee” Saturday nighter, with 
Regal Pale Beer buying a half- 
hour of the show regionally for 
the entire state of California. 
Regal picks up the 9-9:30 segment 
of the hillbilly outing, which origi- 
nates in Columbia. Mo. (it moves 
to Springfield, Mo. as soon as 
AT&T installs cablet. 

Sale came out of ABC’s San 
Francisco office. 


Joe Deane’s TV Deal 


Pittsburgh, Feb. 1. 

Joe Deane, KQV disk jockey, has 
been signed by Kaufmann’s depart- 
ment store for its first big venture 
into local tv, a daily morning strip 
cross - the - board, 9:15-9:30, on 
KDKA-TV. It’ll be a shoppers 
show with Deane doing the whole 
thing himself. 

Video spot won’t interfere with 
his several hours a day of platter- 
spinning on radio. 


Hour Dramatic 

Continued from sane 25 


Week of Pitt Hoopla As 
Westinehouse Takes Over 
WDTV (Now KDKA-TV) 

Pittsburgh, Feb. 1. 

Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. 
and its head man. Chris J. Witting. 1 
really taking over the town these 
davs with a week-long celebration 
officially bringing Channel 2 into 
the WBC family. Station, formerly j 
WDTV and now KDKA-TV. was re- 
centlv acquired from DuMont for 
$9,750,000. 

Big doings began on Bill Burns’ 
noon news show yesterday (Mon.) i 
when the new call letters were | 
used for the first time. Today ! 
iTues.t Witting is addressing a com- i 
bined luncheon meeting of the 
Radio and Television Club and the 
Pittsburgh Advertising Club at the ! 
William Penn Hotel on "Broadcast- 
ing’s Job in America’s Future , 
Growth.” Guests of honor, in ad- 
dition to Witting, will be Harold 
C. Lund, general manager of 
KDKA-TV. who also directed 
Channel 2 for three years under 
DuMont ownership, and L. R. Raw- 
lins. general manager of KDKA. 

Changeover program had as 
guests, along with Witting and 
Lund. Gwil.vn Price, president of 
Westinghouse Corp. Last night 
“Studio One” saluted WBC’s new- 
est property, and all week West- 
inghouse atomic energy display of 
consumer products is being shown 
at the Gateway Center, where 
KDKA-TV Is located. Station is 
releasing 5.000 helium-filled bal- 
loons daily, some containing $2 
bills, symbolic of Channel 2. and 
there’s a helicopter flying all over 
the Golden Triangle towing a 
KDKA-TV banner. 

Big fireworks exhibition also 
carded for one of the nearby hills, 
with displays ending in colored 
lights spelling out KDKA-TV. In 
addition, during the entire week, 
there will be an interchange of 
personalities on KDKA-TV and 
KDKA house shows, with radio 
people appearing on the tv pro- 
grams and vice versa. 


TV’s Major Role 
(& Bankroll) In 
Chi Mayor Race 








complete coverage 

PHILADELPHIA 

trading, 


m 










coming 


>< $$ 


Chicago, Feb. 1. 
Television so far is the big win- 
ner in the dingdong political bat- 
tle under way to determine who’ll 
be the Windy City’s# mayor the 
next four years. Orders booked 
with three of the four tv stations 
by the competing primary candi- 
dates* already total nearly $75,000 
with the expectation expenditures 
will top $110,000 before the Feb. 
22 balloting. 

And once the two party candi- 
dates are named additional coin 
will flow video’s way when the 
organizational resources are tossed 
into the fray betw’een the primary 
and the regular election April 5. 

Although there’s a fiercely com- 
petitive three-way race for the 
Democratic mayoralty nod. it’s the 
Republican hopeful Robert Mer- 
riam. running virtually unapposed, 
who’s setting the tv campaigning 
pace. Big factor in the rise of 
Merriam’s political star which saw 
him switch from the Democratic 
ranks to earn the blessings of the 
GOP slatemakers, was the video 
expose of the seamier side' of this 
city’s affairs he conducted last 
year on WGN-TV. 

Young alderman running under 
the “cleanup” banner is back on 
the Chi Tribune station, this time 
as a paying customer. While he has 
no major competition in his pri- 
mary bid, his camp has laid it on 
the line for about $11,000 tor a 
13-week series of half-hour Sun- 
day night telecasts to keep his 
name in public view’. 

To date, WGN-TV is snagging 
the bulk of the political biz with 
something like $45,000 already 
logged in and more to come. Be- 
sides the Merriam series, Mayor 
Martin Kennelly, the Democratic 
incumbent is aboard for 15 quar- 
ter hours and a spot campaign. At 
the moment, the mayor, who is 
waging a determined fight after 
being dumped by the Dem ma- 
chine, ranks as the No. 1 tv spend- 
er. Benjamin Adamowski, an- 
other Dem candidate, is likewise 
going in heavy for WGN-TV -time 
with seven quarterhour and two 
half-hours ordered. 

WNBQ has cut itself in for about 
$20,000 with heavy spot orders 
from Kennelly and Richard Daley, 
the Democratic organization’s “of- 
ficial” entry. WBKB so far has 
lined up nearly $10,000 from the 
polis as Daley is down for four 
15-minute periods and Adamow- 
ski with a Monday night half-hour. 
Balance is a $6,000 spot schedule 
from the Republicans Citizens 
Rally. WBBM-TV, with its drum- 
tight schedule, so far hasn’t found 
room for any of the political biz. 


show him in a change of reins via 
“Broken Spur,” his initial try at 
the horse opera motif (and follow- 
ing closely on last week’s “The 
Mojave Kid.” a horseless gunplay 
on “Climax.” But still tops in tv 
on the westerner spree was ABC- 
TV’s “The Last Notch” of some 
months ago which has been grabbed 
by Hollywood i. 

Rose’s other works on the West- 
inghouse Monday series this se- 
mester were “An Almanac of Lib- 
erty,” inspired titlewise by the 
Justice Douglas book of that name, 
and “12:32 A.M.” His other “Studio 
One” contributions were “Remark- 
able Incident at Carson Corners,” 
“Thunder on Sycamore Street” and 
“Death and Life of Larry Benson” 
for a virtual 7-for-7 score with 
varying degrees of qualitative trim- 
mings. The Westinghouser’s two-in- 
a-row' adaptations by one writer 
will find William Templeton in be- 
tween-covers workovers of Frank 
Owen’s spy thriller, “The Eddie 
Chapman Story,” on Feb. 21 and 
Curt Siodmak’s terroristic “Dono- 
van’s Brain” on the 28th. 

And that now-he’s-a-comic-now- 
he’s-an-actor Jackie Gleason will 
be going tonight (Wed.) for West- 
inghouse on the “Best of Broad- 
way” series in George Kelly’s old 
“The Show-Off.” with Thelma Rit- 
ter, Kathy O’Donnell. Alice Ghost- 
ley, Carleton Carpenter and Rus- 
sell Collins in the troupe. The 
adaptation is by Ronald Alexander, 
whose “The Grand Prize” opened 
on Broadway last week. Gleason 
did the w.k. Aubrey role in the 
strawhatters a few years ago. The 
comic’s first straight part in tv was 
on "Studio One” a couple of 
months ago when he played the 
controversial prosecutor in "Short 
Cut.” The Kelly play opened on 
Broadway 31 years ago this week 
(5 ». It was still running that Octo- 
ber (and into the following June! 
at the Playhouse when the Theatre 
Guild preemed Molnar’s “The 
Guardsman” at the old Garrick 
Theatre with Lynn Fontanne and 
Alfred Lunt. “Best of Broadway” 
will front “Guardsman” next 
month (2i with Claudette Colbert 
in the Fontanne part. 

And then there’s “Lux Video 
Theatre,” the Thursday nighter on 
NBC-TV, which will come in with 
a quartet of Academy Award films 
starting March 3 — as “ruffles and 
flourishes” leadups to the March 30 
(Wed.) fullblown Oscar presenta- 
tions as an hour and a half (10:30 
to midnight* extra-added Oldspec- 
tacular. They’re calling this one the 
“Oldsmobillion.” 


DALLAS STATE FAIR 
EYED AS NBC TINTER 

Dallas, Feb. 1. 

The State Fair of Texas may be 
seen throughout the nation via 
NBC color television this fall, ac- 
cording to Barry Wood in a talk 
here before the Salesmanship Club 
last Thursday (27). The Fair 
scenes will probably appear on the 
new tv series, “Wide, Wide World.” 
Wood was introduced by Ralph W. 
Nimmons, manager for WFAA-TV, 
local NBC-TV outlet. 

Wood envisaged the approaching 
day when “women at home will 
look at department store displays 
of furnishings, clothing or shoes — 
all in color on their screens — then 
pick up the phone and order.” 


TV’s Biggest Gamble 


Continued from page 23 


SUPER 
POWER 

316,000 WATTS 

WDEL-TV 


WILMINGTON 

PHILADELPHIA OFFICE 

1500 Walnut Street, Suite 1205 
Telephone Kingsley 6-4020 

STEINMAN STATION 








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a*... ' **c. 


ICO go 


Prep Coast Versions Of 
‘Jr. Champs,’ ‘Finders’ 

Hollywood. Feb. 1. 

Gerry Gross, of Gross-Baer pack- 
aging team, arrives in Hollywood 
tomorrow (Wed.) to prep Coast 
versions of WABD treasurehunt, 
“Finders Keepers.” and WRCA- 
TV juve sports opus “Junior Cham- 
pions.” 

Latter garners an award this 
week when WRCA-TV veepee Ham 
Shea accepts plaque from Jewish 
Welfare Board, for show’s “out- 
standing contribution to youth of 
the community.” 


TRAMPOLINE SERIES 

Trampoline Walter Dick (& His 
All-American Boys) and Jim 
Hetzer, head of the Hetzer Theatri- 
cal agency of Huntington, W. V., 
have formed the Zerick Corp, to 
produce a syndicated telepix series 
featuring the trampoline troupe. 

Films will be shot this spring and 

summer. 


‘Why Only Us?’ Beef 
Radio-TV Execs On 
Brooklyn Ad Probe 

While promising support to 
Brooklyn D. A. Edward Silver in 
curbing “bait and switch” advertis- 
ing. radio and tv execs in N. Y. 
were a little perturbed that they 
were the only media picked on. 
After a closed-door session Thurs- 
day (27) with reps from 21 of 
N. Y.’s 23 radio-tv stations, Silver 
said that he’d received assurances 
that industryites would work more 
closely with the Better Business 
Bureau (which, incidentally, has 
been up in arms over these ad mal- 
practices for several years), but it 
seemed to observers that the threat 
of legal action by the D. A. ’s office 
against continuing downbeat ad 
tactics seemed unlikely for the 
present. 

Silver, it’s understood, informed 
the broadcasters that he wouldn’t 
list the sponsors which he discov- 
ered to be guilty of “switch” ad- 
vertising in eight months of inves- 
tigation unless the Rackets Grand 
Jury brought in an indictment. 
Silver is said to have admitted 
there is little his office can do to 
radio and video, and that all he 
was really trying to do was to let 
the industry know what was .up 
and then turn matters over to 
them for policy. Future action by 
the D. A. will depend on steps 
taken by the media involved. 

Attending the Thursday meeting 
with broadcasters was BBB prexy 
in N. Y., Hugh Jackson. He re- 
served comment. 

Broadcasters have become irked 
at Silver for not bringing malprac- 
tices of print advertisers to light 
also. Silver reportedly explained 
that radio and tv came in for a 
blast because 90 r r> of the com- 
plaints he received were against 
them. 


letter’s “People Are Funny” Sun- 
day nights at 7 on NBC-TV settles 
for a 24.8; the Celeste Holm CBS- 
TV show faded off with a 23.0; the 
late Saturday night “Willy” entry 
on CBS-TV takes it on the chin 
with a 12.5; “That’s My Boy” evap- 
orated from the CBS-TV skein 
with a 16.1, and although no 
Nielsen's been posted on its suc- 
cessor show, “Professional Father,” 
the critical reaction thus far 
doesn’t bode too well for it. 

P&G’s Thinking 

NBC-TV is still waiting for the 
initial Nielsen verdict on the new 
"This Is Hollywood” Saturday at 
8:30 series, but this, too, is inviting 
anything but handsprings. Imo- 
gene Coca, another high-budgeted 
entry, has a strictly lowercase 16.5, 
with Red Buttons faring no better 
than a 15.3. 

Item Three: Certainly indicative 
of the growing awareness of the 
risk entailed in springing new half- 
hour properties on the video public 
was the decision of Procter & Gam- 
ble (one of the most significant 
moves in recent years) to drop out 
of the showmanship picture com- 
pletely and settle strictly for cir- 
culation by buying into established 
hits on a share arrangement. For 
the privilege of buying advertising 
space on “This Is Your Life.” it’s 
paying enough coin so that Hazel 
Bishop now gets a free ride on it. 
P & G deal for alternate sponsor- 
ship on “Lucy” is pretty much the 
same. 

Item Four: The Nielsens of re- 
cent vintage show the growing ac- 
ceptance of shows in the Top 10 
breaking away from the long-ac- 
cepted half-hour format of week- 
in-week-out exposure. True, 
“Lucy,” “Dragnet” and Groucho 
are still in there, but it’s the 60- 
minute “Toast of the Town” (with 
its element of week-to-week new- 
ness) the Max Liebman spectacu- 
lars and Producers Showcase, the 
full hour exposure of Jackie Glea- 
son, Milton Berle, Martha Raye, 
Bob Hope, and the new and more 
adventuresome “Disneyland” that 
are attracting the audiences. 

Item Five: Hollywood’s continu- 
ing quest to come up with another 
“Lucy” is in reality contributing 
toward spelling the doom of the 
situation comedy; most of them 
have been second-grade stereotypes 
that come out as variations of bad 
B product. If they’re on film (with 
20 or 30 in the can) the sponsor's 
stuck with them. 


St. Louis — William T. Cook, film 
director for WTVI, Belleville. III., 
w'as robbed of $60 last week by 
three men who seized him in an 
alley near his home in St. Louis. 



TEXACO STAR THEATRE 

SATURDAY NIGHT— N.I.C. 

Mgt.t William Morrla Agancy 


STANDARD SOUND EFFECT 
RECORDS 

Now Available In Now York at 

CHARLES MICHELSON, INC. 

15 W. 47tk St. PLoxa 7-0415 







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48 


TV-FILMS 


VftRiEfr 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


Matty Fox's let Reub Do It’ in Deal 
Turning Over All MPTV Features To 
Guild on Straight Distribution Basis 


PLAYING NAGS VIA VIDPIX 


Deal by which Matty Fox turned 
over his entire Motion Pictures 
for Television feature catalog 
to Guild Filfns under a long- 
term distribution contract was 
consummated yesterday (Tues.-). 
Guild takes on the entire library 
of 1,000 subjects, including some 
600-odd features and westerns; 
along with about $13,000,000 in 
contracts, of which $5,000,000 is in 
cash contracts, the remainder in 
station deals for announcements, 
about half of which will be con- 
verted into cash via sales to spon- 
aors within the next few days. 

Effect of the transaction, which 
parallels that made by Fox a cou- 
ple of months ago when he turned 
all MPTV syndicated product over 
to UM&M for distribution, is to 
put him and MPTV completely out 
of the sales-servicing end of the 
telefilm business. But the deal by 
no means puts Fox and MTPV out 
of the television business, al- 
though he said he’ll devote more 
time to his Skiatron tollvision 
operation, but leaves him to “de- 
velop and finance” new properties 
for television (under his UM&M 
deal, he’s committed to deliver 
five new shows a year for 10 years; 
there’s no commitment for fresh 
product in the Guild deal, how- 
ever). 

Guild's deal set by Prexy Reub 
Kaufman, is merely a distribution 
one, under which Guild will sell 
the films and service the clients 
for a percentage of the gross take, 
just as in the case of syndicating 
films for a producer. In this case, 
the deal again parallels that with 
UM&M, which is (jistribbing the 
MPTV half-hour and quarter-hour 
programs for a 25% distribution 
fee. Guild’s cut isn’t known. But 
Fox retains all rights to the fea- 




NflLLE 

Piano * Organ * Celeste 


I REMEMBER MAMA 


* Radio Registry * 


tures, some of which he owns but 
most of which he had acquired un- 
der longterm lease deals from 
banks, independent producers and 
other sources. Deal places the re- 
maining shell of MPTV as an or- 
ganization in the position of a “re- 
leasing company,” under which it 
develops, finances, purchases, 
leases or owns film, but turns it 
over to a sales organization for 
distribution. 

Set Up MPTV Films, Inc. 

Under mechanics of the trans- 
fer, the entire MPTV feature film 
department (which at present 
nearly comprises all .of MPTV) 
moves over to MPTV Films Inc., 
a newly organized, wholly-owned 
subsidiary of Guild, set up to han- 
dle the features. Some 300 people, 
headed by Erwin Ezzes, MPTV 
veep, will handle sales, servicing, 
booking, etc., on the features. 
Ezz&s becomes v.p, of MPTV Films, 
reporting to Guild sales v.p. Man- 
ny Reiner. New subsid will oper- 
ate as a sales division of Guild. 
Major initial effort will go toward 
converting the “time” contracts 
into cash. Contracts exist by vir- 
tue of MPTV’s deal with stations 
whereby they turned over availa- 
bilities in exchange for film, with 
MPTV then selling the spots to 
sponsors for cash. A Guild exec 
said that about half of the $8,000,- 
000 in “time” contracts would be 
sold in a few days. 

Feature deal, which puts Guild 
among the largest of the country’s 
producers-distributors, in no way 
affects MPTV’s arrangement with 
UM&M, the distribs of their syn- 
dicated product, Ed Madden re- 
mains with MPTV as v.p. and su- 
pervisor of the UM&M setup. At 
the same time, Kaufman said ac- 
quisition of the features will not 
affect Guild’s plans for flew pro- 
gram production, with several new 
properties in the works in addition 
to those already under production. 
Vitapix stations, with which Guild 
has a working agreement, will get 
first call on the features after their 
present runs, in addition to the 
new program properties. Kauf- 
man said the Vitapix station line- 
up has now been expanded to 
more than 50. 

Immediate effect of the deal, 
from the Guild end, will be to ex- 
pand the firm’s regional offices to 
16, with six new offices due to be 
set up in Buffalo, Philadelphia, 
Atlanta, New Orleans, St. Louis 
and Minneapolis. Guild held a 
special sales meeting over the 
weekend for all its field men and 
all the new personnel moving over 
from MPTV, at which the new 
sales territories were set up and 
new production, sales and service 
plans were unveiled. 

Though the transfer doesn’t 
(Continued on page 52) 


No more fluffs, 

Ad libs, remakes; 
Shoot it once — 

The first shot takes. 

WITH 

_ , < 

IelePrompIer 


NEW YORK 
CHICAGO 
LOS ANGELES 
WASHINGTON 
TORONTO 


■and other principal 


300 West 43rd St. 

Phont: JUdson 2-3800 

RAYMOND HAGEN 
177 North State St. 

GEORGE KANE 

6151 Santa Monica Blvd. 

FRED BARTON 
1346 Connecticut Ave. 

S W. CALDWELL, LTD. 

447 Jarvii St. 

cities in the U. S. and Canada 


‘Hollywood Handicap’ Gets Okay 
Ruling as Game of Skill 


Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

Now there's a “hoss race,” tagged 
“Hollywood Handicap,” being pack- 
aged for television. 

Moeller & Somerfeier ad agency 
received their patents on the game 
which features an electronic brain. 
They also got word from the U. S. 
Attorney’s office that the show had 
been ruled a game of skill, and 
since no money was involved in the 
playing of the game, it was okay 
from a legal standpoint, agency 
said. 

Game amounts to a “pinball ma- 
chine” of the air, with 18 in audi- 
ence operating their different 
“jockeys” at the same time. Agency 
seeks a merchandising tieup with a 
chain store, then will negotiate 
with stations. 


Royal Crown In 

$1,000,000 Vidpix 
Buy (Ames Bros.) 

Royal Crown is shelling out in 
the neighborhood of $1,000,000 for 
time and talent on 26 15-minute 
vidpix starring the Ames Bros. 
Stanza is to start on April 1 on 
195 tele stations, figure comprising 
one of the largest national spot 
program buys in tele. Deal has a 
big syndication angle too, with all 
residuals being returned to the 
singing stars after each of the 26 
has been played for the fizz maker. 

Pact was made by MCA for the 
Ames foursome and by BBD&O for 
Nehi Corp., the Royal Crown par- 
ent org. Bill Ficks, singing group’s 
manager, looks to be set as the 
show producer, but actual filmer 
remains to be fixed by the talent 
agency and BBD&O, though Holly- 
wood will be lensing locale. 

Show will be of variety genre, 
with Harry Geller as cleffer and 
Jack Baker as director. Sloane Nib- 
ley will scribble. RC contract 
promises exposure in Class A time 
only. 


Science Fiction 
On Tap for Ziv 

Having all but wrapped up the 
nationwide sales picture on its 
“Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre,” 
Ziv Television Programs is putting 
its next property, “Science Fiction 
Theatre,” into sale this week. Se- 
ries, produced for Ziv by Ivan 
Tors, is described as an anthology 
series based on extension of “es- 
tablished scientific fact.” Series is 
hosted by news commentator Tru- 
man Bradley, with the first episode 
starring William Lundigan, Ellen 
Drew, Tom Drake, Bruce Bennett, 
Douglas Kennedy and Basil Ruys- 
dael. 

Planning of the science-fictioner, 
incidentally, throws a spotlight on 
the “gotta be different” trend 
among syndicators today. Ziv prexy 
John Sinn, explaining the reason- 
ing behind the show, said that 
while anthology shows are used by 
“more major advertisers and con- 
sistently achieve the highest over- 
all ratings of all television shows,” 
there are so many such shows, “all 
cut from the same cloth, that spon- 
sor identification with the series is 
all but lost.” Sponsors, Sinn said, 
“waht programs that are distinc- 
tive.” 


TWO NEW SERIES 
ON DESILU AGENDA 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

Desilu Productions has skedded 
two more telefilm series, and Janet 
Blair and Betty Garrett are uj) for 
a role in one of them, “Those Sis- 
ters.” Up for the other lead is 
■Barbara Whiting. Madeline Pugh 
and Bob Carroll, who w r rite “I Love 
Lucy,” conceived scries which 
is being produced by Sam Marx, 
exec producer of Desilu. 

Second series is “Girls in Grease- 
paint,” also produced by Marx. 
Rose Marie and Anna Marie Alber- 
ghetti are being discussed as pos- 
sible leads for this one. 


Interstate s Hot Comedy Shorts; 

$850,000 Gross in 22 Markets 


A. P. JAEGER BACK 
TO PROCKTER FOLD 

Andrew P. Jaeger, yho once 
headed up Bernard Proekter’s syn- 
dication operation, Prockter Syn- 
dication International, has rejoined 
the packager, this time as v.p. in 
charge of sales of Prockter Tele- 
vision Enterprises, ProckteY’s over- 
all packaging-sales operation. Jae- 
ger will head up all national, re- 
gional, syndicated and foreign sales 
for PTE, doing direct selling as 
well as coordinating sales of Prock- 
ter packages syndicated by Nation- 
al Telefilm Associates and MCA- 
TV. 

Jaeger headed syndicated sales 
for PSI from 1951 until Prockter 
sold the firm’s properties in 1953, 
at which time he joined Screen 
Gems as New York sales manager. 
Before joining Prockter initially, 
he was network film director at 
DuMont, having moved into tele 
from a foreign sales stint at 20th- 
Fox. Jaeger’s also a past president 
of the National Television Film 
Council. 


‘Pimpernel’ Set 
As Telepix Series 

Harry Alan Towers, whose Tow- 
ers of London Ltd. is one of the 
more prolific transcription outfits, 
has finally made the telefilm 
plunge. Towels last week set a deal 
with Official Films for distribution 
and financing of “The Scarlet 
Pimpernel” (which he’s done on 

transcription iivthe past) with Ma- 
rius Goring as star. Pilot’s already 
completed, and Towers starts shoot- 
ing the first 39 at Nettlefold Stu- 
dios near London on March 1 for a 
September release date. 

Deal further accentuates Offi- 
cial’s plunge into the costume field, 
with “Pimpernel” coming on top 
of deals for “Robin Hood” and 
“Three Musketeers.” It also further 
points up Official’s yen for foreign 
production, what with “Robin 
Hood” being filmed by Hannah 
Weinstein at the same Nettlefold 
Studios and “Musketeers” turned 
out by Thetis Films in Rome. (Miss 
Weinstein ^ilso produced “Colonel 
March” for Official.) Unlike the 
other two, however, Official won’t 
put “Pimpernel” into immediate 
syndication, but will hold out for a 
national deal. 


A batch of 10 and 20-minute com- 
edy shorts are the hottest item in 
the Interstate Television vidfilm 
stable. “Little Rascals” originally 
“Our Gang” comedies by Hal 
Roach) have in a few months of 
actual selling, achieved quite a 
track record. The 92 shorts (15 
of ’em dating back to silent days) 
have grossed an estimated $850,000 
through sales in only 22 markets. 

Ratings indicate that the telepix 
are leading the afternoon kiddie 
pack in at least five markets. Ac- 
cording to ARB rundowns late last 
year, the pix pummelled “Howdy 
Doody” in L. A. as well as each of 
the other five stations in the mar- 
ket during afternoon kiddie time. 
And that with the pix being on 
their third go around, having start- 
ed last spring sometime (KNXT, 
L. A., was the only buyer until 
August). The pix lead also in De- 
troit against “Captain Video.” 
Gene Autry and the like. It rapped 
Pinky Lee in Buffalo and copped 
the lead as well in Seattle and San 
Francisco. 

Interstate has devoted almost all 
its effort to sale of the Roach pix 
lately (outfit also has 39 “Douglas 
Fairbanks Presents,” which it is 
negotiating still to sell to Eliot Hy- 
man of Associated Artists; it has 13 
Ethel Barrymore half-hours, plus 
several color science shows, etc.), 
and the surprising fillip is that 
while the films are offered under 
a library plan, normally signifying 
that they’ll be used as filler in some 
existing kid shows, everyone of the 
22 stations has or will build a spe- 
cial juve show around them. 


Name Don Mack 

New head of Filmack’s N. Y. 
office is Don Mack, veepee with 
the organization and Chi sales chief 
for eight years. Replacing him in 

Chi is Lou Kravitz. 


GARDINER S 'BUCKLEY' 

Hollywood, Feb: 1. 

Reginald Gardiner stars in a new 
vidfilm series, “Buckley,” created 
by Don Quinn, and packaged by 
Goodson-Todman. 

Edmund Hartmann is scripting 
pilot, due to roll soon. Deal was 
agented by Ted Ashley office. 



Eileen BARTON 

Latest CORAL Album 

“Barton on Broadway” 

Direction 

WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 


TELEPHONE SOLICITORS expert- 
enced, courteous men for radio 
station in Boston. Sober. Can 
start at once. Contact BEacon 
2-2261, 9 to 5. No collect calls. 


HIGHER RATINGS! 
MORE RENEWALS! 


BIGGER RESULTS! 



And 

We c ," | 

prove n* 


ZIV 


CURRENT HITS t 

\ | THE EDDIE CANTOR 

% COMEDY THEATRE 

- MEET CORLISS ARCHER 
| j MR. DISTRICT ATTORNEY 
1 I LED 3 LIVES 

FAVORITE STORY 


V 


Air r A if i f\ 







Wednesday* February 2, 1955 


40 ****** VSStoy 

»” ETHEL MERMAN ^ 

RED SKELTON 
BETTY and JANE KEAN 

BOBBY VAN 


DAVID ROSE 


SEYMOUR BERNS 


GENE NELSON 


HERBIE BAKER 


STANLEY STYNE • HARRY KING • BUDDY BREGMAN • BUSTER DAVIS 
NAT PERRIN • BOB LEE • MARY ANN NYBERG • MILTON PASCAL 
GEORGE HAIGHT • CECIL BARKER • PAT HORNE • NAT FARBER 
SYLVIA HERSCHER 

and GEORGE GILBERT — For Your Wonderful Creation 

and to the entire crew of experts of all the crafts that helped me. 

\ 

*■ 

P.S.: And to all you Guys and Dolls who sang and danced their heads off! 


SHOWERS OF PRAISE! 

WALTER WINCHELL, Daily Mirror: 

SHOWSTOPPERS- ,/ A flawless show . . . fast and funny . . . crowded 
with swift entertainment. Excellent program." 

JACK O'BRIEN, New York Journal- American: 

SHOWSTOPPERS— "One of the best TV musicals ever . . . 'Show- 
stoppers', an idea fool proof in theory, for a change, has theory 
improved by sparkling fact and it should be followed by many 
more along the same richly reminiscent lines. This would provide 
a stylish, solid nucleus of a whole series of same . . . More please." 

JACK GOULD, New York Times: N 

SHOWSTOPPERS— "With no tiresome book to clutter the proceed- 
ings, the show was a tuneful and pleasant hour, much the best of 
this season's CBS musicals in color." 

JANET KERN, Chicago American : 

SHOWSTOPPERS— "A superbly selected, edited and produced pot- 
pourri of theatrical highlights ... the kind of show which could 
easily be repeated." 

BILLBOARD, Leon Morse: 

SHOWSTOPPERS— "Slickly produced musical comedy numbers of 
proven entertainment merit . . ." 

DAILY VARIETY— He/m; 

SHOWSTOPPERS— "A panorama of entertainment that embodied 
every facet of what the title 'Showstoppers' implies. Elaborate 
staging ... in the Broadway tradition . . . the touch of class that 
attended Broadway presentations of the dim, misty past." 





CWNSIE* 


Presen»a t,on °* 



J 



8 - 30 

Thursday- 

CB V the Supervision of 


WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 





VARIETY'S weekly chart of city-by-city rating* of syndicated and na • 
tional spot film covers 40 to 60 cities reported by American Research Bureau 
on a monthly basis . Cities will be rotated each week, with the 10 top-rated 
film shows listed in each case , and their competition shown opposite . All 
ratings are furnished by ARB, based on the- latest reports . 

This VARIETY chart represents a gathering of all pertinent informa- 
tion about film in each market , which can be used by distributors , agencies , 
stations and clients as an aid in determining the effectiveness of a filmed 
show in the specific market. Attention should be paid to time — day and 


time factors , since sets-in-use and audience composition vary according to 
time slot , i.e., a Saturday afternoon children's show , with a low rating , may 
have a large share and an audience composed largely of children , with cor- 
responding results for the sponsor aiming at the children’s market. Abbre- 
viations and symbols are as follows: ( Adv .), adventure; ( Ch ), children’s ; 
(Co), comedy; (Dr), drama; (Doc), documentary; (Mus), musical; 
(Myst), mystery; (Q), quis; (Sp), sports; (W ), western; (Worn), 
women’s. Numbered symbols next to station call letters represent the sta- 
tion’s channel; all channels above 13 are VHP, Those ad agencies listed as 
distributors rep the national spot sponsor lor whom toe film is aired. 


TOP 10 PROGRAMS 
AND TYPE 


STATION 


DISTRIB. 


DAY AND 
TIME 


NOVEMBER SHARI SETS IN I TOP COMPETING PROGRAM 

RATING (%> USE f PROGRAM STA. RATING 


BOSTON Approx. Set Count — 1,190,000 Stations — WBZ (4), WNAC (7) 


1. Range Rider (W) . . . . 

. . . WBZ 

.. CBS 

. Sun. 7:00-7:30 . . . 

38.5 

70 

. . . . 55.1 

US Steel Hour 

. . WNAC . 

16.6 

2. I Led Thre«* Lives (Dr) 

WNAC 

Ziv 

Mon 7 00-7 30 

37 1 

91 

40.8 

On Stage 

. . WBZ . . . 

2.2 








Nightly News-Teller . . . 

..WBZ ... 

52 

3 Badge 714 (Myst) 

. . .WNAC 

. . NBC 

. Wed. 6:30-7:00 . . 

27.2 

72 

. ... 35.4 

News — Victor Best 

.. WBZ ... 

.... 9 5 








You and Your Health.. 

.. WBZ ... 

6 2 

4. Superman (Adv) 

. . WNAC 

. . Flamingo 

. . Fri. 6:30-7:00 . . . 

23.7 

66 

.... 35.9 

News — Victor Best 

. . WBZ . . . 

8 6 








Rin Tin Tin 

. . WBZ . . . 


5. Annie Oakley (W). 

. . WBZ 

. . CBS 

. .Fri. 6:00-6:30 . . . 

23 4... rr 

85 

. . . . 27.6 

Big 10 Hi-Lites 

. . WNAC . . 

4 2 

6. Gene Autry (VV) 

WNAC 

. . CBS 

. Mon. 6:30-7:00 . . 

23.1 

80 

. . . . 29.0 

News — Victor Best 

. . WBZ . . . 

.... 7.7 








On Stage 

. . WBZ . . . 

4.0 

7. Wild Bill llickok (W) 

. . WNAC 

. . Flamingo 

.. Tues. 6:30-7:00 .. 

22.0 

68 

.... 32.3 

News — Victor Best 

. . WBZ . . . 

8 6 








Starring the Editors ... 

. . WBZ . . . 

.. .*.12 0 

8. Death Valley Days <W) . . . 

WNAC 

. . McCann-Erickson 

. Fri. 10:30-11:00 . 

.-. 21.1 

57 . • • • • 

.... 40.1 

Cavalcade of Sports 

. . WBZ . . . 

....25,8 








Sports; Greatest Fighters. WBZ ... 

12.3 

9. Liberate (Mus) 

. . WBZ 

. . Guild ; 

. . Sun. 3:00-3:30 .. 

20.8 

52 

. . . . 39.9 

Football 

. . WNAC . . 

19.1 

10. City Detective (Myst) 

WBZ 

. . MCA 

. Tues. 10:30-11:00 

17.7 

51 • • • • • 

34.4 

Mr. District Attorney 

. . WNAC . . 

16.5 


CINCINNATI 


Approx. Set Count — 530,000 


Stations— WLW-T (5), WCPO (9), WKRC (12) 


I Led Three Lives (Dr). 


4. The Whistler (M.vst) 

5. Badge 714 (Myst) 

6. Mr. District Attorney (Myst) 

7. Passport to Adventure 

8. Superman (Adv) . . . / 

9. Annie Oakley (W) 

10. Favorite Story (Dr) 


WLW-T . . . 

. . . . Ziv 

... Thurs. 8:30-9:00 

.29.4 

WCPO 

. ... Ziv 

Sun. 6:00-6:30 

.24.3 

WCPO 

... Guild 

. Fri. 7:30-8:00 

22.6 

WKRC . . . . 

. . CBS 

Wed. 9:00-9:30 

21.9 

WLW-T . . 

. . . . NBC 

. . Sun. 7:00-7:30 

20.3 

WLW-T 

. ... Ziv 

. . Tues. 10:20-11:00 

.17.6 

WLW-T . . . 

. ABC 

Tues. 10:00-10:30 

.16.6 

WLW-T . . . 

. . . . Flamingo . . . . 

Mon. 6:00-6:30 

.16.5 

WLW-T 

CBS 

Wed. 6:00-6:30 

.13.8 

WCPO 

.... Ziv 

Tues. 7:30-8:00 

.13.1 


Climax WKRC 25 3 

Meet the Press WLW-T 13.2 

Coke Time..., WLW-T 15.6 

News Caravan WLW-T 12.2 

Kraft TV Theatre WLW-T 25.8 

You Asked for It WCPO 2? .6 

Stop the Music WCPO 14.1 

US Steel Hour WCPO 2<:.0 

Early Home Theatre WKRC ; r 6 

Earlv Home Theatre WKRC 4.3 

Dinah Shore WLW-T 24.4 

News Caravan WLW-T 19.3 


MINN E APOLIS-ST. PAUL Approx. Set Count— 400,000 Stations—*"" 


Paul 


*Share-Tim« 


1. Badge 711 (Myst) 

. KSTP 

. NBC 

. Mon. 9:30-10:00 ... 

. . . .31.3 .. . . 

.... 57 

55.1 

Studio One 

. . WCCO . . 

21 6 

2. Life of Riley (Com) 

. KSTP 

NBC 

. Sun. 6:00-6:30 

28.5 .... 

.... 60 

47.4 

You Asked for It 

. . WMIN . . 

14.4 

3. Foreign Intrigue (Adv) 

. KSTP 

. Sheldon Reynolds 

. Sun. 9:30-10:00 

. . . .25.0 

43 

58.1 

Football Film 

WCCO . . 

. . . .21 8 

4. llopalong Cassidy (W) 

. WCCO . 

NBC * 

. Sat. 6:00-6:30 

...243.... 

.... 64 

38.0 

Big Town 

. . KSTP . . 

8.9 

5. Mr, District Attorney (Myst) 

. KSTP . . 

. Ziv 

.Fri. 7:30-8:00 .. .. 

.... 222 .... 

. 46 

48.2 

Topper 

. . WCCO . . 

... .21.7 

6. Rainar of the Jungle (Adv) . . 

.WCCO 

TPA 

. Sat. 4:30-5:00 

. . . .21.1 

. 91 

23.3 

World Around Us 

. . KSTP . . 

.... 2 0 

7. Wild Bill llickok (W) 

. WCCO 

Flamingo 

. Sat. 5:30-6:00 

20.9 

81 

25.7 

Captain II 

WMIN . . 

3 9 

8. I.iberare (Mus) 

. WCCO . 

Guild 

. Tues. 7:00-7:30 

17.6 .. . . 

. 33 

54.1 

Steve Allen 

. . KSTP . . 

. . . .18.9 

9. Annie Oakley (W) 

. WTCN 

CBS 

Sun. 5:00-5:30 

....17.2.... 

. 47 

36.8 

People Are Funny ...... 

. . KSTP . . 

13 3 

10. F.llerv Qu»*en (Myst) . 

WCCO 

TPA 

. Sat. 9:30-10:00 

.... 13.0 

28 

47 2 

Ynur Hit Parade 

KSTP 

28.7 

Lone Wolf (Myst)’ 

. WCCO 

. . . . MCA 

Sat. 10:15-10:45 ... 

. . . .13.0 

• • • • 54 ••*••<••••• 

24.3 

Barn Dance 

. . KSTP . . 

.... 8.7 


COLUMBUS 


1. Liberate (Mus) . . WBI^ 

2. Badge 711 (Myst) WLW-I 

3. Ames V Andy (Com) WTVN 


Approx. Set Count — 310,000 


WBl^j Guild. Wed. 7:00-7:30 . 

WLW-C. .« NBC Sun. 7:00-7:30 .. 

WTVN CBS. Mon. 7:30-8:00 . 


22 . 2 . 

99 9 


4 . Mr. District Attorney (Myst) . WLW-C Ziv Wed. 10:30-11:00 

Secret File, USA WBNS Official Fri. 9:30-10:00 .. 

6. Superman (Adv) WBNS Flamingo Wed. 6:00-6:30 . 

7. Waterfront (Adv) WBNS MCA Fri. 7:00-7:30 . . 

8. llopalong Cassidy (W) WTVN NBS Fri. 7:30-8:30 ... 


9. Beulah (Com) WTVN Flamingo Tues. 8:30-9:00 16.7... 

10. I Led Three Lives (Dr) WBNS Ziv Tues. 9:30-10:00 16.2... 


34.2... 
.24.2... 
22.4 . .. 



BAKERSFIELD, CAL. 


Approx. Set Count — 80,000 


Stations — WLW-C (4), WTVN (6), WBNS (10) 


77 44.6 It’s a Great Life WLW-C < 

43 55.8 Lassie WBNS ...3 

44 51.4 CBS News— D. Edwards WBNS 1 

Perry Como WBNS 2 

48 45.8 Best of Broadway WBNS 2 

49 45.2 The Vise ..WTVN 1 

The Flying “W" WLW-C 1 

82 26.0 Early Home Theatre WTVN 

57 34.0 | Ozzie and Harriet WLW-C 1 

37 49.1 CBS News — D. Edwards WBNS 1 

Perrv Como WBNS 2 

Mama WBNS 2 

27 63.0 , Steve Allen WLW-C 2 


Vl/.v UIV TV i ftllVIl »» VJ f? V/ • • • • • 

26 63.4 9 O’Clock Theatre WTVN 3 



Sfaiinn* KERO (10), KBAK (29) Bakersfield; KNXT (2), 

KRCA (4) ^ KTLA KABC (7), Eos Afigelcs 


1. Waterfront (Adv) 

KERO. . . . 

MCA 

. .Thurs. 8:30-9:00 

.50.9 

72.... 

70.9 

Justice 

...KRCA ... 

. 1 

2. Badge 714 (Myst) 

KERO . . . 

. . NBC 

. . Sat. 9:00-9:30 

.48.5 

79 . . 

61 2 

Twn fnr the TVTnnev 

KNXT 

r 

3. Range Rider (W) 

KERO . . 

CBS 

. .Thurs. 7:00-7:30 

.47.4 

82 ... . 

58.0 

Death' Valley Days 

...KNXT ... 

* 

• • • • * 

4. 1 Led Three Lives (Dr) 

.KERO ... 

Ziv 

. Sun. 7:30-8:00 

.45.0 

68 

66.5 

What’s My Line 

...KNXT ... 

1( 

5. Life of Riley (Com) 

. KERO ... 

NBC 

. Fri. 8:00-8:30 

.41.2 

62.... 

66.8 

Gundlach Movie Time. . . 

...KBAK ... 

5 








Lawrence Welk 

...KTLA ... 

li 

6. Annie Oakley (W) 

. KERO .... 

CBS 

. Sat. 6:30-7:00 

.39.7 

72 

55.4 | 

Saturday Night Fights... 

...KBAK ... 

If 








Football Scores 

...KBAK ... 

A 

7. Racket Squad (Myst) 

KERO . . 

. ABC 

. . Tues. 7:30-8:00 

.38.5 

67 

57 4 

g)nn (hp Mncip 

KBAK 

. . . e 

8. Lone Wolf (Myst) 

.KERO. . . . 

MCA 

. Thurs. 7:30-8:00 

.31.8 

5 1 • • • • 4 

61.8 

Gene Autry 

. . . KBAK . . . 

. . .H 

9. Death Valley Days (W) 

KERO . . . 


. Sun. 6:30-7:00 

.31.5.; 

58 

.... 53 9 

Frontier Thpatrn 

KBAK 

l 1 

10. Mr. District Attorney (Myst) 

KERO. .. . 

Ziv 

. Wed. 8:15-8:45 

.30.3 

45 

67 1 

DiQnPvInnH 

KRAK 

3' 








My Hero 

...KBAK ... 

. . . .Id 


SPOKANE 


Approx. Set Count — 80,000 


Stations — KREM (2), KXLY (4), KHQ (6) 


1. Waterfront (Adv) KHQ MCA Thurs. 8:30-9:00 55.5 

2. Cisco Kid (W) KHQ Ziv Thurs. 7:00-7:30 51.4 

3. flamar of the Jungle (Adv).. ..KXLY TPA Thurs. 7:30-8:00 46.4 


4. Life With Elizabeth (Com) 

5. Liberate (Mus) . 


KHQ Guild 

KHQ Guild 


Tues. 

Mon. 


7:00-7:30 40.7. 

7:00-7:30 39.1. 


Life of Riley (Com) KHQ NBC. 

Badge 714 (Myst) KXLY NBC 


g, » - - * * w... f . vw ■ ■ • •• . . » . . A ■ • I •••••• . , , , 

6. llopalong Cassidy (W) KHQ NBC Thurs. 6:00-6:30 38.9 80... 

7. Kit Carson <W) KHQ MCA Wed. 6:00-6:30 38 5 «o 


..Fri. 8:30-9:00 38 0 59 

..Tues, 8:30-9 00 37.5 52 


-in ..... ... . — ' UC3. O.OWJM/U 0 1.9 

10. Wild Bill llickok (W) KIIQ. Flamingo Fri. 6:00-6:30 30.5 


Max Liebman Presents KXLY 17.7 

Star Showcase KXLY 114 

Dinah Shore KHQ 17 7 

News Caravan KHQ 1<» 9 

Life With Father KXLY 12 5 

Studio One KXLY 26.2 

Barker Bill’s Cartoons.* KXLY 16 9 

Western Movietime KREM 2 6 

Top Secret KXLY 5.5 

Sports Time KXLY 4.1 

Topper KXLY 23.4 

MUton Berle ; KHQ 30 3 


71 43.2 I Beulali KXLY 



51 



ra/* i? 


Wednetdifi February 2, 1955 








52 


TV-FILMS 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


Agencies Better Get Hep About 
Film Syndication or Be Bypassed 


Agencies are going to have to 
dig in and learn all they can about 
syndication if they’re not to be 

eventually bypassed entirely via 
straight seller-to-buyer relation- 
ships. That’s the opinion of a num- 
ber of industryites who have noted 
a sharp increase in sales of syndi- 
cated film by distributors directly 
to clients, with the agencies play- 
ing an afterthought role. 

Practice of selling direct to the 
client isn’t completely new (Ziv 
has done it for years, much to the 
chagrin of the agencies and its 
competitors), but it’s becoming a 
matter of course for nearly all dis- 
tribs now. The agencies, it’s felt, 
have for the most part ignored 
syndication to the point where 
clients now know more about the 
field than their reps. As a conse- 
quence, the syndicators feel they 
get a fairer and more realistic deal 
by working directly with the client. 

Moreover, the merchandising as- 
pect of syndication has evolved to 
the “must” point, and in a fashion 
by which the agency generally 
plays no role in merchandising, 
with the distrib working only with 
the client. Once a deal is set 
through an agency, the percentary 
is only involved in renewals and 
print delivery to the station, with 
all other promotion, merchandising 
and sales service operations worked 
out directly with the client. It’s 
this direct working relationship 
with the client that’s opened the 
door for the salesmen. 

Final factor in the syndicators’ 
desire to sell direct is the time fac- 
tor. With salesmen covering a large 
territory, they try to close a deal 
as quickly as possible, and the “go 
to the top man” principle operates 
here as in other businesses. It’s 
generally the salesman who can 
get the client’s ear who swings the 
sale, and for competitive reasons if 
no other, most field salesmen at- 
tempt a direct contact with the 
client. 

Feeling is that unless the agen- 
cies do more than simply beef 
about the situation, they’re likely 
to be eased out the picture alto- 
gether. What’s involved is not sim- 
ply a “get tough” policy — that’s 
failed in the past — but one of ac- 
tive participation in every phase of 
a film campaign, from purchase 
through merchandising and sales 
promotion. 


Bowling 

Continued from pase 25 

of the film package being syndi- 
cated by Walt Schwimmer. 

The Chi NBC tele station also 
has a big stake in the bowling 
“talent” situation. It was WNBQ 
general manager Jules Herbuveaux 
who launched the original show' 
with Niesen which was subse- 
quently picked up by DeMet as a 
regular sponsorship buy for his car 
dealership. After the success of the 
first hour display, Herbuveaux had 
Niesen package a second half-hour 
show, now’ sponsored by Robert 
Burns cigars. Because of the suc- 
cess of the televised head-and-head 
contests locally and around the 
country via the celluloid version. 
Herbuveaux likewise has been con- 
vinced there’s a network potential 
for the sport and has been working 
in that direction. There’s been talk 
of an NBC-TV pitch to the top 
bowlers which would top the ante 
being offered by DeMet. 

Under the DeMet contract, bowl- 
ers competing In the matched 
singles games on a web show would 
get $500 as winner of a three-game 
series; $200 as the loser; $50 for 
each single game won, and $5,000 
for rolling a 300 game. 


Canny on Cartoons 

Matty Fox’s deal turning his 
feature library over to Guild 
Films for distribution doesn’t 
include one noteworthy pack- 
age, the Walter Lantz Univer- 
sal cartoons which Fox ac- 
quired a few months ago. 

Fox will continue to sell the 
cartoons himself, the only 
property which he’ll actively 
distribute. He figures that he 
only needs a couple of men, 
since they’re sold under two- 
year library deals, and further 
reports that most major mar- 
kets are already sold. 


Guild • MPTV 

— — Continued from page 48 

spell the end of MPTV as a tele- 
film outfit, it does close the book 
on the firm as a sales organization, 
a fact which alone ends a phase of 
telefilm history. For a period after 
its formation, MPTV and Unity 
controlled between them virtually 
all the feature product available 
for television. MPTV was formed 
in the summer of 1951, when Fox 
bought out Eliot Hyman’s Asso- 
ciated Artists Productions and the 
Harris Group’s Flamingo Films 
and merged them into MPTV. Fla- 
mingo had been formed at the be- 
ginning of 1950, AAP some six 
months earlier, and the new or- 
ganization not only took over both 
catalogs, but added to them, so 
that at its peak, MPTV had some 
700 features, not including west- 
erns or short subjects. Ironically, 
while MPTV goes out of the dis- 
tribution business, both Flamingo 
and AAP are back in it, both hav- 
ing been reactivated earlier this 
year by their original owners. 

ABC To Distrib 

Sharpe’s ‘Sheena 

ABC Film Syndication this week 
closed a deal to distribute the 
“Sheena, Queen of the Jungle” 
vidpix series which Don Sharpe is 
producing jointly with the Nas- 
sours (Ed & William) and Warren 
Lewis. Sharpe is currently work- 
ing on a safari to Africa to shoot 
backgrounds for the show. 

Deal gives ABC its fourth half- 
hour show, a series for which 
prexy George Shupert has been 
shopping since the “Mandrake the 
Magician” series fell through. 
“Sheena” has been in the works 
for over a year now, was once re- 
portedly signed by CBS Film Sales, 
and several months ago received 
the dubious distinction of making 
the first telepix suspension when 
it dropped Anita Ecklund, who was 
skedded for the lead, after she 
failed to show for filming. 


Hyman’s ‘Kiddie Show’ 

Eliot Hyman’s Associated Artists 
Productions is bringing out a new 
package, a series of 39 half-hours 
compiled from current AAP prod- 
uct under the title of “The Kiddie 
Show." Show will offer a variety of 
subjects, from westerns to come- 
dies, all of them aimed at the juve 
audience. 

Featured in the series will be 
such diverse subjects as “Johnny 
Jupiter,” from the series which 
AAP is marketing separately; Tom 
Tyler; Jack Perrin and Starlight, 
the Wonder Horse; Bob Custer, and 
Rin-Tin-Tin. 


ATTENTION FILM PRODUCERS 1 

' ow Available for Your New Season's Production Schedule i 

1 

ELS0N FILM STUDIOS 

! 

ASTORIA, L 1. 

• Fully Equipped 35 M.M. Sound Studio 

• 60x60 Cloar Shooting Spaco 22 High 
•10 Minutos from Mid-Manhattan 

For Added Information Call Carl Ritchie 

Phono RAvonswood 8-8988 


ABC’s Two-Way Italian 
Stretch in ‘Playhouse’ 
Vidpix for O’Seas, U.S. 

ABC Film Syndication set its 
first foreign deal this week, pact- 
ing its “The Playhouse” dramatic 
series with RAI, the Italian net- 
work. for telecasting throughout 
Italy. Deal has a couple of twists, 
in that RAI will do the dubbing 
themselves and then return dubbed 
prints to New York, where ABC 
then will market the Italian-lan- 
guage soundtracks for tv show- 
ings in American markets with 
heavy Italian populations. 

Deal, which takes effect imme- 
diately, was set via Paul Talbot’s 
Fremantle Overseas Radio & TV. 
Talbot’s currently talking Conti- 
nental deals for another ABC seg- 
ment, the Cesar Romero-starring 
“Passport to Danger.” 

MCA Asking % 

On Autry, Rogers 
Pix Sale to TV 

Negotiations are proceeding be- 
tween MCA-TV and Republic Pic- 
tures for the deal under which the 
agency will take over some 120 
Gene Autry and Roy Rogers oaters 
for television distribution, but the 
deal has taken on a unique pattern 
for feature film distribution. In 
contrast to most feature film dis- 
tribution deals, MCA will sell the 
oaters to television foe a percent- 
age of the gross against a yearly 
guarantee. 

Pictures were first offered on the 
customary basis of a lease deal, 
under which a distrib would pay 
$30,000 per pic for the Autry films 
and $40,000 for the Rogers pix for 
all television rights over a three- 
year period during which time the 
distrib pockets all coin derived 
from television sales. This is the 
usual arrangement for feature pix, 
unless they’re sold outright, which 
Republic of course refuses to do. 
The MCA deal, however, follows 
the pattern of syndicated distribu- 
tion deals, under which a distrib 
sells the pix for a 30-40% fee and 
guarantees the producer his nega- 
tive cost within a specified time. 

Exact fee which MCA would 
take isn’t known, but it’s believed 
well below 30%. Guarantee would 
probably be in the neighborhood 
of $15,000 per pic over a three-year 
period, with Republic, of course, 
standing to make far more than 
that, since it would get 70% of the 
take, for example, if MCA’s fee 
is 30%. 

Big puzzler in the trade con- 
tinues to be why Republic is by- 
passing its own tv subsid, Holly- 
wood Television Service, in selling 
the pix to tv. HTS has been firm 
ly established for a couple of years, 
handling all Republic’s tv releases 
in addition to its syndicated “Sto- 
ries of the Century.” Only logical 
explanation making the rounds is 
that Republic feels an outside deal 
will make an impressiop on the an- 
nual statement, w'hereby a guaran- 
tee from HTS would merely in- 
volve a bookkeeping notation. 


Vidpix Chatter 


New York 

Associated Artists Productions 
v.p. Ken Hyman planed to the 
Coast over the weekend for a 
three-week session to negotiate 
new feature product for the firm 
. . . Official Films veep Herman 
Rush back from the Coast, where 
he’s to set up permanent offices, 
for a two-week visit. While on 
the Coast, he set up a Denver of- 
fice, with Barney Mackall, for the 
past three years with Ziv Radio, 
in charge . . . Telecast Films moved 
to larger offices last week . . . 
Sidney Dash, formerly traffic and 
billing manager of United Artists 
Television, joined the sales staff of 
Rapid Film Technique, the film 
renovating outfit . . . John T. Dun- 
phy, formerly with the Kudner 
agency’s tv copy department, re- 
joined Sound Masters (after seven 
years in the agency field), this time 
as director of television for the 
commercials production firm 
Bill Howard in town dickering 
distribution deals on the projected 
South Seas telefilm series which 
would star Dorothy Lamour, his 
wife. 


New Telepix Shows 


EDDIE CANTOR COMEDY THE- 
ATRE 

With Cantor, Brian Aherne, Joe 

Besser, others 

Producer: Ziv Television Programs 
Director: Eddie Davis 
Writers: John Rapp, Lester White 
39 half-hours 

Distrib: Ziv Television Programs 

There were a lot of risks inher- 
ent in Ziv’s deal with Eddie Can- 
tor for a syndicated show’, not the 
least of which was the necessarily 
high budget required for such a 
layout and the resultant high 
prices the distrib would have to 
charge and get to come out on 
the series. That this has been 
achieved is evident from the spread 
of 180 markets in which the series 
has been launched. If the kickoff 
show w'as used as the audition 
print, it’s easy to see how' Ziv 
did so well. 

For the production advantages 
that lie in film as opposed to live 
have brought back the Cantor of 
old in the type zingily-paced 
variety-revue format that’s unfor- 
tunately almost non-existent on 
television today. “Comedy Thea- 
tre” is a far cry from the Cantor 
on the latter-day “Colgate” shows. 
There’s no mawkish sentiment, no 
long and dragged-out segments 
that failed to reward in laughs 
or visual values. The filmed Cantor 
is a singer, dancer, emcee and 
sketch player par excellence, and 
i the entire segment is a fast-paced 
and brisk-and business-like layout 
that succeeds in being entertain- 
ing even in its few slower mo- 
ments. 

Cantor has taken full advantage 
of the physical advantages of film- 
making. He sings with the old 
prancing movements, he uses 
closeups for the eye-rolling, and 
he does a couple of double-ex- 
posure bits, one with Maxie the 
Taxi and the other a challenge 
version of “If You Knew Susie,” 
vis-a-vis his image in the mirror. 
And the ability to do a short take 
without his having to stay on- 
camera afterward enabled him to 
do the kind of singing-dancing, 
“Ma” as a strong closer. '. 

The two blackouts were on the 
so-so side, but short enough to 
make the snappers effective. Brian 
Aherne as guest first did a bit 
with Maxie and Cantor (the double- 
role) and then starred, as the baby- 
sitter in a baby-and-dog sketch 
with voices dubbed in for the 
moppet and collie. Sketch was so- 
so, but Aherne got neatly off the 
hook by virtue of the fact that 
the premiere show was in the form 
of a preview’ of the series. He said 
he’d learned never to play in a 
scene with babies or dogs, so he 
wouldn’t do the bit in Cantor’s 
future segments. Other sketch was 
a patent-office bit with Cantor and 
Joe Besser as the inventors of the 
same machine, an automatic pop- 
corn job for television sets. Again, 
just so-so in the writing, but 
helped by Cantor’s broad playing 
and Besser’s straight work. 

Of course, it’s all a matter of 
the quality holding up. but Ziv 
should have a field day with the 
series. It’s got a unique quality 
in that it’s the only variety series 
in syndication, it’s got Cantor at 
his best, and it’s a thoroughly 
professional job of filmmaking. Ziv 
has always been regarded in the 
trade with a mixture of enmity 
and admiration. The Cantor series 
should raise the proportion of 
admiration, for Ziv has pioneered 
the high-quality, star-name, high- 
I budgeted series for syndication. If 
others follow in Ziv’s footsteps, 
it means a boost in stock for the 
entire industry. Chan. 


EXCLUSIVE 
With Fulton Lewis Jr. 
Producer: Washington Video 
Productions 

Director: George F. Johnson 
13 Quarter Hours 
Distributor: General Tel'radio 


UL. 


WGxt-TV, N. Y., publicity releas 
as a “renowned radio comments 
tor and syndicated writer," bowe 
inauspiciously Sat. (9) in a ne^ 
filmed series tagged “Exclusive. 
F or this 15-minute stanza, in whic 
Lewis will act as a roving globs 
reporter, debuted with a stagey ir 
terpretation of the Far East crisi 
which appeared more dramati 
than factual. 


Opening installment in this 
General Teleradio package was 
episode one in what will be a five- 
part “The Formosa Story.” For 
the initialer Lewis led off with a 
brief commentary to establish the 
time and loca+e, then served up 
his "scoop of the week” — an inter- 
view with Wen ilau Ling, said to 
be “the only top-ranking Commun- I 


[ ist officer ever to defect to the 
Nationalists.” 

Through an interpreter Wen 
gave a picture of dire unrest in 
Communist China, discounted the 
effectiveness of Red China’s mili- 
tary forces and opined that he 
doubted an invasion of Formosa 
would be attempted “at the pres- 
ent time.” With Wen having 
struck an optimistic note, Lewis 
chimed in to recall that Gen. Clair 
Chennault (of Flying Tigers fame) 
had said the Nationalists could 
make a successful invasion of the 
China mainland. 

In his rapid-fire delivery, Lewis 
bubbled enthusiasm for the Na- 
tionalist cause and emphasized 
that Formosa, as the “center link 
in the chain, must be held at all 
costs if we are to check Commun- 
ism.” There’s nothing wrong 
about enthusiasm as such but the 
viewer gets the impression that 
Lewis’ excitation was too affected 
in light of graver opinions held by 
a number of other authorities. 

Produced by Washington Video 
Productions and distributed by 
General Teleradio, “Exclusive” is 
being sold in the New York mar- 
ket via 15-minute airings in the 
Sslt.-Sun. 7:15 p.m. slot. Harris, 
Upham Co., investment brokerage 
firm, is picking up the WOR-TV 
tab via the Lewis, Williams & Say- 
lor agency. Plugs are handled by 
Milton Cross who appears a bit 
pompous in delivering the pitch. 
Withal, “Exclusive” has fine pos- 
sibilities if Lewis will try to be 
more factual and impartial in cov- 
ering the global scene. Gilb. 


LITTLE RASCALS 
Producer: Hal Roach 
Distributor: Interstate Television 

It might seem odd reviewing as 
a vidpix series celluloid made 
years ago by Hal Roach for theatri- 
cal distribution, but the product 
in its brief tv history hasn’t been 
used either as feature film is used 
or as filler in an already existing 
show. Interstate’s “Little Rascals” 
— actually the late silent-early 
talkie days flicks originally known 
as “Our Gang Comedies” — has been 
put in each of its 22 markets into 
a program all its own. 

Latest station to hit the air 
(though not the last to buy them) 
was WPIX. N.Y., Gimmick at that 
Gotham outlet (to build the pix 
into a half-hour format) was to 
place gabber Joe Bolton, dressed 
as a copper, in a rickety-looking 
clubhouse set where he has as- 
sembled tot pewsters. Around the 
old pot belly he leads into the 10 
and 20-minute Roach shorts. It's 
a clever wrapup for the pix. which, 
incidentally, were bought at quite 
a fancy price. 

The comedies, 15 of which are 
from the silent days, aren’t of 
equal quality. Of the three seen 
during the past week (two on one 
half-hour and the other in a seg- 
ment of another 30 minuter), a 
brace last Thursday (27) were 
click material. A 20-minute film — 
with familiars Spanky, Alfalfa, 
Dicky (Moore), et. al. — re “Our 
Gang” in a little football scrim- 
mage that ends up in “poor little 
rich boy’s” cellar while mater plays 
“cahds” with the ladies was tops- 
for-tots slapstick by tots. In the 
other, a 10-minute reeler, same 
gang went through a hooky-from- 
school routine that was typical — 
a thoroughly absurd piece of 
buffoonery involving a satanic kid 
brother, a washing machine and a 
sweat box. Naturally, the kid 
brother tied his elders, Spanky 
and Alfalfa, in painful knots ; The 
third pic w’as seen a few 'days 
earlier, and intrinsically it lacked 
same stuff: the film itself was 
jumpy and. the quality was poor, 
and scene fades (montages too) 
were too complicated for juve eyes. 

As recalled, the “Little Rascal” 
pix mostly all had the same easily 
identifiable, likeable kids (with 
changes as in “Life With Father’ 
when one of the tot thesps got too 
big for the ragamuffin role), but 
sometimes the heavyhanded traces 
of humor Roach designed for adult 
theatregoers are misleading to kids 
watching tv or else they’re cryptic. 
An intended burlesk of a selfish 
mother ,for instance, might have 
seemed funny to the adults and 
teenagers of the 30’s but there’s no 
way for a kid of four or five to 
know that mama’s only kidding 
for the movies. Art. 


WANTED 

TV. AND COMMERCIAL SHORT 
FILMS 

BRITISH NEWS-REELS LIMITED 
147 Wardour St., London, Eng. 



Wednesday, February 2, 1955 




19, i*E. 


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KTTV 


Los Angeles 
Times Television 


5746 Sunset Boulevard • HO. 2-7111 
Represented Nationally by BLAIR TV 


Reprinted by permiiiion of Vorietp 


Copyright, 1955. KTTV Ine. 










54 


music 


WednegduV' February 2, 1955 


'■ i— — — 

Jocks , Jukes and Disks 


The Gaylords: “Chow 
“Poppa Poppadopolis” (Mercury). 
“Chow Mein” is an expertly-fash- 
ioned novelty number that won’t 
have any trouble moving to the top 
of the bestseller lists. It blends wit 
and rhythm for socko results. The 
Gaylords realize the value of the 
properly and give it all they’ve got. 
Reverse is tailored like a previous 
click. “Little Shoemaker,” but this 
time it’s about a Greek locksmith. 
An okay spinning bet. 

Jaye P. Morgan: “Danger! Heart- 
break Ahead”-“Softly, Softly” (Vic- 
tor!. Thrush has a solid followup 
to her current high-rider, “That's 
All I Want From You,” in “Dan- 
ger! Heartbreak Ahead.” It’s a po- 
tent ballad entry with a persuasive 
lyric and captivating beat. Miss 
Morgan sells it winningly. Flip side 
is a pleasant ballad, also good for 
some spinning attention. 

Kitty Kallen: “I’d Never Forgive 
My.self’-’Honestly” (Decca). Kitty 


ballad and Ray gives it an inspired 
reading. Flipover is in a much 
lighter vein and should go over 
well with the coinbox trade. 

Vaughn Monroe: “What a Differ- 
ence a Day Made”-“Main Event” 
(Victor!. The w.k. oldie “What a 
Difference a Day Made” will see 
plenty of new action via Vaughn 
Monroe’s waxing. He gives the kind 
of workover that wins jock and 
juke attention. Crooner switches 
back to the Chile groove on "Main 
Event” but it’s only a mild effort. 

Claude Cloud and His Thunder- 
claps: “Cloudburst’’-”One Bone" 
(MGM>. The vibrant tenor sax solo 
tooted by Sam (The Man) Taylor 
makes "Cloudburst” a soeko bet 
for rhythm & blues fans. It’s a 
driving cut with a matchless 
frenzy. “One Bone” is a fair r&b 
entry which Cloud and his boys 
whip up with enthusiasm. 

Bill Hayes: "The Ballad of Davy 
Crockett” - "Farewell” (Cadence!. 


By MIKE GROSS 

Mein”- 


Best Bets 


THE GAYLORDS CHOW MEIN 

( Mercury) Poppa Poppadopolis - 

JAYE P. MORGAN DANGER! HEARTBREAK AHEAD 

(Victor) Softly, Softly 

KITTY KALLEN I’D NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF 

(Decca i Honestly 

PATTI PAGE . EVERLOVIN* 

(Mercury) You Too Can Be a Dreamer 


Kallen’s hot-selling spree won’t 
lose any momentum with this 
coupling. Both sides serve as stand- 
out ballad material for her 
warmly enchanting piping style and 
it’s a tossup as to which slice will 
step out. Jocks may give the edge 
to "I’d Never Forgive Myself’’ 
which shapes up as the more effec- 
tive cut. 

Patti Page: “Everlovln’ ’’-“You 
Too Can Be a Dreamer” (Mercury). 
One of the steadiest hit-deliverers 
around today, Patti Page has an- 
other high-scorer in “Evcrlovin’.’ , 
It’s a breezy tune with an ingra- 
tiating lilt and she gives it one of 
her tiptop readings. “You Too Can 
Be a Dreamer” is a slow but ap- 
pealing ballad that’s handsomely 
suited to Miss Page’s warbling 
style. It’s warm and enticing and 
should get a good ride on all spin- 
ning levels. 

Johnnie Ray: “Paths of Para- 
dise”-“Parade of Broken Hearts” 
(Columbia). “Paths of Paradise” 
received that important tv play 
over the weekend when Johnnie 
Ray guested on CBS-TV’s “General 
Electric Theatre” Sunday (30) and 
it should get the slice off to strong 
selling start. Song is an emotional 


This is a coupling of two folk bal- 
lads that created a stir on Walt 
Disney’s ABC-TV show a couple of 
weeks ago. Bill Hayes gives ’em 
both a solid wax sendoff. "The Bal- 
lad of Davy Crockett’ is the live- 
lier of the two and could some out 
of left-field for a nice rackup. 

Mantovani Orch: “Lazy Gondo- 
lier”-"Longing” (London). Manto- 
vani is no stranger to richly melodic 
compositions, so when one turns up 
he knows just what to do with it. 
His treatment of “Lazy Gondolier” 
is lush and attractive and looks 
like a natural for deejay program- 
mers. Interesting sound gimmick 
of gondola oar hitting the water 
enhance disk’s overall charm. 
“Longing” is in the same posh 
groove but far less attractive. 

Louis Armstrong-Gary Crosby: 
“Ko Ko Mo”-“Struttin’ With Some 
Barbecue” (Decca). Louis Arm- 
strong and Gary Crosby have a lot 
of fun with both sides and their 
gaiety rubs off. Although their 
version of “Ko Ko Mo” is a little 
late on the market, it rates plenty 
of attention for the duo’s carefree 
treatment. “Struttin* With Some 
Barbecue” is delivered with the 
(Continued on page 60) 



LAWRENCE WELK 

and his 

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC 
177th Consecutivs Week, Aragon 
Ballroom, Santa Monica, Calif. 
Exclusively on Coral Records 
Latest Album 
VIENNESE WALTZES 
(For Dancing) 


Album Reviews 

Polly Bergen: “Little Girl Blue” 
(Jubilee). This is Polly Bergen's 
first LP album and it’ll please the 
following she’s built up in nitery j 

dates around the country. Thrush ' 
has a winning way with a tune and 
makes every lyric count. Her song- 
bag in this 10-inch package is tops. 
Among the standout are “Little j 
Girl Blue,” "The Way You Look 
Tonight” and “Someone to Watch 
Over Me.” Jack Kelly’s arrange- 
ments are slick and to the point. 

The Chordettes: “Close Har- , 
mony” (Cadence). The Chordettes J 
go on a barber-shop quartet binge 
on this 10-inch LP. Gals dish out 
plenty of harmony and make each 
of the 11 tunes attractive listening. 
It’s a good bet for their ready- j 
made teenage fans as well as the 
older folk. 

Greta Keller: “A Group of Inti- 
mate Songs” (Heritage). Popular 
German thrush goes on a U N. kick 1 
as she caresses nine songs for this 
10-inch LP. She’s got a warm, 
throaty delivery and sings with 
feeling. Her workover, en anglais, 
of “One for My Baby" packs 
plenty of emotional punch. Also in 
English are “Lazy Afternoon,” i 
“C’est Magnifique," “These Foolish 
Things” and “I Get Along Without 
You Very Well." A neat Frenchie 
item is "J’ai Ta Main Dans Ma 
Main” and a fine German entry is 
“Das 1st Ein Liebesbrief.” 


Bill Haley & His Comets booked 
for a return stand at the Casino 
Royal. Washington, April 25 for 
one week. 


UfiRIETY 


10 Best Sellers on Coin-Machines 


MELODY OF LOVE (4) 


2 . 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6 . 

7. 

8 . 

9. 

4 io. 


HEARTS OF STONE (6) 
MISTER SANDMAN (11) 


Second Croup 


(Billy Vaughn 

Dot 

4 

4 

David Carroll 

. . .Mercury 

<. 

4 

Four Aces 


<• 

Frank Sinatra 

.... Capitol 


J Joan Weber 

. Columbia 


•{ Teresa Brewer 

Coral 


| Patti Page 

. . .Mercury 


\ Fontane Sisters .... 

Dot 


) Charms 

. . . . DeLuxe 


J Chordettes 

- 1 Four Aces 

. . Cadence 
Decca 


1 Lancers 



McGuire Sisters . . . 



Jaye P. Morgan . . 



\ Ames Brokers . . . 



/ Archie Bleycr 

. . Cadence 


( Sarah Vaughan . . . 

. . Mercury 


I Peggy King ... ... 

. . Columbia 


( Perry Como . . . . 

Victor 


j Crete Cuts 

. . Mercury 


| Georgia Gibbs .... 

. . . Mercury 


\ Lavern Baker 

. Atlantic 

i 

( Vicki Young ...... 

. . .Capitol 

4 


TEACH ME TONIGHT / \ DcCastro Sisters Abbott 

l Jo Stafford Columbia 

NO MORE S DeJohn Sisters Epic 

( McGuire Sisters Mercury 

EARTH ANGEL Penguins Dootone 

(Crew Cuts Mercury 

DIM, DIM THE LIGHTS Bill Haley's Comets Decca 

CRAZY OTTO Johnny Maddox Dot 

MOBILE Julius LaRosa Cadence 

SONG OF THE BAREFOOT CONTF.SSA Hugo Winterhalter Victor 

OPEN I’P YOl T R HEART ( Cowboy Sunday School .. Decca 

(Lancers ; Coral 

UNSUSPECTING HEART . \ Sunny Gale Victor 

ctI .„_ (Georgie Shaw • Decca 

SHAKE. RATTLE AND ROLL Bill Haley’s Comets Decca 

Figures 4n parentheses indicate number of tceeks song has been in the Top 10J 

. ** * *> ut t t i t 


Band Reviews 


WOODY HERMAN BAND (15) 
With Lea Matthews 
Hotel Statler, N. Y. 

Woody Herman is one of the few 
holdover names from the swing 
era of the 1930s who is still regu- 
larly operating in the band biz. And 
for his current New York stand 
Herman is playing at the only 
hotel room, the Statler’s Cafe 
Rouge, which is still showcasing 
traveling bands as it did back in 
the old days when this hostelry, 
then known as the Pennsylvania 
Hotel, featured the Benny Good- 
mans, Glenn Millers, Tommy Dor- 
seys, et al. 

Herman, of course, has had sev- 
eral different crews since he had 
the band that played the blues 
some 15 years ago. Since the war, 
he’s had three bands and this one, 
tagged the “Third Herd.” is prob- 
ably his most commercial. Crew 
of young sidemen play with a 
swinging, danceable beat that 
gets ’em out on the hotel floor. 
Band, however, is touched with 



one of the fave outfits of the hip- 
per jazz set. 

Herman’s crew has a conven- 
tional makeup of five reeds, seven 
brass and three on rhythm, with 
the bandleader featured on elar- I 
inet and alto sax. While Herman j 
has demonstrated, at the Basin 
Street nitery in N.Y., that he can 
generate plenty of excitement in 
(he big band jazz genre, lie’s wise- 
ly accenting the smoother tempos 
for the Statler’s customer hoofers. 
The arrangements still evidence 
an inventive, offbeat quality in the * 
texture of the sound that makes 


this crew a stickout on the hotel 
circuit. 

in the vocal department, Her- 
man is still standout stylist. His 
pipes, if anything, have improved 
over the years, while the jazz 
shadings are as effective as ever 
on the blues and ballads. Sharing 
the vocal assignments is a brunette 
looker, Lea Matthews, who joined 
the band last year. She has a good 
voice with a straightforward pro- 
jection. Hcrm. 


Marks Sez ‘Valentine’ 

Cut from ‘Paper Doll’ 

E. B Marks Music is alleging 
copyright infringement of its tune, 
“Paper Doll.” by Stratton Music's 
“Paper Valentine.” Marks has 
notified Stratton, a .Houston firm, 
that it will take action if “Paper 
Valentine” is not withdrawn. In a 
letter sent out this week. Marks 
claimed that the Stratton tune in- 
fringes as well as unfairly com- 
petes with its “Paper Doll” copy- 
right. 

“Paper Valentine” was penned 
by Dave Coleman and recently was 
recorded bp the Mills Bros, for 
Decca. Incidentally, “Paper Doll” 
skyrocketed into the hit lists in 
1944 when the Mills Bros, etched 
it for Decca. 


Menzies Joins Kapp 

Dave Kapp. who heads up his 
own indie disk operation, has 
added crooner Hamish Menzies to 
S the label’s artists roster. Menzies 
had been a longtime Decca pactce. 

Menzies will make his Kapp 
Records debut next week. 


Songs With Largest Radio Audience 

The top 30 songs of week (more in case of ties), based on 
copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index. 
Published by Office of Research, Inc.. Dr. John Gray Peatman , 
Director. Alphabetically listed. * Legit musical t Film. 

Survey Week of January 21-27, 1955 

All Of You — "•‘“Silk Stockings” Chappell 

Blue Mirage Mills 

Count Your Blessings— 1“White Christmas” ....*.. Berlin 1 

Dixie Danny Southern 

Green Fire — f“Green Fire” Robbins 

Hearts Of Stone . Regent 

Hey Punchinello — • “Three Ring Circus” Paramount 

I Need You Now Miller 

Ko Ko Mo Meridian 

Let Me Go, Lover H&R 

Life Of The Party — "‘‘Five Against The House” ...Broadcast 

Make Yourself Comfortable Rylan 

Malaguena Marks 

Melody Of Love Shapiro-B&P 

Mister Sandman Morris 

Mobile Ardmore 

My Own True Love— i “Gone With The Wind” Remick 

Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane Paxton 

No More Maple Leaf 

Papa Loves Mambo Shapiro-B 

Sand And The Sea Winneton 

Silk Stockings— *‘‘Silk Stockings” Chappell 

Teach Me Tonight Hub-L 

That’s All I Want From You W & B 

These Are The Thing* We’ll Share Famous 

This Ole House Hamblen 

Tweedle Dee Progressive 

Vera Cruz— -"Vera Cruz” Feist 

You Too Can Bo A Dreamer Mills 

Young And Foolish— *”Plain And Fancy'” Chappell 


Top 30 Songs on TV , 


( More In Case of Ties) 

A Man Chases A Girl— *“Sho\v Business” 

All Of You— *“Silk Stockings” 

Count Your Blessings— t“White Christmas” 

Davey Crockett 

Dim, Dim The Lights 

Hearts Of Stone 

High And The Mighty— • “High And The Mighty”’ 

I Need You Now 

Ko Ko Mo 

Let Me Go, Lover • 

Long. Long Ago [ ... 

Make Yourself Comfortable . . s 

Melody Of Love 

Mister Sandman 

Mobile 

Muskrat Ramble 

Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane 

No More 

Papa Loves Mambo 

Pupalina 

Silk Stockings— +“Silk Stockings” 

Sisters — ( “White Christmas” . . .\ 

Skokiaan ' 

Stowaway 

Teach Me Tonight 

That’s All I Want From You ..... 

This Ole House 

Tweedle Dpe 

Unsuspecting Heart 

Vera Cruz — *“Vera Cruz” 

Without Love — i “Silk Stockings” 


. Berlin 
. Chappell 
. Berlin 
. Disney 
. Republic 
. Regent 
. Witmark 
. Miller 
. Meridian 
.H & R’ 

. Fisher 
. Rylan 

. Shapiro-B&P 
Morris 
. Ardmore 
. Simon ' 

. Paxton 
. Maple Leaf 
. Shapiro-B 
.Pincus 
.Cfiappell 
. Berlin 
Shapiro-B 
. Melrose 
. Hub-L 
. W & B 
. Hamblen 
. Progressive 
. Tee Pee 
. Feist 
. Chappell * 



Wednesday* "February 2, 1955 


MUSIC 


55 


DISK PRICE CUT: BOON OR BANE? 


Comics Going Seriously for Own 
Musical Cos. and TV Tune Tie-Ins 


Television comics are moving 
into Tin Pan Alley. The laugh 
boys are setting up their own pub- 
lishing firms with plans to tie-in 
their tunes with -their shows. 

Latest comic to make the plunge 
into the music biz is Sid Caesar, 
lie's already set up an ASCAP firm 
and is prepping another pubbery 
with a BMI tieup. The ASCAP 
operation is tagged Flo Music. 
Caesar has brought In vet music 
man Nick Campbell to head up the 
firms. Campbell has been operat- 
ing his own pubbery for the past 
several years. 

One of Caesar’s first copyrights, 
tentatively titled “Mambolero,” 
was introduced on his NBC-TV’er 
Jan. 24. It’s expected that future 
tune acquisitions will be given 
similar spreads on his show. 

Red Buttons is now operating 
three firms, Helene Music. Arbee 
Music and Lord Music, all ASCAP. 
Lord was activated recently to 
hold the new copyrights. Buttons 
is partnered in the firm with Jack 
Wolf. One of the new Lord tunes, 
"My Mother’s Lullaby.” will be 
showcased on Buttons’ NBC-TV’er 
Feb. 25. Buttons, incidentally, re- 
corded the tune with Molly Gold' 
berg for Columbia Records. 


Anything for a Plug 

Berlin, Feb. 1. 

The Russian broadcasters 
are scooping the Armed Forces 
Network here on pop songs. 
Because pop music is the top 
entertainment for the armed 
forces personnel stationed in 
this area, the Russians have 
pulled a coup in beaming top 
U. S. disks to the west even 
before, they have reached the 
AFN. 

How these platters reach 
the Russians so quickly is one 
of those east-west mysteries. 

There’s Still Gold 
In Hillbillies; DJs 
Bally N J. Dates 

While the rhythm & blues cycle 
is going full blast, the hillbiilies 
are still swinging in the N. Y. met- 
Jackie Gleason’s Songsmiths i ropolilan area. Sparked by a cou- 
Music 'firm tame up for a solid j Pie of disk jockeys on WAAT and 
push last month when the comic WATV in Newark. Frank Dailey's 
preemed “My Love Song To You” Meadowbrook has been playing to 
on his CBS-TV show. Tune, which J capacity houses with lineups of 
was etched by Bob Manning for names from the country & western 
Capitol, hit a hot 280.000 disk sales field. 



OTHERS IFF! 


How’s Petrillo Gonna Collect AFM 
Dues from RCA’s Electronic Tooter? 


After one month of operating 
under reduced price schedules for 
longplay disks, industry execs are 
still split in their reactions. While 
RCA Victor, originator of the 
price slashes, finds that business 
has climbed through January, 
some other diskeries are less en- 
thusiastic about the impact of the 
reductions. 

On tfce retail level.the reaction 
to date has been generally positive. 
Liberty Music Shops, N. Y., for in- 
stance, reports that unit and dol- 
lar volume went up as did the net 
take for January. Several neigh- 
borhood stores in the metropoli- 
tan area, such as the Arcade Music 
Shop in Queens, . also reported 
heavier sales on longplay disks 
since the advent of the price re- 
ductions. 

While the cut-price N. Y. out- 
lets, such as Sam Goody’s, are also 
J doing solid business because of 
I drastic discounts ranging up to 
! 40%, these stores have not the 
complete stocks they once had. 
Hence, more traffic is being di- 
; rected to the stores which are 
selling at list price. 


Playing No Favorites 

Louis Armstrong is getting 
around to duet with each sing- 
ing member of the Crosby 
clan. A couple of years ago, 
he joined with Bing on ‘‘Gone 
Fishin’.” 

Currently, Satchmo has 
teamed with Bing’s son, Gary, 
on a coupling of ‘‘Ko Ko Mo” 
and ‘‘Struttin’ With Some Bar- 
becue.” 


Decca, Universal 
In 2-Way Talent 
Traffic Payoff 


The coolest cat that ever blew 
a horn is evolving in the labora- 
tories of RCA. Board chairman 
David Sarnoflf disclosed this week 
that his company’s engineers have 
come up with an Electronic Music 
Synthesizer which is capable of 
generating any tone produced by 
the human voice or any musical 
instrument. 

Sarnoff said the synthesizer is a 
means for producing electronically 
an infinity of new musical com- 
! plexes employing the sound of 
human voices and conventional in- 
i struments, or tones that may never 
1 have been heard before, either in 
solo performances or blended in 
any kind of orchestral arrange- 
ment. 

The new system of making mu- 
sic, Sarnoff said, will encourage 
composers to write new composi- 
tions that can take advantage of 
the w ider scope and superior char- 
acteristics offered them by elec- 
tronics for the expression of their 
Ever since Decca bought out the | genius. With unstated implications 

majority stock interest in Universal f or the future of the human inter- 

Pictures, there has been some ; p ret ers of music, Sarnoff said tluit 

heavy talent traffic between the "electronics performs in marked 
disk and picture companies for mu- contrast to the musician, \vhose 
One concern of the industry is t tual promotidnal purposes. Univer- j playing is limited to the use of 10 

the source of merchandise for the sal has furnished several highly j fingers and sometimes also two 


because of the .v plug. Songsmiths 
also absorbs Gleason’s original 
compositions which he occasionally 


Under their deal with Dailey, 
deeja.vs Don Lajkin and Lyle Reed 
rent the Meadowbrook by giving 


price discounters. One major store 
is reportedly buying 12-inch disks, 
retailing at $3.98, for $2.01, which 
is the price to the distributor. It’s 
(Continued on page 56) 


showcases on his tv outing. Song- | the full take on the bar gnd food 

sales to Dailey while they cash the 
admissions at $2 per head in the 
1.500-capacity room. Despite a 
Monday-Tuesda.v slotting eaph 
month, the shows have been play- 
ing consistently to capacity, with 
the jockeys doing their plugging 
j exclusively via their WAAT shows. 

Top country & western names, 

{ such as Hank Snow, Hank Thomp- 
! son and Faron Young, have already 
played the two-night stand. Webb 
Pierce is set for Feb. 7-8, with Eddy 
Arnold. Roy Acuff. Johnny & Jack. 
Kitty Wells and others due to fol- 
The talent gets as much as 


smiths is headed up by Leo Talei^. 

MGM Gearing For 
Alloiit R&B Push 

MGM Records is gearing for an 
allout push in the rhythm & blues 
field. “Operation R&B” will be 
kicked off with the Feb. 11 release 
in an artists lineup that includes 

Johnny Oliver, Baby Dee, The ! q 00 per night for doing two 

Hide-A-Ways and Claude Cloud ; shows of 45 minutes each. Between 


and his Thunderclaps 
Diskery has set up a new line 
for its forthcoming r&b releases. 
Henceforth the disks will be cata- 
loged in the 55,000 series and will 
get special promotion and exploita- 
tion treatment. The four new re- 
leases will be shipped to 500 r&b 
deejays and disk librarians around 
the country. Other r&b artists on 
the MGM roster are. Sam Taylor. 


shows, the customers dance. 

Via the Larkin-Reed promotions, 
the Meadowbrook has become the 
1 only spot in the N. Y. area w here 
the top country names can be show- 
cased. This fact is evidently im- 
portant to the talent, since Hank 
Snow reportedly spent more coin 
transporting his crew from Okla- 
homa and back than he got for the 
date. When he played the Meadow’- 


Kitty Kallen, who came through 
! for a couple of big hits for Decca 
last year, has now been signed for 
a featured role in the U film. “The 
Second Greatest Sex.” She follows 
in the footsteps of such Decca 
names as Eileen Barton, the Four 
Aces, Sammy Davis Jr., Karen 
Chandler, Webb Pierce, Bill Haley 
& His Comets, Georgie Shaw and 
1 Don Cornell, all of whom have had 
( picture as^nments at Universal, 
'whether in shorts or full-length 
j productions. 

. Reverse traffic from the studio 
The 33 plaintiff songwriters in- ( 0 t j ie diskery has seen such film 
voiced in the $150,000,000 anti- naiTies as j e fr Chandler, Gloria De- 
trust suit against Broadcast Music ; HaV en and Tony Curtis cutting 
Inc. and the broadcast industry j S jdes for Decca. Disk releases 


successful soundtrack albums to feet ” 

Decca. while the latter has been j Sarnoff foresaw new O pportuni- 
shuttling some of its top names t j es Jor disks, since the s.vnthe- 
between wax and celluloid. j sizer can produce any kind -of 


Court Moves To 
Expedite Trial 

Of ‘33’ Vs. BMI 


have proved to be excellent plug- 
ging mediums for the film stars 
with the disk jockeys, who had 
natural openings to mention their 
Universal pic titles. 

Decca also has come up with a 
bonanza in the soundtrack album 
of “The Glenn Miller Story,” a 
Universal pic which was also a box- 
office smash. In addition, Decca 
has released soundtrack sets of "So 
This Is Paris” and “The Magnifi- 
cent Obsession.” 


ers were turned away. 


It l Ca 

rp • . I *• - | uat\,i v * iivu nv piujvu mw mvnuvw 

he Ramblers, Bobble Prince and brook in November, 2,000 custoni- 
Mamie Thomas. , 

MGM’s r&b department is headed 
up by Jimmy Vienneau, w{io re- 
cently replaced Dick Lyons as aide 
to Harry Meyerson, label’s pop a&r 
chief. 


ASCAP Coast Meet 
Skedded for Feb. 24 

Semi-annual meeting of Coast 
members of the American Society 
of Composers, Authors & Publish- 
ers has been set for Feb. 24 at the 
Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. 
L Wolfe Gilbert, ASCAP board 
member and Coast rep, will pre- 
*ide. He returned to the Coast 
over the weekend after attending 
ASCAP meetings in N. Y. 

ASCAP prexy Stanley Adams, 
yeepee Louis Bernstein, comptrol- 
ler George Hoffman and board 
member Alex Kramer are skedded 
to make the trip westwards to re- 
port to the 600 Coast members and 
reps of 110 estates. 


PAT BALLARD RETIRES 
FROM MUSIC BUSINESS 

Pat Ballard has retired from the 
music biz after 35 years as song- 
writer and publisher. Ballard 
made his move last week after 
placing a half-dozen new’ tunes in 
New Yorlc and while he’s riding 
with a current bestseller in “Mr. 
Sandman.” In fact, 1954 was Bal- 
lard’s top year with a parlay of 
“Sandman” and “I Get So Lonely,” 
both published by E. H. Morris. 

Ballard,'* an ASCAP member 
since 1932, plans to live in Troy, 
Pa., w'here he was born. He start- 
ed to write at Pennsylvania Univ., 
where he wTote two Mask & Wig 
shows. 


won a key motion in NTY. Federal 
Court last week that was designed 
to expedite the pre-trial examina- 
tions. Federal Judge John C. | 

Knox ruled in favor of a song- : 
writer’ proposal that a master be j 
appointed to preside over the pre- 
trial questions and answers. 

BMI and the broadcasters are 
due to wind up their examinations 
of the songwriters this month. The 
songwriters’ attorney, John Schul- 
man, will then open his pre-trial 
examination of the defendants. It’s 
expected that the court-appointed 
master will speed up the pre-trial 
procedures to the point where the 
case may come to bat late this 
year or early in 1956. 

The 33 plaintiffs are suing b\iI, 
the major networks and RCA Vic- 
tor and Columbia Records, both of 
which are affiliated to networks, 
to force a dissolution of the ties 
between BMI and the broadcast ; tooters playing in the U. S., is 
industry. They charge the broad- generally nixing dates of AFM 
casters and the* disk companies bands in this country. "As long 
with allegedly conspiring to limit as is n ° reciprocity," Mexi- 

the performances of non-BMI can tooters chief Juan Jose Osorio 
songs. All of the plaintiffs are *«id, "‘we are obliged to refuse to 
members of the American Society ahow any American orchestra to 
bf Composers, Authors & Publish- Pl fl y Tor profit in Mexico.” 


sound that can be imagined. Fur- 
ther, he said, "with this new sys- 
tem, old recordings can be rejuve- 
nated into new phonograph records 
free from distortion and noise,” 
Sarnoff stated that with the syn- 
thesizer, it is not necessary that a 
composer play a musical instru- 
ment. However, he said, “the vital 
factors of correct interpretation of 
(Continued on page 56) 


MEX TOOTERS UNION 
IMITATE AFM UKASE 

Mexico City, Feb. 1. 

The Mexican musicians union, in 
retaliation to an American Federa- 
tion of Musicians ban on foreign 


ASCAP Cleffers 
Form USO Unit 


As part of its expanded public 
relations program, American So- 
ciety of Composers, Authors & 
Publishers has formed the first unit 
of songwriters which will tour Eu- 
ropean defense installations next 
month to entertain American 
troops. In cooperation with USO 
Camp Shows, the group was or- 
ganized by Paul Cunningham, 
ASCAP board member and the So- 
ciety’s Washington representative. 

Mack Gordon will emcee the 
show, which will consist of su» li 
cleffers as Abel Baer, Rube Bloom, 
Gerald Marks, Johnny Redmond, 
Lou Handman and his wife, Horrie 
LeVere, and Bee Walker. The 
writers will perform their own 
works before the overseas troops. 
The ASCAP troupe will be as- 
sisted by Fran Russell, <5ogi Grant 
and Marion Spellman. 

Arpiy transport planes will fly 
the group to Europe Feb. 15 from 
Washington for a three-week tour. 


TRACY GARDENS' 50G FIRE 

San Francisco, Feb. 1. 

A $50,000 fire destroyed the 
old Tracy Gardens in San Jose, 40 
,ni * es south of here, last week. 

Tracy Gardens had long been a 
stop on the itinerary of 
" es L and folk music artists play- 
ln * Northern California. 


ers, but ASCAP is not involved in 
the action. v 


Hal Desfor Exits RCA 
For Food Fair P.R. Post 

Harold D. Desfor, pub relations 
exec for RCA in Camden, N. J., 
for many years, has exited the 
company for a post with Food Fair 
Stores. 

He has been assigned to do pub- 
lic relations for the stores with 
headquarters in Philadelphia. 


Milt G abler to Slice 

Some Mambo in Cuba 

.Milt Gabler, Decca artists & rep- 
ertoire chief, headed for Havana 
last week to slice some mambo 

albums at its source. While there, ROSEN ANKLES SEECO 
he’ll cut numerous sides with Bibo Bob Rosen has ankled his promo- 
Valdez. tion post at Seeco Records for a 

Meantime, Paul Cohen, Decca’s berth with the Charles H. Hansen 
country & western topper, arrived and Ethel Smith music firms, 
back in N.Y. this week after a He'll function on the promotion 
Coast business trip. i and sales level. 


Although the ban is directed 
against U. S. bands, Harry James 
is scheduled to play in Mexico as 
trumpet soloist with the Mex Luis 
Arcaraz orch. Arcaraz recently 
played with the James crew in Los 
Angeles. 


Chappell Projects 

Jerome Kern Salute 


Richmond Latches Onto 
’Camera’ Pic Theme Rights 

Howie Richmond has latched on 
to the western hemisphere publish- 
ing rights to the theme music from 
the upcoming pic, "I Am a Cam- 
era.” Deal was set with German 
publisher-composer Ralph Maria 
Segal. 

Tune was a click in Germany last 
year under the title of “Ich Hab 
Noth Einen Koffer in Berlin." It 
was written by Segal and Aldo Von 
Pinelli. The English lyric assign- 7 


Chappell Music is prepping a 
promotional salute to the late 
Jerome Kern. The Kern push is 
being launched as tribute to the I ment has been turned over to Carl 
composer on the 10th anniversary I Sigman. Richmond will place the 
of his death. j song in his Dartmouth Music sub- 

Drive, which w’ill include special ‘ s *d- 


tv and radio salutes as well as a 
Kern pic festivial, will be kicked 
off in November. Max Dreyfus, 
Chappell prexy, has named Norman 
Rosemont to handle the promo- 
tional details. 


Pic currently is being completed 
in London. Julie Harris and Shel- 
ley Winters are starring. Film is 
based on John van Druten’s legit 
version of Christopher Isherwood’s 
“Berlin Stories.” 



Angel Cots Prices 
To Meet Majors; 
Thrift’ Line Hypo 

‘rge. iicsrH. ire if tre top 
~ :ue* -) za-n ica ;nc« _ne ina 
? 7 A Tx'^rj Srs^f-cie-fwr uu 
: -.wed ‘/r? leaner *jj vee* i~c 
'\ ..t:--: ue 'an m is wnc.e ara.ng. 

' • •* vi* race after nniansi r.u 
I ectrseal t Misura. Industries 
I .>71 tijei’} parent rompary ex 
I.-. 4.-02 C. 

'>i j lowered the a - *.-* in xs 
•‘ii.rtar* «ea.ed" ren .aaei seres 
r .a V K '.i 54 JU The -.unf 

3- . gage * w5.cn prev-xus.y >»•!- 

: ar S4 W aas leer: rat *o S3 43. 
v iL* *-ae •«. le 7 .no^neu'a. me 
'■ ■ < .ax: wr.es wtii > preen at 
5.: *Ji : ir me ll-arna IP CW :ir 
*.*e 1 >>-4ncn IP mu SI -feJ :,ir me 
iP ie r _ 

Tie rot in me “mrf: package * 
nc.ceriaL v rxetmues ‘a aeep .t 
:♦* ■: v Me pr.ee set r* rival i-=itirs 

: r T..-3..A- I-I-mc.: IP puArers. 3e- 
::re me -it.? .: «c ji fnr c:«e to S’. 

■ j •■ ; ._e .z low 

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4 - 2 *2 fxrexsiv* a pru oo« 

:« 'thrift 30 i_ia 4 e 

7 : >;r.o. ge . r*»x? 

u ^ •) ita" 7 . i i2?z mereaoe Out- 
■? •• j m. ismxenm *o mac 

• . i^o.er will suffer is arventary 
' c? *ie 3*w scaed*a.e LiC will 
iison me 'arj. ter'^acxn if 
e*? An get jnsniory mn on fa- 
ir- purira-ee me zea.er will >t 
4 «2 a IX* - return prrrLege an 
a . iaemry fei.e-i * wtj 5 »:ra 

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ar.a? m use Angel arm act be- 
i oe .f me vywerec a trees. 

Tie 3ew p *tce schedule wen: m- 
ta itier* jest^rru? T :es. . 


Ltu C?» TSa 

C-.rr-.~nac- F»a L 
It -nr » . a zze rest at *_re _a- 
?.ectiri^ zaa isoeu .u 
:ror-: :c .ta *1 — m *-a J 8 »: 

r*r ira.ers rist *71 x fte t *e- 
<r. it:u« ui« jieuaded. 

i_.t 4 j ac^ciajj tre L-ne< an 
-‘•r .,~.4 -L 5 *} arc £P~, Ccit: 

-a.r :q rocr ,jc<?5 

a- ?. ~.4 FzcerL.. I> Lose am 
+- Star. 



Disk Prices 


■ CwK.au** ’i* S 3 

V.AC tut -if -town li.ftr.~« 
.o* for rtady eaafe. are in.oac- 
-"-4 *_~.r:r •cocsj at tort. 

7 ':e X 3 coua:er>. 3 c*»* , .er a.-e 
:ze scaeeae ax Clear =a.. 
•> -*f oceraccn. "* i-e Gooc;- for 
-lALaoee. ie^s I--3ca LPs for 
S- » over *_sc counter u tj 

i.-rer prxe -3 about “Tc nearer 
W.m TA.IJ 4 m t :*XAT 2 -r; 

:.ie i-tA. price js praccxa..? at *_ae 
or.^ina. last. Hence. :ut-a£-t.3-*mer* 
no .oc^er ur» tie ncestrre :o 
buy from \ Y iAWountert. 

T <m Early tm Teff? 

It zncznsz to m* /a: tor ocr.- 
bxasx. execs a: CorxxnLa arc He-:ca 
»tA'e ‘ju: '.t i too ear: y ~ to g» r an 
a<**?irite picture 2*:tn ?a^. V n- 
-cr CoixrniA «.ei mcef. and Sid 
Z-jlC tera. i_s Decna counterpArn 
- re tr.e utenuca* phrase "The pul>- 
-:c -re * aroecn-j do-ara any di^in/’ 
■^’ex.er ic eever iani by tne end 
o’ 7 e ir’^ar*' tie u * ~: j t:cn ar.il >• 
c-j.-.fed He «aid *.tat Feniriary js 
4me a > a i^xz -nocm x an-r 

% 


G»:.c>*rz rep«:r* ed a zereral 
ci .t.oc 37 iea.en on scocnt.n* ap 
o: pai: xo4 rd iicda He tra* 
h.cr.e -iOiAtec iea.ers around tie 

'.•entry on *r.e xosenranx of 
tea v adver* jxi. are dmn^ ?ocd 
b.-.n*sa put 2 enera„y titere _$ a 
tre r./ o' watchful vi.c.a? G-xid- 
terz lowever ?a.a *_:a* tne ir.if 
bus;r.e«. eepecia.Iy for ixj 
»ii creat 

* * c ‘ ja.e^ : t-ef Larry Sitay 
ra'ed tnat 3 ii 4 xe«? tax Sjyz'en *« 
?p .7 4 .tarn v a: t.tr -Art two 
- * u ' *■»■* ?ar*-cu.Ar! encouraglsg 

Pecaajw there :as oeen nrle ac- 
-x tr.e pr-.-e cu* • When 

te * ctor ad ca.npa:'n op«>n<» tae 
x-dn.e af v.j tonu the fa.; .m- 
:a •* *2e prtce redact ajcs »•• 

3*? Sev-ral otner i_»* exeo 

a.-. 1* iti. *-~e an: c:na*cn 2 
' - 3< * - v xu>r id 'ta.rpa.4n 

* •* *‘L ar nr caidtiraer? Att . 
v.e stores fer a -msf-tae-biiart: 

r .r '. a-e-s 




FOLTt AOS 


SIX TOP 
ALBUMS 


MGM 
S 3:53 


Victor 
LOC 1015 


Columbia 

ML 4 M 0 


Sai Ait mm Nit err Op 
(fit b lnirin*( 


the engireer? with no ir.stnxrrents 
sinxu’.ated. 

SarnofT revealed that Alfred 
\Valiev5tem. conductor of the L X 
Symphony Orchestra, recently ob- 
served the machine in operation 
While hailing it as a “fountain of 
inspiration.'* Wallenstein stated 
that “in its present state the elec- 
tronic system of synthesued music 
is not at the point where it c 3 
replace i:ve artists or orchestra- 

* However, the ideas express : tor 
fur.ner deveiopment of the systov 
w ren realized, should make it pos- 
sible not only to expand the boun- 
daries of music as we know them 
today, but also to achieve musical 
resu ts that cm now be achieved 
only through human hands or 
voices and with existing musical 
instruments.'* 

Research and development work 
on toe synthesizer is under the di- 
rection of Dr Harry F. Olson, 
director of the acoustical and 
electro- mechanical research Labora- 


?r by the composer, 
sow and the mood 
:<:c continue to be 
- .ct>?n of the human 
•nesues the music 
That person must 


Tap Jazz Artist Flock 
For New Waldorf Label 


ru-. new .owrpr.ee laaei. Discern s 

* x* wtoc* wiL 3e produced MGM Adds Andrews Bros.. ^ 

!■ xroer w*dl fearar- seen . , «« SamoiTs 

.44- -r *3 ar^: a.-ad-ey. Boobv Johnson to Hillbillies Amencan I 

’ rr -" 3 .d _Freeman. Eu-me Sai- VIGM Records acced :o :*j '*!*“! “ 

aZ*a. Rex btewir:. 3 LI Stegmay- a»Ly r-ster last wee* *\:z t ze pact- ; 

L.. . - Srem. Barry Galbraitr. r.g of Lte .Andrews a os . j'xzil ’’•-‘-nesumr ; 
rigger A. pert. Pit Itasaman K.mao md Inrush Ma~ \~z Jicn- . WX3 ’ u?Ck ’ ?rr 
-<?“ njr.. 3 :Ly Mxxted. Pea- s»in. reccrdu 


n a- s riii.to >ac Pee Wee Irw-.n. 

7 ne ilb-imj wLl be pednleU m 
-»xa. department store oat lets 
-"■« -? wrJi be pr.ced a: $ 9 «. 
- t -*e r? packages w.L go for 
• 'George Simon w*L co-pr> 
:u< e e -erie^ a :th L.4.-.L 


Tie new pactees w.L debut on 
MGW a: :.~.e abei s F-o. 11 release. 
AC.xs J.nnsocj couptxg ^5 'B.ue 
Tea-drope’ ini Keep The 
Change, wmle 'ne .Andrews Bcos 
cut -That j Why W« Drifted Apart * 
*2(2 You Sa-d G>:cb:e’ 


>:c mace py engineers at the RCA :or > “ Princetoo. 

Pr ncetoo inoratorxes. In excerpts Samoff also described RCA's 
seven, c asstcal and ^.'pular progress in developing an elec- 
machine simulated such tparuc refrigeration system, a light 
Xa». amen i 15 the clavichord, amplifier ar.d a magnetic tape re- 
e ‘«trpmc organ, a hillbilly carder for video and films. RCA 
-a.... arc an orchestra, m addition previously had disclosed operation 
‘ 1 ccu ^ ■« 0* ~ conceptions'* by of the latter device. 


I 


ae-e*. e 



Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


MUSIC 


57 


SHUBERT ALLEY GOES TIN PAN 


Inside Stuff-Music 

# 

Songwriter Abner Silver, who’s residing In Miami Beach, has writ- 
ten the first theme song for a hotel, “At the Fontalnbleau.” Vaughn 
Monroe introduced it during his recent stand at the Florida hotel. 
Silver has also gotten in solid with the local Chamber of Commerce 
via another new tune, “Miami Beach Is a Paradise.” Meantime, Irving 
Caesar was invited by Gov. Dan Thornton of Colorado to help that 
stated fight against highway fatalities. Caesar, who has written a 
series of “Friendship” and “Safety” songs, was in Denver last week to 
address the state’s public school children on safety and human re- 
lations. 




Along the lines of last year’s serialized Bing Crosby autobiog, “Call 
Me Lucky,” the Saturday Evening Post is tying up with Decca Records 
on a joint promotion of the mag’s series on Ethel Merman. Seven- 
part story opens in the Satevepost Feb. 12 and Decca is spotlighting the 
series via dealer posters, deejay mailings and a special interview disk 
with Miss - Merman. Latter stars in five Decca albums, including 
“There’s No Business Like Show Business,” ‘^Annie Get Your Gun,” 
“Call Me Madam,” “Songs She Made Famous” aTid the “Ford 50th 
Anniversary TV Show.” 



Aussie ‘New Vegas’ If Fees Are Right; 
Spile Jones Tour Will Cost $150,000 


If “mood music” can sell cocktails, maybe liquor stores can sell 
disks. That, at any rate, is the thinkihg of Decca Records in their 
new promotion of “Music For Your Mood” albums in conjunction with 
the Schieffelin company, vermouth importers. Photo displays, spot- 
lighting a Decca set titled “Very, Very Dry,” will be placed in key 
liquor shops around the country. Reciprocal liquor displays by disk 
retailers are being prepped by Decca. 


Although hillbilly singer Hank Williams died more than two years 
ago, MGM Records continues to dig into its vaults for new Williams’ 
platters. Latest release, due Feb. 11, is a coupling of "Please Don’t 
Let Me Love You” and “Faded Love and Winter Roses.” Williams 
accomps himself on guitar on both sides. Label also has packaged 
an album of eight previously released religiosongs etched by Williams. 
Album will he tagged “I Saw the Light.” 


New Jersey is looking for a state song. Frederick M. Raubinger, 
State Commissioner of Education, appointed a State Song Study Com- 
mission last fall and the group finally has completed its plan of op- 
eration. A bulletin containing the regulations under which songs may 
be submitted to the Commission will be mailed to musicians and 
musical organizations through the state in the near future. 


B. F. Wood Music, educational and standard firm, now is taking a 
crack at the pop field. Pubbery jumped into the pop race a few 
weeks ago with “Blue Mirage” and already has tagged six disk ver- 
sions. Ballad was imported from Germany and published by arrange- 
ment with Teoton-Verlag of Munich. Marty Mills, Wood”s profes- 
sional manager, plans to add more foreign pops to the catalog. 


MGM Records is packaging the ballet music from a flock of Metro 
filmusicals for a 12-inch L’P album. Set will include such ballets as 
“Slaughter on 10th Ave.” from “Word and Music,” “The Girl Hunt 
Ballet” from “The Band Wagon,” “The Pirate Ballet” from “The 
Pirate,” and “Lili and the Puppets” from “Lili.” 


Liberace has joined the list of performers who are also members 
ol the American Society of Authors, Composers & Publishers. Among 
Liberace’s compositions which made him eligible for ASCAP mem- 
bership are -“I Don’t Care,” “Rhapsody by Candlelight,” “Ballet of 
the Clouds” and ether concert pieces. 


Lou Levy, Leeds Music topper, has set up a new company for 
special material songs. He’s calling it Out of This World Music, an 
ASCAP affiliate which will also handle any science fiction tunes. 
First tune in the company’s catalog is "The Heel,” which Eartha Kitt 
sliced for RCA Victor. 


Example of the importance of the pic tune plug is the switch of the 
title of the theme from the WB pic “Unchained.” Tune’s original 
title was “Are You Still Mine” but the publishers decided to retag it 
"Unchained Melody” to cash in on the promotion. Frank Music is 
publishing. 


Nonsense Tune Sweeping 
Japan; Even Its Author, 
Top Crooner Dislike It 

Tokyo, Jan. 25. 

Top pop record in Japan today is 
a “Mairzy Doats” nonsense tune 
called “Oh, My Otomijsan.” Al- 
though critics and even the author 
and singer deplore it, the disk has 
sold 441,000 copies in only four 
months, by far a record here. Imi- 
tations are flooding jukeboxes and 
the original blares from jukes, 
bandstands and theatre stages all 
over the country. 

The crooner who introduced the 
tune, Hachiro Kasuga, has risen 
from cheap cabaret spots to the na- 
tion's top theatres and ranks No. 1 
on the popularity polls. Reluctant 
to sing the song at first, Kasuga 
recorded it “for the dough” and 
now says he can’t understand its 
popularity. 

The composer, Masanobu Ta- 
kuchi, of Okinawa, rolling in roy- 
alties, is swamped with orders for 
new tunes. The lyricist, Tadashi 
Yamazaki, who used an original 
poem of his to work out the tune 
with the composer, says, “They 
turned my fine original work into 
a miserable thing, but the miser- 
able thing has made me wealthy.” 
Like the crooner, the composer 
and Yamazaki had been scratching 
out an existence since the war. 

King Record Co. has recorded 
the original. 


COL PACTS AL HAM TO 
COORDINATOR SLOT 

Columbia Records has appointed 
Albert W. Ham to its newly-created 
post of coordinator of recording 
operations. Ham will act as liaison 
between the label’s various a&r 
departments and the recording and 
research operations. 

Post was developed to bring 
about a closer tie between the a&r, 
technical and research divisions. 


Atlantic Pacts Barabin; 
Ertegun Heads to Coast 

As part of its current jazz line 
expansion, Atlantic Records last 
week pacted Paul Barabin and his 
New Orleans Combo. Group cut 
its first sides for an album release 
under the direction of Nesuhi Erte- 
gun, label’s new veepee. 

After the sessions Ertegun took 
off for Chicago and the Coast 
where he’ll head up more dates 
for the jazz album line. Barabin 
currently is playing at Child’s Para- 
mount, N. Y. 


Cook’s Field Survey 

Hal Cook, Capitol Records sales 
v.p., is swinging through the south 
and midwest huddling with the la- 
bel’s distributors* and managers in 
the field. 

He’s due back at his New York 
desk Feb. 8. 


Legituner producers are appar- 
ently casing the pop bestseller lists 
with an eye fdr new show score 
writers. In the past year a flock 
of Tin Pan Alley tunesmiths have 
been getting the nod from the mu- 
sicomcdy managers. 

Latest eleffer to be tabbed for a 
tuner assignment is Bob Merrill. 
He’s been set by Martin Gabel, 
Robert L. Joseph and Henry M. 
Margolis to pen the score for their 
musical version of James Cain’s 
novel, “Serenade.” Merrill current- 
ly is riding the hit lists with “Make 
Yourself Comfortable, Baby” and 
“Mambo Italiano.” 

Other writers shifting from Tin 
Pan Alley to Shubert Alley are 
Robert Allan & A1 Stillman and 
Ervin Drake & Jimmy Shirl. Both 
teams currently are at work on pro- 
jected musicomedy productions. 
The Allan-Stillman team clicked 
recently with “Home For the Hol- 
idays,” while Drake & Shirl made 
a big splash with “I Believe.” 

Legituner yen for tyro pop writ- 
ers moved into full swing last year 
when Dick Adler & Jerry Ross 
came through with the score for 
“Pajama Game.” Adler & Ross re- 
ceived the assignment after break- 
ing into the hit lists with “Rags to 
Riches.” “Pajama Game” score had 
two top bracket clicks In “Hey 
There,” the first showtune in many 
years to pass the 1,000.000 disk sale 
mark via Rosemary Clooney’s Co- 
lumbia waxing, and “Hernando’s 
Hideaway.” Team currently is prep- 
ping the score for “Damn Yan- 
kees,” new musical due on Broad- 
way in May. 

Click of “Young at Heart” last 
year won the “Peter Pan” cleffing 
chore for lyricist Carolyn Leigh. 
She was teamed with another Tin 
Pan Alleyite, Moose Charlop, 
w hose monicker was ch. nged to 
Mark Charlop for the legit show- 
casing. 


Louis Jordan Joins X 

After a year with the indie Alad- 
din label, Louis Jordan is shifting 
to Label X, RCA subsid. Jordan 
will cut his first sessions for X 
within the next few weeks. 

Jordan switched to Alladin for 
one year after a longtime associ- 
ation with Decca. 


ROGERS AT ATLANTIC; 
PREVIN JOINS DECCA 

Berkeley, Feb. 1. 

Shorty Rogers, jazz trumpet 
player featured with Stan Kenton 
on tour, who has been a top jazz 
artist with Victor the last two 
years, was signed as musical di- 
rector of Atlantic Records Monday 
(31). This is part of Atlantic’s big 
scale effort in the modem jazz 
package field. This follows ap- 
pointment of Nesi\Jii Ertegun re- 
cently as Atlantic executive. Erte- 
gun, formerly with Contemporary 
in Hollywood, worked closely with 
Rogers on several LPs. 

Andre Previn also left Victor 
and signed with Decca. Previn and 
Rogers’ RCA album. “Collabora- 
tion,” was released this week. 


TV Tune Plug 
Front Widens 


The scramble to develop a hit 
via an integrated video plug, a la 
Joan Weber’s “Let Me Go, Lover” 
smash for Columbia Records, is 
being extended on all fronts. 
Latest is a tune titled “Mopshilu,” 
which is getting showcased on the 
“Ray Milland Show” o.i the CBS- 
TV web next Thursday (10). Show 
i^ a comedy about a hep song- 
writer. Ross Bagdasarian. who 
cleffed “Come On-a My House” 
with William Saroyan a couple of 
years ago, wrote the number for 
the tv airer. 

RCA Victor, meantime, Ls rush- 
ing release on Henri Rene’s ver- 
sion of the theme of “The Lost 
Weekend,” in time for the tv 
adaptation of the film on Robert 
Montgomery’s show on NBC-TV 
’Monday night (7). The old Al 
Goodman recording of the tune, 
how'ever, is being used as back- 
ground for the video show. 

Latest tv tune to stir up ex- 
citement in the trade is “The Bal- 
lad of Davy Crockett,” which was 
aired several weeks ago on Walt 
Disney’s ABC-TV show. 

Archie Bleyer, Cadence Records 
prexy, got wind of the flood of de- 
mands coming into record retailers 
for an etching of the tune and im- 
mediately jumped in with a Bill 
Hayes’ slicing. Tune was coupled 
with “Farewell,” an adaptation of a 
poem written by Davy Crockett. It 
also got an airing on the Disney 
tv’er. Both tunes, incidentally, are 
published by Wonderland, Disney’s 
publishing operation. 


Sauter-Finegan Sign 
Chirp Rosemary O’Reilly 

Pittsburgh, Feb. 1. 

Rosemary O’Reilly, Pittsburgh 
singer w’ho w'as featured here on 
both radio and tv and late of both 
the Broadway and* Hollywood ver- 
sions of "New Faces,” has been 
signed by Sauter-Finegan band as 
their featured vocalist. She’s de- 
parting on tour with them imme- 
diately. 

Miss O’Reilly recently closed a 
four-month engagement at the new 
revue at the Versailles in New 
York. 


MURRAY NASH SETS UP 
OWN PROMOTION FIRM 

Nashville, Feb. 1. 

Murray Nash, formerly with 
Acuff-Rose Music in this city, has 
set up his own agency here for ad- 
vertising, publicity and promotion 
! in the country field. Nash is also 
organizing a publishing firm. 

Before joining Acuff-Rose. Nash 
was a rep for several top disk la- 
bels, including RCA Victor and 
Mercury, In this area. Nash re- 
turned here over the weekend fol- 
lowing confabs with disk execs in 
N. Y. last week. 


Owen Engel to Front 
Jazz Crew’s O’Seas Trek 

Owen Engel, clarinetist, is head- 
ing a modern jazz combo that’s 
slated to tour U.S. Army bases in 
England and Europe this spring. 
In each country visited, Engel will 
add a topflight native sideman and 
will play compositions by native 
composers. 

Engel is taking along eight men 
on the goodwill jazz tour. 


Cincy Greeting Card Co. 
Sued on Song Infringe 

Cincinnati, Feb. 1. 

A copyright infringement suit 
against the Barker Greeting Card 
Co., filed in U. S. District Court 
here last week, charged the Cincin- 
nati firm with wrongfully publish- 
ing words and music of the song, 
“Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” 

Plaintiffs, Shawnee Press Inc., a 
Pennsylvania concern, and Shapiro, 
Bernstein & Co., New York, con- 
tend they hold sole rights to the 
tune, which was copyrighted in 
1910. They seek $250, at least, for 
each of the infringements, alleged 
to have been made repeatedly since 
June, 1950. 


Espagnols $8,100, St. Louis 

St. Louis, Feb. 1. 
Ballets Espagnols was a disap- 
pointment in a week’s run at the 
i American, ending Saturday (29). 

Spanish terp troupe garpered 

) $ 8 , 100 . 


San Francisco, Feb. 1. 

“American bookers have another 
Las Vegas in Australia — that is. if 
they don’t ruin it with high 
prices,” says Al J. Richardson, of 
Catro Valley, who is setting up the 
Spike Jones tour of Australia this 
month. 

Richardson, who last week 
signed a contract with Jones to 
bring the entire troupe of 21 per- 
formers to Australia for a three- 
week tour beginning Feb. 22 at a 
cost of approximately $150,000 
(transportation alone is going to 
run to $28,000), represents a group 
of Australian businessmen who are 
planning to spend $700,000 a year 
bringing in 10 shows every 12 
months. 

The* Spike Jones package, on 
which Richardson says he and his 
partners will be willing to break 
even in order to set up their opera- 
tion, is reported to be the biggest 
dollar deal in American entertain- 
ment ever set for Down Under. In 
addition, it’s believed to be the 
biggest package to leave the U.S. 
for Australia since the John Philip 
Sousa troupe of 60 years ago. 

Richardson, who formerly oper- 
ated Luna Park in Hong Kong and 
is a veteran Australian promoter, 
is repping an outfit composed of 
Aussie businessmen who have 
joined with him and Sydney pro- 
moter Mike Castor to form Castor 
Productions of Sydney. Castor 
brought in the Globetrotters last 
year. 

“I’m acting as U.S. booker and 
they’re not going to gouge me,” 
Richardson said. “I know what we 
want and what the Australian pub- 
lic will want. If they put the 
prices up too high, it will ruin it." 

Talent Cost 

Richardson’s blast against the 
high cost of talent came after a 
trip to Hollywood where, apparent- 
ly, he was quoted some prices — 
rumored to he $12,000 and $15,000 
a week for bands — which he con- 
sidered out of line. “The high 
prices have already ruined more 
than one of the Australian pro- 
moters,” Richardson said. 

The Jones deal w r as set throaigh 
Merle Howard of the Frisco .office 
of Music Corp. of America. In or- 
der to get the 49 cubic tons of 
equipment necessary for the show 
to Australia, it is being shipped via 
the General Steamship Co.’s SS. 
Parakoola. which left San Pedro 
Friday (28). Howard, who has 
headed the MCA operations in 
Frisco for the past couple of years, 
is leaving the office to go out on 
his own, repping talent and acting 
as buyer for the Australian syndi- 
cate and other groups. 

Jones is set to open in Sydney 
Feb. 22 and play a week there, fol- 
lowed by a week in Melbourne and 
then two days each in New Castle,. 
Brisbane and Adelaide. There’s a 
possibility of an additional week in 
Tasmania, and New Zealand will 
be set later.. The troupe will play 
two shows a day and three on Sat- 
urday. 

Richardson, who has been living 
near San Francisco for the past 
couple of years in semi-retirement, 
says that the Australian govern- 
ment has agreed to arrangements 
whereby blocked funds in Aus- 
tralia sufficient to pay for all the 
expenses of the tour will be made 
available and the U.S. performers 
will be able to take out their full 
tab in U.S. dollars. 

Richardson. Castor and the other 
men involved got together after 
the initial talent package deals by 
U.S. promoters last year proved 
the commercial draw of U. S. 
talept 

New Two-Year Decca 

Deal for Janet Brace 

Janet Brace has been repact ed 
j by Decca Records to a two-year 
deal. Thrush, who scored for the 
label with “Teach Me Tonight,” cut 
four sides in New York last week. 
Initial release from the session will 
: be out within 10 days. 

Warbler currently is appearing 
i at Ruban Bleu, New York nitery. 


56 


MUSIC 


Wwlnfwliy, February 2, 1955 


Angel Cuts Prices 
To Meet Majors; 
'Thrift’ Line Hypo 

Angel Records, one of the top 
Indies to hold its price line after 
RCA Victor’s first-of-the-year slash, 
followed the leader this week and 
sliced the tab on its whole catalog. 
Move was made after confabs with 
Electrical & Musical Industries 
(EMU. Angel’s parent company in 
England. 

Daskery lowered the price on its 
“factory sealed” red label series 
from $5.95 t.o $4.98. The “thrift 
package.” which previously ped- 
dled at $4.98, has been cut to $3.48, 
while the blue Continental and 
black jazz series will be priced at 
$3.98 for the 12-inch LP. $2.98 for 
the 10-inch LP and $1.49 for the 
EP set. 

The cut on the “thrift package.” 
incidentally, continues to keep it 
below the price set by rival diskers 
for similar 12-inch LP platters. Be- 
fore the cuts, it sold for close to $1 
less. With new schedule, it now 
sells for 50c less. Diskery will be- 
gin an extensive push to promote 
the “thrift package.” 

Dario Soria, Angel prexy, expects 
sales to stay up and increase. Disk- 
ery is making adjustments so that 
no dealer will suffer an inventory 
loss by the new schedule. EMI will 
absorb the total depreciation of 
dealers’ Angel inventory, and on fu- 
ture purchases the dealer will be 
given a 100% return privilege on 
all its “factory sealed” sets. Soria 
also stated that there would be no 
change in the Angel product be- 
cause of the lowered prices. 

TJie new price schedule w r ent in- 
to effect yesterday (T’les.l. 


King Ups 78s 

Cincinnati, Feb. 1. 

In line with the rest of the in- 
dustry. King Records has upped its 
prices on its 78 rpm disks to 98c. 
The dealers cost will be 60c, Fed- 
eral excise taxes included. 

King is holding the lines on 
longplay disks. 45s and EPs. Com 
pany policy applies to such labels 
as King, Federal, De Luxe and 
4-Star. 


Disk Prices 

Continued from page 53 

believed that out-of-town distribs, 
stuck for ready cash, are unload- 
ing their stocks at cost. 

The discounters, however, are 
feeling the squeeze in their mail 
order operation. While Goody, for 
instance, sells 12-inch LPs for 
$2.50 over the counter, his mail 
order price is about 70c higher. 
With mailing and handling charges, 
the final price is practically at the 
original list. Hence, out-of-towners 
no longer have the incentive to 
buy from N. Y. discounters. 

Too Early to Tell? 

In contrast to the /ictor opti- 
mism. execs at Columbia and Decca 
state that “it’s too early” to get an 
accurate picture. Both Paul Wex- 
ler, Columbia sales chief, and Sid 
Goldberg, his Decca counterpart, 
use the identical phrase: “The pub- 
lic isn’t knocking down any doors.” 
Wexler, however, said by the end 
of February, the situation will be 
clarified. He said that February is 
generally a good month in any 
case. • ' 

Goldberg reported a general 
caution by dealers on stocking up 
of packaged goods. He said that 
some isolated dealers around the 
country, on the momentum of 
heavy advertising, are doing good 
business, but generally there is a 
feeling of watchful waiting. Gold- 
berg, however, said that the single 
business, especially for his label, 
was great. 

Victor sales chief Larry Kanaga 
stated that business has begun to 
spurt sharply in the last two weeks. 

I hat was particularly encouraging 
because there lias been little ad- 
vertising on the price cuts. When 
the Victor ad campaign opens the 
middle of this month, the full im- 
pact of the price reductions will 
be lelt. Several other disk execs 
also frankly were a.it’cipating the 
effects ot the Victor cd campaign 
since it will bring customers into 
the stores for across-the-board 
purchases. 

Mercury execs also believe the 







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National 
Rating 
This Last 
wk. wk. 

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Artist, Label, Title 



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5 

McGUIRE SISTERS (Coral) 
“Sincerely” 



2 

3 


7 

2 

3 

4 

1 

8 

6 

ft ft 

1 

3 

% 

8 

10 

7 

• • 

i 

> 

6 

1 

106 

2 

4 

JOAN WEBER (Columbia* 

“Let Me Go, Lover” 

• « 

5 

.8 

• • 

1 

3 


1 

5 


1 

4 

ft ft 

, , 

• • 

4 

ft ft 

2 

• • 

_4 


3 

2 100 | 

3 

1 

CHORDETTES (Cadence* 

“Mister Sandman” 

• • 

1 


7 

9 

• 

1 

9 

2 

2 


• • 

1 

4 

8 

• • 

3 

5 

• • 

5 

2 


• • 

• • 

95 

4 

3 

FONTANE SISTERS (Dot) 
“Hearts of Stone” 

• • 

• • 

1 

.. 

3 

4 

• • 

• • 

3 

5 

• • 

2 

• • 

10 

7 

2 

• • 

3 

6 

J. 


• • 

3 

93 

5 

1 

AMES BROTHERS (Victor) 
“Naughty Lady of Shady Lane”. 


4 


8 

.. 

2 

• • 

9 

1 


4 

3 

• ■ 

4 


5 

• • 

5 

• • 

_7 


2 

5 

84 

6 

6 

SARAH VAUGHAN (Mercury* 
“Make Yourself Comfortable”.. 


7 

7 * 

5 



• • 

5 

8 

.. 

a • 

7 

2 

.. 

.. 

9 

6 

6 

• • 

5 


8 

10 

58 

7 

7 

JAYE P. MORGAN (Victor) 
“That’s All I Want From ou” . . 



3 



10 

• • 

4 

6 

• • 

3 

9 

5 


.. 

.. 

• • 

8 

8 

8 


5 

• a 

52 

8 

8 

TJlLLY VAUGHN (Dot) 
“Melody of Love” 



10 



2 

• • 

• • 


7 

• • 

9 

5 

a • 

5 

.. 

1 

• • 

0 

• • 


6 


• a 

a • 

43 

9 

10 

PENGUINS (Dootonei 
“Earth Angel” 

# 


8 




• • 

3 


9 

.. 

• • 


10 

.. 



• 

4 

10 

3 

• • 


• • 

6 

35 

10 

11 

GEORGIA GIBBS (Mercury) 
“Tweedle Dee” .... 



4 



8 

1 

6 

10 

3 

• • 


• • 




• • 


• • 

• • 


• • 


34 

11 

9 

DeCASTRO SISTERS (Abbott* 
“Teach Me Tonight” 


3 


10 

5 



• • 



• • 

8 

6 






• • 

3 


• 


31 

12 

13 

DAVID CARROLL (Mercury) 
“Melody of Love” 

• • 

• • 

10 

1 




• • 





1 




9 

4 

• • 

• • 


• • 

• • 

30 

13A 11 

FOUR ACES (Decca) 
“Mister Sandman” .... 


• • 

• • 




* 


• • 


• • 

7 


• • 





1 

• • 

• • 


1 

• • 

24 

13B . 

\ 

JOHNNY MADDOX (Dot* 

“Crazy Otto” 

• • 

• • 


2 


.. 

... 

• • 


• • 

• • 


• • 

6 

1 

.. 


• 

• • 

• • 


a a 

a • 

24 

15 

17 

BILL HALEY’S COMETS (Decca) 
“Dim, Dim the Lights” 


5 



- p 


8 


• • 

• • 

10 

7 



10 

• 

9 

• • 

10 


9 

9 

22 

16 

13 

DeJOHN SISTERS (Epic) 

“No More” 





4 


8 

10 


7 

• • 


• • 

• • 



• 

• 

• • 

• • 


• • 

7 

19 

17A 23 

PERRY COMO (Victor) 
“Papa Loves Mambo” . 



6 

9 


6 

4 

.. 



• • 

• • 

• 

• • 

• • 


7 

• 


• • 

• • 


• • 


16 

17B . 

LAVERN BAKER 
‘Tweedle Dee” . . . 

(Atlantic* 


9 



.. 

• a • 


. # # 



6 


• • 

.. 


• • 

• 

• 

2 

• • 


• • 


16 

17C 24 

CHARMS (DeLuxe) 
“Hearts of Stone” 







.. 

• • 


• • 

• • 

2 


• • 

• • 


• • 

• 


• • 

• • 


4 


16 

17D . . 

CREW CUTS 
“Ko Ko Mo”. 

•lercury) 





4 



• • 



.. 

a> ■ 


• • 

• • 


• • 

2 


• • 

• • 


• • 


16 

21 A . . 

PERRY COMO (Victor* 
“Ko Ko Mo” 





• • 

8 


7 



8 

• • 



7 

10 




• • 

• 


• • 

- 

15 

21B . . 

HILLTOPPERS (Dot) 
"Darlin’ ” 



a • 


• • 

.. 


• • 



• 

• • 


a • 

3 

4 

• • 



• • 





15 

21C 16 

HUGO WINTERHALTER (Victor) 
“Song of the Barefoot Contessa” . . 




• 0 

• • 

• • 



• 

• • 


• • 



6 



1 

• 


• • 


15 

24 


GLORIA MANN (Sound* 

“Earth Angel” 

• • 

o • 




6 

• • 



• 

• • 


a • 

• • 

2 

• • 



• • 

• 


• • 


14 

25 

24 

PEREZ PRADO (Victor) 
“Cherry Pink Mambo” . 


• 

a • 

• . 

• • 

• • 

a a 

a • 



• 

• • 


• • 

• • 

# # 

• • 

1 


• • 

• 


a a 


10 





1 




2 


1 



3 


1 


4 




5 



! 



4 




SIX TOP 
ALBUMS 

STUDENT PRINCK 

Mario Lanza 

Victor 

LM 1837 

ERB 1837 

DEEP IN MY HEART 

Film Soundtrack 

MGM 

E 3153 

X 276 

MUSIC, MARTINIS 
AND MEMORIES 

Jackia Gleaton 

Capitol 

W 509 

EAP 1, 2, 3, 4 — 50S 

THERE'S NO BUSINESS 
LIKE SHOW BUSINESS 
Film Soundtrack 

Decca 

DL 8091 

ED 828 

DAU 957 

FANNY 

Original Cast 

Victor 

LOC 1015 

EOC 1015 

PAJAMA GAME 

a 

Original Cast 

Columbia 
ML 4840 

A 1098 



price reductions represent a 
healthy move for the industry. 

Bill Fowler. Capitol Records 
veepee, says he has received no 
kickbacks on label’s new price 
schedule from dealers, distributors 
or one-stoppers. Fowler also stated 
that there has been no startling 
rise in biz since the new prices 
went into effect although Cap’s 
album biz has been rolling at a 
neat clip. 

Harry Kruze, head of London’s 
sales operation, stated that the 
diskery’s album biz during Janu- 
ary was strong, but he wasn’t sure 
whether the cut price was a con- 
tributing factor. 


Tap Jazz Artist Flock 
For New Waldorf Label 

A flock of jazz artists have been 
tapped by Waldorf Music Hall Rec- 
ords. new lowprice label. Diskery’s 
jazz seilcs. which will be produced 
by Enoch Light, will feature such 
jazzsters as Will Bradley, Bobby 
Byrne, Bud Freeman, Eddie Saf- 
runski, Rex Stewart, Bill Stegmay- 
er, Louis Stein, Barry Galbraith, 
Trigger Alpert, Paul Kashman. 
Cliff Leeman, Billy Maxted. Pea- 
nuts Hucko and Pee Wee Irwin. 

The albums will be peddled in 
national department store outlets, 
i’he LP sets will be priced at 99c 
while the EP packages will go for 
d9c. George Simon will co-pro- 
duce the series with Light. 


San Antone Nitery Op - 
Hit by Infringe Suit 

San Antonio, Feb. 1. 

Suit for damages and an injunc- 
tion, stemming from alleged copy- 
right infringements on four popu- 
, lar songs, has been brought in Fed- 
eral Court here against Don Al- 
bert, operator of the Keyhole, lo- 
cal night spot, by a group of music 
publishing houses. 

The plaintiff companies and the 
tunes on which they are suing are 
Frank Music, “Hey There,” De- 
Sylvia, Brown & Henderson. 
“September Song;” New World 
Corp., “Embraceable You." and 
Harms, “Fine and Dandy.” Mini- 
mum statutory damages are $250 
per infringement. 


MGM Adds Andrews Bros., 
Johnson to Hillbillies 

MGM Records added to its hill- 
billy roster last week with the pact- 
ing of the Andrews Bros., vocal 
combo, and thrush Mary Ann John- 
son. 

The new pactees will debut on 
MGM in the label’s Feb. 11 release. 
Miss Jonhson’s coupling is “Blue 
Teardrops” and “Keep The 
Change,” while the Andrews Bros, 
cut “That’s Why We Drifted Apart” 
and “You Said Goodbye.” 


How's Petrillo Gonna Collect? 

Continued from page 55 


the music written by the composer, 
the heart, the soul and the mood 
of the composition, continue to be 
the task and function of the human 
being who synthesizes the music 
from the score. That person must 
be a good musician.” 

Just Press The Keys 

According to Samoff, the mu- 
sical score of a composer can be 
keyed through the synthesizer for 
results that would be achieved by 
conventional musicians. And the 
men who operate the machine 
don’t have to know how to play 
any instrument. They can simu- 
late instrumentalists by merely 
pressing typewriter-like keys that 
actuate electron tunes and tran- 
sistors. 

SarnofT’s address before the 
American Institute of Electrical 
Engineers in N.Y. last week was 
illustrated by a film showing the 
synthesizer in operation. The film 
was supplemented by a magnetic 
tape recording of synthesized mu- 
sic made by engineers at the RCA 
Princeton laboratories. In excerpts 
from several classical and popular 
works, the machine simulated such 
instruments as the clavichord, 
piano, electronic organ, a hillbilly 
band and an orchestra, in addition 
to a couple of “conceptions” by 


the engineers with no instruments 
simulated. 

SarnofT revealed that Alfred 
Wallenstein, conductor of the L. A. 
Symphony Orchestra, recently ob- 
served the machine in operation. 
While hailing it as a “fountain of 
inspiration,” Wallenstein stated 
that “in its present state the elec- 
tronic system of synthesized music 
is not at the point where it can 
replace live artists or orchestras. 

“However, the ideas expressed for 
further development of the system, 
when realized, should make it pos- 
sible not only to expand the boun- 
daries of music as we know them 
today, but also to achieve musical 
results that can now be achieved 
only through human hands or- 
voices and with existing musical 
instruments.” 

Research and development work 
on the synthesizer is under the di- 
rection of Dr. Harry F. Olson, 
director of the acoustical and 
electro-hnechanical research labora- 
tory in Princeton. 

Sarnoff also described RCA’s 
progress in developing an elec- 
tronic refrigeration system, a light 
amplifier and a magnetic tape re- 
corder for video and films. RCA 
previously had disclosed operation 
of the latter device. 


* 


















Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


MITSIC 


57 





♦ 


Inside Stuff-Music 

» 

Songwriter Abner Silver, who’s residing in Miami Beach, has writ- 
ten the first theme song for a hotel, “At the Fontainbleau.” Vaughn 
Monroe introduced it during his recent stand at the Florida hotel. 
Silver has also gotten in solid with the local Chamber of Commerce 
via another new tune, “Miami Beach Is a Paradise.” Meantime, Irving 
Caesar was invited by Gov. Dan Thornton of Colorado to help that 
stated fight against highway fatalities. Caesar, who has written a 
series of “Friendship” and “Safety” songs, was in Denver last week to 
address the state’s public school children on safety and human re- 
lations. 


Along the lines of last year’s serialized Bing Crosby autobiog, “Call 
Me Lucky,” the Saturday Evening Post is tying up with Decca Records 
on a joint promotion of the mag’s series on Ethel Merman. Seven- 
part story opens in the Satevepost Feb. 12 and Decca is spotlighting the 
series via dealer posters, deejay mailings and a special interview disk 
with Miss- Merman. Latter stars in five Decca albums, including 
“There’s No Business Like Show Business,” ‘^Annie Get Your Gun,” 
“Call Me Madam,” “Songs She Made Famous” aTid the “Ford 50th 
Anniversary TV Show.” 


If “mood music” can sell cocktails, maybe liquor stores can sell 
disks. That, at any rate, is the thinking of Decca Records in their 
new promotion of “Music For Your Mood” albums in conjunction with 
the Schieffelin company, vermouth importers. Photo displays, spot- 
lighting a Decca set titled “Very, Very Dry,” will be placed in key 
liquor shops around the country. Reciprocal liquor displays by disk 
retailers are being prepped by Decca. 


Although hillbilly singer Hank Williams died more than two years 
ago. MGM Records continues to dig into its vaults for new Williams’ 
platters. Latest release, due Feb. 11, is a coupling of “Please Don’t 
Let Me Love You” and “Faded Love and Winter Roses.” Williams 
accomps himself on guitar on both sides. Label also has packaged 
an album of eight previously released religiosongs etched by Williams. 
Album will he tagged “I Saw the Light.” 


New Jersey is looking for a state song. Frederick M. Raubinger, 
State Commissioner of Education, appointed a State Song Study Com- 
mission last fall and the group finally has completed its plan of op- 
eration. A bulletin containing the regulations under which songs may 
be submitted to the Commission will be mailed to musicians and 
musical organizations through the state in the near future. 


B. F. Wood Music, educational and standard firm, now is taking a 
crack at the pop field. Pubbery jumped into the pop race a few 
weeks ago with “Blue Mirage” and already has tagged six disk ver- 
sions. Ballad was imported from Germany and published by arrange- 
ment with Teoton-Verlag of Munich. Marty Mills, Wood’’s profes- 
sional manager, plans to add more foreign pops to the catalog. 


MGM Records is packaging the ballet music from a flock of Metro 
fllmusicals for a 12-inch L'P album. Set will include such ballets as 
“Slaughter on 10th Ave.” from “Word and Music.” “The Girl Hunt 
Ballet” from “The Band Wagon.” “The Pirate Ballet” from “The 
Pirate,” and “Lili and the Puppets” from “Lili." 


Liberace has joined the list of performers who are also members 
ol the American Society of Authors, Composers & Publishers. Among 
Liberace’s compositions which made him eligible for ASCAP mem- 
bership are ■'T Don’t Care,” “Rhapsody by Candlelight,” “Ballet of 
the Clouds” and ether concert pieces. 


Lou Levy, Leeds Music topper, has set up a new company for 
special material songs. He’s calling it Out of This World Music, an 
ASCAP affiliate which will also handle any science fiction tunes. 
First tune in the company’s catalog is “The Heel,” which Eartha Kitt 
sliced for RCA Victor. 


Example of the importance of the pic tune plug is the switch of the 
title of the theme from the WB pic “Unchained.” Tune’s original 
title was “Are You Still Mine” but the publishers decided to retag it 
“Unchained Melody” to cash in on the promotion. Frank Music is 
publishing. 


Nonsense Tune Sweeping 
Japan; Even Its Author, 
Top Crooner Dislike It 

Tokyo, Jan. 25. 

Top pop record in Japan today is 
a “Mairzy Doats” nonsense tune 
called “Oh, My Otomi^san.” Al- 
though critics and even The author 
and singer deplore it, the disk has 
sold 441.000 copies in only four 
months, by far a record here. Imi- 
tations are flooding jukeboxes and 
the original blares from jukes, 
bandstands and theatre stages all 
over the country. 

The crooner who introduced the 
tune, Hachiro Kasuga, has risen 
from cheap cabaret spots to the na- 
tion’s top theatres and ranks No. 1 
on the popularity polls. Reluctant 
to sing the song at first, Kasuga 
recorded it “for the dough” and 
now says he can’t understand its 
popularity. 

The composer, Masanobu Ta- 
kuchi, of Okinawa, rolling in roy- 
alties, is swamped with orders for 
new tunes. The lyricist, Tadashi 
Yamazaki, who used an original 
poem of his to work out the tune 
with the composer, says, “They 
turned my fine original work into 
a miserable thing, but the miser- 
able thing has made me wealthy.” 
Like the crooner, the composer 
and Yamazaki had been scratching 
out an existence since the war. 

King Record Co. has recorded 
the original. 


COL PACTS Al HAM TO 
COORDINATOR SLOT 

Columbia Records has appointed 
Albert W. Ham to its newly-created 
post of coordinator of recording 
operations. Ham will act as liaison 
between the label’s various a&r 
departments and the recording and 
research operations. 

Post was developed to bring 
about a closer tie between the adcr, 
technical and research divisions. 

Atlantic Pacts Barabin; 
Ertegun Heads to Coast 

As part of its current jazz line 
expansion, Atlantic Records last 
week pacted Paul Barabin and his 
New Organs Combo. Group cut 
its first sides for an album release 
under the direction of Nesuhi Erte- 
gun, label’s new veepee. 

After the sessions Ertegun took 
off for Chicago and the Coast 
where he’ll head up more dates 
for the jazz album line. Barabin 
currently is playing at Child’s Para- 
mount, N. Y. 


Cook’s Field Survey 

Hal Cook, Capitol Records sales 
v.p., is swinging through the south 
and midwest huddling with the la- 
bel’s distributors- and managers in 
the field. 

He’s due back at his New York 
desk Feb. 8. 


POP WRITERS 


Aussie ‘New Vegas’ If Fees Are Right; 


HI) mm S Spike Jones Tour Will Cost (150,000 


Legituner producers are appar- 
ently casing the pop bestseller lists 
with an eye fdr new show score 
w'riters. In the past year a flock 
of Tin Pan Alley tunesmiths have 
been getting the nod from the mu- 
sicomcdy managers. 

Latest cleffer to be tabbed for a 
tuner assignment is Bob Merrill. 
He’s been set by Martin Gabel, 
Robert L. Joseph and Henry M. 
Margolis to pen the score for their 
musical version of James Cain’s 
novel, “Serenade.” Merrill current- 
ly is riding the hit lists with “Make 
Yourself Comfortable, Baby” and 
“Mambo Italiano.” 

Other writers shifting from Tin 
Pan Alley to Shubert Alley are 
Robert Allan & Al Stillman and 
Ervin Drake & Jimmy Shirl. Both 
teams currently are at work on pro- 
jected musicomedy productions. 
The Allan-Stillman team clicked 
recently with "Home For the Hol- 
idays,” while Drake & Shirl made 
a big splash with “I Believe.” 

Legituner yen for tyro pop writ- 
ers moved into full swing last year 
when Dick Adler & Jerry Ross 
came through with the score for 
“Pajama Game.” Adler & Ross re- 
ceived the assignment after break- 
ing into the hit lists with “Rags to 
Riches.” “Pajama Game” score had 
two top bracket clicks lb “Hey 
There,” the first showtune in many 
years to pass the 1,000.000 disk sale 
mark via Rosemary Clooney’s Co- 
lumbia waxing, and “Hernando’s 
Hideaway.” Team currently is prep- 
ping the score for “Damn Yan- 
kees,” new musical due on Broad- 
way in May. 

Click of “Young at Heart” last 
year won the “Peter Pan” cleffing 
chore for lyricist Carolyn Leigh. 
She was teamed with another Tin 
Pan Alleyite, Moose Charlop. 
w hose monicker was ch. nged to 
Mark Charlop for the legit show- 
casing. 

I 

ROGERS AT ATLANTIC; 
PREVIN JOINS DECCA 

Berkeley, Feb. 1. 

Shorty Rogers, jazz trumpet 
player featured with Stan Kenton 
on tour, who has been a top jazz 
artist with Victor the last two 
years, was signed as musical di- 
rector of Atlantic Records Monday 
<31). This is part of Atlantic’s big 
scale effort in the modem jazz 
package field. This follows ap- 
pointment of Nesqjii Ertegun re- 
cently as Atlantic executive. Erte- 
gun, formerly with Contemporary 
in Hollyw’ood, worked closely with 
Rogers on several LPs. 

Andre Previn also left Victor 
and signed with Decca. Previn and 
Rogers’ RCA album, “Collabora- 
tion,” was released this week. 

Sauter-Finegao Sign 
Chirp Rosemary O’Reilly 

Pittsburgh, Feb. 1. 

Rosemary O’Reilly, Pittsburgh 
singer who was featured here on 
both radio and tv and late of both 
the Broadway anrP Hollywood ver- 
sions of “New Faces,” has been 
signed by Sauter-Finegan band as 
their featured vocalist. She’s de- 
parting on- tour with them imme- 
diately. 

Miss O’Reilly recently closed a 
four-month engagement at the new 
revue at the Versailles in New 
York. 


Owen Engel to Front 
Jazz Crew’s O’Seas Trek 

Owen Engel, clarinetist, is head- 
ing a modern jazz combo that’s 
slated to tour U.S. Army bases in 
England and Europe this spring. 
In each country visited, Engel will 
add a topflight native sideman and 
will play compositions by native 
composers. 

Engel is taking along eight men 
on the goodwill jazz totir. 


♦ 

Louis Jordan Joins X 

After a year with the indie Alad- 
din label, Louis Jordan is shifting 
to Label X, RCA subsid. Jordan 
will cut his first sessions for X 
within the next few weeks. 

Jordan switched to Alladin for 
one year after a longtime associ- 
ation with Decca. 


TV Tune Plug 
Front Widens 

The scramble to develop a hit 
, via an integrated video plug, a la 
Joan Weber’s “Let Me Go, Lover” 

' smash for Columbia Records, is 
being extended on all fronts. 
Latest is a tune titled “Mopshilu,” 

; which is getting showcased on the 
I "Ray Milland Show” on the CBS- 
TV web next Thursday <10>. Show 
l i^ a comedy about a hep song- 
i writer. Ross Bagdasarian. who 
i cleffed “Come On-a My House” 

' with William Saroyan a couple of 
i years ago, wrote the number for 
the tv airer. 

RCA Victor, meantime, is rush- 
ing release on Henri Rene’s ver- 
sion of the theme of “The Lost 
Weekend,” in time for the tv 
adaptation of the film on Robert 
Montgomery’s show on NBC-TV 
'Monday night <7). The old Al 
■ Goodman recording of the tune, 
how'ever, is being used as back- 
ground for the video show. 

Latest tv tune to stir up ex- 
| citement in the trade is “The Bal- 
lad of Davy Crockett,” which was 
aired several weeks ago on Walt 
Disney’s ABC-TV show. 

I Archie Bleyer, Cadence Records 
proxy, got wind of the flood of de- 
mands coming into record retailers 
for an etching of the tune and im- 
mediately jumped in with a Bill 
Hayes’ slicing. Tune was coupled 
with “Farewell,” an adaptation of a 
poem written by Davy Crockett. It 
also got an airing on the Disney 
tv’er. Both tunes, incidentally, are 
published by Wonderland, Disney's 
publishing operation. 


MURRAY NASH SETS UP 
OWN PROMOTION FIRM 

Nashville, Feb. 1. 

Murray Nash, formerly with 
Aeuff-Rose Music in this city, has 
set up his own agency here for ad- 
vertising, publicity and promotion 
1 in the country field. Nash is also 
organizing a publishing firm. 

Before joining Acuff-Rose. Nash 
was a rep for several top disk la- 
bels, including RCA Victor and 
Mercury, in this area. Nash re- 
turned here over the weekend fol- 
lowing confabs with disk execs in 
N. Y. last week. 

Cincy Greeting Card Co. 
Sued on Song Infringe 

Cincinnati, Feb. 1. 

A copyright infringement suit 
against the Barker Greeting Card 
Co., filed in U. S. District Court 
here last week, charged the Cincin- 
nati firm with wrongfully publish- 
I ing words and music of the song, 

! “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” 

Plaintiffs, Shawnee Press Inc., a 
Pennsylvania concern, and Shapiro, 
Bernstein & Co., New York, con- 
tend they hold sole rights to the 
tune, which was copyrighted in 
1910. They seek $250, at least, for 
J each of the infringements, alleged 
! to have been made repeatedly since 
■ June, 1950. 


Espagnols $8,100, St. Louis 

St. Louis, Feb. 1. 
Ballets Espagnols was a disap- 
pointment in a week’s run at the 
American, ending Saturday <29). 

Spanish terp troupe garpered 

» $ 8 , 100 . 


San Francisco, Feb. 1. 

“American bookers have another 
Las Vegas in Australia — that is, if 
they don’t ruin it with high 
prices,” says Al J. Richardson, of 
Catro Valley, who is setting up the 
Spike Jones tour of Australia this 
month. 

Richardson, who last week 
signed a contract with Jones to 
bring the entire troupe of 21 per- 
formers to Australia for a three- 
week tour beginning Feb. 22 at a 
cost of approximately $150,000 
(transportation alone is going to 
run to $28,000), represents a group 
of Australian businessmen who are 
planning ta spend $700,000 a year 
bringing in 10 shows every 12 
months. 

The* Spike Jones package, on 
which Richardson says he and his 
partners will be willing to break 
even in order to set up their opera- 
tion, is reported to be the biggest 
dollar deal in American entertain- 
ment ever set for Down Under. In 
addition, it's believed to be the 
biggest package to leave the U.S. 
for Australia since the John Philip 
Sousa troupe of 60 years ago. 

Richardson, who formerly oper- 
ated Luna Park in Hong Kong and 
is a veteran Australian promoter, 
is repping an outfit composed of 
Aussie businessmen who have 
joined with him and Sydney pro- 
moter Mike Castor to form Castor 
Productions of Sydney. Castor 
brought in the Globetrotters last 
year. 

“I’m acting as U.S. booker and 
they’re not going to gouge me,” 
Richardson said. “I know what we 
want and what the Australian pub- 
lic will want. If they put the 
prices up too high, it will ruin it.” 

Talent Cost 

Richardson’s blast against the 
high cost of talent came after a 
trip to Hollywood where, apparent- 
ly, he was quoted some prices — 
rumored to be $12,000 and $15,000 
a week for bands — which he con- 
sidered out of line. “The high 
prices have already ruined more 
than one of the Australian pro- 
moters,” Richardson said. 

The Jones deal was set through 
Merle Howard of the Frisco office 
of Music Corp. of America. In or- 
der to get the 49 cubic tons of 
equipment necessary for the show 
to Australia, it is being shipped via 
the General Steamship Co.’s SS. 
Parakoola, which left San Pedro 
Friday (28). Howard, who has 
headed the MCA operations in 
Frisco for the past couple of years, 
is leaving the office to go out on 
his own, repping talent and acting 
as buyer for the Australian syndi- 
cate and other groups. 

Jones is set to open in Sydney 
Feb. 22 and play a week there, fol- 
lowed by a week in Melbourne and 
then two days each in New Castle,, 
Brisbane and Adelaide. There’s a 
possibility of an additional week in 
Tasmania, and New Zealand will 
be set later.. The troupe will play 
two shows a day and three on Sat- 
urday. 

Richardson, who has been living 
near San Francisco for the past 
couple of years in semi-retirement, 
says that the Australian govern- 
ment has agreed to arrangements 
whereby blocked funds in Aus- 
tralia sufficient to pay for all the 
expenses of the tour will be made 
available and the U.S. performers 
will be able to take out their full 
tab in U.S. dollars. 

Richardson, Castor and the other 
men involved got together after 
the initial talent package deals by 
U.S. promoters last year proved 
the commercial draw of U. S. 
j talept 


New Two-Year Decca 

Deal for Janet Brace 

Janet Brace has been repacted 
by Decca Records to a two-year 
i deal. Thrush, who scored for the 
label with “Teach Me Tonight,” cut 
! four sides in New York last week. 
Initial release from the session will 
be out within 10 days. 

Warbler currently is appearing 
at Ruban Bleu, New York nitery. 



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Wednemlay, February 2, 1935 


59 



ATTENTION 


On Monday, February 7, the Robert Montgomery Tele- 
vision Show will present over the entire NBC network 
a major production of THE LOST WEEKEND, star- 
ring Robert Montgomery. Music to be used throughout 
the hour-long production will be the famous “Lost 
Weekend Theme.” In anticipation of consumer de- 
mand we are expediting shipments of a special record- 
ing by Henri Rene to our distributors in all markets. 


RECORD 

DEALERS 


Them 




ction of 





60 


MUSIC 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


British Pop Reviews 


London. 

Frank Weir Orch: “Journey Into 
Space”-“Serenade to an Empty 
Room” (Decca ». The “Happy Wan- 
derer” tooter gives the “Journey 
Into Space” radio series theme a 
workover which evokes all the 
eeriness associated with space fic- 
tion, to the accompaniment of suit- 
able effects both electronic and 
choral. Should rate a lot of spins 
for curiosity and name value. 
“Serenade” exploits Weir’s sopra- 
no sax technique without saying 
much of any real musical worth. 

Maurice Chevalier: “Mon P’Tit 
Moustique"-“Deux Amoureux sur 
un Banc” (Decca). French cabaret 
king Chevalier’s distinctive way 
with a number is displayed fully 
with both titles — part spoken, part 
sung, and amusing and enjoyable 
whether French is understood or 
not. 

Dickie Valentine: “A Blossom 
Fell”-“I Want You All to Myself” 
(Decca). Valentine has just started 
making hit records, and “Blossom” 
comes well into that category, even 
though the chanter has the suspi- 
cion of a cold in his voice. “All to 
Myself” is a plaintive waltz taken 
rather too slow. 

The Kirchin Band: “Minor Mam- 
bo”-"Mother Goose Jumps” (Dec- 
ca'. The newest British big band 
is also on a mambo kick. They get 
an excitement into their playing, 
especially with “Minor Mambo” 
which really rocks and should sell 
big. "Mother Goose” features a 
vocal by Johnny Grant, and is far 
less enthusiastic. 

Johnny O’Connor: “A Blossom 
Fell”-"Give Me the Right” (Poly- 
gon'. Here’s a new British singer 
with a warm voice which should 
click rapidly on both sides of the 
Atlantic. “Blossom Fell” is a strong 
piece of home-grown material 
which O’Connor gives a sensitive 
reading. “Give Me the Right” is 
weak by comparison. 


new BI 6 HITS! 

The Incomparable!!! 

EARTH ANGEL 

THE PENGUINS - DOOTONE 
LES BAXTER - CAPITOL 
PAT O'DAY - MGM 
THE CREWCUTS - MERCURY 
* Coming Up • 

OOKEY OOK 


LOVE WILL MAKE 
YOUR MIND GO WILD 


THE TELEGRAM 



For VALENTINE Week 
Program 

YOU'RE 
A SWEETHEART 

by McHugh and Adamson 


Published by ROBBINS MUSIC COUP 


PfifHETY Scoreboard 


OF 


TOP TALENT AND TUNES 


Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution 
Encomixtssing the Three Major Outlets 

Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music 

as Published in the Current Issue 


NOTE: The current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is 
arrived at under a statistical system comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu- 
merated above. These findings are correlated with data from wider sources, which are earclusire 
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de- 
veloped from the ratio of points scoted, two ways in the case of talent ( coin machines, retail 
disks ) and three ways in the case of tunes (coin machines, retail disks and retail sheet music J. 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 

1 2 

2 5 


TALENT 

ARTIST AND LABEL TUNE . 

JOAN WEBER (Columbia) ! . Let Me Go, Lover 


McGUIRE SISTERS 


«<■»') is®? 


3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 


3 

4 
1 
6 
7 
9 

10 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 
9 

10 


4 

2 

1 

5 
3 

6 

7 
9 

8 


FONTANE SISTERS (Dot) Hearts of Stone 

CHORDETTES (Cadence) Mister Sandman 

AMES BROTHERS (Victor) Naughty Lady of Shady Lane 

SARAH VAUGHAN (Mercury) Make Yourself Comfortable 

JAYE P. MORGAN (Victor) That’s All I Want From You 

BILLY VAUGHN (Dot) Melody of Love 

BILL HALEY’S COMETS (Decca) (Dim, Dim the Lights 

/Shake, Rattle and Roll 

DAVID CARROLL (Mercury) Melody of Love 

TUNES 

(♦ASCAP. fBMI) 

tune’ publisher 

♦MELODY OF LOVE Shapiro-B&P 

fLET ME GO, LOVER Hill & Range 

♦MISTER SANDMAN Morris 

f HEARTS OF STONE Regent 

♦NAUGHTY LADY OF SHADY LANE Paxton 

tSINCERELY .v * Arc-Regent 

♦MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE R y l an 

fTHAT’S ALL I WANT FROM YOU Weiss & Barry 

♦TEACH ME TONIGHT Hub-Leeds 

tEARTH ANGEL Criterion 


Jocks, Jokes, Disks 


Continued from page 54 


kind of slick abandon that means 
spins. 

Alan Dean: ‘Too Much In Love 
to Care”-‘‘The Ladder of Love” 
(MGM). Alan Dean packs plenty of 
power in his vocal attack and “Too 
Much In Love to Care” gives him a 
chance to showcase his style to 
advartage. Tune is an interesting 
tango-styled ballad which Dean 
delivers with 'punch; “Ladder of 
Love” is an appealing shuffle item 
that gets a buoyant lyric workover. 

Bob St Ray: “The Voice Coach”- 
"Ybu Made Your Bed” (Coral). Boo 
Elliot and Ray Goulding, who have 
aired some sparkling comedy on 
their Bob St Ray show, have etched 
two smart satirical sides on this 
disk. “The Voice Coach” is a take- 
off on “Dragnet,” which doesn't 
i have the sock impact of Stan 
| Freberg’s disk on the same subject, 
i but is solid satire nonetheless, 
j “You Made Your Bed” parodies 
! “This Is Your Life” with similar 
sharpness. 

Mitch Miller to Coast 

For Recorctyng Series 

Mitch Miller, Columbia Records 1 
a&r chief, headed for the Coast 
last weekend for a series of record- 
ing sessions with Col pactees based 
there. He’ll be gone about a week. 

Percy Faith, Col a&r staffer, also 
w r ent Coastward to wind up his mu- 
sical directing chores for the Doris 
Day pic, “Love Me Or Leave Me,” 
on the Metro lot. 


Bob Miller’s Coast Trek 

Bob Miller, Music Publishers 
Contact Employees Union prexy, 
trekked to he Coast last week for 
annual huddles with pluggers and 
publishers headquartering there. 

He’ll be gone about a month. 


It's Music by 


JESSE GREER 

Program Today Yostorduy's 

JUST YOU, 
JUST ME 

ROBIINS 


Autry Sues Texans For 
5G on Themer Infringe 

Houston. Feb. 1. 

Gene Autry here to star in the 
Houston Fat Stock Show & Rodeo 
which opens tomorrow- (Wed.), has 
filed a law suit in advance against 
! two local men. The suit seeks 
i $5,250 for ridicule and infringe- 
ment on copyright. It is against 
, local clown Bozo Saint Clair and 
Pete Lout, operators of Towne 
Lounge Bar, where Saint Clair 
works. 

Autry's suit claims the two origi- 
nated and recorded a comic num- 
ber called “Gene Artery” and set 


THE 


SPOTLIGHTERS 

CURRENTLY 

COCKTAIL LOUNGE 

HOTEL STATLER 

NEW YORR 


ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORPORATION 

JOE GLASER, Pres. 


New York I Chicoqo 

Hollywood 

74 5 Oth A.e PL 9. 4600 | 203 No Wobcsh 

| 8619 Sunse* 8 1 v d 


‘Hit Parade’ Lineup 

(On Jan. 29 NBC-TV show) 

1. Let Me Go Lover.,.. H&R 

2. Mister Sandman. .. .Morris 

3. Melody of Love S-B&P 

4. Naughty Lady ...... Paxton 

5. Hearts of Stone . . Regent 

6. Teach Me Tonight. . Hub-L 

7. Count Blessings Berlin 

it to music of “Back In The Saddle 
Again.” That is Autry's copyright- 
ed theme song. 

Cowboy star’s petition asks im- 
pounding of all master plates and 
remaining records, in addition to 
alleged copyright infringement and 
injury to Autry’s reputation. Lout 
stated that only a few of the 200 
manufactured records had been 
sold or given away, and that they 
had been withdrawn from the mar- 
ket six or seven months ago when 
it was learned that Autry objected 
to them. 


Five Keys’ Whirl 

Cleveland, Feb. 1. 

Five Keys, whose Capitol waxing 
of “Ling Ting Tong” is a current 
hot seller, are taking a whirl 
through nine Ohio and Kentucky 
theatres on a tour promoted by 
Emarfuel Stutz, Cleveland theatre 
operator. 

Stutz, who stages weekend jam- 
borees by disk personalities at his 
Circle Theatre, starts the Keys on 
a vaude trek in Cincinnati Feb. 5. 
Following it comes one-nighters in 
Warren, Akron's Ritz Theatre Feb 
8; Ashtabula. Lexington, Dayton 
and Canton, and appearances at his 
Circle in Cleveland Feb. 13. 


Henry New Maestro At 
K.C. Eddys’ Vice DiPardo 

Kansas City, Feb. 1. 

Tony DiPardo is stepping dow-n 
as orch leader at Eddys’ Restau- 
rant, de luxe night spot here, after 
four years on the bandstand. He’s 
retiring from the music business 
to devote himself to a food vending 
business he built up recently. For 
a number of years DiPardo headed 
a large name band, traveling the 
midwest and south. 

New orch at Eddy’s will be head- 
ed by Thurl Henry, who will have 
the same size aggregation, an eight- 
piece outfit with reed lead. 



HOME FOR SALE 

Suburban intar-racial araa in New 
Jersey— 20 min. from Times Square. 
Beautiful split level l^ouii nearing 
completion. 3 bedrooms, den, maids 
room, 3 complete baths, 2 fireplaces, 
2-car garage, custom kitchen, gas heat 
—provisions for air-conditioning, many 
extras. On 100x200 wooded let. Sac- 
rifice $44,000. MUrray Hill t-7212 
(After « P.M.). 




Another BlfH % (jp» tf !f 

THAT'S ALi i 
WANT FROM YOU 

HOM ORCH 


■JAY! P. MORGAN. .Victor 
® IAN MARTIN . . . Capitol 

Dinah Washington 

<>ICR JACOBS . . 

HITS A POPPIN’ ORCH 

Parade 
Published by WEISS A 


Prai 


rrc 

rOR* BROTHERS, . . . Rii 
JAY CARROLL ORCH 

j ACK HASKELL 

M, MI MARTEL 
•ARRY, INC. 










Wm 






Wfdneiday, February 2, 1955 





62 


MUSIC 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


On The Upbeat 


New York 

Rosalind Paige, recent addition 
to MGM’s roster, opens at the Copa 
Club, Youngstown, O., Feb. 7 . . . 
Randy Wood, Dot Records prexy, 
due for a stopover in town this 
week after recording sessions in 
Chicago . . . The Chordettes set 
for the National Radio-TV Corre- 
spondents Dinner at the Hotel Stat- 
ler, Washington, Saturday (5) . . .. 
Frankie Lester due back in town 
this week after a midwest deejay 
trek plugging his Label X slice of 
“Wedding Bells” . . . The Rover 
Boys kick off a one-week stand at 
the Seville Theatre, Montreal, to- 
morrow (Thurs.) . . . Karen Chan- 
dler set for the Guy Lombardo 
telepix March 12 . . . Winifred At- 
well, British jazz pianist, profiled 
in the March issue of Ebony mag. 

MGM Records sent its sound- 
track album "Deep In My Heart” 
to Mrs. Eisenhower as a Valen- 
tine’s Day present . . . Shep Fields 
to headquarter in Houston where 
he’s being dickered for a deejay 
show . . . Kathy Favaro ^nkled the 
Ray Anthony office to join Mer- 
cury Records as aide to Luigi Cre- 
ature and Hugo Perretl, label’s a&r 
heads in the east . . . Betty Madi- 
gan pencilled in for a two-week 
stand at the Hotel Statler, Cleve- 
land, beginning Feb. 14 . . . Art 
Mooney set for three consecutive 
weekend dates at the Meadowbrook, 
Cedar Grove, N. J... beginning Feb. 
11 . . . Winner of Columbia Rec- 
ords “Operation Pavepop” contest 
was Buhl Sons Co.. Detroit, dis- 
tributors . . . Nat (King) Cole 
opens at the Sands, Las Vegas, to- 
day iWed.i. 

Crooner Dean Allen recuperat- 
ing at the Hospital for Special Sur- 
gery . . . Birdland jazz concert due 
at the Civic Opera House, Pitts- 
burgh, Feb. 20 . . . Bob Anthony 
touring U.S. Army Air Corps bases 
with the Jerry Colonna show . . . 


Errol 1 Garner takes over the Lac- 
lede Little Symphony Hour <KSD- 
TV, St. Louis) Feb. 6. It’ll be the 
first time a jazz artist has been 
slotted in that spot. 


A WONDERFUL 
SEASONAL SONG 


$% . «* end Cohn'j 

W ITSNOW!" 
UT ITSliOWr 
LIT IT$N0W!" 


CAHN MUSIC COMPANY 


London 

Joe Saye, blind pianist-band- 
leader, is emigrating to the States 
in March . . . Stanley Black is the 
first musical director to be ap- 
pointed by a commercial tv firm 
here. He will handle the music 
for commercial advertising films 
to be produced by TV Advertising 
Ltd . . . Lita Roza, top British 
songstress, has had an offer to ap- 
pear in Australia , . Tutti Cama- 
rata is in London. He has nego- 
tiated a deal with the Peter Mau- 
rice Music to launch that com- 
pany’s light music ccatalog in the 
States . . . Exclusive Films is mak. 
ing a series of Cinemascope films 
with musical personalities, includ- 
ing the Edmundo Ros Latin-Ameri- 
can orch. Cyril Stapleton orch. 
Eric Winstone orch, etc. . . . Lord 
and Lady Donegall are behind the 
formation of a new traditional jazz 
band, the Dixieland Jazzmen, 
which debuted in London on Sat- 
urday (29th>. 


A Solid Ballad Hit! 


A 






MILLER MUSK CORPORATION 


Chicago 

Victor soon to release Pee Wee 
King’s new platter, "Can’t Hardly 
Get Them No More” , . . Sylvia 
Sims inked by Decca . . . Dan Bel- 
loc Orch. currently playing Holiday 
Ballroom, Chi, to do one-nighters 
this month. Belloc’s latest disking 
is "Your Bright Red Lips” on the 
MGM label . . . Dinah Washington 
skedded for the Blue Note Feb. 16- 
20 with the Blue Note Trio . . . 
Jack Teagarden Quintet to follow 
into Blue Note Feb. 23 to March 6, 
with Ray Bauduc on same bill . . 
Gaylords into the Chicago Theatre 
Feb. 11 for two rounds . . . Ben 
Arden Orch set for the Shamrock. 
Houston. March 3 for eight weeks 
. . . David Carroll Orch opens to- 
morrow (Thurs.) at the Chase 
Hotel, St. Louis, with Dick Kerr, 
for two sessions, following with 
one-nighters Feb. 17 to March 2 
. . . Ray Hamilton set for the Chi- 
cago Theatre Feb. 11 for two weeks 
. . . Julius La Rosa into the Baker 
Hotel, Dallas, Feb. 18 for eight 
day. 


BETAIL SHEET BEST SELLEBS 


Variety 


Survey o/ retail sheet music 
best sellers based on reports 
obtained /rom leading stores in 
12 cities and showing com- 
parative sales rating for this 
and last week. 

* ASCAP t BM1 


National 
Rating 
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1 23 

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♦Melody of Love (Shapiro-B&P) 

1 

1 

1 

5 

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113 

2 

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♦Mister Sandman (Morris) 

2 

2 

4 

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6 

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tLet Me Go, Lover (H&R) 

3 

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93 

4 

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♦Naughty Lady (Paxton) 

4 

4 

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8" 

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79 

5“ 

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t Hearts of Stone (Regent)’ 

7 


6 

2 

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tSincerely (Arc-R) 

9 

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♦Teach Me Tonight (Hub-L> 


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♦Make Comfortable, Baby tRylan'. 

• • 

8 

5 

6 

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10 

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7 

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11 

TOpen'Up Your Heart (Hamblen). 

5 

7 

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10 

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tThat’s All I Want (W&B) 

. 6 


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♦Count Your Blessings (Berlin*. . . 

. . . 

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15 

12 

. • 

tNo More (Maple Leaf) 

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♦My Own True Love iRemick). . . . 


10 

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15 


tTweedle Dee (Progressive* 

• • 

• • 

8 




• • 


• • 

10 


• • 

4 


Louann’s . . . Johnny Cola Trio, 
house band at Colony Club, also 
signed to play Neiman-Marcus 
store’s style shows. 




For VALENTINE Week 
Program 

YOU’RE 
A SWEETHEART 

by McHugh and Adamson 


Published by ROBBINS MUSIC CORP. 


Pittsburgh 

Bill Brant band signed for the 
annual Snow Ball at the Twin 
Coaches on Valentine’s Day . . . 
Teddy Zee has succeeded the late 
Louis Amen as the pianist at the 
Pittsburgh Athletic Assn. . . . Dave 
Tamburi has joined the Tommy 
Carlyh orch on piano . . . Buddy 
Laine opens a 10-day stand at the 
New Ray Ballroom in Chicago Feb. 
9 . . . Nick £ovato combo renewed 
for an additional four weeks at 
the Blue Moon . . . John Birginger, 
on trumpet, back with Baron Elliott 
orch after stretches with Ray An- 
thony and Raymond Scott . . . 
Frankie Barr, Twin Coaches maes- 
tro. has shelved 31 pounds in the 
last two months on a high protein 
diet. Ditto Tiny Wolfe, who has the 
band at the Copa . . . Joe Negri 
Trio now playing for the daily Buss 
Aston-Bill Hinds radio show r on 
KDKA as well as for their tv pro- 
grams on KDKA-TV . . . Sharkey 
Bonano dixieland combo opened 
week’s engagement Monday (31) 
at the Copa. 


Kansas City 

Bill Haley & Comets begin a 
two-week stand at Eddys’ Res- 
taurant Feb. 4, their first in town. 
Date was set months ago before 
their success with "Shake. Rattle 
and Roll” . . . Sauter-Finegan Orch 
set for a stage show and concert 
in the Music Hall March 13 . . . 
Vaughn Monroe will come here for 
the giant two-day show the Ameri- 
can Legion is preparing as a ben- 
efit for its veterans welfare fund. 
March 18-19 . . . Stewart Scott 
Orch closes in the Drum Room of 
Hotel President within the fort- 
night, after working out tw r o extra 
options, their third stand in the 
room. 


San Francisco Jazz 


Continued from page 1 


Dallas 

Denny Reckner orch reopened 
; the Rocket Club. Fort Worth, 
owned by W. D. Satterwhite, local- 
ite who also owns the Penthouse, 
private club here . . . Dick LaSalle 
band due Feb. 7 for its sixth stand 
at Baker Hotel’s Mural Room . . . 
Joe Reichman brings his new band 
home for a Dallas Athletic Club 
stand Feb. Jl . . . Fred Waring has 
a Feb. 12 one-nighter at State Fair 
Auditorium. On Feb. 19 Horace 
Heidt’s show does a live tv shot 
in the same spot . . . Billy May 
orch set for Feb. 25 stopover at 


Omaha — • 

Vic Sloan’s February bookings at 
his Pla-Mor in Lincoln include 
Lambert Bartak (2), Bobby Mills 
i5, 23), Mai Dunn (9), Wes Ham- 
mon (12), Hank Winder <16'. Skip- 
py Anderson (19) and Skeets Ma- 
honey (26) . . . Eddy Haddad orch 
played Tech High junior-senior 
prom last Wednesday ( 26 1 . . . Bill 
Stoural orch one-nighted at For- 
dyce, Neb., last night (Tues.). 

Scotland 

Dickie Valentine, currently In 
Glasgow Empire revue, mentioned 
as likely bill-topper for summer 
show at Blackpool, Eng. . . . Eddie 
Calvert, trumpeter, teeing off with 
new roadshow at Empire, Glasgow, 
March 7 . . , Jack Parnell orch 
skedded for Locarno, Glasgow, 
during summer season . . . Five 
Smith Bros, inked for vaude at 
Glasgow Feb. 21. 

Ronnie Scott orch into Play- 
house, Glasgow . . . BBC Scot 
Variety Orch, under Michael Col- 
lins, backing new’ radio series, 
"The Jimmy Logan Show” . . . 
Four Aces set for British preem 
at Empire, Glasgow, March 28 . . . 


THE HIT OF THE WEEK 

TOMMY MARA 

- PLEDGING MY LOVE 

b/w 

HONEY BUNCH 

MGM 11913 78 RPM • K 11913 45 RPM 

MG 




Best British Sheet Sellers 

(Week ending Jan. 22) 

London, Jan. 25. 

Mister Sandman Morris 

Finger of Suspicion . . Pickwick 

Mambo Italiano Connelly 

Can’t Tell Waltz Reine. 

Veni, Vidi, Vici Dash 

Happy Days Wright 

Hold My Hand Wood 

Count Your Blessings. .Berlin 

This Ole House Duchess 

Naughty Lady Sterling 

No One But You. . . Robbins 
I Still Believe ... Macmelodies 

Second 12 

Happy Wanderer . . Bosworth 
If I Give My Heart. . Robbins 

Softly Cavendish., 

Sky Blue Shirt Wright 

Must Be A Reason ..Connelly 

Smile ‘...Bourne 

Heartbeat Kassner 

Somebody Bourne 

I Love Paris Chappell 

My Friend Chappell 

My Son, My Son Kassner 

A Blossom Fell Fields 


their fourth and fifth best-selling 
LPs of 1954. (Note: Liberace’s “A 
Christmas at Liberace” is the num- 
ber one. which contrasts to an ear- 
lier Columbia press release saying 
Brubeck was outselling Liberace.) 
Brubeek has made Fantasy one of 
the hottest selling indie lines In 
the past year. 

And now comes Bethlehem, out 
of New York, with an "East Coast 
Jazz” series which seems to estab- 
lish West Coast style by its very 
existence. 

And to add more fuel to the 
blaze, Linear Publications in Holly- 
wood (which has published the 
sheet music for most of the Shorty 
Rogers and Gerry Mulligan orig- 
inals) has just released a Life size, 
magazine type book “Jazz West 
Coast, a Portfolio of Photographs 
by William Claxton” ($2.05). 
Bound id soft covers in an attrac- 
tively designed cover, the book 
contains over 100 black and white 
pictures by Claxton and a dozen or 
so advertisements in its 88 pages. 
Many of the pictures are full page, 
there’s some that even slop over 
onto a double truck, and the rest 
range down to 35mm contact size. 

In addition to Claxton’s pictures, 
there’s considerable text including 
a history of West Coast jazz by 
Nesuhi Ertegun, who was inti- 
mately concerned with it from 
! both the mod' n jazz and the tradi- 
1 tional fields wnile with Good Time 
Jazz and Contemporary in Holly- 
wood. as well as a number of bio- 
graphical sketches of the musi- 
! cians. 

Claxton’s pictures are arresting, 
but offered in bulk like this lose 
considerable effectiveness. In ad- 
dition the layout is arty in the ex- 
treme and occasionally obscure 
( some pix are unidentified) and 
there are several examples of slop- 
py make-up (transpositions, etc.). 
The weakness of the picture sec- 
tion is the inclusion of a number 
of non-West coast musicians and 
the omission of a number who have 
been important to the development 
of jazz in this area. 

Ertegun’s text is a solid account 
of what has been going on out here, 
but again suffers from a lack of 
perspective; San Francisco’s role 
is de-emphasized and the story of 
Jimmy Lyons, whose nightly show 
on KNBC. Frisco, was for four 
years the lone outpost of modern 
jazz west of the Mississippi, and 
the San Francisco Chronicle which 
has for the past four years run a 
Sunday music page and, for the 


past two years, a twice a week 
column frequently plugging mod- 
ern jazz. 

Undoubtedly, however, jazz buffs 
are going to go for this picture 
book in a big way inasmuch as it is 
the only collection of muggs of 
many of the important contempo- 
rary jazzmen available. Numerous 
shots have been seen before as 
cover art on the various LPs ema- 
nating from Hollywood in the past 
year or so. It’s success might kick 
off a whole series of jazz picture 
books as the died-in-the-vinylite 
fans seem able and willing to 
bounce for plenty of loot for any 
LP with a jazz flavor. 

A Greot;N^w:lnstn(im0nta{ 
idndVftcali 



■lailCK; MIWIC 



PATTI PAGE 

Mercury 

YOU TOO 
CAN BE A 
DREAMER’ 

MILLS MUSIC 




America's :Fastest 
Selling - Records! 












Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


VAUDEVILLE 





ODiCL 


Detroit 


Grass Greener at Home, Frisco Comic 
Learns; May Nab 30G This Year 


San Francisco, Feb. 1. 

A showcase in New York may be 
the stepping stone to stardom, but 
comic Mort Sahl would rather stay 
a t home and, incidentally, make 
more than twice as much money. 

Sahl, an unconventional stand- 
up comic who has been working a 
local bohemian club, the hungry 
i for over a year, has found to his 
surprise that the real money is 
right here and not in New York. 

Sahl is currently under contract 
to Enrico Banducci at the hungry 
i for $500 a week and 10% of the 
door, which is averaging $750 a 
week. The contract is open and 
Sahl can stay there as long as six 
months or more. 

In contrast to this, Max Gordon 
of the Blue angel and the Village 
Vanguard (Sahl played the Angel 
for eight weeks this winter) is of- 
fering a contract to run the rest of 
the year at $300 a week, with Sahl 
alternating between the two clubs. 

Sahl, a young U. of Southern 
California graduate, was originally 
a writer of comedy material who 
turned performer when he couldn’t 
get anyone to use his material. His 
first jobs were on talent nights at 
Hollywood night spots and then he 
worked at the Lighthouse in Her- 
mosa doing standup comedy bits as 
an intermission act between jam 
sessions. He also did a couple of 
weeks at the Hollywood Palladium 
with the Stan Kenton orchestra. 

Sahl hit Frisco a little over a 
year ago, latched on at the hungry 
i and has been going strong ever 
since. He’s been spotted on num- 
erous local tv shows and has had 
his own airshow, as well as sub- 
bing for various Bay Area jocks 
from time to time. 

The situation with Sahl spot- 
lights the problem of the young 
entertainer in the current eco- 
nomics of show business. With 
the advent of tv, the increasing at- 
tention of national slick magazines 
to local scenes, there’s a strong 
possibility that a young act is bet- 


FRANKIE SCOTT 

America * Unc^ f n ou^’$^>?d Co^r pd*a n 


Currently 

5th Return 
Engagement 

GAY HAVEN 

pfTROlI 


COMEDY MATERIAL 

for All Branehet of Theatricals 

FUN-MASTER 

THE ORIGINAL SHOW-BIZ G AG FlU 
(The Service of the STARS) 

Rr»t 13 Filet $7 00-All 35 ittuet $25 
Singly; *1.05 per script. 


2L A £T. CLAis,F, *D ENCYCLOPEDIA 
OF GAGS, *300. Worth over e thousand 
No C.O.D.'t 

BILLY GLASON 

JOO W. 54th St., New York 19— Dept. V 
Circle 7-1V30 


WHEN IN BOSTON 


Ift the 


HOTEL AVERY 

THg Horn • of Show Folk 

Avery A Washing toe Sts. 


ter off staying home than hitting 
the rods to the Great White Way. 

If Sahl can make $30,000 this 
year living at home and working 
a North Beach bohemian hangout, 
what attractions does New York 
and a nationally known night club 
have to offer? He can get dis- 
covered without straying out of his 
own back yard. 

Grade to Book 
Can. Expo Show 

Toronto, Feb. 1. 

The Canadian National Exhibi- 
tion has named the Lew & Leslie 
Grade Agency to act as exclusive 
bookers for her annual show. Ed- 
die Elkort, Grade veepee in charge 
of the N. Y. office, will handle 
this account. 

Elkort has started casting around 
for possible names for this giant 
expo. Prices, quoted so far, are 
deemed to be exorbitant. Among 
those are Eddie Fisher at $35,000 
per week; George Formby and a 
complete show to be imported 
from Britain, $75,000 for the en- 
tire two weeks, and $35,000 for 
Vera Lynn. Offers have been prof- 
erred to Ed Sullivan of the CBS- 
TV “Toast of the Town” and 
Dinah Shore. 

The expo is reportedly unwilling 
to pay that kind of money. Plans 
for this season’s show include the 
presentation of a line of nearly 90 
dancers, a chorus of 40 voices and 
a 60-piece band as background to 
a batch of vaude headliners. The 
potential gross this season is ex- 
pected to be around $375,000 and 
so expo execs feel that they would 
be extending themselves if they 
paid out a maximum $30,000 for a 
topliner. 

The appointment of Elkort to act 
as exclusive booker for the CNE is 
an unprecedented step taken by 
Hiram McCallum, general man- 
ager of the fair, and Jack Arthur, 
in charge of production. Step was 
taken to expedite matters, since 
it would eliminate the necessity of 
auditioning many performers, and 
obviate the necessity of either of 
these execs of coming to New York 
or the Coast to conclude deals. 


Totem Lodge, Gilmore’s 
File in Reorg Pleas 

The Totem Lodge and Country 
Club, Averill Park, N. Y., filed a 
voluntary reorganization plea un- 
der Chapter XI of the Chandler 
Act In N. Y. Federal Court. No 
schedules were given, but petition 
lists tentative liabilities of $357,- 
000 and estimated assets of $300,- 
000. A 20% settlement payable in 
four equal annual installments has 
been proposed. Charles Tobias, a 
songwriter, has been entertainment 
director of the spot for the past 20 
years. 

In another bankruptcy filed In 
the southern district of New York, 
Gilmore’s Steak House, frequently 
patronized by showbizites, also 
filed under Chapter XI. Liabilities 
of $292,000 were listed as against 
assets of $355,000. A proposal was 
made to pay all claims in full in 
semi-annual installments of 6%. 
Eatery was formerly the site of La 
Vie en Rose, a nitery operated by 
Monte Proser, who is now planning 
to open in the Hotel Shelton, N. Y. 


Pianist Wins $4,500 

Albany, Feb. 1. 

A Supreme Court jury, after less 
than an hour’s deliberation, last 
Friday (21) awarded Haven John- 
son, Albany pianist, now playing at 
the 21 Club, $4,500 in his breach of 
contract suit against Thomas Cera- 
soli, owner of the Holiday Manor in 
suburban Menands. 

An oral agreement, made for the 
year beginning Nov. 22, 1952, 

brought conflicting testimony from 
Johnson and Cerasoli. The pianist 
asserted that on Feb. 18, 1953, a 
few days before he was discharged, 
Cerasoli assured him he would re- 
ceive an increase in salary if he 
bought an organ, to be played at 
the Holiday Manor. Johnson stated 
that he then contracted for the or- 
gan. Cerasoli denied he had a 
contract with Johnson. 


Magico Dante Still Doin’ 
Tricks; Polls a 50-Year 
Rabbit Out of the Hat 

San Francisco, Feb. 1. 

Dante the Magician (Harry Jan- 
sen), although in retirement as a 
crosscountry campaigner over the 
legerdemain circuit, was an alert 
figure last week as he marked up 
his golden wedding anniversary 
here. Edna Herr was 18 when 
Dante noticed her in a Pittsburgh 
vaude house where she was a pian- 
ist in the pit. When the magico 
played Frisco that year and “just 
happened” to need a musical di- 
rector, he remembered the little 
girl who struck his eye while strik- 
ing the keys and wired her an of- 
fer. She came on, not as batonist 
but as a member of his troupe, 
and marriage followed. 

Dante has a son, Leon Jansen, 
who’s on the New York police 
force. Leon’s wife, Marie, is an 
executive with the Chinchilla Ex- 
change there. 

ASCAP’S MUNN HURT IN 
MONT’L DUES DISPUTE 

Montreal, Feb. 1. 

Eddie Munn, field rep for the 
American Guild of Variety Artists 
here in Montreal, is in St. Luke’s i 
Hospital suffering a broken arm, 
nose and bruises from a dressing 
room brawl last Wednesday (26). 

A dispute arose backstage in the 
Savoy Cafe when Munn went in to 
reinstate and collect dues from 
dancer Jeri Mercer, and the as- 
sault followed. According to Paul 
Doucet, local AGVA manager, 
quiet-mannered Munn has been 
with AGVA for six years. Mercer, 
out on 4)ail, claimed self-defense 
during the initial court appearance. 


Fatal Cafe Op Gun Duel in Philly 
Puts Crimp in Ease of Blue Laws 


The 1954 Nebraska State Fair in 
Lincoln had a net profit of $225,- 
000, Secretary Edwin Schultz an- 
nounced last week. 


Rego Park Boulevard 
Ii\ Name Policy Switch 

The Boulevard, Rego Park, L. I., 
will go after name performers for 
every show. Bill Smith, who has 
taken over the booking of the spot, 
is querying the percenteries for a 
top strata of names, most of whom 
would play on guarantee and per- 
centage arrangements, if deals can 
be made. 

Spot is operated by Arturo Cano 
and Abe Goldstein. 

Dicker Kaye For 
Palladium Run 

London, Jan. 25. 

Negotiations are current for 
Danny Kaye to play the Palladium 
here, starting in May for about 
eight weeks. It would be Kaye’s 
longest run in one theatre in 
England. Last time Kaye played 
the house, he stayed for six ca- 
pacity weeks. Kaye would most 
likely close the present Palladium 
variety season as the Norman Wis- 
dom show is due there in July or 
August. It hasn’t yet been deter- 
mined whether Kaye will play any 
theatres in the provinces. 

Negotiations were begun by Val 
Parnell, managing director of the 
Moss Empires Theatres, during his 
recent stay in the U. S. Parnell 
discussed the matter with William 
Morris Agency execs. 

The Palladium season starts 
March 28 with the engagement of 
Eddie Fisher, with Rosemary 
Clooney most likely to follow in 
April. 


* Philadelphia, Feb. 1. 

The fatal gun duel on a midtown 
street in front of Sassy’s Bar and 
Hotel, In which the owner and a 
patron (both of them known gam- 
blers with lortg police records) shot 
it out, has resulted in a sweeping 
City Hall investigation of midtown 
gay spots and was believed par- 
tially responsible for the City 
Council’s, sudden abandonment of 
its plan to ease the Sunday blue 
laws curbs. 

I Alfred (Sassy Doc) Manuszak was 
seriously wound and Elmer 
(Whitey) Krieger was shot dead in 
the western-style gun battle (23). 
Last week detectives made the 
rounds of central city cafes, check- 
ing names on the licenses, phone 
numbers and home addresses of 
owners to determine if any other 

| police characters are operating. 

City Council’s sudden dropping 
of the fight against tha Sunday 
closing laws, which have always 
strangled cafe biz here, came as a 
shock to the liberal Sunday advo- 
cates here. Democratic majority 
had been working on an extension 
of “home rule” laws in the State 
Legislature. 

Counties up State, particularly 
in the coal regions, make no bones 
about their opposition to Penn- 
sylvania “Blue Laws” and run 
wide open on Sundays. Propo- 
nents here sought expanded pow- 
ers for the city, which would have 
permitted Sunday liquor sales in 
hotels, restaurants and taprooms. 

At a caucus last week, extension 
of the home rule powers was 
dropped from the city’s legislative 
program. The reason given was 
that a number of protests arrived 
from church and temperance 
groups, complaining that the ad- 
ministration “was trying to make 
another New York out of Philadel- 
phia.” 


CABOT 


DRESDEN 


Opening FEBRUARY 9th 

HOTEL FONTAINEBLEAU 

MIAMI BEACH, FLA. 


RECENTLY RETURNED FROM A 
TRIUMPHANT TOUR OF THE 
EUROPEAN CAPITALS 

Now Under the Direction of 

MERCURY ARTISTS CORP. 730 Fifth Avenue. New York 








Wednesday, February 2, 1955 



Muny -Owned Arenas Present Problem 
To Showmen; Exclusivity The Snarl 


The problem of taxpayer-owned 
arenas and auditoriums is becom- 
ing more acute among showmen. 
Aside from the difficulty of get- 
ting complete weeks, -because of 
the multiplicity of promoters do- 
ing business in any one of the 
large showshops, latest beef from 
operators of touring show lies in 
the fact that these spots ^ ill not 
guarantee exclusivity for any kind 
of show. 

The problem became really 
acute last year when “The Biggest 
Show” got last-minute opposition 
from a similar attraction, which 
came in a few days ahead of its 
opening in one of the municipally, 
owned spots. The problem of pro- 
tection has become important, es- 
pecially since there are an increas- 
ing y greater number of shows 
trying to get playing time in the 
arenas. The privately-owned spots 
generally have a steady set of reg- 
ular shows which they’ve built up 
over the years. When a newcomer 
wants an in. he may be given a 
date which will not conflict with 
the regular shows. 

This, however, cannot be ar- 
ranged too frequently in the tax- 
payer-owned spots. The manager, 
commission or city official in 
charge of the auditorium, has a 
major problem of getting as much 
rental dates as possible. That is 
his major responsibility to the 
city or county, and too frequently 
he is in no position to turn down 
dates, even though he may know 
that a stand may upset the bal- 
ance in the town. It’s an axiom 
that any town cannot support too 
many of the large shows and fre- 
quently rentals are given to too 
many layouts. Sometimes, a pro- 
ducer is forced into the position 
of taking a date that he knows will 
result in a loss. This may be done 
in order to fill up a week and pre- 
vent a total layoff. However, in 
* the privately-owned aretes, re- 
quests of this kind are generally 
refused, because they would in- 
jure other shows scheduled to 
come in. 

Showmen are getting to the 
point where they would rather 
deal with the privately-owned 
spots. One example has a show- 
being cancelled out of a muni 
operation because of change of ad- 
ministration. A new mayor re. 
fused to honor pacts signed by his 
predecessor. At the same time, 
the number of municipally-owned 
arenas and auditoriums is increas- 
ing. Showmen haven’t yet plotted 
their way out of this dilemma. 


Blackstone Okay $9,500 
For Week in Pittsburgh 

Pittsburgh, Feb. 1. 

Blackstone’s annual appearance 
last week at the Nixon accounted 
for a satisfactory $9,500, very good 

considering the bad break in 
weather. Coldest and snowiest 
stretch of the winter so far kept 
the Golden Triangle pretty well de- 
serted at nights and bulk of the 
business for the magico was con- 
centrated in the two matinees, 
when kiddies jammed he theatre. 
Top was $2.40, with a $1.20 scale 
on Wednesday afternoon, and chil- 
dren admitted for half price at any 
time. 

Nixon is currently dark and will 
be until Feb. 14. when Diana Bar- 
rvmore comes in with “Pajama 
Tops.” 




BILL SMITH 

(FORMERLY TALENT-REVIEW EDITOR THE BILLBOARD) 

ARTIST MANAGER 

* 

250 West 57th Streep New York City 19 JUdson 2-2780 


THE BOULEVARD 

REGO PARK, L. I., NEW YORK 

is pleased to announce 
the appointment of 

BILL SMITH 

(former talent editor of The Billboard) 
as its director of entertainment 


Address all inquiries to . . . 

BILL SMITH— 250 West 57th Street. New York 19 

JUdson 2-2780 


New N.Y. State Fair Head 

Albany, Feb. 1. 

The New York State Fair has a 
new director, William Baker, 33- 
year-old mayor of North Syracuse. 

Appointed by Agriculture Com- 
missioner Daniel F. Carey to the 
$8.090-a-year post, he succeeds Har- 
old L. Creal, of Cortland, director 
since June, 1950, and a former as- 
semblyman. 


Mpls. Lifts Ban 
On Switch Shows 


Minneapolis, Feb. 1. 

Police department here has lift- 
ed a band on female impersona- 
tors’ revues, in effect the past five 
years, and the “Jewel Box Revue,” 
an attraction of that type, has 
opened an indefinite engagement 
at the local Gay ’90s bistro. 

In 1950 such a revue under the 
identical name was ordered by the 
police out of another Minneapolis 
night club. Curly’s, now the Star- 
light, where it had played a pre- 
vious engagement and was doing 
big business. Ostensible reason for 
the action was that the offering 
, attracted an undesirable element. 

The club's management com- 
plied with the police order imme- 
diately. making no attempt to con- 
test the censorship. Since then, 
until now, no other nitery here 
has attempted to bring in such an 
attraction, as far as is known. 

Police tolerance in this instance 
may be due to the fact that night 
club business here is at one of the 
lowest ebbs in all loop history, 
1 and the authorities probably wish 
to lend their offices in helping to 
liven it up. Spot’s newspaper ads 
for the show proclaim “the good 
old days” and “the GAYest Show 
in Town.” 


Rose Gets Injunct 
On Horseshoe Tag 

A temporary injunction has 
been granted Billy Rqse, prevent- 
ing the Ros-Mar Catering Corp. 
from using the name Diamond 
Horseshoe, N. Y., in connection 
with its promotions in the Para- 
mount Hotel spot on which the 
nitery was formerly located. In- 
junction was granted by Justice 
Benedict D. Dineen in the N. Y. 
Supreme Court. 

The court pointed out that “in 
the same place once occupied by 
the plaintiff, the defendant con- 
ducts public dances, but serves no 
food or refreshments. In connec- 
tion therewith, it advertises in a 
local newspaper, which advertise- 
ment features the words “Diamond 
Horseshoe’ in large type and pre- 
ceding tiiese words, in very small 
letters, appears ‘formerly the 
premises of.’ Such use of part of 
the plaintiff’s name is calculated 
to deceive the public into believ- 
ing that the plaintiff is connected 
with such enterprise, and where 
its name has been established as 
a symbol of quality, permits the 
defendant to reap benefits by an 
unlawful appropriation of such 
name, and it matters not wnether 
defendanl is in direct competition 
with the plaintiff or otherwise. To 
continue the appropriation of the 
name by the defendant creates a 
possible danger to the reputation 
of the plaintiff, established over a 
period of years, and by the ex- 
penditure of large sums of money 
and fair dealing with the public in 
order to acquire its good will.” 


Declining Florida Nitery Biz 

Cues Walters Drive on Benefits 


New Mont’l Mount Royal 
Floor Policy May Ease 
Mgt.-Tooter ‘Cold War’ 

Montreal. Feb. 1. 

The NormartWie Room of the 
Sheraton-Mount Royal Hotel, 
without entertainment other than 
a trio since last summer, when the 
AGVA-AFM hassle started here in 
Montreal, breaks in a new policy 
Feb. 7 with Kay Thompson as 
headliner. 

Management’s idea is to bring 
in an outstanding personality for 
one week once a month. The other 
three weeks the room will revert 
to the Max Chamitov trio, with 
chirper Norma Hutton, as in the 
past. For the Thompson show, the 
Chamitov orch will be enlarged to 
nine musicians and spelled by the 
Bill Moodie trio. 

According to the hotel, this 
new show innovation has nothing | 
to do with the rumored “cold war” 
between the Sheraton-Mount Royal 
and the AFM which has been cur- 
rent in nitery circles. The musi- 
cians union wants the hotel to re- 
sume the original band of eight 
men and the hotel is saying “no 
dice.” Maybe the occasional show 
policy will be the answer for both 
sides. 


Ex-Queen of Tanbark 

Destitute at Death 

Dayton, O., Feb. 1. 

Death of Lulu Parr, onetime top 
rider in wild west shows, at a local 
hospital Jan. 17 .also revealed 
later years bordering on tragedy. 
The 78-year-old ex-queen of the 
tanbark. it developed, lived in a 
tarpaper shack which she shared 
with her paralyzed sister-in-law, 
Emma Parr. Stacked high in one 
room were trunks and cartons of 
souvenirs and yellowed newspaper 
clippings recording her exploits of 
yesteryear. 

Mrs. Parr, who came to Dayton 
some 17 years ago, was once billed 
with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show 
as “The World’s Champion Lady 
Bucking Horse Rider.” Though 
nearly destitute, she retained two 
.45 calibre Colt pistols. One of 
them, which she entrusted to a 
township constable before her 
death, had a hand-carved, diamond- 
encrusted handle. 

A vet of 50 years in show' busi- 
ness, Mrs. Parr also had appeared 
with Billy Burke’s Wild West Show 
and the Robbins Bros. Circus, as 
well other outdoor shows of an- 
other era. She troupe^ not only 
throughout the U. S., but also in 
Europe. 

CCEA Ahead 8G 
On 481G ’54 Take 

Ottawa. Feb. 1. 

In spite of a seven-day total at- 
I tendance drop of nearly 20,000 be- 
! low the previous year. Central 
Canada Exhibition Assn, showed a 
revenue surplus of $8,622 in 1954. 
the annual meeting of the associ- 
ation was told. The CCEA take in 
1954 was $481,287, and it spent 
$472,665. 

The 1955 exhibition will be held 
Aug. 20 to 27 except Sunday (21 », 
the meeting decided. H. II. Mc- 
Elroy, CCEA g.m., who presented 
the financial report, said the facili- 
ties at Lansdowne Park, exhibition 
site, had been used more last year 
than any time since 1946. The As- 
sembly Hall had been rented 241 
times, Convention Hall 169 times 
and the Coliseum 59 times. An- 
other 770,000 people had attended 
baseball, football, rinks, play- 
grounds and other events at the 
big park. 

Bulk of the revenue was the ex- 
hibition itself, bringing in $359,047 
and costing $233,078, biggest slice 
coming from admissions, grand- 
stand seats, midway and horse 
show, which brought $258,219. 
Concessions paid $54,579 and ex- 
clusive privileges to various 
parties brought $27,476 to the as- 
sociation. 

Top expenditures included prize 
money, wages, supplies and entry 
expenses.' 


Miami Beach, Feb. 1. 

The declining nitery biz in the 
Miami Beach area has sparked 
anew the campaign against bene- 
fits. Lou Walters, owner of the 
Latin Quarter here and in New' 
York, is leading the campaign to 
eliminate shows at which talent 
performs for cuffo or for a minimal 
scale. Walters, iq letters to the 
American Guild of Variety Artists, 
nightclub owners, newspapers and 
the talent committees of various 
charitable organizations, warned 
that the continual round of bene- 
fits during the Miami Beach season 
will put all the cafes out of busi- 
ness, and asked that they be elimi- 
nated. 

Walters waged a similar cam- 
paign in New York some years ago, 
and was instrumental in cutting 
down the number of cuffola shows 
at which performers appeared. 

In his missives, Walters stated 
that business has been bad this 
season. Another season like this, 
he said, and the nitery owners 
won’t have a problem. They’ll all 
be out of business, and the benefit 
committees then will be in trouble 
because they’ll have no supply of 
cuffola acts. 

Walters added that benefits held 
at the dog -track or in big audito- 
riums drain off nitery audiences. 
The crowd sees not only the head- 
liners from one show-, but from all 
the shows, and there’s no necessity 
of going to the cafe that supplies 
the act. Ops have known this con- 
dition for a long time, but have 
gone along because none wanted 
to be tainted as uncharitable. How- 
ever, Walters ‘said, they cannot stay 
in business and give away their at- 
tractions. He said that the crowd 
at any one of the large benefits 
would fill up at least three of the 
largest clubs in the area. 


1954 Kentucky Fair 

Made $101,400 Profit 

Louisville, Feb. 1. 

The 1954 Kentucky State Fair 
made a net profit of $101,400, the 
largest in the 51 years of its exist- 
ence. Gross was $322,354 for the 3- 
month period ended in September. 

| The 1955 Fair will be held at 
the new Kentucky State Fair and 
Exposition Grounds, according to 
present plans. Contractors have 
moved offices to the site and are 
proceeding with preliminary engi- 
neering. 


Pin MAESTRO, SINGER 
NEW NITERY OWNERS 

Pittsburgh. Feb. 1. 

Dick Smith, bandleader at the 
Blue Ridge Inn for the fast eight 
years, and Cuddy Alberts, a singer 
who has been doubling for some 
time as the host at a private after- 
hours spot in the Oakland district, 
are the town’s newest nitery own- 
ers. They’ve just bought the Bon 
Ange Club on Saw’ Mill Run blvd., 
only a short distance from the Blue 
Ridge, where Smith has been 4ea- 
tured for so long. 

He figures to bring a lot of the I 
trade lie’s gotten to know there ' 
since the mid-’40s to the new spot ] 
with him. Smith and Alberts plan 
to be not only active in the man- 
agement of the Bon Ange but also 
in the entertainment aspects of the 
operation. Former took his Blue 
Ridge orch to his own spot and 
Alberts will also serve in the col- 
lective capacity of featured singer, 
emcee and host. 


Saranac Lake 

By Happy Benway 

Saranac Lake, N. Y. Feb. 1. 

Ned Shugrue, Arthur Mayer, of 
N. Y., and Murray Weiss of Bos- 
ton, Variety Clubs Will Rogers 
Hospital executives, in for the first 
1955 general inspection tour and 
the usual room to room visit. 

Jack Kelley, theatre manager 
for W’alter Reade circuit, received 
his final green light that it is okay 
to resume work. 

Walter (CBS) Romanik, who 
graduated here in 1952, now a 
tobacco salesman in Hollywood. 

Clifton (IATSE) Byrd, projec- 
tionist from Nashville, Tenn., back 
in circulation after his major oper- 
ation. Ditto for Sam Smith, of 
Stewart-Everett Circuit, Charlotte, 
NC. Latter upped for limited vis- 
iting privileges. 

Outstanding yearly event at this 
colony is the famed Winter Ice 
Carnival, starts Feb. 11. 

Muriel (4 Eddy Sisters) Danzi, 
Jesus Palacios, of Interstate Cir- 
cuit, El Paso, and Otto Hayman, 
Cambria theatre manager, all 
upped for meals in main mess 
hall, an item towards in their im- 
proved status. 

Write to those who are ill. 





Gmte 

u 

'Otm e . 

Most luxurious, newest in 

DETROIT- 

1730 E. 8-MILE ROAD 
M'IOZ* FOREST b-5000 


Dan Harden started an engage- 
ment at Le Vouvray, N. Y., yester- 
day iTues.). ' 


HENRI 

FRENCH 

Currently Appearing: 

SHOWBOAT 

LAS VEGAS 

Manogomaat: 

TONY SENNES 

233 S. B.vtrly Dr. Bcvrrly Hill* 


CORBETT 

MONICA 


"Mr. Dynamitt 
Currently 

fUturn En*M»m»nt 

STEUBEN'S 

BOSTON 
(Oponing Feb. 3 
end continuing 
to Fob. U> 


Per. Mgr.: HARRIS GIGER 


Dir.: Gorbor-Woits. N. Y. CO B-B*»0 





w 

A thank you from my .heart 

—TO THE MANY, IN AND OUT 
OF SHOWBUSINESS, FOR ALL 
THE GOOD THINGS THEY HAVE 
BROUGHT ME. THEY ARE LEGION 
-TOO MANY, IN FACT, TO BE 
LISTED. 

jdUlian doth - 




Wednesday, February 2, 1955 



More Vegas Hotels the Better, Sez 
Entratter; Defends Fame Pile-Up 


The more hotels in Las Vegas, ♦ 
the merrier, according to Jack En- 
tratter. managing director of the 
Sands Hotel there, who is now in 
New York eyeing talent. Entrnt- 
ter said that with more hotels. 


JOSIE MILD DRAW 
IN MEX FAREWELL 


Traubel in Brit. Debut 


. Mexico City. Feb. 1. 

Josephine Baker is doing only 
fairly well on her third and an- 
nounced farewell visit here. She’s 
playing a three-week booking, with 
extension option, at the Club Im- 
perial, the nitery which she planed 
in from N. Y. to inaugurate. Much 


New Acts 


LES DRIMS (3> 
Impreshes, comedy 
18 Mins. 


there will be more visitors, and an impressive array of U. S. talent 
stressed that expansion will bene- to ton its future cabaret shows. It 
fit everybody in the area. tees ofl Feb. 121 witn Helen Trau- 

Entratter stated that even if it bel, who will he making her Brit- 
docs force upward the prices of ish debut, and a month later Carl 
talent, expanded operations would Brisson opens a return season, 
warrant the upped takes. Besides, Already booked for the summer 
he noted, the three-year dee's now SC ason are Marlene Dietrich, who 
given to name performers will pro- W as a standout hit at the Cafe last 
tect an operator sufficiently against yeal . t a nd Tallulah Bankhead. Dates 
the inroads of the newcomers. En- are n0 w being negotiated. 

tratter stated that he has been a — 

steady believer in longterm con- 
tracts for performers and tying up 
the best entertainers available. 

During his long term as manager 
of the Copacabana, N.Y., he had 
acls returning annually. 

Entratter pointed out that this, 
of course, is an expensive proposi- 
tion. but a cafe or hotel operator 
will be at ease, knowing that hi« 
headliner problems have been 
eliminated for a number of years. 

At the same time, schedules are 
sufficiently flexible so that a new- 
comer of distinction or a hitherto 
unavailable filmster can he bought. 

Entratter declared that Las 
Vegas cannot remain stationary. 

It’s got to grow. He pointed out 
that the new hotels in Miami 
Beach haven’t put the older inns 
out of business. The hotels, he 
said, are having a hot year down 
there. He said the result of more 
hotels would be the same in Las 
Vegas. More people will come if 
they do not have to worry about 
accomodations. The town, he said, 
is still in the growing stages and 
even if growth is expensive, it’s 
worth it. 


SUfsAN BALL, DICK LONG 
Songs 

o.i* Cnrimrc ral Continental Cafe, Montreal 

Ch l.^\fme\gothe S n'sS S& . ^ W* 

on verge of a promising picture 
career met with tragic loss of a 
limb, her courage and heroism 
were headlined across the nation. 

When young actor Dick Long then 

I married Susan the romance gen - 1 radicallv new j n the impresh line, 

- — ----- ■— . erated nev Y s, ?® ( ' ’ n but their method of working and 

are goodly number of buyers for and general huzzahs. 

expensive stuff. No high-powered press agent 

Imperial has a special high price . could wish for inore 

ii«i fnr T u Raker's en^a^ement background for projection of a 
list lor La Hakei s, engagement. | cJub act starring these two 

Following two week 


London, Jan. 25 

The Cafe dp Paris is lining up ; more secrecy about her pay this 

time. But belief, is she isn’t get- 
ting anywhere near $1,000 weekly. 
That’s conceded to be too big coin 
in Mexico nowadays, (hough there 


III Vlii ...... - r - - - 

Some time ago when. Susan Ball ^ fn)m Madrid 

are the bright- 
est entertainment talent to play 
a big room in Montreal for many 
months. Coming to Canada via 
Paris, London and South America, 
combo is not offering anything 


D&n't Buy A New Car 
Until You Talk to 

SAM ANGER 

iB iithir >1 HAPKY ANG1K »t C*C> 

For The Best Deai On A 

FORD 

6 r 

FORD 

THUNDERBIRD 

Call me an 
TED ROWLAND. Inc. 

»f 1 .yn3H00I<. LONG ISLANfl 

LYnbrnolc 9-0600. 


Sues for Brooklyn 
Burley License 

Tom Phillips, executive secretary 
of the Burlesque Artists Assn., has 
filed suit against N. Y. City Corpo- 
ration Counsel Adrian P. Burke to 
force issuance of a license to op- 
erate the Qrpheum Theatre. Brook- 
lyn. as a burlesquerie. Phillips is 
seeking to reestablish the right of 
burlesque to play New York. That 
form of entertainment was banned 
13 years ago by the late Mayor Fio- 
relio H. LaGuardia. and there have 
been no hurley licenses issued 
since that date. 

Phillips first applied for a the- 
atre license in November and was 
turned down by License Commis- 
sioner Edward McCaffrey. Phil- 
lips, in his suit filed in the N. Y. 
Supreme Court last week, stated 
that the turndown was “illegal, ca- 
pricious and arbitrary” because he 
didn’t hold public hearings on the 
matter. 

If granted a license, Phillips 
planned to operate the theatre him- 
self. He declared that it would be 
without a runway and would have 
no exolic dancing. Instead, he 
stated, it would try to reestablish 
the burlesque theatre as a medium 
of entertainment that produced 
some of t he top stars in the theatre 
today. House, if opened, would op- 
erate six days weekly, with no Sun- 
day performances. He declared 
that in the matter of strips, compe- 
tition from niteries would be too 
keen for him to buck. 


Cost is around $4 minimum, which 
includes floor show of native talent 
and two house orchs. Spot is inti- 
mate and tasteful. But at some of 
Miss Baker’s shows — she does two 
nightly — there are a mere handful 
of customers. Far cry from her 
whammo at Chez Paris, which she 
opened in 1952. That spot did 
spectacular biz. progressively bet- 
ter, with the dusky vedette, then 
Jean Soblon, then the Nicholas 
Bros. — then swiftly folded. An 
arty little theatre now occupies its 
site. 

Miss Baker began doubling Jan. 
28 at the Teatro Iris, oldline thea- 
tre that’s recessing from a long ex- 
hibition of Russian pix and Mexi- 
can vaude. She’s sharing a big 
bill of Mexicans, featuring a magi- 
cian. all playing to a 40c. top. La 
Baker has hypoed biz at the two-a- 
day Iris, but only mildly. 

She didn’t bring her own orch 
this time. She has tough competi- 
tion — Pedro Vargas at the Capri; 
Genevive at the Versalles (Hotel del 
Prado), and Carmen Amaya and her 
Spanish dance troupe at El Patio. 
All are drawing well. 


Vaude, Cafe Dates 



DECCA 

RECORDS 

* 

Currently 
SEVILLE 
THEATRE 
Montreal 

CHARLIE 

APPLEWHITE 

Par. Mg t. Direction 

WYNN LASSNER WM. MORRIS AGENCY 


LEW 

BLACK 

and PAT 

i 

DUNDEE 


(Btauly and 

pH* 

th* leaft) 

pft MTS 

Currently 

if 

PALACE 

New York 

1 


MUSIC HALL ROCKS 
FORM ALUMNAE CLUB 

More than 200 former Rockettes. 
former members of the famed 
Radio City Music Hall, N.Y., pre- 
cision dancers, have organized a 
Rockette Alumnae Assn. A back- 
stage reunion was recently held 
at the Music Hall, where they ob- 
served the 30th anni of the found- 
ing of the dancing line, and set up 
the organization. The Rockettes 
were originated by Russell Mar- 
kert In St. Louis back in 1925, and 
have been a leading feature on the 
Hall’s stage since the huge theatre 
was opened. 

It’s estimated that there are now 
1.000 former dancers from the 
Rockette line in the U.S. and Can- 
ada, and all will be invited to join 
the group. Former members in- 
clude Vera-Elien, Lucille Bremer, 
Joan Vohs and Adele Jcrgcns, now 
appearing in films. Among those 
who attended the initial meeting 
were dancers who appeared at the 
Paris 1937 Exposition when t ho 
Rockettes were awarded the Grand 
Prix. 


New York 

Christine Jorgensen has been 
set for the Triton Hotel, Rochester, 

I starting Feb. 7 . . . Gypsy Rose Lee 
booked hv the Yates Artists Bu- 
reau to the Chase Ilol el, St. Louis, 
Feb. 17, to be followed by the Last 
Frontier, Las Vegas, March 14, and 
Chi Chi Club, Palm Springs, April 
11 . . . “Grand Ole Op’ry pacted 
for the Casino, Toronto, March 3 
and the Seville. Montreal, March 
10 Caterina Valente has signed 
a management contract with Mar- 
lit Bielcr. She disked the German 
version of “Malaguena” . . . Mar- 
guerite Piazza into the Beverly 
Hills, Newport, Ky., April 1 . . . 
Joan Brandon booked into a sertes 
of home shows starting in Lub- 
bock, Tex., early March. 


youngsters. 

break-in at Westward Ho in 
Phoenix this act is now presented 
by Irwin Shulman at his Chi Chi 
Club in Palm Springs. 

It would be the whipped cream 
on this Cinderella affair if it could 
he reported at this writing that 
the act is an outstanding success. 

The youngsters have personality 
and talent. Miss Ball is a terrific 
looker with a deep sultry voice. 

But the presentation lacks form 
and professional direction. It wan- 
ders aimlessly and so. unhappily, 
docs the custonjers’ attention.. i 

Act lacks an opening, admitted i JIMMY MOSBY 
in first number. The comedy is 
weak and the original numbers 
with two exceptions fail to stir up 
anything but polite sentimental ap- 
plause. After 30 minutes and eight 
songs the result is a disappoint- 
ment. 

(5n the positive side these two 
limelighted youngsters have a 
tremendous potential if once given 
the proper material, hep routining 
and showmanly direction. Miss 
Ball can easily he developed into 
an outstanding thrush. Dick Ball 
has charm and enough voice to 
get by acceptably. His comedic 
talents cry for smart stuff and ad- 
vantage should be taken of his 
piano tickling. 

The act lays off for several weeks 
after this engagement to do p.a. 
with “Chief Crazy Horse” in New 
York and to re-write act. Bert 
Shefter pianist-conductor for duo 
works enthusiastically and sym- 
pathetically in their behalf. 

Brown. 


overall development of act and 
styling make them a socko attrac- 
tion in any visual medium, par- 
ticulary television. 

With intros in both English and 
French, team offers a series of 
trick noise impressions of such 
things as a radio dial twister, a 
speedway race and a potpourri of 
familiar every day sound effects 
that are amazingly accurate and 
sparked with plenty of showman- 
ship. 

Les Drims got their start as 
diskers in Madrid radio stations 
and groomed the act with long 
bookings in Paris and South 
America, making the present nov- 
elty package a cincheroo for U.S. 
bonifaces and producers. Newt. 


Impressionist 
7 Mins. # 

Apollo, N. Y. 

In his first Harlem key turn, 
Negro youngster Jimmy Mosby 
(looking much like a bemoustached 
teenager) draws well-above par re- 
turns for an impressionist. Works 
without intro or explanation, lead- 
ing cleverly from w.k. (male and/or 
female) to another. He has a pro 
sense of timing and never crosses 
that delicate line marking the 
start of ennui. 

In his first number, for example, 
he cleverly — and in a voice show’- 
ing he can sing in his own right — 
segues from styles of Billy Eck- 
stine, Eartha Kitt, Sarah Vaughan 
and Pearl Bailey as they might 
handle the same tune. Pewsters 
catch Impressions rapidly and en- 
joy quality of music as well. 

Art. 


Dusty Brooks opens at the Al- 
pine Village, Cleveland, Feb. 7 for 
a two-week stand. 



VERNON AND GALE 

America’s Top Tap Team 

« Just Completed 
HENRY GRADY HOTEL 

Atlanta, Georgia 
Carrently 

TOWN CASINO 

Buffalo. N. Y. 

Contact: VERNON and GALE, 5800 W. Berenice Ave., Chicago, III. 

Palisade 5-2878 


Chicago 

Bob McFadden into the Detroit 
Statler Feb. 28 for two weeks . . . 
Marvin Roy added to “Spurs ‘n’ 
Skates” opening at the Conrad Hil- 
ton, Chi, Feb. 4 . . . Ken Griffin 
held over indefinitely at the Old 
Heidelberg, Chi . . . Jack Carter 
set for the Chicago Theatre, two 
frames, starting Feb. 11 . . . Ted 
Lewis into the Chase Hotel, St. 
Louis, March 4 for two weeks . . . 
Goofers into the Chez Paree, Chi 
Feb. 27, with Helen Forrest . . . 
Beachcombers open at the Sham- 
rock, Houston, today (Wed.) for 
two rounds, following into the 
Elmwood Casino, Windsor, Ont., 
for two weeks, Feb. 28 . . . Black- 
burn Twins into the Baker Hotel, 
Dallas, Feb. 5 in a two-framer . . . 
Moore & Lessy into the Elmwood 
Casino, Windsor, Ont., Feb. 17 for 
two weeks . . . Morty Gunty on 
bill with Mae West at the Chez 
Paree, Chi, Feb. 9. 

• 

Hollywood 

F.lla Logan teed off a nine-day 
stint at Chi Chi, Palm Springs, last 
Sunday < 30) . . . Nick Treosti trans- 
ferred from manager of Capistrano 
Beachcomber’s Club, Capistrano 
Beach, to official at Palm Springs 
i Ranch Club . . . Joe Castro back at 
Mocambo with his combo as alter- 
mating band to Paul Hebert . . . 
Moro-Landis will continue to sup- 
i ply units at Sahara, Las Vegas, for 
fourth straight year . , . Manuel 
Espinosa and Troubadors opening 
Friday 14) at La Quinta Hotel. 


GEORGE LEMONTE 
Comic Monolog 
20 Mins. 

Purple Onion, Frisco 

George Lemonte has been a fa- 
miliar figure on the local tv screen 
for some time, hosting on both his 
own show and a kid program. In 
addition, he’s grabbed quite- a rep 
for himself on various charity 
shows in and around the area. This 
is his night club debut. 

A slender, saturnine - looking 
comic with a line of patter that is 
based mainly on deflating stereo- 
types in the tv business, he was 
still suffering from nervousness at 
the end of his opening week and 
this unsureness reflected itself in 
the audience reaction. There are 
bright spots in his comedy and his 
mind is obviously a sharp one. If 
he once gets a format in which to 
display his talents, he has definite 

E ossibilities. As of now, however, 
is greatest need is experience 
working in front of a live audience. 

Rafe. 

SARAH LOWE 
Contortionist 
7 Mins. 

Apollo, N. Y. 

Slim sepia doll, attired In two- 
piece briefie, draws solid aud re- 
ward for a colorful seven minutes 
of acro-contortionism. Her reper- 
toire bears her individual stamp 
even though veiy few of her tricks 
are new. 

She injects neat rhythm and top 
knowhow into her pleasing varia- 
tions on back flips and body knots, 
and uses eyes and expressive face 
to support. Should be okay where 
aero or the like is needed to fill. 

Art. 


HARBERS 


I 


Return Engagement 

SAVOY HOTEL 

Londoa 


1 


and DALE 


Omaha 

Frisarl & Reynolds opening Fri- 
day <4» at Don Hammond’s Seven 
Seas . . . Dorothy Dandridge bowed 

last Thursday '27) at Park Lane 
Hotel in Denver . . . Pianist-organ- 
ist Kea ’moved to New Grand Bar 
here. 


THE CARNEVALES 

(RALPH AND MARY) 

"IN A DUNCIN * MOOD" 
Currently 

NCO CLUB 

OMAHA, N*b. 

( Thank t DON ROMEO) 

Dir.: Jimmie Hutson Agency 

119 W. 57th St.. Naw York 



Norman Brooks, current at the 
Thunderbird, Las Vegas, reports to 
20th-Fox March 8 for a film as- 
signment. 


KIRBY STONE 

“ Currently — “ 

SAHARA, Us Vegas 


Dir.: 

WILLIAM MORRIS 
Aiincy 


Mat.: 

WYNN LASSN 
Aim*.. Inc. 


CR 



CAB CALLOWAY 

Currently 

MOCAMBO 

HOLLYWOOD, CAL. 

Mgt. BILL MITTLER, 1419 Broadway, Naw York 




Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


67 


House Reviews 


Palaeis X. Y. 

Russ & Joy Sobey, Walter Wal- 
ters Jr., Lugosi Trio, Mie & Mat- 
tie, Lew Black * Pat Dundee, 
Claude Marchant & Kathleen 
Stanford, Steve Evans, Six Anto- 
netts, Jo Lombardi Or ch; “ Six 
Bridges to Cross (U), reviewed in 
Variety Jan, 19. ’55. 

The Palace, as the last holdout 
on Broadway for vaudeville, has 
a responsibility to its clientele, 
consisting mainly of a family audi- 
ence and out-of-town visitors. The 
house, usually careful in its book- 
ing, goes off on the deep end this 
week with one act of questionable 
taste. The turn, Lew Black & Pat 
Dundee, seems more appropriate 
for burlesque houses or nitery 
floors. It’s not for general con- 
sumption. 

Miss Dundee, a statuesque well- 
endowed femme resembling a 
Charles -Addams character, is the 
foil for Black’s one-liners inter- 
spersed with his fiddle playing. 
Black’s jibes Consist mainly of ref- 
erences to Miss Dundee’s bosom. 

The rest of the show is more 
in the Palace tradition. It opens 
with a pair of ta’ented hoofers, 
Russ & Joy Sobey. The youngsters 
are tap specialists who are destin- 
ed for bigger things. Pint-sized 
Russ Sobey is a solid click and 
rates as a good bet for a revue 
or musical. Joy Sobey is also a 
standout but could use an improve- 
ment in costuming. 

Ventriloquist Walter Walters Jr. 
is in the deuce spot. He’s a com- 
petent voice-thrower who varies 
his routine by working without 
dummies, carboning effectively, for 
example, the sound of a Jolson 
record on an ancient phonograph. 
Highlight of his turn is singing in 
three voices at the same time. 

The Lugosi Trio score with their 
pantomime comedy — a group 
watching a film, mannequins in 
store windows of different coun- 
tries, tin soldiers, etc. They work 
fast and have their act perfectly 
synchronized to an offstage record. 

Mie & Mattie, a familiar Palace 
turn, are amazing acrobats and 
contortionists. Their lifts, hand- 
stands and acrobatics in general 
are perfectly executed. Claude 
Marchant & Kathleen Stanford 
are dancers in the modern man- 
ner who rely on symbolism, fea- 
turing an Apache number. It’s not 
in the traditional helter-skelter 
sock ’em style, being rather sub- 
tle. Perhaps too subtle for the 
Palace aud. 

Steve Evans is another Palace 
regular. His polish drunk act and 
imitation of the different types of 
audience laugher pleases the 
pewholders. Th? Six Antonetts, 
tceterboard specialists, bring the 
show to a hair-raising close. Their 
jumps and midair turns never 
cease to amaze patrons. Jo Lom- 
bardi orch does a neat backing 
job as usual. HolL 


tures of a ballroom dance duo, 
they prance through grotesque yet 
delicate motions for the loudest 
and most sustained mitt of the 
night. This brand of hokum would 
rate highly anywhere. Teddy Hale, 
a knowledgable tapper, rounds out, 
but is victimized by the theatre 
management, which evidently con- 
tinues to use a terper in* the sec- 
ond-from-closing spot and always 
to stretch things out when the 
overall card is found short. Art. 


Empire*. Glasgow 

Glasgow, Feb. 1. 
Dickie Valentine < with Don 
Phillips ), Bonar Collcavo, Paul & 
Pcta Page, Jitbops (6), Bill & 
Babs Adams, Ken & Anna Alexis, 
Ballet Montmartre, Marie de Vere 
Dancers (6), Bobby Dowds orch. 


Apollo. A'. Y. 

The Ravens with Jimmy Ricks 
<4>, Arnett Cobb & Band < 13 * , 
Teddy Hale, Tommy Brown, Sarah 
Lowe, Jimmy Mosby, Elsa & Wal- 
do; "War Arrow” ( Ul ). 


This may not be the best Apollo 
card, but it’s the most consistent 
in level of enjoyment? and it’s also 
one of the better-paced shows of 
the winter season, except for one 
lapse in the next-to-the-finale. 

The Ravens do okay as head- 
liners over six other competent 
turns. Quartet, though two-thirds 
of the time "playing it safe” in the 
rhythm & blues idiom, please con- 
siderably with stylized "Over the 
Rainbow.” Quality in the other 
non r&b’er, "Mr. Sandman/’ miss- 
es on some cylinders because of 
the eerie arrangement. Jimmy 
Ricks, the boss, does little of lead 
"ork; he limits himself pretty 
much to good bass backing. 

Taking ’em as they come before 
the main act, Tommy Brown belts 
a threesome. He plays his tunalog 
for laughs much of the time, first 
bv appearing in bermuda shorts 
and bandy legs, then by stunt falls 
and hokumed-up crying in "Weep- 
ing & Crying Blues,” maybe just a 
bit excessively. Pace holds in the 
next two tunes, Sarah Lowe and 
Jimmy Mosby (both in New Acts). 

The Arnett Cobb orch fills mid- 
a punchy trio of tunes, 
and the batoner is greatly satisfy- 
ing in solo tooting during "Twee- 
olee Dee” and "Scratchin .” Cobb 
nas a fine technique on sax. (Inci- 
dentally, his is one of the few 
Apollo bands with a femme 88er.) 

In the next slot and deserving 
Particular mention are Elsa & 
Waldo, ofay comic dancers, who 
at 'fluit themselves well. As carica- 


Dickie Valentine, current idol of 
British bobbysoxers and bestselling 
disk singer, heads the latest Empire 
vaude revue layout prior to the 
theatre reverting to a weekly 
change of bill. Solidly-built singer, 
with roving hand-mike, makes a 
solid impact on youthful members 
of the audience and scores particu- 
larly in impressions. He’s accom- 
panied at the ivories by Don 
Phillips, w k. English pianist-com- 
poser. 

Bonar Colleano brings a slick 
American-style pace to patter and 
sketches, and is best in a travesty 
on space-man antics. Slimr dark 
comedian is a fave with younger 
stubholders and upholds the Amer- 
ican tradition at this U. S. strong- 
hold of Scot territory. 

Ballet Montmartre gals <6) score 
with a strong impact in their 
French cancan number prior to the 
interval, and the energetic Jit- 
Bops, a Gallic group, put lively 
action into modern terping and 
jiving and also invite aud participa- 
tion. Ken & Anna Alexis are a 
stylish dance duo, and Bill & Babs 
Adams aid well in the comedy 
department. ' 

Puppet act of Paul & Peta Page, 
plus rhythmic novelty of the in- 
strumental duo, Johnny Laycock & 
Maureen, are other popular spots. 
The Bobby Dowds house orch hits 
a topical note with selection of 
Robert Burns tunes for the Burns 
anniversary week. Gord. 


Puerto Rico 


MELBOURNE 
Tivoli (T) 7 

Norma Miller 
Dancers 


The Alfredros 
Ursula & Gus 
Gordon Humphria 
Irene Bevans 
John Bluthal 
Ron Loughhead 
Dancing Boys 
Ballet Girls 



Continued from page 1 


of tourism as well as commercial 
travelers from the U. S. Patronage 
from the mainland is heavy in the 
existing entertainment marts, and 
with more to attract the visitor as 
showbiz grows, the more money 
will be spent in the entertainment 
medium. 

Puerto Rico has tremendous 
plans afoot with its "Operation 
Bootstrap” instituted by the Eco- 
nomic Development Administra- 
f tion. Already 350 new industrial 
setups have been organized, and a 
goal of 900 businesses is the goal 
at the end of 1956. The major lure 
of the island is a tax forgiveness 
program to manufacturing and ho- 
tel operations. Program offers com- 
plete income tax exemption for first 
10 years of operation; from munici- 
pal fees and excises for 10 years; 
property taxes for five to 10 years, 
and on dividend^ paid to Puerto 
Ricans for the first seven years. 

The influx of tourist and com- 
mercial travelers indicates that 
there will be a hotel space prob- 
lem shortly, and expansion is likely 
within a short time. There is cer- 
tainly a boom situation on the is- 
land, especially around the capital 
city of San Juan. "Bootstrap” has 
already had the effect of stopping 
the emigration of much of its popu- 
lation to New York and other met- 
ropolitan centres. As a matter of 
fact, many are now returning to 
Puerto Rico because of the ex- 
parfUed employment opportunities 
which has been amplified by a vast 
public works program. Included in 
the list of public works are an air- 
port, which will be among the 
world's largest; an improved high- 
speed road system, schools, low 
cost apartments, etc. The workers 
on these projects have stepped up 
film attendance. 

Video’s Slow Start 

At present, most of the talent 
operations in San Juan are restrict- 
ed to the hotels. The town’s two 
video stations aren’t yet an im- 
portant factor because of the com- 
paratively low number of sets in 
use. The latest cafe operation on 
the island is now the Escambroi^ 
Beach Hotel, with a capacity of 


about 1,200 but which has squeezed j 
in 1,800 on a Saturday night. This, 
with a $4 minimum and a $1 cover, i 

The Caribe Hilton clings to the 
class shows, and the Condado 
Beach has a small, tasteful show, j 
The major talents are imported 
from the States and sometimes 
from Europe. The Escambron, for 
example, even imported a complete 
line from the mainland. This inn 
pays comparatively high salaries NEW york city 
for its girls and boys, scale being 1 Muiic h*ii <n 3 
$87.50 plus fare. (One downbeat S/. Thoma. 
factor at present is a strike at ‘ Eric Hutson 
Caribe and Condado.) i Cortez 1 

The hotels are enjoying their N*ckHtes Urphy 
biggest season ever. According to ! corps <t“ Ballet 
William Land, manager of the s >™ ® rc 
Caribe Hilton, the bulk of the pa- Virginians 
tronage is now commercial rather 
than straight tqprist. The tourist 
season itself lasts three months, 
i but even during that time commer- 
1 cial travel is considerable. 

Anotner hotelman, Jack Bolivar, Davw a H«fghes ne 
: of the Escambron Beach, says the t Howell & Kadcliffe 
j island’s chief deficiency at this 
time is increased convention facili- 
ties.’Bolivar was hopeful that Puer- 
j to Rico could be established as a 
I film making centre. He recalled 
that “Aloma of the South Seas” 
was made here many years ago. 
j He said that studio had been con- 
verted for other uses, but he de- 
dared that some filmsters have ' 
been considering a site of 150 
j acres about an hour out of San 
Juan. Site is near mountains, has 
lots of level space and a lot of 
water. He said that there’s the pos- 
sibility that Jose Ferrer (a native! Modei Bon Ja cla 4 
would do some films there. ! Tony & Eddie 

Started with Hilton I 

Bolivar said that the island’s ® e /uon 

pickup started when the Hilton Helen Haipm 
"hain agreed to the govern- 1 Trio 

| ment-built Caribe hotel. This, he Chateau Madrid 
j said, started an influx of monied * a,ph Jj° nt ° rc 
elements. Hofei, incidentally, has Hotel A^battader 
returned a large profit to the gov- Quintero ore 

ernment ever since operation was dl Hotel Pierre 
j started. * I Marguerite Piazza 

The show biz potential is admit- | chi5f y Rc“ii lb * ° rC 
tedly big. The owner of the Escam- Copacabana 
i ® c » ch -. Fe'lx.Oenite* Rexach. . 
j anticipates importing entire shows Meiio Larks 
from Paris and would even trans- Bob Sweeney 
port the talent on his own yacht. jear» r stern's 
However, this is a project for the M Ourso c*»c 
! distant future. The Escamb .on Frank g' a , r '!,° rc 
Beach Hotel has been closed for a Alan Gale 
long time. It isn’t in operation J«’ kie » elIe J _ . . 
yet, but hopes to be in full swing ^ a rry ei Foster C jU 
; in a couple of months. The nitery Teddy King ore 
| in th e building, however, is doing : P J t ° Blight” 11 Av * 
terrifically. _ i Geo smiley 

The Puerto Ricans go heavily for Harold 0 Fonviiie 
American acts. Bulk of the native l,a7el Webster 
trade goes to the Escambron, which , isa H K ** pl8X * 
uses sight talent whenever possible Ted straeter ore 
in order to cash in on both the i 

Guy Lombardo Ore 
Hotel St Regis 
Billy Daniels 
Georgette D'Arcy 
Milt Shaw Ore 
Ray Bari 

Hotel Statler 
Woody Herman Ore 
Hotel Taft 
Vincent Lopez Ore 


VARIETY BILLS 

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2 

Numerals In connection with bills below indicate opening day ot show 
whether full or split week 

Letter In parentheses Indicates circuit. (I) Independent! (L> Loew; «M! Moss; 
<P> Paramount; <R> RKOi <*> Btoll! <T> Tlvolli <W> Warner 


Ted Lister 
Ben Dova 
Tom Hanlon Jr 
BobNHoward 
J & B Palmer 
Jackie Bright 
Yokoi Tp 

CHICAGO 
Chicago (P) 4 
Sarah Vaughan 
Larry Storch 
Lewis St Van 
Don Dick St Jimmy 


AUSTRALIA 


SYDNEY 
Tivoli (T) 7 

Winifred Atwell 
Chris Cross 
Eddie Vitch 
Fontane St Vaughn 
Joe Church 
3 Hellos 

Homaine St Claire 
Julian Somers 
Maureen Hudson 
Show Girls 
Nudes 
BaUet Girls 
Dancing Boys 


NEW YORK CITY 


BIRDLAND 

Count Basie 


U. S. and native clientele. The 
I Caribe plays both native and Amer- 
ican acts, generally having a class 
one-turn show. They have Fran- 
I coise Darcel booked for a date 
there shortly. 

Military Angles 


Another factor giving Puerto ! ch a l rh , v?i* 0uart * r 


A I. Simpkins 
Wicre Bros 
Chiquita St Johnson 


Rican show biz a healthy tone is 
the military activity on the island. 

There are lotsa sailors at the vari- 
ous cafes in town. The military 
money is channeled into orderly 
entertainment because of the fact 
that the Government doesn’t per- | pain's Inez 
mit the sly operation of "girl Buddy Charles 
stores.” It’s even illegal to take Rudv Blu K # e Tng«i Du ° I 
a femme up to a hotel room. "Op- ' "Calypso Follies of 
eration Bootstrap” is apparently | P Branch 
trying to make it the hard way. 


Bas Sheva 

Clarissa 

Melodears 

Harmoneers 

Piroska 

Art Waner Ore 
B Harlow* Ore 
La Ruban Blau 
Julius Monk 
Janet Brace 
Norman Pari* 3 
Littla Club 
L'Apache 
Faconi 
Jules Kutl 
Rudy Timfield 
Patio 

Gleb Yellin Ore 
Two Guitars 
Kostya Poliansky 
Misha Usdanoff 
Lubov Hamshay 
Aliya Uno 

Versatile* 

"Bon Voyage" 

Hope Hampton 
Paul Gray 
Louise HofT 
Tommy Wander 
Margaret Banks 
Rosemary O’Reilly 
Carl Conway 
Betty Colby 
Ann Andre 
Rain Winslow 
Danny Carroll 
Danny Desmond 
Don Dellair 
Jim Sisco 
Salvatore Gioa Orr 
Panchito Ore 
Viennese Lantern 
Helene Aimee 
Dolores Perry 
Bela Bizony 
Ernest Schoen 
Paul Mann 
Charles Albert 
Village Barn 
Hal Graham 
Fred St Sally Barry 
Joe Mavro 
Pam Dennis 
Gigi Mavo 
Melodiers 
Piute <Pete 

Waldorf-Astoria 
Line Renaud 
Nat Brandwynne 
Mischa Borr 
Village Vanguard 
Stan Freeman 
Lucille Reid 
G Williams Trio 


CHICAGO 


Black Orchid 

Four Joes 
Jimmie Komack 


Gimmicked 


Continued from page 7 


vertised comes on the screen and 
makes a personal pitch that this is 
the finest picture he’s ever been 
connected with. 

The proposed law bans showing 


Talley Beatty 
The Charmer 
Verdi Lo Presll 
A1 D’Lacy Quintet 
Blue Note 
Al Belletto Quintet 
Lou Levy 
Ruby Braff 
Chez Pare* 
Lena Horne 
Jay Lawrence 
Dancing Delights 


Brian Farnon Ore 
Cloister Inn 
Sylvia Simms 
Laurie Allyn 
Ace Harris 
Jack Wilander 
Dick Marx 
Johnny Frigo 
Conrad Hilton 
"Spurs ’n Skates’* 
Cathy St Blair 
Robert Lenn 
The Tattlers 
Frankie Masters 
Ore 

Palmar Hous« 

Los Chavales 
de Espana 
Trini Reyes 
Empire Eight 
Charlie Fisk Ore 


LOS ANGELES 


Ambsssador Hotal 

Vic Dam one 


of any film or part of a film "if it ' Ernie Richman & 
is found to be obscene or tends lo F ^“™tTn U orc 
incite to crime, in whole or in Band Box 
part.” Then follows some rather Mickey Katz 
detailed ahd most unprintable def- | '“bst of' Music 
initions of what is considered ob- Pontomaniyca <2> 

I Oscar Cartier 

Scene. Geri Galian Ore 

Proposed fees would be $5 a reel Bl, \7 1 n r# Mo, • , 
for the first print and $5 for each console * Teiba 
additional print, which would mark i Bobby Sargent 
a savings for the major companies Hai d0 Der°win r orc 2> 
when compared with the old law’s j ciro'a 

$3 a reel charge on all prints. It Rudy ni H 0 ™ y 
would be more expensive for short Dick stabiie Ore 

subjects, however. j Bo Chariov m pov'* C 

Chances of the bill passing aren't carl Ravazza 
SO good, despite Strong support for j Tommy Dugan 


Charley Foy 
Mary Foy 
A Browne Ore 
Crescendo 
Perez Prado Ore 
Mocembo 
Paul Hebert Ore. 
Joe Castro Ore 
Moulin Rouge 
Frank Libuse 
Margot Brander 
Four Bogdodis 
Miss Malta St Co 
Doubledaters (4! 
Mnie Ardelty 
Jery LaZarre 
Ffolliot Charlton 
Tony Gentry 
Gaby Wooldridge 
Luis Urbina 
Eileen Christy 
Bob Snyder Ore 
Statler Hotel 
George Gobe! 
Skinnay Ennis Ore 


some form of film censorship. An 
interested observer pointed out 
' that if the proposal does get I .. Clover _ cru» 

| through Ohio’s House, it almost ^'Jlg Torrens 
j certainly will die in the Senate. Baron Buika 
; probably in Sen. Charles Mosher’s | j*J, ty £op« ore 
Education Committee. Mosher has seima Marlowe Line 
his own bill to outlaw film censor- Wo £ d ti n W Qy2rter y 
ship already in the hopper. Billy DeWoire 


MIAMI-MIAMI BEACH 


J Renard Stringa 
Leon t Eddie’s 

Lois De Fee 
Toni Rave 
Rose Ann 
Rita Marlow 
Charlotte Watere 
Nautilus Hotel 
Jack Carter 
Tip Toppers 
Antone & Ina 
Sid Stanley Cure 
Black Orchid 
Jo Thompson 
Richard Cannon 
Count Smith 
Sans Souci Hoto> 
Joyce Bryant 
Sacasns Ore 
Ann Herman Dcr* 
Saxony Hotel 
Xavier Cugat St Co. 
Abbe Lane 
Nirva 

Freddy Calo Ore 
Johnny Silvers Ore 
Frank Stanley Ore 
Bombay Hotel 
Phil Brito 
Nelida 
Peter Mack 
Sandra Barton 
Johnina Hotel 
Judy Tremaine 
Sam B.-iri 
Jack Mitchell 
Bobbie Lynn 

DiLido Hotel 

Bea Kalmus 
Buddy Lester 
’t’ed Lnwrie 
Wally Wanger Line 
Fausto Curbelo Ore 
Vanity Fair 
Pat Morrisey 
Havana Cuban Boy* 
3 Tones 
Jerry Brandow 
Bar of Music 
Bill Jordan 
Arne Sultan 
Beth Challis 
Harvey Bell 
Fred Thompson 


Islo Do Capri 

Gene Baylos 
Ruth Wallis 
Las Malangana 
Wally Hankin Oro 
Copa City 
Will Mastin 3 
Sammy Davis, Jr. 
Eileen O’Dare 
Stuart Harris 
Hal Loman 
Peter Gladke 
June Taylor Line 
Red Caps 
David Tyler Ore 
Fontainebleau 
Patti Page 
Estrelita St Raul 
Lecuana Cuban B 
George DeWitt 
Val Olman Ore 
Beichcomber 
Ritz Bros 
Louis Armstrong 
DeMarco Sisters 
Nancy Crompton 
Len Dawson Ore 
Casablanca 
Billy Daniels 
Myron Cohen 
Kramer Dancers 
Jacques Donnet Ore 
Balmoral Hotel 
Celeste Holm 
EmU Coleman Ore 
The Spa 
Sammy Walsh 
Preacher Hollo 8 
Ciro’s 
Rock Cats 5 
Tommy Nunez Ore 
The Treniers 
Lee Sharon 

Vaqabonds Club 
Vagabonds 4 
Marion Powers 
The Dunhills 
Martha Bentley 
oharlie Farrell 
Frank Linale Ore 
Airliner 

Harry "The Hipster 
Pearl Williams 
Billy l.ee 
Larry Gerard 
Don Baker Ore 


RENO 


Mapas Skyroom 

Sue Carson 
Kurtis Marionettes 
D'Amores 
Skylets 

Eddie Fitzpatrick 
Ore 

New Golden 

Four Freshmen 


Jack Wakefield 
Buddy King St 
His Ladies (5) 
Will Osborne Ore 
Riverside 
Cross Si Dunn 
Dave Apollon 
Starlets 

Bill Clifford Ore 


HAVANA 


Tropl^ana 

Darvas St Julia 
D’Aida Q 
Mercedes Valdes 
D’Ruff Q 
O de la Rosa 
I.conela Gonzalez 
Raul Diaz 
Gladys Itobau 
Tropirana Ballet 
S de Espana Orq 
S Sutrez Orq 
A Rc.meu Orq 
San Souci 
Carmen Amaya 
Olga Chaviano 
Chas Chase 


Aurora Roche 
Rivero Singers 
Juana Bacallao 
Ray Carson 
R Ortega Orq 
C Rodriguez Orq 
Montmartre 
Alba Marina 
L Dulzaides Q 
Nancy St Rolando 
Ivette de la Fuentg 
Zenia 

Martha Veliz 
Monseigneur Orq 
Montmartre Ballet 
Casino Playa Orq 
Fajardo Orq 


NEWPORT, KY. 


Beverly Hills 

Georgia Gibbs 
Johnny Morgan 
Ricardo St Norman 
E Lindsay Dncrs 


Larry Vincent 
Dick Hyde 
G Benedict Ore 
Jimmy Wilbur Trio 


LAS VEGAS 


Flamingo 

Marie Wilson 
Archie Robbins 
Goofers 

Sands 

Nat (King) Cole 
Last Frontier 
Ben Blue 
Blossom Seeley St 
Benny Fields 
Desert Inn 
Toni Arden 
Jack Durant 
The Szonys 

Thunderbird 
Norman Brooks 


Roily Rolls 
El Rancho Vegas 
George White’s 
Seandalettes 

Sahara 

Fred Waring Show 
Golden Nugget 
Hilo Hattie 

El Cortes 
Four Tunes 

Showboat 
Minsky Follies of 
1955 

Silver Slipper 

Nite of Fun Revue 


Legion 


Yvonne Menard 
Stuart Morgan 3 
Kathy Barr 
Hay St Gomez 
Henita Kramer 
Lueien St Ashour 
"Excess Baggage" 
Ralph Young 
Arne Barnett Ore 
Mandy Campo Ore 


Continued from page 7 


"Girls Marked Danger” ("theme 
morally unsuitable”); Mayer-Kings- 
ley’s ”Le Plaisir” (“presents in 
both theme and treatment a sym- 
pathetic portrayal of immoral ac- 
tions”); Times Films’ "One Sum- 
mer of Happiness” ("condones im- 
moral motives and actions”). 

Also, IFE’s "Sensualita” ("dwells 
without variation upon suggestive- 
ness in situations, costuming and 
dialog and, as such, in the manner 
of treatment seriously offends 
Christian and traditional standards 
of morality and decency”); Ellis 
Films’ "Three Forbidden Stories” 
("gross suggestivencss in situa- 
tions and costuming”); IFE’s 
"Times Gone By” ("condonation 
of immoral actions, suggestive cos- 
tuming and situations, and a sym- 
pathetic treatment of suicide”). 

Also, Palace Pictures’ "Violated” 
("morally unsuitable for entertain- 
ment motion picture theatres”); 
Lippert’s "We Want a Child” 
("treatment of the theme seriously 
offends Christian and traditional 
standards of morality and de- 
cency”). 

Legion "condemned” four films 
in 1953. 



68 


NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


Statler Hotel, L A. 

Los Angeles, Jan. 25. 
George Gobel, Skinnay Ennis 
Orch ( 12 » ; $2 cover. 


Television has become such an 
Integral part of* everyday life, 
that it’s being taken for granted 
like a ham-and-cheese sandwich. 
Only on rare occasions does this 
medium now manifest something 
startlingly dramatic for the pub- 
lic, such as a crime or Senate hear- 
ing or an Ed Murrow’s unexpected 
tomahawking of Joe McCarthy. In- 
side show biz, however tv is still 
the wonder of wonders in its cata- 
pulting of personalities within a 
matter of hours to positions of 
stardom that in former non-elec- 
tronic years would have taken a 
decade at least to reach. 

George Gobel is the latest clas- 
sic example of tv’s explosive pro- 
motion power. A struggling No. 2 
act less than two years ago, the 
rotund little monologist is today 
up among the top comedians in 
the public’s affection. In fact, the 
last time he played the SLatler’s 
Terrace Room, he was the second- 
billed act; now, he’s not only the 
headliner, but the only act on the 
bill and a smash boxoffice draw. 
Hardly a half-season on tv with 
his own show put him there. 

TV has done the same for others 
B.G. (Before Gobel), but in this in- 
stance it’s not a matter of a “freak 
attraction.’’ Gobel at least comes 
into prominence equipped with 
the weapons to hold a top position 
indefinitely. 

His material is basically funny, 
though it was a bit spotty opening 
night. He has an extremely en- 
gaging personality, a droll deliv- 
ery and razorsharp timing. What’s 
most important, he’s less depend- 
ent on gags, hazardous material 
from the standpoint of continuity 
of quality, than situation stories 
which adapt themselves to a con- 
stant flow of humor and sporadic 
ibellylaughs. Although no compari- 
sons are intended. Gobel is more 
in the idiom of Jack Benny, say. 
than Milton Berle. He’s in the 
tradition of the Julius Tannens. 
Jim Thorntons and Willie Colliers 
of yesteryear vaudeviile. 

Plus his ability with a story, his 
aptitude for comedy reactions and 
takes, and general demeanor that 
quickly lends itself to laughter, 
Gobel is no mean hand with a 
comedy song self-accomped on a 
guitar. In this department he 
clicks with an imitation of the Ink 
Spots doing “Maybe,” then a com- 
edy number about the curse of 
drink, and. finally, a piece of Hi- 
bernian sentimentality. He is on 
for 40 minutes and has to beg off. 

Behind him is Skinnay Ennis 
and 12-piece orch, expertly play- 
ing the dancing and the forepart 
of the floor entertainment. Ennis, 
a very personable emcee and vo- 
calist, is glovefit for this room. 
Opening night, however, he was 
personally doing a little too much 
moving behind Gobel’s chore, but 
that most likely was an inadvert- 
ent distraction on his part. Scho. 


Lalin Quarlrt'. II«»slon 

Boston, Jan. 21. 

“ Gotta Gettaway ,’* produced and 
directed by Bob Conrad and Rich- 
ard Adair; choreography by George 
Church: special music and lyrics 
by Irwin Strauss; sets by Jean 
McNeal. Featuring Lulnbelle 
Clarke, Sammy Petrillo, Berna- 
dette Phelan Dancers (3), Church 
& Hale Whaling A Yvette, Bill 
Dreie, Guy Guarino, Rena Foley, 
Harry DeAngelis Orch (8), Zarde 
Bros. Trio; $3.50 cover. 


Amid a season that has certainly 
been less than spectacular, from a 
biz standpoint, the Latin Quarter 
management has temporarily scut- 
tled the name policy and inaugu- 
rated a package deal, which in- 
cludes dinner and an hour-long 
musical comedy type production, 
all for $3.50. At the initialcr, the 
production, staged by Bob Conrad, 
the spot’s choreographer, and 
Richard Adair, appeared to have 
fairly good potential. 

Tied together with a thread of 
a story, that of a zany mother 
(Lulnbelle Clarke) and her mo- 
ronic son (Sammy Petrillo) who’ve 
“gotta gettaway.” the succeeding 
action transplants them to such re- 
sorts as Miami Beach, New Or- 
leans. Las Vegas and finally Paris. 
Spotted throughout are the solid 
standard acts. Church & Hale, each 
of whom does a single turn prior 
to teaming for a nifty terp sesii; 
Whaling & Yvette, topnotch trick 
bike riders, who weave in and out 
of the action several times; attrac- 
tive Rena Foley, who scores with 
neat ballet stepping, and Bill 
Drew, also clicko in his solo te»*p 
spot. 

Grabbing the top reaction are 
^ erna dette Phelan dancers, 
jhe clientele obviously getting a 
kick out of the excellent adagio 
routines. In the vocal department. 
Guy Guarino, the spot's emcee, is 
Standout, the production affording 


him several effective spots to 
showcase his pleasant baritone 
pipes. In addition, the various 
scenes are replete with gals fur- 
nishing eye-lure, and the back- 
drops, designed by Jean McNeal, 
are especially socko. 

Main beef at the opener lies in 
the comedy sequences with Sam- 
my Petrillo, aping the antics of 
Jerry Lewis, spilling his lines so 
rapidly that the impact is lost on 
the ringsiders. Miss Clarke, rigged 
out in outlandish costumes, as is 
Petrillo, has ar) okay sense of the 
ridiculous, but the material of the 
several blackouts in which the 
pair appears is not up to standard. 

Musical backgrounding is capa- 
bly handled by Harry DeAngelis 
and his crew with the Zade Bros, 
trio purveying the lull rhythms. 

Elie. 


Hof 4*1 I Hams St. L 

St. Louis, Jan. 25. 
Mary Meade French, Jack De- 
Leon, Clark Bros. (2), Bobby 
Swain Orch (12); $1-$1.50. 


Current layout is headed by the 
eye-filling chanteuse, Mary Meade 
French, who is making a success- 
ful local bow, and customers get 
ample returns during the 65-minute 
session. The gal, a statueque 
b'onde, fresh from a stint with 
Jimmy Durante at Las Vegas, has 
a well-selected repertoire, swell 
pipes and has chair warmers on 
her side from the teeoff. She’s 
accompanied on the 88 by her com- 
poser-husband, Ted Groyya. 

Her interp of Rodgers & Ham- 
merstein. Cole Porter and Irving 
Berlin composing “Halo Shampoo” 
wins a terrif mitt; ditto for a nov- 
elty ditty, "Married To a Scientist,” 
for a change of pace. Femme also 
is a linguist and she cops plaudits 
for a medley in French and Italian. 

The Clark Bros., Sepia tap and 
aero) dancers, are the hottest pair 
to hit this burg in moons. In addi- 
tion to uncorking a flock of new 
steps, they crowd an astonishing 
amount of action in their 10 min- 
utes stint. 

Session opens slowly with Jack 
De Leon, a personable youngster 
handicapped by his material. Cus- 
tomers are slow’ to warm up to his 
chatter. Only after he does a neat 
job in miming Peter Lorre, Jimmy 
Stewart, George Raft. Jerry Lewis 
and James Cagney at a ballgame, 
do the patrons go for him. Sahu. 


rafe ill* Paris London 

London, Jan. 13. 
Tanner Sisters (2), Delrinas 
< 2 ), Sidney Simone & Harry Roy 
Bands; $6 minimum. 


It’s an off-season for most West 
End niteries and, in consequence, 
the Cafe de Paris is satisfied to 
book lowercase attractions. Cur- 
rently the bill is filled adequately 
by the Tanner Sisters, a lively vo- 
cal duo, and by Patricia and Neil 
Delrina, a standard terping act. 
For the regular customers, how- 
ever, these bookings represent a 
major switch from the topdrawer 
attractions which are featured at 
the height of the season. 

Tanner Sisters have a vigorous 
appeal and have taken care to prep 
special cabaret material, particu- 
larly an opening number appropri- 
ate only to this cafe. There is an 
unnecessary indigo streak running 
through most of their act which 
w ould be more acceptable in vaude 
than in the ritzy atmosphere of 
this nitery, but their material is 
kept strictly to a light and lively 
tempo and qualifies for warm, aud 
reception. 

The Delrinas open and wind the 
proceedings with two terping 
quickies. Their first entry fea- 
tures a display of classical ball- 
roomology while their closing ef- 
fort. with its brisk routines, pro- 
vides a deft contrast. Both acts 
are smoothly showcased by the 
| Sidney Simone aggregation. 

Myro. 


Till Angi»l* Frittco 

San Francisco. Jan. 20. 
Turk Murphy Jazz Band (6); $1 
admission. 


Taking over in the successful 
waterfront jazz joint that became 
a w.k. local night spot on the dixie 
circuit with the Bob Scobey band. 
Turk Murphy has enjoyed solid 
success. His loud band, which 
features the leader on trombone 
and vocals, belts out standard 
dixieland tunes and originals by 
Murphy with zest, good humor and 
charm. 

Outstanding soloists are Murphy 
and his trumpet, Everet Farey. 
Murphy is spotted in vocals on 
oldies like “Ace in the Hole.” 
Bassist Vernon Alley, a modern 
jazz musician currently proving 
that the twain can meet, is fea- 
tured on a bass solo and vocal on 
“Sunny Side of the Street.” while 
banjoist Monte Blue gets several 
solo spots for ad lib blues verses 
on current topics. Rafe. 


LttcambroHu San Jun 

San Juan. Jan. 25. 

Milton H. Lehr production of 
“La Revista Escambron" with 
Skip py, Bobby Winters, Juan Luis 
A Leonor, Chino & Maria, Pan 
American Orquestra, Ruth Natal 
Orch; choreography Skippy; cos- 
tumes, Rafael Sanchez; minimum 
$4, couvert $1. 

Puerto Rico’s awakening cafe biz 
is undoubtedly one of the impor- 
tant aspects of “Operation Boot- 
strap” by which this island terri- j 
tory is attempting to achieve a 
measure of economic stability. In 1 
San Juan the tourist as well as the 
commercial trade is building, with ) 
the Escambron Beach Hotel lead- j 
ing in the cafe renaissance. 

The Escambrop is an example 
of an unusual situation, inasmuch 
as the hotel is still in the process 
of extensive alternations, but the 
cafe section of the inn is doing 
boom biz. At present, there is lit- 
tle attempt to sell space in the 
hotel, which is built along beach 
club lines. The spot, prewar, was 
one of the most fashionable in San 
Juan, and after lying fallow for 
many years, the present owner, 
Felix Benito Rexach, influenced 
by the design of the Lido, Paris, 
built a replica of that stage, with 
many of the integral parts im- 
ported from France. 

He brought in manager Jack 
Bolivar, who is an island personal- 
ity through his many years of the 
operation of Jack’s and the other 
■spots in the Caribe area, to head 
the inn. Operation of this room 
indicates that the islands are 
ready for a mass nitery operation. 
Seating capacity is around 1,200, 
but the room has held more than 
1,800 upon occasion. Like the 
mainland niteries, the mass mar- 
ket depends upon a full value and 
indications are that the Escambron 
is dishing it out handily. 

Producer Milton H. feehr has de- 
signed a fullbodied show somewhat 
along the lines of the Latin Quar- 
ter, N.Y. It’s probably the biggest 
show around here and has been 
designed for touring the Latin- 
American countries. But the pic- 
turesque, smooth and imaginative 
production also indicates that it 
could serve as the nucleus of show’ 
in a Las Vegas spot or other clubs 
that require a lot of production. 
Indeed, Lehr had a portion of an 
edition of a revue he produced for 
the Sans Souci, Havana, play the 
Flamingo Hotel there, successfully. 

This show also presents an un- 
usual situation because of the fact 
that the star is a fave in Latin- 
American countries, an American 
girl virtually unknown in her na- 
tive country. Skippy, a lively and 
petite blonde, is a dancer who 
gives the show a lot of pace and 
personality. She’s a looker and 
excellent dancer. She’s expert in 
the interpretation of the Latin 
mood and has a keen sense of pac- 
ing. Her terps are in the Latin 
idiom and she projects a lively, 
tropical feeling into the proceed- 
ings. 

In the native vein are two dance 
teams, one of their having done ex- 
tensive service in U.S. Latineries. 
Juan Luis & Leonor hit it off well 
with flamenco. They too are fast 
and lively, with the lad proving to 
be a handy citizen around a show, 
inasmuch as he does the production 
singing, works on musical arrange- 
ments as well. Routines give a 
Castilian flavor to the proceedings. 
Other team is Chino & Maria, who 
specialize in the native work. They 
are Puerto Ricans who seem to 
have a good working knowledge of 
the Island's traditions and history. 
Work has a colorful and authentic 
flavor, but is still sufficiently com- 
mercial to draw plaudits. 

However, the major job of en- 
tertainment is by the U.S. juggler 
Bobby Winters, who provides the 
sole touch of comedy. His mani- 
pulations are excellently done, with 
humor an important product. He 
draws steadily on the audience 
risibilities. 

The production efforts centre 
around the major activity of Puerto 
Rican nightlife— dancing. The ta- 
lent collection gives good examples 
of the mambo as well as an ambiti- 
ous depiction of voodoo. Produc- 
tion elements including four mixed 
couples and five showgirls are 
lushly costumed. 

Musically, the show gets hand- 
some backing with a cooperative 
enterprise labeled the Pan Amer- 
ican Orquestra which also creates 
a lot of excitement for the dancers. 

A likely combo is lead by Ruth 
Natal at the ivories for the relief. 

Jose. 


other places count the empty 
tables. This stanza it’s the Gay- 
lords, riding high with a succes- 
sion of disclicks. 

The Gaylords spread their tal- 
ents a little farther than most 
such groups today. From the 
second number on, they romp on 
a piano and bass for most of their 
own rhythn\ accompaniment. The 
trio is under an Italian influence 
which seems to be their trade- 
mark and payoff. All of Italian 
parentage, anyway, they run in 
Italian lyrics on almost every 
song. 

Yonely, nsing a quiet approach 
to many instruments, never really 
brings forth a rocking yock, but 
keeps a very continuous grin 
spread over the room. Poker-faced 
and forever making preparations, 
the comic always manages to 
amaze when finally setting to work 
with a minny trumpet or concer- 
tina. He amazes also by playing 
a violin every way but conven- 
tionally. As a climax, he rolls a 
couple of regulation soft balls over 
the piano keys for a longhair ar- 
rangement. 

The tap dancing of Tommy Co- 
nine launches this show. He carries 
off the job w'ell, collecting much 
more than the required plaudits 
for an opening number. Mark. 

Flamingo, La* Vegan 

Las Vegas, Jan. 27. 

Marie Wilson, Archie Robbins, 
Goofers < 5 ) , Continentals ( 4 > , 
Roxanne & Martin Bros. (3), Ron 
Fletcher Dancers (12), Teddy 
Phillips Orch (12); no cover or 
minimum. 


New Golden* Reno 

Reno, Jan. 12. 

Gaylords. Yonely, Tommy Con- 
me. Will Osborne's Orch; no cover 
or minimum. 


The Golden still depends pri- 
marily on record faves and con- 
tinues to collect receipts while 


The Marie Wilson Show is not 
expected to zing the cash register 
in its three-framer here as did 
Tony Martin. As a package it will 
be pretty fair entertainment when 
the 105 minutes are considerably 
pruned and a much-needed tight- 
ening job accomplished. The show 
stars "My Friend Irma,” and. the 
star is up against it. seemingly bat- 
tling against odds, as she finds her- 
self almost as lost on a nitery 
stage as she is in her fictional tv 
role. * 

Miss Wilson, piquant and beauti- 
ful as she is, has but little oppor- 
tunity to display her other than 
obvious wares. And the latter, bos- 
omy attributes come in for plenty 
of spoofing. On her brief song 
snatches with the Continentals, 
her voice is a small one as she in- 
troes the acts. Otherwise, she 
tackles a brief, whimsical sketch 
about a 10-year-old girl taken to a 
film premiere by George Jessel. 
Jessete presence at the opening 
made the skit more interesting 
than it will be otherwise. 

Miss Wilson resorts to many of 
the gags she made familiar in 
“Blackouts” starting back in 1942 
and under the same producer. 
Dave Siegel, currently at the show- 
helm. The partial strip she per- 
forms in the finale is not empha- 
sized in showmanship fashion and 
becomes lost in the production 
closer. Miss Wilson's sum total of 
time onstage runs to extreme brev- 
ity and in this respect she, as pre- 
senter of her own package, may be 
considered wise, for, in her dumb- 
Dora role, her forte, the illusion 
can become trying after a bit and 
can wear itself out, as was seen at 
the opener. 

The maze of supporting acts 
finds Archie Robbins performing a 
nice job in a comedy turn. It be- 
gins to wear after 30 minutes or 
so, and the comic will emerge bet- 
ter when he lops off about 10 min- 
utes. His local climate and gam- 
bling jokes score big for laughs, 
with his “Gambling Song” rating 
salvos. His parodies, a medley of 
snatches of pop tunes, also please, 
and humor anent his spouse are 
okay. * 

The Goofers are held over and 
prove to be the real stars of the 
show, presenting some new mate- 
rial as they vocalize, play instru- 
ments and perform musical acro- 
batics on the trapeze. “China- 
town.” “Hearts Of Stone” and 
‘Pretty Eyed Baby,” are solid 
rousers, and the quintet raises the 
roof when members sock over solo 
chores on drums, trumpet, trom- 
bone and bass. 

Pleasing harmonies are offered 
hv the Continentals, now’ a quartef. 
When they were five, the group 
was considered strong in song 
sketches and comedy. Today, they 
are a nice singing combo and do 
well with Irish and Latin numbers. 

Roxanne A the Martin Bros., 
conversely for this show, are on 
too briefly in a miniature flamenco 
dance, with the castanets and heel- 
stomping lending a rhythmic 
bounce. The flamboyantly cos- 
tumed young trio garners a big 
hand following their romantic 
dance creation, in which the 
j. femme partner terps with exciting 
abandon. 

The Ron Fletcher Dancers move 
swiftly in a nicely-costumed open- 
mg.number and the Teddy Phillips 
orch Is a paramount factor. Bob. 


BahMral, Miami BVh 

Miami Beach, Jan. 29. 

Celeste Holm, Emil Coleman 
Orch; $5 food and bev. minimum. 

Celeste Holm, in for two frames 
In the smart Embassy Room here, 
should do okay by the better trade 
attracted via the policy of featur- 
ing the classier femme acts — Hilde- 
garde, Kay Thompson, et al. 

The attractive blonde, stunning- 
ly gowned and coiffed, is very 
much at home in this intimery, 
dispensing a bright collection of 
special and musicomedy tunes to 
increasing reception. The originals 
created for her are highly intelli- 
gent: "What Is A Man” slyly de- 
livered to get the nuances con- 
tained over; a bit on a French 
mamselle whose Yankee lover pre- 
fers television to her Parisienne 
charms; a spoof on psychoanalysis 
leanings by the Freudian types 
who prefer to be miserable. 

There’s adroit blending in of 
torchants to spell the satirical 
moods, for change of pace. She 
tops matters with a laugh raising 
concept, a “happy version” of “My 
Man.” It earns encore reception. 
Throughout, Miss Holm holds at- 
tention via authoritative delivery 
and smooth staging. 

Emil Coleman and his crew han- 
dle show assignments in able man- 
ner, and for dansapation. dispense 
easy-to-dance-to arrangements. 

Lary. 

Crazy IIorMi* Saloon, 
Paris 

Paris. Jan. 25. 

Fernand Raynaud, Gigolos ,<2), 
Rossignols (2), Bingsters (4), 
Pierre Repp, Ritz Cadilla, Johanna 
Krupp, Elaine Dana. Kira Teritof, 
Miss Pamela; $3 minimum. 

Sex and quite savvy tabs have 
put this western saloon-decorated 
boite into the pop nitery ranks. 
Four strippers and a frantic tassle 
twirler make for the more lurid 
appeal, with some solid to fair 
comico and song aspects ^bringing 
up the show’. First price of $3 
drops to $1 for any following re- 
fills. Small nitery was packing 
them in when caught. 

Topliner is mime Fernand Ray- 
naud. who has added a good bevy 
of jokes to his impeccable impres- 
sions. Many a laugh here. The 
Gigolos (2) are a frenetic platter 
mime duo who evoke chuckles w’ith 
their interps of such disks as 
‘ Figaro,” “Cocktails For Two” and 
“John : Marsha.” but could use 
more inventive business instead of 
practically straight attempts at lip 
synch. They rate okay in these 
type of numbers and display a 
good sense of timing. Other yocks 
are supplied by double-talking 
Pierre Repp, whose mangling of 
the lingo to a deadpan backing is 
funny stuff. 

The Bingsters (4) are girl trip- 
lets and a male gffitarist. They 
supply some pleasant harmony and 
are nice to look at. More variety 
in numbers will help. The Ros- 
signals (2) are two male whistlers 
who uncannily imitate calliopes 
and birds in an easygoing act. 

Strippers come under such 
hopeful gag names as Rita Cadil- 
lac. Johanna Krupp and Kira Teki- 
tof. All are well-made chicks and, 
though naive in strip principles, 
look good. Miss Pamela adds a 
solid tassle turn to the nudie as- 
pects. Mosk. 


Eddy’s* K. T. 

Kansas City, Jan. 25. 
Burl Ives, Tony DiPardo Orch 
(8); $1 cover. 


Therfc’s an interim switch in pol- 
icy and a considerable change of 
pace with Burl Ives, the bearded 
wayfarin’ balladeer. on for the fort- 
night in the Eddy Bros. spot. Ives 
has the run of the show to him- 
self, in place of the usual two-act 
bill, and apparently has the neces- 
sary drawing power, as a goodly 
house greeted the opening show 
Friday evening (21). 

If the opening 30-minute show 
is the criterion. Eddys’ is in for one 
of its more homey, peaceable ses- 
sions and a somewhat more mature 
patronage. It’s a casual-type at- 
mosphere that settles on the house, 
as the singer runs through 10 
numbers and has the customers 
heartily joining in his community 
sing. The homespun air and the 
fetching songs are smoothly pur- 
veyed in Ives’ first appearance in 
town in several years. 

Song list brings a generous hand 
all along, from "Cod Liver Oil.” 
“Grenadier’s Pond,” “Susie,” "Noah 
Found Grace,” and “I Know an 
Old Lady,” and others, to the more 
popular “Foggy, Foggy Dew.” 
“Goober Peas” and “Blue Tail 
Fly.” Customer’s join in on the 
latter two and execute some excel- 
lent teamwork as Ives strums and 
sings the verse, with the house 
carrying off the refrain on “Fly.” 

Quin. 


Wwlnwwlay, February 2, 1955 


XltiHT ('Lt'R llttV 


69 


Rrarheamber, Miami B. 

. Miami Beach, Jan. 28. 

Ritz Bros, Louif Armstrong with 
Vchha Middleton, DeMarco Sisters, 
Nanci Crompton, Len Dawson 
Orch; bcv. nnnimums $2 & $5. 

The seasonal wheel has turned 
to the Beachcomber, the package 
installed by Norman Schuyler 
bringing them in by the scores. 
It’s the first time for this hugery 
and, with all the wailings around 
the cafe circuit about lagging pa- 
tronage. a tribute to the Ritz Bros.’ 
drawing power in this town, with 
a plus for Louis Armstrong and 
his unit, who double into the ad- 
joining Lounge to play packed 
ayein affairs. 

The Ritz freres are at comedy 
peak in this outing, sparked by the 
addition of solid new material that 


Bros. balanc£ balls and send lighted 
Indian clubs flying back and forth. 
Hal Derwin’s crew on the stand 
rates high with the sitters, who do 
a good polish job on the pine. 

The room will have to be the 
main draw- despite the fact that the 
acts have their own particular ap- 
peal. A blonde belter with a smoky 
voice, Miss Williams had to over- 
come the handicap of a virus-rid- 
den larynx, and as the run wears 


BllncitriibVi. Bouton 

Boston, Jan. 26. 

Gordon MacRae, Goetchis (3), 
Lola Dobritch, Miller & Gibson 
Kathy Moore, Michael Gaylord 
Orch (13>, Lou Weir; $3.50 min. 


Unveiling the most polished, 
articulate and thoroughly enter- 
taining vocal presentation seen in 
many a month, Gordon MacRae’s 


bids "at' 

“ ! topper of the season-t-and this in a 
t . nps. She seems to over- s p 0t no t e( t i 0 r its excellent shows. 


and sharpen her material in 
songs. She seems to over- 
capitalize a chuekly giggle and 
excels on the taster beats, a hand- 
clapping spiritual bringing off the 
heaviest applause. For her ringside 
"discoverers,” Danny and Rose- 
mary Thomas, she storms up a sul- 
try rendition of "Temptation,” 
with straw sailor and cane she goes 
for a vaude routine, which is more 


„. lk c parefnl tailoring to show- i “ '‘ ,uue **»uune, w men is more 

case Vhtf considerMal^comedic tal- to vets of the two-a-day. 

..4 i rv (hi. m ;a,no ” No >* is the dramatic "Dream num- 


ents of "tho guy in the middle, 
Harry. Thus, they provide the zing 
of a new act, with retention of 
one standard routine, and rework 
of a bit they broke in last winter. 
The opener is a wham pace-setter,* 
a lampoon on Parisian couturiers, j 
"Miitchabelli. Schiapiarelli and 
Dior.” Utilizing two models, the* 
work the buffoonery to the hilt, j 
the laughineter mounting rapidly. 
The “Mexican Disk Jockey” fol- 
lows. the lineage containing rib- 
tickling bits, w ith "commercials” j 
prime target of the satirization. 

Another new’ie is a workover of ; 
ASCAP toppers Porter, Rodgers & 
llammerstein and Berlin, with 
Harry on as a bewigged Johann 
Strauss, returned to apply his tal- 
ents to modern-day composing. 
The idea is an inventive one, al- 
lowing for full play on mugging 
and ad libs. The standard, "Conti- 
nental Gentlemen Of Song,” with 
the now trademarked break-in line 
"Don' Hollah,” elicits additional 
howls. They wind into a wrapup 
with a repatterning in dance to a 
tricky arrangement of the "Drag- 
net” theme, for another fresh 
touch. Throughout, the breakaways 
from the routine at hand add to 
the hilarity high. The trio, with 
this redesigning of their act. work 
in spirited manner, obviously en- 
joying what for them is a new-, 
tight act that should keep them 
booked heavily in the upcoming 
months. 

Armstrong and his unit are pow- 
erful jazz’ exponents, well disci- 
plined. adroitly routined" by Satch- 
rno. The vet’s trumpet technique 
is. as always, forceful and know- 
ing. although he works in more 
song and talk than in earlier years, 
to spell his tootlings and allow' for 
-the other members of the group to 
take over for soloings. Velma Mid- 
dleton adds her rocking blues for 
another and pleasing segment, 
then joins with Armstrong in lyric 
byplay to well-earned plaudits. 
The outfit works two shows in the 
big room, then doubles into the j 
Lounge for between and post-show , 
sessions. 

The De Marco Sisters come off 
nicely with their harmonies. The i 
quintet boasts some original bits. ; 
such as the opener "I’m Late.” "No 1 
Man Is Going To Break Us Up.” 
and the closer, a lament on lack 
of a recording cli?k, which allows 
for reprise on femme units, w hove i 
had same in recent years. It’s an 
effective sequence that sends them 
off to a healthy payoff. They re- 
turn for an encore on "Little 
Rock.” 

Nanci Crompton adds a class ' 
touch to the proceedings with her I 
feathery ballet-stylings. The lithe I 
terpstress gets away from the trite 
patterns too many of her genre 
utilize, presenting an intelligent, 
eye-catching satire on motion pic- 
tures in panto-dance. It’s a sock 
inspiration.- Len Dawson and his 
orch showback in top manner for 
a tough show, music-wise. Lary. 


her in her particular style. 

Sargent is the victim of his own 
bad routing. His best hit, a droll 
comedy effect with facial contor- 
tions. he saves for the encore. His 
earlier efforts register only mildly. 
Some of his material needs updat- 
ing if he is to risk all on his stand- 
up jokes. Melba is no small pack- 
age to toss around and her partner, 
Consolo, has to summon his re- 
serve to keep the rhythmic arcs in 
their dance turn from becoming 
angular. Rudenkos are flash open- 
ers and Derwin’s backstopping 
first rate. Helm. 


I.olus. Wiislilnglon 

Washington, Jan. 19. 
Dolly McVey, Anna & Julio, 
Marc Leonard, Line (7), Jack 
Corry Orch (7); minimum Mon- 
day-Thursday $1.75, $2 Friday, 

Saturday. 


The Lotus, longtime D.C. Chi- 
nese restaurant with an entertain- 
ment policy, has fancied up its 
show and increased the minimum. 

Dolly McVey, a petite blonde 
singer with a lazy, sexy delivery, 
tops the current bill with a fistful 
of songs ranging from "Let Me Go. 
Lover” and "You’ll Be Sorry” to 
the 1935 hit. "Music Goes ’Round 
and ’Round.” Miss McVey has a 
pleasant way with a number. Oc- 
casionally. she appears to find her- 
self wrestling with the house orch 
for audience attention. The band 
plays too loudly for some of her 
selections, drowning out the words 
of her songs from time to time. 

Miss McVey, who is slight and 
wears a pony tail hairdo, should 
be able to slip into a child’s pina- 
fore and provide a switch by de- 
livering numbers with a youngster 
angle. 

Anna & Julio are Latino dancers 
who offer some apache, samba and 
tango imd acro-dancing. 

Marc Leonard, baritone, 
handsome youngster with a 
agreeable voice. He sings 
with the orch and with the 
Latter is flashily costumed. 


Using a "This Is Your Life” 
framework, his wife very effec- 
tively handling the offstage mike 
narralion, the singer unleashes a 
liberal stint of boffo showmanship 
teeing off with "I Was Made for 
New York.” As his wife unreels his 
show' biz story, MacRae vocalizes 
"Begin the Beguine,” a moving 
"You’ll Never Walk Alone.” the 
sprightly "Swanee,” and "Yankee 
Doodle Dandy.” a la George M. 
Cohan, a brace of pops, and a 
couple of tunes from his pix. As a 
change of pace he inserts "Tea for 
Two” complete with soft shoe step- 
ping. Winds his topnotch sesh with 
"Oh, What a Beautiful Morning.” 
plus a pitch for his upcoming pic. 
"Oklahoma.” and the dramatic 
"Soliloquy” from "Carousel.” En- 
tire stint is strictly upper-level 
entertainment and draws hefty cus- 
tomer reaction throughout. 

Surrounding lineup is a’so in the 
groove, with the top hiitt action 
garnered by The Goetchis, three 
guys who perform amazing tricks 
on unicycles. Lola Dobritch scores 
with a slick sesh on the tight wire, 
featuring toe work, splits and the 
cancan, plus a bit of unicycle rid- 
ing. Miller & Gibson, a sepia mixed 
duo, are okay in a melange of hoof- 
ing and singing, with the femme 
member giving out with some 
nifty harp plunking. Bill gets under 
way with attractive Kathy Moore 
scoring nicely in a sesh of terping. 

As usual. Michael Gaylord’s crew 
cuts a slick show and Lou Weir 
takes over between band sets to 
pump out organ melodies. Elie. 


in the jazz world. Although suc- 
cessfully disguising the jazz quality 
of the duo by the genial bohemian 
intellectualism of the atmosphere, 
the jazz buffs will nonetheless find 
their way ahywhere, and this spot 
is learning. 

Miss Cain is a slender, smartly 
dressed and chic blonde vocalist 
who built a considerable rep in the 
i jazz world with Charlie Ventura. 
Her pianist-husband Roy Krai ac- 
companies her and adds his voice 
to the two-part harmony. They 
are slick, breezy, sophisticated and 
fresh as air on the night ciuo 
' circuit. Their songs are a deft 
blend of jazz phrasing and beat, 
with the nostalgia and schmaltz of 
I the obscure show tune and the 
evergreen love song. They handle 
themselves well on stage and 
create a pleasant, informal atmos- 
phere. 

Milton Kamens, whose humor is 
pretty far out. is nevertheless a 
comic with a definite attraction in 
clubs with an intellectual -audience. 
His bits on the mobile, the Modern 
I Museum and "air painting” are 
hilarious but would only get a 
blank stare from the tourist trade. 

! He has a nimble face which he uses 
to good effect in his gags, and 
handles the crowd very well, 
George Lemonte <see New Acts* is 
playing his first club date. Dub 
Johnson handles the various inter- 
mission and accompaniment chores 
competently on the piano. Rafe. 


Ai mil litis, Miami Beach 

Miami Beach. Jan. 30. 
Joey Bishop, Barry Sisters, An - 
tone A Iua,' Syd Stanley Orch; $3 

bcc. minimum. 


< lie/. <»ill«»N. Pari** 

Paris, Jan. 25. 

Jean Poiret & Michel Serrault 
Co. (7). Marottes « 3 » . Gilles A 
Vrfcr, Gerard Sety, Denise Benoit. 
Jacques Douai, Beatrice Moulin, 
Dick & Deck, 3 Milsons; $5 mini- 
mum. 


Though announced as a 
show, this is only half right 
of the previous acts are held 
in this supper boite, and 


new 

Most 

over 

only 


rarihe Billon. San Juan 

San Juan. Jan. 29. 
Nancy Evans, Nydia Souffrant, 
Elaine, Johnny Leighton Orch, 
Roberto Vaz Quintet; no com r or 
minimum. 


is a 
very 
solo, 
line, 
but 


weak on the dancing side. Two of 
the pieinbers also serve as show- 
girls to parade clothes. The Jack 
Corry orch plays for both the 
show and dansapation, with Corry 
emceeing. Loire. 


Lonf in<»nlal Cafe. MonTI 

Montreal, Jan. 28. 
Tohama, Les Drims (3), Leon 
Lachance. Line (6). Steve Fodor 
Orch (5»; $1 admission. 


llillmorc Howl. L. A. 

Los Angeles. Jan. 27. 
Mae Williams, Bobby Sargent, 
Consolo & Melba, Rudenko Bros., 
Hal Darwins Orch (10); $1-$1.50 
cover. 


Across the Biltmore boards may 
not pass the biggest stars on the 
saloon circuit, but for well-rounded 
entertainment and room enough to 
stretch the legs, agitaied or other- 
'\ise, the vast expanse of Joe 
Faber’s Bowl can be measured to 
any mood. For the ensuing six 
weeks to top billing runs tandem 
to appease the taste for comedy 
and song. The ballroom dance 
team and the brother juggling act 
are standard bookings to "open and 

Pull in this layout is Mae 
williams, who has some local rep 
because of tv exposure and other 
prevjous sorties along the nitery 
tun. The comic is Bobby Sargent, 
)° doesn’t come off too well with 
M u ^ Hating” clientele. Consolo & 
tuba display the usual wares of 
°iped flourishes and the Rudenko 


Following a year or so of nonde- 
script shows and soso management, 
the original owner of the Conti- 
nental. Jack Horn, takes over. 
With his cafe knowhow, and new- 
comer Jean Sarosi as artistic di- 
rector. this 500-seater should re- 
gain. its former show level and 
popularity. 

As leadoff for their new policy, 
they bring back Tohama from 
Paris, and this sparkling chantoosie 
is a natural for fhe spot. A Dfecea 
artist in V ranee. Tohama has built 
her biggest rep outside of Paris 
with her belting song style and is 
a big fave via her platters through- 
out the Quebec province. Her 
short, bouncy figure, topped bv ex- 
pressive eyes and smile, keeps 
ringsiders attentive and at ease as 
she moves quickly from ballad to 
novelty with the minimum of chat- 
ter and few of the hoked-up Gallic 
grimaces. 

Tohama’s broad music hall man- 
ner is ingratiating at all times; 
her audience participation routines 
are never forced, and while no cafe 
society performer, the stix never 
nix this hep femme. 

Les Drims. a trio from 
i New Acts), score heavily 
Tohama’s entry with their 
impresh sets, and emcee 
Lachance keeps the show moving 
and does a song session for plau- 
dits. The pony line works hard 
but need obvious polishing and the 
house orch under Steve Fodor 
gives the show fair backing. 

Newt. 


The Hilton chain in Puerto Rico 
clings to its class lines prevailing 
on most units of the outfit. The 
aim of manager William Land in 
this room is to conduct a supper- 
club operation with dancing. It’s 
an effective combination, especial- 
ly since the room is able to get the 
early dinner trade, and keep them 
interested until showtime with a 
pair of orchestras. 

The Caribe was built by the 
Puerto Rican government and 
leased to the hotelier for a long 
term. The spot has been an island 
sensation since its preem. and has 
turned in heavy financial returns 
both to the Island government and 
to the management. The spot en- 
tices both commercial travelers 
and tourists. Patronage is from 
the native well-to-do citizenry as 
well as the mainlanders and the 
problem is to find an attraction of 
university appeal. Bookings alter- 
nate between Merrie Abbott, who 
provides U. S. entertainers, and 
manager Land, who sets native 
artists. Management feels that a 
lot of tour'sts like tke native color 
of the local entertainers, while the 
natives veer more to the imports. 

Current is Nancy Evans, a pleas- 
ant. charming singer who puts her 
numbers across handily. Miss 
Evans has an obviously cultivated 
voice which seems to be able to 
work in two metiers. For her pop 
work, she works in a mezzo regis- 
ter which provides a smooth and 
calm facade. Miss Evans, in this 
vein, hits it off well, especially in 
the stints with a migatory mike. 
She establishes an easy affable 
mood and keeps it there until her 
finale, which she devotes to a 
coloratura rendition of "Ciri Biri 
Bin.” She’s off potently. 

The dance work by the main 
orch. the Johnny Leighton crew, 
and the relief by the Roberto Vaz 
Quintet have a pair of vocalists al- 
ternating to maintain variety. Ny- 
dia Souffrant and the single- 
monickered Elaine help maintain 
the class atmosphere with the sub- 
dued vocals. Jose. 


Spain 

before 

clever 

Leon 


l’ur|»li k Onion. 

San Francisco. Jan. 20. 
Jackie Cain & Roy Krai, Milton 
Kamens, George Lemonte, Dub 
Johnson; $1 admission. 


about half of them have added new 
turns to their rep. Spot remains a 
popular eatery-nitery and gives a 
big batch of acts which have 
enough high points to please. 
Though Gilles has introed much 
new talent to the scene here, he 
has not been too successful this 
round with two ordinary offbeat 
warblers. However, his regulars 
supply enough yocks to keep biz, 
SRO. 

Denise Bonoit stays in the 1900s 
category with her dress a la Yvette i 
Guilbert and her tremulous ditties. ; 
Pleasing, but this pert blonde 
needs a new slant and added fillip , 
to keep interest high. Dick & ; 
Deck are a prodigious memory act j 
who previously had one of them 
reciting any passage from the 
Fables of La Fontaine at will, and ; 
who can how do the same with five 
French classical plays. Using j 
props, he essay* every role by j 
hearing a few lines from any mem- 1 
ber of the aud. This is warmly 
mi t ted. 

The Marottes (3) are a clever 
puppet act with imaginative ca- 
vort ings on a minuscle area on 1 
the stage. Highpoint is a capri- j 
cious caterpillar's encounter with | 
a snail. Creative handling and 
voicing, plus eye-catching dolls, 
makes this an ususual entry worth 
a possible looksee for U. S. vaude. 
nitery or tv slanting. 

Gerard Sety is back with a new 
set of transformations in which he j 
becomes such things as a samurai 
warrior, an Arab, a bellydanceh^yl 
Crusader and other assorted mc-1 
dieval characters by bright manip- 
ulation of his clothing. Backed by 
witty patter, this is a fine, original j 
act and one of the best of its kind 
in circulation today. The 3 Mil- | 
sons rate a New Act tag on origi- 
nality and U. S. possibilities. 

Gilles & Urfer give a chanson - 1 
nier series of songs and patter i 
based on their Swiss origin and. 
though chuckly in spots, remains 
too neutral in others to make this 
a purely local bet. Newcomers 
Jacques Douai and Beatrice Mou- 
lin are in the dramatico-song syn- 
drome. Both are too derivative o.‘ 
past masters and neither has the 
voice power or imaginative interp 
necessary for this type of songalog. 

High point of show remains the 
Jean Poiret & Michel Serrault Co. 
'7) who do two hilarious skits 
leavened by devastating observa- 
tion and timing. First is a takeoff 
on prison writers kowtowed to by 
cravening guards, and the other is 
a repeat of their rib-tickling satire 
on highbrow film direction into 
which the aud is dragged for bowl 
results. Prices are steep, but this 
looks like it will keep as a pop 
spot. A/os’«. 


Although a good many qf the 
hotel cafes are suffering the same 
boxofTice blues many of the 
straight niteries are undergoing, 
this dow ntownery’s DrPtw’ood 
Room remains one of the hottest 
s;:o’.s along the oeeanlront with its 
weekly change of acts on a one- 
s.iow-a-night policy. Noteworthy is 
t e fact that the bookings here are 
usually the type of act dated by 
the Copacabnna in New' Y’ork as 
the top supporter on big-name 
shows. 

Typical is the current parlay, 
Joey Bishop and the Barry Sisters. 
Bishop plays here regularly and 
with good reason — lie’s a strong 
pul'er-mner. Working at a fast clip 
that sometimes obscures the laugh 
loud contained, he belts out a fast 
and furious series of one-liners and 
shorties that keeps them yo king 
it up. The type of aud at racted 
goes tor this borscht bolt comedies, 
the East Indian spellbinder, break- 
down of song-lyrics, and Ted Lewis 
takeoff' strong items, in what is, 
overall, a solid act lor this spdt. 

The Barry Sisters, playing a re- 
turn engagement, movt into the 
palm-earning bracket qu ; ck!y via a 
clever opening. "Where Is My Sis- 
ter." and keep building with 
straight and comedy lined compos. 
In the latter department they 
score handily with a barbed bit on 
Bahs Hutton’s and Doris Duke’s 
difficulties in holding a man. The 
assortment is artfully devised to 
accent their aptitude for close har- 
mony and flair for tossing the 
comedy-lyric line. Off to big re- 
sponse and have to return for en- 
cores. which feature ballndinrs. 

Anto'ne & Ina, on for a brief tee- 
off. sit well with their ballroom- 
ology. Syd Stanley and his group 
are among the better showback 
units around, as well as on the 
dansapation end. Lary. 


Bar of Mii«l«». L. A. 

Los Angeles. Jan. 20. 
Pantomaniacs < 2 * , Oscar Car- 
tier, Geri Galian Orch (6); Sat. 

min., $2. 


Current setup at the Bar of Mu- 
sic is long on impersonations. Reg- 
ulars at this Bevbou ’ snot seem 
to have acquired a fondness for 
this type of nitery sporl, and it’s 
i ladled out by both acts. The Panto- 
man acs. record pantomimists, and 
Oscar Cartier, a single, to fre- 
quently loop the ringsiders. 

Pantomaniacs, consisting of 
Dwight and Derek Allwyn. have 
been making the rounds locally 
for the past year as a brother 
team. Dwight previously having 
worked both as a single and with 
another partner. They work well 
together, but the bright spots are 
when Dwight, with his greater 
sense of comedy and his near- 
perfect timing, goes it alone. High- 
light probably of the first show 
opening night was his stunting 
of Eartha Kitt warbling "C’Est Si 
Bon.” and again as Jimmy Durante 
making with "I’m the Guy Who 
Found the Lost Chord.” 

Together, they’re standouts in 
a takeoff of Mary Martin and 
Arthur Godfrey doing "Go to 
Sleep,” and as Stan Freberg in 
the novelty “John and Marsha.” 
Mel Tonne, John Raitt and John 
Charles Thomas are other offer- 
ings. 

Carrier, starting cold, soon gets 
the attention of his crowd, and 
gives comic emphasis to Ins mi- 
micking of such names as Walter 
Brennan. Ronald Colman. Charles 
Boyer. Peter Lorre and others. His 
stock is large enough so that he 
gives out with an entirely different 
routine for the second nightly 
show. First-nighters also gave him 
a big hand. 

On the music end. Geri Galian 
fondles the ivories with fine under- 
standing of the tastes of the pa- 
trons. and his orch also provides 
handsome rhythm for those dance- 
indined. Nitery started a new 
policy with this frame; the S2 mini- 
mum i Saturdays T5nlv) includes 
food. * Whit. 


A subterreanean. tight little 
room on the main stem of Frisco’s 
Bohemia. North Beach, this offbeat 
intellectual spot has had consid- 
erable success with homegrown 
odd-ball talent for the past year. 
With Jackie Cain and Roy Krai, it' 
is making its first bit for attention 


Move Lawrence Switzer 
To Boston Sheraton HQ 

Washington, Feb. 1. 
Lawrence C. Switzer has been 
appointed assistant director of ad- 
vertising and public relations for 
Sheraton Hotel chain in the 


‘Follies’ 275G, Cleve. 

Cleveland. Feb. 1. 

"Ice Follies of 1955” caught a 
bumper $275,000 (net after taxes) 
in 17 performances at the Cleve- 
land Arena, with two sellouts. 

Take surpassed last year’s figures j 


by $4,000. 


the 

U. S. and Canada. He’s moving to 
Boston today 1 1 >, after 11 months 
as head of publicity for the Shera- 
ton-Park and Sheraton-Carlton Ho- 
tels, in. Washington. Switzer, a 
World War II Marine Corps officer, 
is a graduate of Duke University. 
At college, he had his own dance 


j band, the "Kampus Klubmen.” 


70 


LEGITIMATE 


Wednesday, February 2, 1935 


Lionel, the Philosophical Barrymore 

Chicago. 

Editor, Variety: 

What could be timelier than the folloicing 49-year old words said 
by young Lionel Barrymore when he was playing the part of the 
puf/ilist < fashioned after Kid McCoy \ in Augustus Thomas' ‘ The 
Other Girl.” 

This is part of an interview by Ashton printed in the San Fran- 
cisco Examiner on April 16, 1905. 

Kay Ashton Stevens. 

By ASHTON STEVENS 

We were talking of the Great Actoi in the greatest sense of great- 
ness. and were agreed that he did not exist, when Lionel Barrymore 
leaned over the table in the St. Francis cafe and said this: 

“To be great, an actor must be a sublime egotist. I myself may be 
a sublime egotist in saying that I have no hope of attaining to greatness, 
but after all that is neither here nor there for you want an opinion 
and 1 am trying to express myself. 

“The Great Actor always must act. He must make a ceremony of 
waking up in the morning. He must sit in his room and act so that 
his w hole body vibrates to the 'thrill of it Forever he must be a poseur. 
To the very last second of his life it must be pose and posture . He 
must be such a poseur as to be blinded against all rational points of 
view'. He must live in roles and love them. He must be another fellow. 

•‘Ridicule must pass him by. If by chance it grazes him, the Great 
Actor must view it with pitying kindness. His last week’s failure must 
be more than forgot — it never happened. 

“Above all the Great Actor must have no sense of humor. When 
he looks at himself in the minor he must do so through a telescope. 

“And everything admirable that he reads or sees or hears must 
be his. Let the most profound, the most classic line fall from his 
lips, and he must be unconscious of the fact that he is not the author 
of it.” 

Mr. Barrymore slouched back in his chair and opened another box 
of cigarets. In another day his famously witty father might have 
said what the son said. But the Big Brother of the Barrymores uttered 
it in another manner — without smile, satire or bitterness. He was 
serious. 

He is a serious man that saves himself from the penalty by taking 
things casually. But when I commented to that effect, he said: 

“It’s all very well not to take yourself seriously, but when the first 
night comes and the audience shufTlcs in and the orchestra scrapes 
the overture — Oh! — It’s a nightmare. It takes me two nights to know 
what happened on the first." 

On Reviews 

I suggested that the morning papers might serve the intelligence 
earlier, but he laughed them down with laughter that was hearty and 
honest and forthright. “Good notices in the papers are valuable and 
instructive in this way. They help you in your beliefs about yourself." 
“While bad notices ?” 

“Bad notices disturb you." he said, calmly. “Many of them, pointed 
in the same direction, are apt to make you unhappy, and what’s more, 
they’re apt to alter your performance. Unless a man is the Great 
Actor himself, he cannot stand continuous pen-pricking on one spot. 
But as a whole I regard newspaper criticism as befuddling, unless” — 
and he laughed — “all the criticisms are ‘good.’ Not, however, but 
what I realized" — and here he laughed again — “how beneficial to the 
audience they are." 

You will find Lionel Barrymore lacking in many of the qualities 
that he prescribes for the Great Actor. You will find him^bracingly 
honest and with as much heart as’mind. He is more than the foremost 
American character actor of his years, for they are hardly 27: yet 
you can embarrass him with a mention of the starship that gradually 
has come to him during the success of Mr. Thomas’ unusual and timely 
comedy of manners. (“The Other Girl ”) 

“When you speak of stars, remember that I have yet to face Broad- 
way in the capacity of one. Clyde Fitch is making a play of Alfred 
Henry Lewis’ ‘Wolfville.’ In which I’ll have my New York coming 
out; and the thought of the opening gives me — ” He inhaled the rest 
in smoke. “I mean that being the whole table d’hote instead of the 
entree puts you hard against it for nervousness.” 

On Billing 

“When you first saw your name in bigger type than the play, how 
did you feel?” 

“Guilty. In character work such as I’ve been doing lately, things 
are apt to come your way easily. That’s where character work differs 
so from straight leading business. People don’t know how hard leading 
business is. I’ve done it < in another Thomas play, ‘Arizona,’) and failed 
utterly; for which I thank heaven. The leading man is the most abused 
creature in the world. He has to carry the whole play. He not only 
is, but he must tell, the whole story. Almost invariably his part is 
long and bad. And usually when it is at its worst, the character man 
comes on with a selected situation and captures the works. 

“I daresay that I know less about acting than any other man in the 
business, because practically all the time since I was a kid I’ve been 
on the stage, winter and summer, and have had very few' chances to 
sit in front of performances. But I do know' what the character part, 
as it is being written today, can do to the leading part, and — I don’t' 
think it matters much who plays the character part." 

Not knowing his drift I had to laugh For here was a man that 
had worked, had invented, for every success of his life. I talked about 
the work. He was less enthusiastic. 

‘Not As Clever As John’ 

“I suppose I have worked.” he said; “I’m not as clever as my brother 
Jack, who can’t help but get along. <1 remember one day my father 
asked. ‘Who killed King Arthur?’ and before I could get in with my 
strictly truthful answer, Jack was there with ‘Henry Irving . ‘j But my 
work has been largely subconscious. I’ve never had that good and 
proper feeling that comes from a good day’s work — that is to say, I 
can’t nail anything.” v 

“What do you want?” said I. “You’re less than 27 and a star and 
Lionel Barrymore — and there’s no reason for not believing that you 
would have done as well by the name of Smith.” 

"Especially if there were three or four Smiths in the same line,” 
* he came back. 

Amusement impelled me to ask him just how far he thought the 
Barrymore name carried, and with that came what he had been leading 
for. 

“How far willlhe name carry?” he said slowly. "Well, I’ll tell you 
something. I don’t know whether it is a wise thing for a man in my 
work to do, but I’ll tell you anyway, and bear this in mind. The 
contracts for this tour call for ‘The Other Girl’ company, not for the 
name ‘in,’ not even for the name ‘with’— just for ‘The Other Girl’ 
company, for I was featured and starred long after the contracts 
had been made. 

“\ou know my father died in the east while I was on the wav to 
California. I started at once and in time, I thought, for my father’s 
funeral, but I was too late. I came back barely in time for the opening 
in San Francisco. Meanwhile, ‘The Other Girl’ company appeared at 
Los Angeles. Our stage manager. Mr Marshall, a six-footer H’d like 
to have his inches), played my part, and was called not only ‘great’ 
but Barrymore!’ ” 

“The critics mistook him for you?” I gulped. 

• Aud ‘ ence an( * critics : an( l they called Lionel Barrymore great. And 
mind. Im not saying that Marshall wasn’t great. I guess Tully Mar- 
shall was damgood; that’s the answer. But — " 

say \ L ! oru ‘ l Barrymore is a serious man who takes himself 
casually, and right there he cut it off with a cigaret. 


Counting the House? 

William Saroyan, who’s re- 
garded as something of a char- 
acter, even among authors, 
made an unscheduled, unan- 
nounced arid un-dialog appear- 
ance at last Friday night’s 
(28) performance of the re- 
vival of his "The Time of Your 
Life," at the N. Y. City Cen- 
ter. 

Playwright, dressed in regu- 
lar street clothes and wearing 
a felt hat, was onstage at cur- 
tain rise, standing at the rear, 
at the bar of the San Francisco 
saloon setting. He just stood 
and watched, saying nothing, 
for about the first half-hour 
of the show', .then exited, still 
without saying anything. 

Since no announcement 
was made and no one identi- 
fied him, the audience appar- 
ently didn’t recognize him as 
Saroyan and. of course, one ec- 
centric character more or less 
aroused no comment about the 
play. 


Seed’ In Black 
On 7th N.Y. Week 


“Bad Seed” recouped its $78,000 
investment last week, its seventh 
on Broadway. Although film rights 
were recently sold to Warners for 
$300,000. the show got into the 
black without that added revenue. 

The Playwrights Co. production 
was financed at $65,000. plus $13.- 
000 overcall, according to a Jan. 1 
accounting. Cost to bring the show 
to New York was $60,016, including 
$14,400 tryout loss and $1,859 pre- 
opening expense. Gross for the 
four-week. 27-performance tryout 
was $43,561. 

Gross for show’s first four weeks 
at the 46th Street Theatre. N. Y.. 
ending Jan. 1. was $115,820. Profit 
for that period totalled $29,554, 
leaving $30,462 to be recouped. 
Gross for the ensuing four weeks, 
ending last Saturday (29), totalled 
approximately $128,800. putting 
the show into the black last week. 

As of the Jan. 1 accounting, 
investors had been paid back $26.- 
000, representing one-third of their 
stake, leaving a sinking fund bal- 
ance of $11,358 at that time. The 
Maxwell Anderson play, based on 
William Marsh’s novel of the same 
title, can gross $37,000 a week at 
capacity, and has been averaging 
around $33,500 in recent weeks. 
Nancy Kelly stars in the produc- 
tion. 


Show Biz Toppers Aid In 
Yale’s Tuner Collection; 
Lieberson to Chairman 

New Haven. Feb. 1. 

Top show' biz figures have been 
named to a special Yale University 
Library committee to assist the uni- 
versity in building up a collection 
on —musical theatre. Longrange 
plans also include a critical and en- 
cyclopedic history of the American 
musical stage from its origins to 
the present. 

The committee, as announced by 
James T. Babb, Yale Librarian, 
will be chairmaned by Goddard 
Lieberson, exec veepee of Colum- 
bia Records. Others include Cole 
Porter. Yale ’13; Harold Rome, 
Yale ’29; Noel Coward, Ira Gersh- 
win, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Ham- 
merstein 2d, Frank Loeser, Mrs. 
Eva Kern Byron, widow of Jerome 
Kern; actress Lotte Lenya Weill- 
Davis, widow of Kurt Weill, and 
Max Dreyfus, president of Chap- 
pell and Co. 

The Yale collection of musical 
show scores, books, recordings and 
memorabilia was formed last year. 
The collection is now housed in the 
Sterling Memorial Library along 
with other special collections, in- 
cluding the Walpole, Boswell and 
Franklin papers# 


Yorke-Savage Barn 

Toronto, Feb. 1. 
Broadway general and compa 
manager John Yorke and A1 
Savage, radio-television director 
Coekfield-Brown, Canadian 
agency, have formed a partners! 
to operate the off-beat Garden C 
Centre at Vineland, Ont., this su 
mer. The 438-seat strawhat set 
near Niagara Falls, includes a 1 
i tel. motel, swimming pool and b 
Savage will retain his ad exe< 
1 tive spot. 


Inside Stuff-Legit . 

Broadway circles were amused this week at a veiled personal ref- 
erence in a “Man About Manhattan” column by John McClain, drama 
critic of the N. Y. Journal-American. Writing of the recent play- 
wrights-versus-critics flurry over the Sam and Bella Spewack comedy, 
“Festival," the critic noted that the show had been about to fold, and 
added, “But then a savior appeared on the premises, a lady ot na- 
tional note and affluence who was interested in protecting the in- 
vestment of at least one of the show’s angels. She came up with 
something in the' neighborhood of $20,000 cash, remarking as she 
signed the check that the critics could collectively don cement kimonas 
and plunge into tiie East River. Who needed them?” 

This apparently referred to Marion Davies, who reportedly had 
joined her nephew. Charles Loderer, producer of “Kismet,” which they 
both have large financial slakes, in advancing the extra coin for ihe 
Spewack play. What intrigued the trade was the fact that the Hearsi- 
owned Journal-American had thus referred to the longtime friend 
and companion of the sheet’s founder and former publisher, the late 
William Randolph Hearst. It seemed to confirm reports that Miss 
Davies, once a particularly sacred cow in the Hearst papers, has been 
in disfavor since the publisher’s d^ath and the settlement of her in- 
herited interest in the Hearst publications. 

Also of interest to tne trade last week was an editorial in the N. Y. 
World-Telegram, whose critic, William Hawkins, had been the sole 
first-stringer to praise “Festival," supporting the Spewacks’ agitation 
to keep the show alive. The editorial concluded with the following 
barb, “A lot has been written about what is w-rong with the theatre in 
New York. Could it be that too often good plays are forced to close 
because of hasty and not fully considered appraisals by morning paper 
critics who have to write their stints in about an hour to make the last 
edition?" Trade circles figured the W-T editorial brass was sticking 
its neck out. 


“Plain and Fancy.” which bowed last Thursday (27) at the Mark 
Hellinger, N. Y. has had an up-and-down path to Broadway. Starting 
with a straight play about the Amish, by Marion Weaver, it was con- 
sidered for production, but was finally dropped by Richard Kollmar 
and James W. Gardiner in favor of a musical. When the song-and- 
dance edition was completed, the producers had a back-breaking time 
raising the necessary capital, and ultimately Yvette Schumer, wife 
of theatrical trucker Henry Schumer. was brought in as associate. 
Preliminary rumor on the musical tended to be unfavorable, but from 
its initial New Haven breakin, reports were progressively enthusiastic 
until expectations for the Broadway preem became a bit excessive. 
As it is, Anthony B. Farrell’s Mark Hellinger apparently has its big- 
gest success, but ironically will have to relinquish it in a few weeks 
to the previously-booked Winter Garden. 


Legit Bits 


Novelist-tv scripter Gore Vidal 
has authored a comedy, "The Ways 
of Love.” to be tried out this spring 
at the Bermudiana Theatre. Ham- 
ilton. Bermuda . . . “Inherit the 
Wind," Jerome Lawrence-Robert 
E. Lee drama about the Scopes 
“monkey” trial, will be produced 
on Broadway by Herman Shumlin 
and Margo Jones, opening April 
11. Shumlin will stage the play, 
which was recently a sellout click 
at Miss Jones’ Theatre ’55. Dallas. 
Shumlin is currently in Paris to 
seek one of the male leads. 

George Eckert, production stage 
manager of the Paper Mill Play- 
house, Millburn, N. J.. is doing a 
two-w'eek hitch of active Army 
duty as 1st Lt. in the Special Serv- 
ices, at Ft. Jay, Governor’s Island, 
N.Y. . . . Howard Lindsay has writ- 
ten a special comedy sketch to be 
presented tonight (Wed.) at the 
seventh annual Roosevelt Day din- 
ner of Americans for Democratic 
Action, at the Commodore Hotel, 
N.Y. Cast of the piece will in- 
clude the author and his actress- 
wife, Dorothy Stickney, ex-actress 
Martha Hodge and novelist Cleve- 
land Amory. 

Producer Walter Starcke re- 
turned from England last week 
with word that Moira Shearer is 
touring the British provinces as 
star of “I Am a Camera" . . . Jan 
Ferrand has taken over as featured 
femme lead in the pre-Broadway 
touring “Tonight in Samarkand," 
succeeding Felicia Montalegre, who 
withdrew' because of approaching 
motherhood. Miss Montalegre is 
the wife of composer-conductor 
Leonard Bernstein. 

Because of the high budget in- 
volved, Alexander H. Cohen and 
Ben Mardcn dropped tentative 
plans to transfer the recent N.Y. 
City Center revival of “Time of 
Your Life” to Broadway for a com- 
mercial run . . . John C. Wilson 
will stage the musical version of 
“Seventh Heaven.” to costar Gloria 
DeHaven and Ricardo Montalban 
. . . Frank Finklehoffe will direct 
the musical, “Ankles Aweigh,” 
which he will co-produce with 
Howard Hoyt and Reginald Ham- 
merstein. 

Mary K. Frank has optioned the 
rights to Alan Paton’s novel, “Too 
Late the Phalarope,” and is hav- 
ing it dramatized by an undis- 
closed writer for production next 
fall. Meanwhile, she has post- 
poned until next season plans for 
the production of Kathleen Win- 
sor’s “America, With Love," and 
has dropped her option on the 
Hermione Gingold - Mel Dinelli 
comedy, “Abracadabra." Mrs. 
Frank planed to London last 
week to try to persuade the Lord 
Chamberlain to rescind his ban on 
a British production of Robert 
Anderson’s “Tea and Sympathy," 
which she co-produced on Broad- 
way with the Playwrights Co. 

Guthrie McCllfntic and Stanley 
Gilkey, already planning a spring 


production of Edith Somer’s “A 
Roomful of Roses,” have also op- 
tioned “A for Adult,”. by the au- 
thoress' husband, Robert Soder- 
berg, for production next fall . . . 
Paul Hartman will star in Romeo 
Muller’s farce, “Angel with the 
Big, Big Ears,” to be produced this 
spring by ex-actresses Lesley Sav- 
age and Muriel Campbell, with 
Don Hershey staging. 

William Jakob, formerly treas- 
urer of the N. Y. City Center, 
heads the boxoffice staff at the 
Holiday, N. Y. ... Jule Styne, re- 
turning the financing of his post- 
poned production of George Axel- 
rod’s “Tinsel Town," is signing the 
checks in blood. Pending further 
revisions, he now plans to d<T the 
comedy next fall . . Lauritz Mel- 
chior will again star as the Sultan 
in “Arabian Nights,” Guy Lom- 
bardo’s summer musical spectacle 
at the Jones Beach IN. Y.) Amphi- 
theatre. 

American actor-director Sam 
Wanamaker, now a resident of 
London, will have the male lead, 
opposite Eva Bartok, in “The Lov- 
ers.” a dramatization of Emil© 
Zola's novel, “Therese Raquin,” 
which Wanamaker and Jack de 
Leon will try out at the Lyceum, 
Edinburgh, opening Feb. 21. 

Reginald Denenholz, associate 
to pressagent Bill Fields, leaves 
today for a two-week Paint Beach 
vacation ..Jay Lurye will take 
over the touring “South Pacific” 
on an overall package lease deal 
for engagements in Duluth; Hib- 
bing, Minn.; St. Paul, and Green 
Bay. Wis., the last two weeks in 
February. 


Current London Shows 

London. Feb. 1. 

(Figures denote premiere dates) 

Airs Shoestring, Royal Ct. (4-22-53). 

All For Mary, Duke York (9 9-34). 
Beatrice Lillie, Globe (11 -24 54). 

Bell, Book, Candle, Phoenix (10 5 54). 
Book of Month, Cambridge (10-2154). 
Both Ends Meet, Apollo (6-9-54>. 

Boy Friend, Wyndham’s (12-1-53). 
Can-Can, Coliseum (10-14-54). 

Crazy Gang, Vie. Pal. (12-16-54). 

Dry Rot, Whitehall (8-31-54). 

Glass Clock, Aldwyeh (1-3 55). 

Hippo Dancing, Lyric (4-7-54). 

Intimacy At 1:30, Criterion <4 29 54). 
King and I, Drury Lane (10-8-53). 
Matchmaker, Haymarket (11-4-54). 
Mousetrap, Ambas. (11-25-52). 

Night of Ball, New Theatre (1-12 53). 
Old Vic Rep, Old Vic (99 54). 

Relations Apart, Garrick. (8-3-54). 

Rules of Game, Arts (1-13-55). 

Salad Days, VaudevUle (8-5-54). 

Separate Tables, St. James's (9 22-54). 
Sholom Aleichem, Embassy (1-11-55). 
Simon A Laura, Strand (11-24-54). 
Spider's Web, Savoy (12-14-54). 

Talk of Town, Adelphi (11-17-54). 
Teahouse Aug. Moon, Her MaJ. (4 22 54). 
Wedding in Paris, Hipp. (4-3-54). 


SCHEDULED OPENINGS 

Vicious Circle, New Water (2-1-55). 
Crime of Canyon Wayd, "Q" (2-1 55). 
Devil in Villago, Stoll (2-3 55). 

St. Joan, St. Martin’s <2-8 53). 
Ghostwriters, Arts (2-9-55). 


CLOSED LAST WEEK 
Joyce Grenfell, St. Mart. (6-2-54). 
Richard II, Old Vic <1 18 55>. 

Witness Prosecution, W. Card. (10 28 33). 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 


71 


Midwest Sees Late-Season Spurt 
With 6 More Bookings Promised 


Minneapolis, Feb. 1. 

Legit dawn may be breaking for 
Minneapolis and other midwest 
cities. After a discouraging early- 
season with few and minor book- 
ings, local managers have been 
promised a late-season splurge of 
touring shows. 

In a letter from the Theatre 
Guild- American Theatre Society 
headquarters in New York, six or 
more Broadway hits are mentioned 
as prospective items for the spring 
semester at the Lyceum, local legit 
stand, and other midwest subscrip- 
tion cities. Lowell Kaplan. Ly- 
ceum manager, received a copy of 
the missive. 

Current season’s acute shortage 
of tourers was the subject of a re- 
cent special emergency meeting of 
the Council of the Living Theatre 
executive board and the Guild- 
ATS, the letter revealed. "As you 
know, it is the responsibility of the 
CLT. under our agreement, to 
provide attractions for the road,” 
it read. "Everyone present was 
pledged to give every possible aid 
to securing plays, although it was 
recognized that the only solution is 
to increase the supply of produc- 
tions moving out of New York. 

“ ‘The Tender Trap’ is the most 
recent step in this direction. As 
you undoubtedly know, the show 
closed in New York, but was taken 
over by the producing firm of 
Arthur Waxman, Jay Lurye & 
Bernard Simon. Through their ef- 
forts the production has been kept 
alive and recast with actors we feel 
are a real improvement over the 
New York company. We held up 

(Continued on page 74) 

Minneapolis Theatre: 

Local Drama Outfits, 
Press and TV Critics 

Minneapolis. Feb. 1. 

* The legit-conscious Twin Cities 
area, already on a reducing diet of 
touring Broadway shows in recent 
seasons, is now down to a largely 
vicarious form of thealregoing. 
Aside from local college and little 
theatre shows, the "drama” con- 
sists mostly of newspaper stories 
and columns, plus tv comment. 

Perhaps the bulk of the theatri- 
cal fare is provided by local tele- 
caster Philip Gelb, who makes pe- 
riodic plane trips to New York to 
cover the shows and report on 
them on his program, and John K. 
Sherman. Minneapolis Star drama 
critic-editor, w’ho makes one ambi- 
tious Broadway trek a year and 
writes an extended series of re- 
views when he returns. 

Gelb, a U. of Minnesota faculty 
member, conducts a once-weekly 
15-minute "Drama Critic” tv show 
on WMIN-TV. He is also a play- 
wright who has had several scripts 
produced by the U. of M. Theatre 
and local little theatre groups. 
Sherman’s early-spring trip to 
Broadway usually spreads over two 
weeks and hi$ resultant series of 
columns generally cover 15 to 18 
of what he considers the outstand- 
ing show's. 

In addition to "covering” the 
Broadw ay -theatre on his tv pro- 
grams, Gelb also discusses local 
theatrical events, little theatre and 
university offerings and the drama 
and stage generally. He takes a 
somewhat lofty attitude as a drama 
critic, but apparently it doesn’t pre- 
vent him from enlisting a consider- 
able audience of theatre-conscious 
setowners. 

He has announced that he’ll re- 
fuse to "think down” to his air au- 
dience. For example, when "Har- 
vey” recently was presented by one 
of the local little theatre groups 
and he reviewed the play and per- 
formance, he explained the com- 
edy’s popularity by the similarities 
of its characters to those in Reis- 
man’s sociological study, "The 
Lonely Crowd,” Camus’ novel, 
"The Stranger,” and Andreyev’s 
short story, “Phantom.” 


British Prospects Lean; 

No 2d Binghamton Barn 

Gail Hillson, operator of the 
Triple Cities Playhouse, Bingham- 
ton, N. Y., returned virtually 
empty-handed last w r eek from a 
show-shopping trip to London. She 
saw 24 plays and read 46 scripts, 
but unearthed only one possible 
vehicle. If it can be rewritten to 
her satisfaction, she’ll produce it 
at her strawhat during the summer 
of 1956. 

i Recent announcement that the 
Triple Cities area 'would have a 
; second barn this summer, the Bing- 
hamton Theatre, was apparently 
erroneous. According to local au- 
thorities. the Binghamton house 
isn’t available for summer stock 
operation. Announcement of the 
strawhat project were issued last 
week by Irving Strouse, of the 
Stage & Arena Guild of America. 


Town’ Will Close 

On 195G Profit 


Profit on "Wonderful Town” will 
be about $195,000 when show 

winds up its road trek at the 
Shubert Theatre, Philadelphia, 
i next Saturday < 5). The Robert 
; Fryer musical, which had 'a 556- 
performance run on Broadway, 
has been touring since last July 7. 
It was originally capitalized at 
$250,000. 

As of a Jan. 8 accounting, the 
Carol Channing starrer lost $16,229 
on tour, which reduced a $211,448 
| profit from the N. Y. run to $195,- 
219. However, a $3,191 advance 
royalty on Jack Hylton's contem- 
' plated London production brought 
the total profit to $198,410. 

Gross for the four weeks ending 
Jan. 8 was $136,213, with profit 
for the period totalling $6,093. 
Distributed profit as of that date 
was $150,000. with a $48,410 bal- 
ance, including bonds. Gross for 
the succeeding three weeks, ending 
last Saturday (29), was $98,600, 
which should bring in a slight 
profit. However, closing expenses 
will probably reduce the total net 
profit to around the $195,000 figure. 

"Town” preemed at the Winter 
Garden Theatre, N. Y., Feb. 25, 
1953, with Rosalind Russell as star. 
The mbsical, with book by Jerome 
Chodorov and Joseph Fields, tunes 
by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics 
by Betty Comden and Adolph 
Green, was based on Ruth 
McKenney’s New Yorker mag 
sketches, which previously pro- 
vided the basis of the straight 
comedy, "My Sister Eileen.” also 
adapted by Chodorov and Fields. 


Looked in Vain 

Editor, Variety: 

"Memoir Lane,” huh? Re- 
member me? There’s a lovely 
book called "How Young You 
Look!” which surely rates men- 
tion, even among what you call 
the "just fair ratings.” And not 
to be too self-eulogizing, it 
wasn't a bad book either! 

Sorrowfully yours, 

Peggy Wood. 


Supreme Court: 
Shubert Trust 
Suit to Trial 


Washington, Feb. 1. 

The U. S. Supreme Court ruled 
against the Shuberts yesterday 
<Mon.». That means that the Gov- 
ernment’s anti-trust case against 
the Shuberts must go to trial. 

Supreme Court ruling reversed 
a lower court dismissal of the 
Dept, of Justice suit. The high 
tribunal ruled that the Interstate 
operation of legit theatres and 
booking of legit shows are subject 
to the anti-trust laws. The court 
acted unanimously. 

The decision entitles the Justice 
Dept, to an opportunity to prove 
its allegations that the Shubert 
interests are a monopoly in viola- 
tion of the She' man Act. The rul- 
ing does not. however, take any 
position on whether the Shubert 
interests are guilty of the viola- 
tion. That question was not before 
the tribunal. 

In the parallel, but separate, 
case involving the International 
Boxing Club of N. Y., the high 
court held that bigtime, profes- 
sional boxing is also subject to the 
anti-trust statutes. This seven-to- 
tw'o decision was based largely on 
the fact that promoters of bigtime 
fights sell motion picture rights 
to fights for interstate dissemina- 
tion, sell interstate broadcasting 
and telecast rights, and also sell 
interstate rights to large-screen 
theatre television. 

As in the Shubert case, the de- 
cision gives the Justice Dept, an 
opportunity to prove its monopoly 
allegations against the Internation- 
al Boxing Club. It does not rule 
on the merits of that suit. 

Both cases reached the Supreme 
(Continued on page 74) 


New Shubert Suit Threatens Breakup 
Of Empire, All Theatre Holdings 


Solon to Pitch Show Biz 
Law on Idle Insurance 

Albany, Feb. 1. 

Sen. Macnail Mitchell, whose 
district includes Times Square, 1 
N. Y., tofd Variety today (Tues.) | 
he would try to draft legislation i 
taking into consideration the pe- 
culiar problem of show business I 
people on unemployment insur- j 
ance.’ Having conferred Friday <28> 
with representatives of Equity and 
other organizations, Mitchell said 
he would discuss the matter with 
legislative leaders to determine 
what they thought could be done. 
It might be “two weeks" before he 
knew the result. 

Goal would be a bill recognizing j 
the unusual situation faced by per- 
formers "and still not open the 
door to abuses." Mitchell stressed 
"unemployment with actors is not 
seasonal.” 


Baylor Preems ‘Drummer’ 

Waco, Texas, Feb. 1. 

‘‘A Different Drummer,” new 
comedy by Gene McKinney, was 
premiered last Friday (28) by the 
Baylor U. Theatre here. Paul 
baker staged the show for his col- 
h agues. a professor of playwriting 
on college drSma faculty. 

1’lay will be given 10 more per- 
formances through Feb. 19. 


ETHEL BARRYMORE HIT 
IN N.Y. MUSEUM EXHIB 

It’s open season on Ethel Barry- 
more. The star, whose memoirs are 
being run serially in the Ladies 
Home Journal prior to publication 
in book form, is also the subject of 
a special theatre exhibition being 
held at the Museum of the City of 
N.Y. Tagged "Ethel Barrymore and 
Her Career,” the exhibit had its 
public preem last Wednesday (29) 
and is skedded to run through next 
summer. 

Museum display is an interesting 
pictorial biography, covering all 
aspects Of Miss Barrymore’s acting 
career. Included in the exhibit are 
legit handbills, dating back to the 
1890’s, photos, jewelry and gowns 
worn by Miss Barrymore in vari- 
ous productions, two portraits of 
the actress and a selection of cari- 
catures. 

Beginning with the actress’ ini- 
tial N.Y. appearance in 1895 in 
"That Imprudent Young Couple,” 
the exhibit records her legit ap- 
pearances through "Embezzled 
Heaven” in 1944, which was her 
last Broadway show'. Stills from 
films in which she appeared and 
pictures related to radio programs 
on which she was heard are also on 
view. Family photos and a run- 
down of her theatrical family tree 
are other display items. 

Exhibit is cuffo. 


BREWERY THEATRE BID 
STIRS TORONTO YOWL 

Toronto, Feb. 1. 

Offer of O'Keefe’s brewery to 
build a $12,000,000 theatre for To- 
ronto has brought immediate blue- 
nose protest, though project is sup- 
ported by the city fathers and 
press editorials. Deal of E. P. Tay- 
lor, the brewery topper, is that the 
civic authorities provide a mid- 
town site, the latter by expropria- 
tion. 

Ownership would be vested in a 
non-profit foundation to be known 
as O'Keefe Centre, and be man- 
aged by a board of trustees on 
which the city council would be 
represented. Howl has gone up in 
protest of a brewery’s name being 
permanently connected with the 
project, however, though city offi- 
cials have unanimously recom* 
mended acceptance of the offer so 
that construction may be under- 
taken as soon as possible. 

The O’Keefe proposal came si- 
multaneously with the announce- 
ment of plans for two other thea- 
tres for Toronto. The Canadian 
National Exhibition plans a new 
$3,300,000 Womens Building, to in- 
clude a theatre for year-round use, 
plus a convention auditorium seat- 
ing 8,000. Also, the Royal Con- 
servatory of Music. U. of Toronto, 
announced plans for a new music 
building which would include a 
theatre. 

On City Hall’s decision on the 
O’Keefe offer, the CNE will now 
have to drop its year-round theatre 
idea and revise architectural blue- 
prints, on the theory that there 
would be too much legit competi- 
tion. A few hours after the 
O’Keefe proposal, however, Boyd 
Neel, Royal Conservatory dean, 
offered the brewing company a 
campus site, with the suggestion 
that the new $12,000,000 theatre be 
combined with the university’s im- 
mediate intention to build a new 
music building. All of these would 
be midtown locations. 


Charles’ Takes To 
Road in 40G Red 


"Dear Charles.” which closed 
last Saturday (29) at the Mo- 
ioseo, N.Y., to go on the road, 
represents a deficit of around $40.- 
000 on an original investment of 
$75,000. The Richard Aldrich & 
Richard Myers (in association with 
Julius Fleischmann) production, 
starring Tallulah Bankhead, open- 
ed its tour last Monday* night (3) 
at the Shubert, Boston. 

For the eight weeks ended last 
Dec. 25. the Frederick Jackson- 
Marc-Gilbert Sauvajon-Alan Mel- 
ville comedy grossed a total of 
$169,591, including a high of $28.- 
422 for the week endt*d Nov. 13 and 
a low of $10,312 for the week end- 
ed Dec. 25? The operating profit 
for the period was $15,609. includ- 
ing $5,108 for the Nov. 13 stanza 
and $2,394 loss for the Dec. 25 
week. Incidentally, although the 
author royalty was waived for the 
losing weeks of Dec. 18 and Dec. 
25, Miss Bankhead continued to 
get her regular 15 r o of the gross 
(she will also get 25 r o of the 
eventual profits, if any). 

As of the Dec. 25 accounting 
"Dear Charles” had repaid $25,000 
to the backers on their $75,000 
investment. There was $5,189 pay- 
ment to the producers for addi- 
tional pre-opening expenses, which 
deducted from the $15,609 operat- 
ing profit for the period ended 
Dec. 25, leaving $36,025 to be re- 
couped as of that date. Figuring on 
losses for the ensuing four weeks 
ended last Saturday <29>, the ven- 
ture was ^bout $40,000 in the red 
w hen it ended its Broadway run. 

According to a statement issued 
to the backers, the $13,975 balance 
as of Dec. 25 included $15,356 
cash. $1,000 stagehands’ union 
bonds, less $2,381 accounts pay- 
able. 


Rreakup of the Shubert empire 
and liquidation of the Shubert the- 
atre holdings are seen threatened 
by a new suit over the late Lee 
Shubert’s estate. The action came 
to light last Monday <31 ) at ap- 
proximately the same time the 
U. S. Supreme Court ruled against 
the Shuberts in the Government’s 
antitrust suit. It was "Black Mon- 
day” for the Shuberts. 

Suit was filed in N. Y. Supreme 
Court by the deceased’s respective 
nephew and sister. Milton I. Shu- 
bert and Sylvia Wolfe Golde. Both 
are executors of Lee’s estate. De- 
fendants in the action are Lee’s 
nephew', Lawrence Shubert Law- * 
rence, Shubert attorney William 
Klein and Lee’s brother and sur- 
viving partner. J. J. Shubert. Law- 
rence and Klein are also executors 
of Lee’s estate. 

Plaintiffs are suing for an ac- 
counting of one-half of the partner- 
ship of the Shubert corporations, 
which is valued in excess of $35.- 
000.000. They want to ascertain as 
to Lee’s interest and how much it 
represents. J. J. has moved to 
dismiss the action, asking for a 
summary judgment. His motion 
is to come up later this month. 

Law'rence and Klein were named 
as defendants because they refused 
to join with the plaintiffs in re- 
questing an accounting. Plaintiffs 
are asking J. J. to pay them and 
"the other two executors (although 
they didn’t participate in the ac- 
(Continued on page 74) 


TAUB ON AFM CARPET 
OVER ARRANGER CLAIM 

William L. Taub. agent-producer 
whose difficulties following the re- 
cent fold of his "Hello Paree” on 
the road have been reported in a 
number of recent issues of 
Variety, has still a. other claim to 
square. Local 802 of the American 
Federation of Musicians had Taub 
on the carpet Jan. 25 and gave 
him until yesterday <Tues.) to set- 
tle some $1,590 still owed to Bernie 
Thall for musical arrangements. 
Taub had previously paid Thall 
about $2,000. 

Taub had been delaying hear- 
ings before the Manhattan local 
for some weeks and appeared, ac- 
companied by counsel, only after 
threat of being listed as "unfair.” 
He entered a general denial of the 
obligation, claiming he had not 
authorized the arrangements done 
by Thall. 

Taub appealed for time to adjust 
matters, but 802’s executive com- 
mittee was unimpressed by his as- 
sertion that he might soon sell the 
"Hello Paree” title to Metro for a 
Maurice Chevalier film. 


Signe Hasso Has No 
Collapse, But Sizzles 
At Ottawa Show Delay 

Ottawa, Feb. 1. 

Signe Hasso, guest-starring last 
week in "Candlelight” as the ini- 
tial stock production at the con- 
verted Globe Cinema here, did a 
burn at a phony tfpening night an- 
nouncement that she was ill, and 
let go a blast at what she described' 
as bad management. 

Curtain for the show was 40 
minutes late and it was announced 
from the stage that Miss Hasso 
had collapsed from over-rehearsal, 
but after treatment by a physician, 
w'ould be able to go on. Actress, 
obviously, in good health, said after 
the performance that she had not 
collapsed and that no doctor had 
been called, but that work of 
changing the theatre from films to 
legit had not been completed in 
time. 

Miss Hasso revealed that re- 
hearsals had been h_»ld in the the- 
atre lobby rather than on the un- 
ready stage. She added that she’d 
had to phone personally to a local 
antique shop and private citizens 
to borrow props to dress the stage, 
and had been hanging pictures un- 
til 7:45 opening night. Then, since 
there was inadequate dressingroom 
space, she’d had to taxi to her ho- 
tel to make up and dress, then re- 
turn to the theatre. 

Producer Charles Michel Turn- 
er, an Englishman now living in 
Niagara Falls, Ont., blamed the 
delayed curtain on the difficulty 
of transforming a picture house 
into a legiter between midnight 
Saturday, when the last feature 
ended, and 8:20 Monday night, ad- 
vertised as opening curtain time 
for "Candlelight.” 

Opening house for "Candlelight” 
was about three-quarters full (ca- 
pacity is 858) and the advance was 
fair, with competition from a local 
stock company, Canadian Reper- 
tory Theatre, in Eliot’s "Confiden- 
tial Clerk” and from two amateur 
groups, one doing "East Lynne,” 
the other Gilbert and Sullivan. 


Plan Legit Seasen At 
Carthay Circle, H’wood 

Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

New syndicate has taken a long- 
term lease on the Carthay Circle 
Theatre from Fox-West Coast to 
produce a series of revivals of for- 
mer Broadway plays, opening 
April 10. Joseph Justman, Motion 
Picture Center studio operator, 
heads the group, and Harry Zevin 
and Jack Present will handle pro- 
duction. 

Project calls for plays, cast with 
Broadway and Hollywood names, 
to run a minimum of four weeks 
each. 




72 


LEGITIMATE 


Wednesday, February 2, 1935 


Shows onfiroadway 


Plain and Faiey 

Richard Kollmar * James W. Gardiner 
In association with Yvette Schumer) pro- 
duction of musical comedy in two acts 
17 scenes), with book by Joseph Stein 
and Will Glickman; lyrics. Arnold B. Hor- 
witt; music. Albert Hague. Features Rich- 
ard Derr. Barbara Cook. David Daniel,. 
Shirl Conway. Daniel Nagrin. Stefan 
Schuabel. Gloria Marlowe. Douglas Flet- 
cher Rodgers. Sammy Smith. Nancy An- 
drews. Direction. Morton Da Coata; dance 
and musical number staging. Helen Tami- 
ri; scenerv and costumes. Raoul Pene du 
Bois; lighting. Peggy Clark: orchestrations. 
Philip J. I.ann; vocal arrangements. 
Crane Calder; orchestra and chorus con- 
ductor. Fran/ Allers. At Mark Hellinger. 
N Y.. Jan. 27. *55; $6.90 top . $8.40 Open- 
Ruth Winters Shirl Conway 

I),n King Richard Derr 

M an . John Dennis 

Another Man Chris Robinson 

Katie Yoder Gloria Marlowe 

Pap* Yoder Stefan Schnabel 

Isaac Miller Sammy Smith 

Emma Miller Nancy Andrews 

Ezra Rebel . Douglas Fletcher Rodgers 

Hilda Miller Barbara took 

Young Miller Scotty Engel 

Another Young Miller. Elaine Lynn 

Peter Reber David Daniels 

Rachel . . Ethel May Cody 

Samuel Zook Daniel Nagrin 

I.evi Stolzfuss William WtWow 

Jacob Yoder Will Ab)e 

Samuel Lapp Chris Robinson 

Abner Zook Edgar Thompson 

Ike Pllersheim lames S. Moore 

Moses Zook John Dennis 

A bner Zook Tim W orthinit on 

Amishman Herbert Surface 

Another Amishman Robert Lindgren 

r» ssie Faith Daltry 

Sarah Renee thrill 

Fv her . Sybil Lamb 

Rebecca .' Betty McGuire 

Mary Muriel Shaw 

State Trooper • • H »y H>«> n 

Dancers: Sara Aman. Imelda DeMartin. 
Ina Hahn. Marcia Howard. Lucia Lambert, 
Joan Darby. Ann Needham. Tao Strong. 
Beryl Towbin. Saint Amant. Crandall 
Diehl. Ronnie Lee. Robert Lindqren. 
James S Moore. Philip Nasta. Robert St. 
Clair. William Weslow. David Wood. 

Singers: Marilyn Bradley. Faith Daltry. 
Janet Haves. Sybil Lamb. Renee Orin. 
Belt v McGuire. Muriel Shaw. Betty Zol- 
linger. Ray Hyson. Jack Irwin. Robert 
Hole. Chris Robinson. John Dennis. Her- 
bert Surface. Edgar F. Thompson. Tim 
Worthington. Paul Brown, Jim Schlader. 

Songs: “You Can't Miss It." “It Wond- 
ers Me." "Plenty of Pennsylvania.'* 
"Young and Foolish." "Why Not Katie?" 

‘ By Lantern Light." "ICs a Helluva Way 
to Run a Love Affair." "This Is All Very 
New to Me.” “Plain We Live." "The 
Shunning.” "How Do You Raise a Barn." 

■ Follow Your Heart." “City Mouse. Coun- 
try Mouse." "I'll Show Hunt" "Take Your 
Time and Take a Pick.” 


and her only solo number, ‘‘It’s a 
Helluva Way to Run a Love Affair,” 
doesn't offer much scope. 

Richard Derr, making his musi- 
cal debut, is a relaxed city slicker 
among the Pennsylvania bumpkins, 
and he sings passably. David Dan- 
iels is an agreeable romantic sing- 
ing load, particularly with the hit 
ballad, “Young and Foolish,” and 
Gloria Marlowe is appealing as his 
forbidden sweetheart who scores 
with the idiomatically-titled “It 
Wonders Me” and joins in “Young 
and Foolish” and “Follow Your 
Heart.” 

Daniel Nagrin is a spectacularly 
lithe dancing lead. Stefan Schnabel 
is effective as a stern Amish par- 
ent, especially in the stirring 
chorus number, “Plain We Live.” 
while Nancy Andrews registers 
with “Plenty of Pennsylvania” and 
“City Mouse. Country Mouse.” 
Douglas Fletcher Rodgers, Sammy 
Smith and Ann Needham arc 
notable in lesser parts. Hobc. 


television Betty Furness-type by 
Nancy Wlckwire. Donald McKee as 
a stage butler is adroit, but his exit 
line, “Thank you. miss, for arous- 
ing the latent bedst in me,” is as out 
of character as a Houston deb- 
utante at the Colony Club. 

The single set designed by Pat 
Campbell, taking his first major 
Broadway credit, Is well conceived 
for realism. The several changes 
of costume of Miss Lockhart and 
Miss Palmer, ascribed to Virginia 
Volland, are beguiling. 

“The Grand Prize” will, in the 
obvious pun, not be a winner, but 
it does present a promising play- 
wright who now knows, or should, 
that he must take himself in hand. 
For he has himself demonstrated 
the great truism of the legitimate: 
wit alone is never enough. Land. 


Show Finances 


Tlie Graml Prize 

Shepard Traube production of comedy 
in three acts, by Ronald Alexander. Stars 
June Lockhart. John Newland; features 
Betsy Palmer. Tom Poston. William 
Windom. Direction. Traube; scenery and 
lighting. Pat Campbell: costumes Vir- 

einia Volland. At Plymouth. N.Y.. Jan. 26. 
’55: $4. tit) top . $6 90 opening). 

George Ken Harvey 

Lucille Cotton .... June Lockhart 

John Condon Mitchell. .. . Wllliam^Windom 

Brenda Johnson Nancy Wickwire 

Mack Perry Biuakin 

Kate Wilson Betsy Palmer 

Robert Meredith John Newland 

Edward Martin Tom Poston 

Green Donald McKee 


Legit Followups 


According to Broadway tradition, 
no season is really complete with- 
out a smash musical. Although 
“Plain and Fancy” isn’t an all-out 
smash, it’ll do reasonably well until 
the genuine article arrives. This is 
a lively, tuneful and generally en- 
joyable show, due to be around for 
a lengthy run and likely to advance 
the careers of a number of its 
creators and performers. It offers 
terrific screen material, inciden- 
tally. 

Taking an idea suggested by an 
original play by Marion Weaver, 
librettists Joseph Stein and Will 
Glickman, with lyricist Arnold B. 
Horwitt and composer Albert 
Hague, have succeeded in putting 
together an amusing and at the 
same time sympathetic musical 
comedy about the grimly moral 
Amish sect of so-called Pennsyl- 
vania Dutch factually descendants 
of German immigrants who settled 
the area in the mid 1700s and have 
fiercely clung to their original 
beliefs, customs, dress and primi- 
tive way of life i. While nothing 
could be more incongruous than 
singing and dancing in connection 
with the Amish, “Plain and Fancy” 
is good fun. 

The score is generally melodious, 
with a number of infectiously hum- 
mable songs, including several 
prospective pops, plus knockout 
dancing, moderately funny comedy 
and engaging characters. Although 
radio-tv gagmen Stein and Glick- 
man have been unable to resist a 
couple of just-for-Iaughs second- 
act scenes that are discordant and 
distracting, the book as a whole is 
serviceable. Morton Da Costa has 
staged the production with admir- 
able pace, Helen Tamiris has pro- 
vided vivid choreography and 
Raoul Pene duBois has designed 
appropriately colorful and pic- 
turesque scenery and costumes. 

The cast is generally ingratiat- 
ing. although there’s no one with 
the sort of explosive talent to elec- 
trify an audience by making good 
material seem brilliant. Thus, the 
show lacks the kind of overwhelm- 
ing numbers that snowball a hit 
into a smash — like “I’m In Love 
With a Wonderful Guy” (“South 
Pacific”). “Doin’ What Comes Nat- 
urally” ( ‘Annie Get Your Gun”) 
and “Steam Ileat” (“Pajama 
Game”). Such under-casting les- 
sens a show’s impact, but at least 
limits the operating expense and 
simplifies the inevitable replace- 
ment problems. 

Standout among the numerous 
featured leads is Barbara Cook as 
a refreshing Amish lass singing 
“This Is All Very New to Me’’ ami 
“I’ll _ Show Him!” and joining in 
putting over the click romantic 
tune, “Follow Your Heart.” and 
“Take Your Time and Take Your 
Pick.” Shirl Conway impresses as 
a potential comedienne-singer star 
it she learns to take it easier and 
to economize in her song style. Her 
present role, of course, is skimpy 


Ronald Alexander is a playwright 
who must be encouraged, very 
severely, to take a course in play 
construction, since he exhibits in 
“The Grand Prize” pronounced 
skill with comedy lines and situa- 
tions. His play is a paradox, full of 
laughs and yet empty and un- 
anchored because the author has 
simply not done his homework with 
respect to conflict and character- 
motivation. 

His people come alive every now 
and then in brilliant flurries of 
dialog and wisecrack. This, again, 
reveals the promise of the drama- 
tist: he has witty and droll things 
to say about many subjects, from 
television and advertising agencies 
to sex and psychoanalysis. But in 
the end “Prize” does not come off 
and the wants-to-like-the-play 
viewer is left feeling that a number 
of amusing persons have been 
encountered, fleetingly, in a cock- 
tail party kind of atmosphere. , 

It helps a lot that producer- 
. director Shepard Traube has as- 
sembled a cast of highly competent 
troupers who bring much zest and 
zing to their readings. The play is 
paced and played for maximum 
giggles. Shadings, like the play- 
boy’s brushoff grunt when accused 
of having had many affairs, reveal 
a real flair for comedy theatre. But 
as the merit of the dialog and the 
merit of the .players bridges the 
great gaps in plot, the more’s the 
pity for the waste. 

Author Alexander ^did Traube’s 
production, “No Time for Ginger,” 
and has a couple of earlier minor 
works on his dossier. Once he 
overcomes his love of his own 
beautiful quips and gels down to 
being a pi ay- wright (hypen for em- 
phasis) his future seems assured. 

June Lockhart, who scored seven 
years ago in • F. Hugh Herbert’s 
"For Love or Money” and has not 
been on the street since, makes a 
very attractive return as the in- 
genue lead, although the script 
does not sufficiently explain her 
basic nature. But Miss Lockhart 
realizes expert comedy values as 
the girl who is interviewed in her 
apartment by a television camera 
and cops the grand prize — to be 
boss of her own boss for 24 hours. 

Miss Lockhart has a smooth foil 
in John Newland. that son of a 
critic, but again the author has not 
provided true character conflict. 
The playboy is debonair from the 
first arching of his eyebrow and at 
the end is still being debonair, but 
this time resigned to legitimacy in 
sex relations. Otherwise no con- 
flict and no struggle. 

Two side-characters, played by 
Betsy Palmer and Tom Poston, 
very nearly steal the show, if a 
soapbubble can be picked up and 
[ carted off. Miss Palmer, who has a 
model’s figure and a Bankhead 
1 bang with a line, will surely bene- 
fit from this Broadway exposure. 

1 Tom Poston, in turn, should ac- 
quire general respect as a per- 
former. He exits to heavy applause 
on two occasions. The author has 
him being very* “sincere” at one 
point, but double-crosses the char- 
1 acterization later on. for laughing 
purposes, by having him repudiate 
advertising. BBDO. suburban life 
1 and matrimony. Poston milks his 
lines and opportunities with much 
aplomb. 

There are amusing smaller roles. 
, notably the spoofs on a television 
i emcee by William Windom and a 


The Pajama Game 

(SHUBERT, NEW HAVEN) 

New Haven, Jan. 29. 

The road carbon of this hituner 
offers a capable troupe to carry on 
the boxoffice click of the Broad- 
way original. “Pajama Game” has 
undergone changes (especially the 
finale) since its New Haven break- 
in eight months ago, but is prima- 
rily the same fast-moving vehicle. 

Touring company has managed 
to recapture the sparkle that punc- 
tuated the original and has come 
up with a show that should garner 
favorable critical reaction through- 
out its Coast-bound tour. Fran 
Warren, Larry Douglas, Buster 
West head the well-balanced cast 
that accounts effectively for the 
romance and comedy of the yarn. 
Miss Warren exhibits a quiet 
charm that is an effective vis-a-vis 
to Douglas’ forceful version of the 
plant superintendent involved in 
love-labor entanglements. Both 
are in good voice. West nuikes an 
okay clown in time-study man's 
clothing. 

In the featured terp-comedienne 
role, Pat Stanley fills the dancing 
shoe (to say nothing of opera hose) 
requirements attractively. Fred 
Irving Lewis pops off properly as 
the explosive plant owner; Jack 
Straw fits as head of employees’ 
local; Marguerite Shaw is an in- 
triguing ditto of the secretary role 
created by her sister, Reta, in the 
original company. Balance of 
principals include Franklyn Fox, 
Owen Martin. Bobby Vail. Barrie 
Croft, Tally Brown, Mary Stanton, 
Pat Tolson, Don Lurio, Ben Vargas. 

Show has been presented well 
visually, with sets and costumes 
giving no budget-limitation indica- 
tions. George Abbott and Jerome 
Robbins have staged this facsimile 
with the same verve that character- 
ized the original. Dances reflect 
the zip of the parent production 
and same comment applies to put- 
ting the scores across. Bone. 


QUADRILLE 

, (As of Dec. 22. ’54) 

Original investment $75,000 

Production cost r 66,499 

Gross for tbree-week tryout tour 92.307 

Profit on tryout tour 17.292 

Cost to open on B’way ' 49.207 

Gross for first 7 weeks on B’way 211.798 

Operating profit, same period 28,654 

Total operating profit to date 45,946 

Returned to backers 25,000 

Unrecouped cost * 20,554 

Balance available for distribution 2,658 

Weekly Operating: Budget 

Theatre share 30% of first $20,000 gross. 25% of balance 

Cast payroll (approx.) 8,350 

(Includes 5% of the gross to the Lunts until show pays 
off, 10% thereafter.) 

Staff 900 

Crew' 1 ,200 

Wardrobe 392 

Musicians (co. share, approx.) 431 

Extra stagehands (co. share, approx.) *. 1,086 

Extra boxoffice (co. share, approx.) 145 

Author royalty 

(Jumps to 10% after show pays off.) 

Director royalty r. . . . 

Designer 

Advertising (approx.) 1,300 

Department bills (approx.) 400 

Rentals (approx.) 200 

Sundry expenses (approx.) 800 

Gross necessary to break even (approx.) 20.000 

Operating profit at capacity (approx.) 5,000 

(Note: The John C. Wilson-H. M. Tennent Ltd. production 
opened last Nov. 3 at the Coronet. N.Y.) 


5°' 


o 


2 % 

50 


WEDDING BREAKFAST 

(As of No v. 27, ’54) 

Original investment . , .$70,000 

Production cost 46,352 

Gross for three-week tryout tour 32.732 

Loss on tryout tour 4.036 

Total cost to open on B’way 52.763 

Gross for first 2 weeks on B’way „ 19,920 

Loss, same period 740 

Total costs to date 53,503 

Capital .available * . . . . 16,497 

Balance available for sinking fund 5,787 

Weekly Operating Budget 

Theatre share *....30% of gross 

Cast payroll 2.325 

Crew (approx.) 800 

Stage managers 325 

General manager 250 

Company manager r 150 

Pressagent . 285 

Wardrobe and dressers 90 

Author royalty Standard minimum; 5% on first $5,000 gross, 

7*4% on next $2,000 and 10% on balance. 
(Note: Out-of-town royalty, totalling $1,780, was waived 
by the author, returnable when production costs have been 
recouped.) 

Director royalty 

Designer 

Publicity (approx.) 

Departmental (approx.) * 

Rentals 

Office expense, 

Gross necessary to break even (approx.) 


(Note: The Kermit Bloomgarden production opened last 
Nov. 20 at the 48th Street. N.Y.) 


2% 

50 

800 

80 

547 

250 

10.000 


The) Tender Trap 

(WALNUT, PHILLY) 
Philadelphia,, Jan. 25. 

This touring edition of the Max 
Shulman-Robert Paul Smith com- 
edy is a potential money-maker de- 
spite only passable strong marquee 
names. The cast is well-chosen. 
Russell Nype, minus crew" cut and 
mannerisms he had in “Call Me 
Madam.” clicks in the gag-replete 
role of the playboy New York 
bachelor with a veritable young 
harem at his beck and call. Play- , 
ing broadly some of the time, but 
catching the overtones of the char- 1 
acter, Nype proves an adept 
farceur. 

As the married pal from Indi- 
anapolis who makes a play for one 
of the bachelor’s gals, Kent South 
is excellent, too. especially in the 
third act. K. T. Stevens, third 
starred, is fine as the femme vio- 
linist, playing with sympathy as 
well as a watchful eye for laughs. 
Janet Riley, in her original Broad- 
way role of the gal intent on lead- 
ing the bachelor to the altar, makes 
this female more amusing than ob- 
jectionably predatory, which is 
nuite an arromnli.shmpnt. 

Marian Walters and Michaelc 
Myers are properly fluttery and be- 
guiling in other femme assign- 
ments, while Joey Faye, .mother 
holdover from the Broadway cast, 
milks his single scene of all its 
comedy and Robert McBride pre- 
sents the chemist, who also likes 
the ladies, as a real character. 

Robert Browning's direction com- 
bines speed and smoothness. 

Waters. 


tally, Drake and Miss Morrow, sail 
shortly to repeat their portrayals in 
the upcoming London production. 

Despite the effectiveness of the 
replacements, the musical’s man- 
agement apparently hasn’t too 
much confidence in the new set- 
up, as it has discouraged bids to 
re-review the show, although main- 
taining the regular $6.90-top box- 
office scale and quoting recent fa- 
favorable comment by gossip col- 
umnists in its ads. This followup is, 
therefore, after some three weeks 
still an unauthorized and “pirated” 
report. 

Johnson, whose performance is 
along the same broad, swaggering 
lines as his predecessor, registers 
solidly, both vocally and dramatic- 
ally. Performances by the Misses 
Malbin and Wilson also follow the 
originals closely, both newcomers 
handling their roles well and sock- 
ing across their songs effectively. 
All three leads may be even better 
when they break out of their pred- 
ecessors’ molds and work out their 
own interpretations and styles. 

However, the .essential b.o. ap- 
peal of "Kismet” remains in the 
eye-appeal of its lavish costumes, 
sets and femme figgers. plus Alex- 
ander Borodin’s lush melodies, as 
adapted and lyricized by Robert 
Wright and George Forrest. A 
sellout during its first year at the 
Ziegfeld, Charles Lederer’s pres- 
entation of Edwin Lester’s produc- 
tion, currently in its 62d week, has 
been playing to somew'hat spottier 
biz in recent weeks. Jess. 


KiNKief 

(ZIEGFELD, N.Y.) 

Changes in the leading roles of 
‘‘Kismet’’ haven’t affected the hit 
musical’s visual-aural appeal. New 
lineup, which took over several 
weeks ago. includes William John- 
son for Alfred Drake, Elaine Mal- 
bin for Doretta Morrow' and Julie 
Wilson for Joan Diener. Inciden- , 


Vermont U. Books Shows 

Vermont U., at Burlington, w*ill 
book touring shows next season. 
College was last year willed about 
$300,000, to be spent on an enter- 
tainment program taking in all art 
forms. Plans are being formulated 
for the booking of concert, ballet 
and legit productions. 

Shows will probably be presented 
at the Memorial- Auditorium, Burl- 
ington. 


Current Road Shows 

(Jan. 31-Feb. 12) 

Bus Stop (tryout) — McCarter, Princeton, 
1 N. J. (10 12>. 

( Caine Mutiny Court Marttal (Lloyd No- 
lan. John Hodiak. Barry Sullivan) — Black- 
stone. Chi. (31-12). 

Caino Mutiny Court Martial (2d Co.) 
(Paul Douglas. Wendell Corey. Steve Bro- 
die) — Temple. Birmingham (31-1); Aud., 
Chattanooga (2); Detroit U. Aud. (4): Aud., 
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. (5>: Detroit U. Aud. 
(6); Taft. Cincy (7*8); Aud. Columbus (9q 
St am bough Aud., Youngstown (10>: 
Mosque, Philly (11-12). 

Dark Is Light Enough (tryout) (Kath- 
arine CorneU. Tyrone Power) — National, 
Wash. (31-5). 

Dear Chariot (Tallulah Bankhead) — Shu- 
bert. Boston (31-5); Forrest. Phila. (7-12). 

Desperate Hours (Karl Malden, Nancy 
Coleman) (tryout) — Locust St., Philly 
(31-5). 

Fifth Season (Chester Morris. Joseph 
Buloff) — Erlanger, Chi. (31-12). 

Guys $ Dolls — Colonial, Dayton (31-5); 
Ford’s. Balto (7-12). 

King and I (Yul Brynner, Patricia Mori- 
son)— Shubert. Chi. (31-12). 

Moon It Blue (Jerome Cowan) — Curran. 
S. F. (31- 12V 

Oh Mon, Oh Women (Ralph Bellamy) — 
Harris. Chi. (31-12). 

Paiama Game (Fran Warren. Larry 
Douglas. Buster West) — Shubert. New 
Haven (31-5); Her Majesty's. Montreal 
(7-12). 

Patama Tops (Diana Barrymore) — 
Erlanger. Buffalo . I3i:5>; Court Square. 
Springfield (7 9>; Parsons, Hartford (10 12). 
Ruth Draper— Selwyn. Chi. (31-12). 

St. Joan (Can. Players)— Glaas Center. 
Corning. N. Y. (2). Kleinhaus Music Hall. 
Buffalo (3); -Masonic Hall. Det. (5). 

Savon Year Itch (Eddie Bracken)— Rv- 
man Aud., Nashville (31-1); Temple. Bir- 
mingham (2): Tower. Atlanta (3-6); Lanier 
H. S. Aud.. Montgomery (7); Civic. N. O. 
(9-12). 

Silk Stockings (Ilildegarde Neff. Don 
Ameche) (tryout)— Shubert. Detroit (31-12). 

South Pacific (Iva Withers. Alan Gar- 
rard) — Aud., Rochester (31-5); Palace. 
Youngstown. Ohio (7-10); Paramount. To- 
ledo (11-12). 

Tea and Sympathy (Deborah Kerr)-— 
Taft. Cincy. (31-5); Hartman. Columbus, 
O. (7-9); Memorial Aud., Louisville <10-12>. 

Teahouse of the August Moon (Burgess 

Meredith. Scott McKay)— Biltmore. L. A. 
(31-12). 

Tondor Trap (Kent Smith. K. T. Stevens. 
Russell Nype)— Walnut St., Philly. (31-5); 
Shubert. Wash. (7-12). 

Throe For Tonight (Marge A Gower 
Champion. Harry Belafonte) — Paramount, 
Toledo (31); Music Hall. Cleve. (1). 

Tonight in Samarkand (Louis Jourdan) 
(tryout) — Forreat. Philly. (31-5); National, 
Wash. (7-12). 

Wayward Saint (Paul Lukas) (tryout) — 
Colonial. Boston (31-12). 

Wonderful Town tCarol Channing) — 

Shubert. Philly. (31-5). 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 


73 


Cold Chills Chi; But King’ Hot 46G, 
Bellamy $19,380, ‘Season’ $14,200 


Chicago, Feb. 1. < 

Windy City biz slumped last 
week under the impact of sub-zero 
temperatures and snowstorms. 
There are two openings this week. 

Upcoming entries include “South 
Pacific,” Opera House, March 6, 
for three weeks; “Tea and Sympa- 
thy,” Blackstone, March 7, for run 
on Theatre Guild subscription, 
“Dear Charles,” starring Tallulah 
Bankhead, Erlanger, March 7. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Fifth Season, Erlanger (11th 
wk (4; 1,300) (Chester Morris, Jo- 
seph Buloff). Almost $14,200 (pre- 
vious week, $16,700); exits 
March 5. 

King and I, Shubert < 10th wk) 
($5; 2,100) (Yul Brynner, Patricia 
Morison). Nearly $46,000 (previous 
week, $45,800). 

Oh Men, Oh Women, Harris (8th 
wk) ($5; 1,000) (Ralph Bellamy). 
Almost $197300 (previous w*eek, 
$21,300). * 

Opening This Week 

Caine Mutiny Court Martial, 

Blackstone ($4.40; 1,385) (Lloyd 

Nolan, John Hodiak, Barry Culli- 
van). Opened last night (Mon.) for 
limited engagement, on Theatre 
Guild subscription; drew unani- 
mously favorable reviews. 

Ruth Draper, Selwyn ($3.30; 
1.000). Opened last night (Mon.) 
for two-week stay; drew unani- 
mously favorable reviews. 

‘Sant’ $8,500 (4), 
‘Silk’ $49,600, Hub 


Boston, Feb. 1. 

Although undergoing extensive 
changes, “Silk Stockings” contin- 
ued to do capacity biz in its final 
week at the Shubert. Ruth Draper, 
in for single week at the Wilbur, 
nabbed strong critcial reaction and 
fairly good boxoffice response. 
“Wayward Saint,” moved into the 
Colonial last Thursday (27) for a 
two-and-a-half week stand, to 
mixed crix reaction. 

Newcomer this week is “Dear 
Charles,” starring Tallulah Bank- 
head, which arrived last night 
(Mon.) at the Shubert for a single 
week. 

In prospect is “Solid Gold Cad- 
illac,” beginning a three week 
stand Feb. 14 at the Colonial. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Ruth Draper, Wilbur (one week) 
($3.30; 1.200). Not as big as ex- 
pected, but a fairly substantial 
$9,70Q. 

Silk Stockings, Shubert (4th wk) 
($6.25; $4.95; 1,700) (Don Ameehe, 
Hildegarde Neff). Smash again at 
$49,600; moved to Detroit for fur- 


ther tuneup. 
Wayward 5 


TVayward Saint, Colonial ($4.40; i 
$3.85; 1,590) (Paul Lukas). Notices ! 
were cautious; $8,500 for four per- 
formances. 

'Sunshine’ 8G, Montreal; 
Crick Critizes Public 

Montreal, Feb. 1. | 

Despite near-raves from both 
English and French critics, Mavor 
Moore’s “Sunshine Town,” based 
on stories by humorist Stephen 
Leacock, drew’ a poor $8,000 at Her 
Majesty’s last week at a $3.38 top. 

General Canadian apathy for 
Canadian performer's and shows was 
especially marked and prompted a 
column by Walter O’Hearn, drama 
critic of the Montreal Star, berat- 
ing local theatregoers for failing to 
encourage this musicomedy. Accus- 
ing Montrealers of “a peculiar 
snobbery which makes us distrust 
the home product,” O’Hearn added, 
“Perhaps if Brooks Atkinson or 
Walter Kerr had flown to see it 
here or in Toronto and reported 
back in New York that it was o k. 
they would have taken the curse 
off it for Canadian audiences as 
they did for Stratford. 1 ’ 

“Sunshine Tow’n” faired much 
better in Ontario and will re-open 
tonight (Tues.) at the Grand Thea- 
tre, London, Ont., for the re- 
mainder of the week, follow’ed by 
another week at the Royal Alexan- 
dra, Toronto. 

Current Stock Bills 

(Jan. 31 -Feb. 13) 

Cyprl*nn« (tryout), by Dorothy Wonot, 
based on Sardoua "Divorcons” — Miller, 
Milwaukee (8-13). 

Feathered Fauna (tryout), by Charles 
Robinson a Jean Dairy mple — Theatre ’53, 
Dallas (31-11). 

, 3 ,* S| Am • Camera — Sombrero, Phoanix 

Sabrina Fair— MUIer, Milwaukee (31-8); 
Arena, Hot heater (l iai. i 


CORNELL-POWER SMASH 
$38,500 IN ‘DARK/ WASH. 

Washington, Feb. 1. 

“Dark Is Light Enough” drew 
over $38,500 at the National The- 
atre last week, playing to standees 
at every performance including 
the midweek matinee. The Broad- 
way-bound Katharine Cornell-Ty- 
rone Power starrer has proven 
controversial, with much of the au- 
dience eating it up, but a few pa- 
trons walking out. 

Second week, current at the Na- 
tional, looks just as solid at the 
boxoffice. However, the commis- 
sion for Theatre Guild subscription 
is limiting the SRO gross, so the 
total won’t equal the house record 
held by Mary Martin and Charles 
Boyer in the tryout of "Kind Sir.” 
Take for that stand was $40,707 
on the first week and a house rec- 
ord of ,$40,510 for the second, for 
a fortnight record of $81,217. 


Deborah $35,549, 
Toronto Record 


Toronto, Feb. 1. 

Royal Alexandra house record 
of $35,549 was set last week by 
Deborah Kerr in "Tea and Sym- 
pathy” to sellout and tumaway 
biz for all performances. 

Previous mark for the 1,525. 
seater had been racked up this 
season by Katharine Cornell and 
Tyrone Power in “The Dark Is 
Light Enough” for $29,786, this 
beating by $15 the house mark 
previously set by The Lunts “I 
Know My Love.” Noted, However, 
that “Tea” was $4.50 top, com- 
pared to $4 for Cornell-Power. 

TEAHOUSE’ BIG $38,200, 
TINIAN’ $1,600 IN LA. 

Los Angeles, Feb. 1. 

Legit biz continues on the up- 
grade at the Biltmore, where third 
stanza of "Teahouse of the August 
Moon” socko last w’eek. House is 
near a sellout for balance of stay, 
closing Feb. 19. Ony other legits 
last week were “Finian’s Rain- 
bow,” “Be My Guest.” 

"This Is Your Life. Mendel,” 
English translation of the Yiddish 
play by Isadore Friedman, opens 
tonight (Tues.) at the Playhouse. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 

Biltmore (C) <3d wk) <$4.40; 1,636) 
(Burgess Meredith) (Scott McKay). 
Smash at over $38,200. 

Be My Guest, Civic Playhouse 
(C) (6th wkt ($3; 400) (Leo Fuchs). 
Okay $3,500; closed last Sunday 
night (30). 

Finian’s Rainbow, Hollywood 
Repertory (5th wk) ($3.30, 276) 
(Charles Davis). Dim $1,600. 

‘Pacific’ Modest $24,800 
At Scranton, Binghamton 

Binghamton, N. Y., Feb. 1. 

“South Pacific” grossed nearly 
$24,800 last week in an eight-per- 
formance split. The Iva Withers- 
Alan Gcrrard starrer took in almost 
$14,000 in five performances Mon- 
day -Thursday (24-27) at the 
Temple, Scranton, and over $10,- 
800 in three performances Friday- 
Saturday (28-29) at the Bingham- 
ton here. 

Rodgers-Hammerstein musical is 
at the Auditorium, Rochester, this 

week. i 

| 

Scheduled N. Y. Openings ; 

(Theatre indicated if set ) 

W/isttrla Tract, City Center (2-2), 

Southwest Corner, Holiday (2-3). 

Dark Is U|ht Enough, ANTA (2 9), 

Desperate Hours, Barrymore <2-10). 

Tonitht Samarkand, Morosco (2-16). 

Wayward Saint, Cort (2-17). 

Silk Stockings, Imperial (2-24). 

Bus Stop, Music Box (3-2). 

Throe Tonight, Plymouth (3-21). 

Cot on Hot Tin Roof, Morosco (3-24). 

Once Upon Tailor (4-11). 

Temper the Wind (4-11). 

Ankles Aweigh, Ilellinger (4-14). 

Honey's (4-14). 

Light Opera Season, City Center (4-20). 

Damn Yankees, 46th St. (5-5). 

OFF-BWAY 

Juno A Paycock, Gr'iitr'ch Mews <2 12). 

Cress Creener, Downtown Nat‘1 <2 15). 

Immortal Husband, de Lya (2-15). 

Bamboo Cross, Black Friars <2-21). 

Merchant Venice, Jan Hus <2-22). 

Three Sisters, 4th St. <2-23). 

Shoestring Revue, Pres. (2-28). 

Miser, Downtown Nat’l (3-24). 

King Leer, Downtown Natl <4 28). 


Bracken Scratches 26G 
On ‘Itch’ Week in Cincy 

Cincinnati, Feb. 1. 

“Seven Year Itch,” starring 
Eddie Bracken, grossed a near- 
capacity '$26,000 last week in the 
1,300-seat Cox. Top was $3.96. It 
was season’s high for this house. 
Heavy Guild subscription support 
built sellouts for most perform- 
ances In the face of terribly cold 
interference to traffic in last half. 

Deborah Kerr in "Tea and Sym- 
pathy” in at the 2.500-seat Taft 
this week at $4.52 top. 

Chaining $28,600, 
‘Samarkand’ $8,500, 
Hours’ 10G, Philly 

Philadelphia, Feb. 1. j 

Mixed notices and reception met 
two of last week’s arrivals. "To- 
night in Samarkand” and "Tender 
Trap.” There w*as no question, 
however, about local regard for 
the musical entry, Carol Chan- 
ning’s "Wonderful Town.” in a 
sock return at the Shubert. 

There-were no new stage offer- 
ings this week, the first such 
dearth since Dec. 20. Coming 
up Feb. 7, are "Dear Charles,” 
ForreSt, two weeks; Feb. 14. “Bus 
Stop.” Walnut, tryout, two weeks, 
and March 7, “Cat on a Hot Tin 
Roof,” Forrest, tryout, two weeks. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Pajama Tops, Erlanger (C) (2d 
wk) ($3.60; 1.890) (Diana Barry- 
more). Comedy doing hefty trade 
on twofers; around $11,000. 

Tonight in Samarkand, Forrest, 
(D) ($4.20; 1,760) (Louis Jourdan). 
Mystical drama about circus life 
got split decision from crix; about 
$8,500 for seven performances. 

Desperate Hours, Locust <D) 
<3d wk) ($4.20; 1.580) (Karl Mal- 
den, Nancy Coleman. Well re- 
ceived Joseph Hayes thriller drew 
around $10,000. 

Wonderful Town, Shubert (M) 
<$5; 1,880) (Carol Channing). Musi- 
cal got nearly $28,600 on the first 
stanza of its return. 

Tender Trap, Walnut <C) ($3.60; 
1.340) (Kent Smith, K. T. Stevens. 
Russell Nype). Touring edition of 
recent Broadway show got gener- 
ally favorable press reaction; al- 
most $14,200. 

‘MOON’ SHINES FOR 16G 
IN FIRST WEEK IN S.F. 

San Francisco, Feb. 1. 

After good notices in all papers, 
“The Moon is Blue” did a nice 
$16,000 at the 1,758-seat Curran 
last week at a $3.30 top. Continues 
this week. 

“Teahouse of the August Moon” 
is due Feb. 21 at the Curran for 
an indefinite run on subscription. 

‘Corner’ $15,700, Clever 
Crix Help Buck Cold 

Cleveland, Feb. 1. 

Eva Le Gallienne in “Southwest 
Corner” pulled a satisfactory $15,- 
700 in eight performances at $3.50 
top at the Hanna last week. Con- 
sistently favorable reviews helped 
offset the brutal cold snap for the 
pre-Broadway tourer. 

House goes dark for next three 
weeks until Tallulah Bankhead 
arrives Feb. 21 in "Dear Charles.” 

‘ Guys’ 18ft Buffalo 

Buffalo, Feb. 1. 

“Guys and Dolls” took in nearly 
$18,500 at the Erlanger here last 
week. 

The Manny Davis production is 
at the Colonial, Dayton this week. 


B’way Up ’n’ Down; ‘Fancy’ $31,000 (4), 
‘Prize’ 12G (6), ‘Seed’ 33i/ 2 G, ‘Pan’ 46G 
‘Festival’ $5,600, ‘Wedding’ $10^100 


Broadway was generally off last 
week. Dips of $1,000 or more were 
registered by 10 shows. Smashes 
held steady, with a few other en- 
tries moving slightly ahead o^ the 
previous tanza. 

There w’ere two preems last 
week, “Grand Prize” and "Plain 
and Fancy.” Latter show joined 
the sellout list, bringing that total 
to eight. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), 
CD (Comedy Drama), R (Retme), 
i MC (Musical-Comedy), MD < Musi- 
! cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op- 
1 retta). 

| Other parenthetic designations 
refer, respectively, to weeks played, 
number of performances through 
last Saturday, top prices, number 
of scats, capacity gross and stars. 
Price includes 10% Federal and 
5% City tax, but grosses are net. 
i.e., exclusive of tax. 

Anastasia, Lyceum <D) (5th wk; 
37; $5.75-S4.60; 955; $23,389) (Vi- 
veca Lindfors, Eugenie Leonto- 
vich). Over $21,400 (previous 


I Foy, Jr.). Capacity as always, 
$52,100. 

Peter Pan, Winter Garden (MD) 

! ( 15lh wk; 117; $6.90; 1.510; $57.- 
500) tMary Martin). Over $46,000 
'iwevious week, $47,600). 

Plain and Fancy, Hellinger < MC) 
(1st wk; 4; $6.90; 1,527; $55,916). 
Opened last Thursday (27) to un- 
animously favorable reviews; ca- 
pacity at nearly $31,000 for first 
tour performances; moves to the 
Winter Garden Feb. 28. 

Quadrille, Coronet (C) <13th wk; 
101; $6.90-$5.75-$4.60; 1.027; $30,- 
000) (Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, 
Edna Best, Brian Aherne). Almost 
$29,100 (previous week, $29,300). 

Rainmaker, Cort <C) < 1 4th wk; 
108; $3.45; 1,056; $18,900 (Geral- 
dine Page). Over $10,400 (pre- 
vious week, $16,400 at i5.75-$4.60 
top); B.O. scale was reduced last 
week; closes Feb. 12, may tour. 

Saint of Bleecker Streei, Broad- 
wav (MD) (5th wk; 35; $6 90-$6.00; 
1,900; $54,000). Nqarly $34,500 

(previous week, $35,500). 

Seven Year Itch, Fulton (C) 
(115th wk; 917; $5.75-$4.60; 1.063; 
$2 4,0 00) (Tom Ewell). Over 
$19,100 (previous week. $19,000). 

Solid Gold Cadillac, Music Box 

(C) (64th wk; 509; $5.75-$4.60; 

1,077; $27,811). Almost $17,300 

(previous week. $16,900); closes 
Feb. 12, to tour. 

Tea and Sympathy, Barrymore 

(D) «69th wk; 549; $5.75-$4.60; 

1,214; $28,300) (Joan Fontaine). 

Nearly $17,900 (previous week, 
$17,700); moves to the Longacre 
Theatre next Monday (7); star exits 

; the cast March 5. 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 
Beck (C) (68th wk; 548; $6.22-$4 .60; 
1,214; $33,608) (David Wayne. John 
Forsythe). Over capacity as always, 

; topped $34,000; Eli Wailach re- 
places Wayne Feb. 14. 

Wedding Breakfast, 48th St. (C) 
(11th wk; 81; $5.75-$4.60; 925; $23.- 
720). Nearly $10,100 on twofers 
(previous week, $10,200). 

Witness for the Prosecution, 
, Miller (D> (7th wk; 52; $5.75-$4.60; 

! 920; $23,248). Over capacity, topped 
1 $23,600 (previous week, $23,500). 

Miscellaneous 

Doctor’s Dilemma, Phoenix (C) 
(3rd wk; 24; $4.60-$3.45; 1.150; 
$24,067). Nearly $13,500 (previous 
week, $14,000). 

CLOSED LAST WEEK 

Dear Charles, Morosco <C) (20th 
wk; 154; $6.90-$5.75-$4.60; 935; 

$29,850) (Tallulah Bankhead). 
Nearly $18,500 (previous week, 
$17,900); closed last Saturday (29), 
to tour, at an approximate $40,000 
loss on a $75,000 investment. 

Time of Your Life, City Center 
(CD) (2d wk; 16; $3.60; 3,090; $50,. 
160) (Franchot Tone). Almost $45,- 
600 (previous week. $39,300 for 
first eight performances), wound 
up limited two-week stand last 
Sunday (20). 

OPENING THIS WEEK 

Wisteria Trees, City Center (D) 
($360; 3,090* $50,160) (Helen 

Hayes). Joshua Logan adaptation 
of Anton Chekov’s “Cherry Or- 
chard,” revived by the New York 
City Center Theatre Co. as the 
fourth and final production of a 
four-play, eight-week drama festi- 
val on a total budget of approx- 
imately $200,000, including opera- 
tion, but excluding bonds. 

Southwest Comer, Holiday. <D) 
($5.75-$4.60; 834; $28,000* (Eva 

L^Gallienne). Play by John Cecil 
Holm, based on Mildred Walker’s 
novel, presented by John Hunting- 
ton; production financed at $60,- 
000. cost about $68,000 to bring in. 
including approximately $15,000 
tryout loss, but excluding bonds, 
and can break even at around $15.- 
500, opens tomorrow night (Thurs.). 

OFF BROADWAY SHOWS 

(Figures denote opening drifes) 

Importance Being Earnest, Prov- 
incetown (11-9). 

Merchant of Venice, Club Thea- 
tre (1-17-55). 

Thieves Carnival, De L y s 

(2-1-55). 

Troublemakers, President ( 1 2-30- 
54); closes Feb. 20. 

Twelfth Night, Jan Hus ( 1 1-9- 
54); closes Feb. 13. 

‘Late Love’ 7G, St. Loo 

St. Louis, Feb. 1. 

“Tea And Sympathy” starring 
Deborah Kerr, is due Feb. 14 to 
reopen the American Theatre here. 
It’s in for one week. 

.“Late Love” grossed a modest 
$7,000 last week as a one-week 
stock entry at the Empress. "Lo 
land Behold” opens tonight (Tues.). 


always, 


veca Lindfors, Eugenie Leonto- 
vich). Over $21,400 (previous 
week. $21,000). 

Anniversary Waltz, Booth (C) 
(43rd wk; 339; $4.60; 766; $20,000) 
(Macdonald Carey, Kitly Carlisle). 
Over $18,600 (previous week. $20,- 
600*; Marjorie Lord replaced Miss 
Carlisle as femme lead last Fri- 
day <28). 

Rad Seed, 46th St. (D) (8th wk; 
61; $5.75-$4.60; 1.319; $37,000) 

(Nancy Kelly). Nearly $33,500 
(previous week, $34,500). 

Boy Friend, Royale (MC) (18th 
wk; 139; $6.90; 1,172; $38,200). Had 
a clean statement at $38,400 (pre- 
vious week, $38,300). 

Can-Can, Shubert <MC) <91 st 
wk; 724; $6.90; 1,361; $50,100). Al- 
most $43,500 (previous week. 
$46,400*. 

Fanny, Majestic (MD) (13th wk; 
100; $7.50; 1.510; $65,300) (Ezio 
Pinza, Walter Slezak). Over capa- 
city again, nearly $66,000. 

Festival, Longacre ( C) (2nd wk; 
14; $5.75-$4.60; 1.048; $26,317) 

(Paul Henrcid, Betty Field). Al- 
most $5,600 (previous week. $13,- 
100 for first six performances); 
closes next Saturday (5). 

Flowering Peach, Belasco <D) 
(5th wk; 39; $5.75-$4.60; 1.077; 

$28.300< (Menasha Skulnik). Near- 
ly $22,400 (previous week, $23,400). 

Grand Prize, Plymouth <C» list 
wk; 5; $4.60; 1,107; $29,500) (June 
Lockhart, John Newland). Opened 
last Wednesday (26) to two favor- 
able reviews (Chapman, News; 
McClain, J^urnal-American), four 
negative notices (Coleman, Mirror; 
Haw’kins, World-Telegram; Kerr, 
Herald Tribune; Watts, Post) and 
one yes-no opinion (Atkinson, 
Times); over $12,000 for first five 
performances and one preview*. 

House of Flowers, Alvin (MC) 
(5th wk; 36; $6.90; 1,150; $47,000). 
Over capacity at nearly $46,000, 
with take cut by theatre party 
commissions (previous week, 
$45,100). 

Kismet, Ziegfeld (OP) c 6 1 st wk; 
484; $6.90; 1.528; $57,908) (William 
Johnson, Elaine Malbin). Over 
$47,300 (previous week, $49,500). 

Lunatics & Lovers, Broadhurst 
(C) (7th Wk; 56; $5.75-$4.60; 1,160; 
$29,500). Over capacity, nearly 
$31,700 (previous w*eek, $31,800). 

Mrs. Patterson, National <D) 
(9th wk; 70; $6.90-$5.75; 1,172; 

$36,000) (Eartha Kitt). Almost 
$17,200 (previous week, $22,100); 
closes Feb. 26, to tour. 

Pajama Game, St. James (MC) 
(38th wk; 300; $6.90; 1,571; $51,717) 
(John Raitt, Jimis Paige, Eddie 


Total Legit Grosses 

Following are the comparative figures based on VARrr.rv’s box- 
office reports for last week (the 35th week of the season) and 
the corresponding week of last season: 


BROADWAY 


This 
Season 

Number of show’s current 28 

Total weeks played so far by all shows . 708 

Total gross for all shows last week. . . . $806,300 

Season’s total gross so far $19,503,800 

Number of new productions 40 

ROAD 

Excluding stock 

Number of current shows reported. ... 21 

Total weeks played so far by all shows . 576 

Total gross for all show's last week. . . . $440,900 

Season’s total gross so far $13,647,100 


1953-54 

Season 

24 

662 

$698,700 

$18,416,500 

42 


22 

4Q3 

$517,900 

$11,263,300 




LEGITIMATE 


Shubert Anti-Trust Suit 

Continued from page 

Court via its 1953 decision that legcd that the Shubert interests 
professional baseoall is not subject operate a monopoly in restiaint o 
to the anti-trust laws. In each in- trade via a conspiracy to compel 
stance the pending anti-trust suit other producers to book their at- 
was thrown out by a N. Y. Federal tractions exclusively through the 
court which contended the base- Shubert interests; to discriminate 


ball (Toolson) verdict also exempt- 
ed legit and boxing. 


in favor of their own productions 
in bookings, and to combine to 


The Supreme Court went into i maintain their power in booking 
considerable detail on this point j and in presentations, 
in the Shubert decision. It ex- 1 In the prize fighting case, the 
plained that it had decideck the I decision commented that “it would 
Toolson case because the Supreme ; be sufficient to rest on the allega- 
Court had also ruled baseball w as j lion that over 25 ' i of the revenue 
exempt from the Sherman Act in from championship boxing is de- j 
the Federal League baseball case rived from interstate operations 
of 31 years ago and because in j through the sale of radio, te.e- 
all that time Congress had never : vision and motion picture rights, 
acted to bring baseball under the Dissents here were filed by Jus- 
Sherman Act. On the other hand. ! tices Felix Frankfurter and Sher- 
legit and professional boxing had man Minton, llie latter wrote in 
never been before the Supreme his opinion. “We are not dealing 
Court on the monopoly issue. i he e with the question of whether 

I the respondents have restrained 
•■Tools.., ' was a narrow apphea- » monopolized the radio 

lion of the rule of state dec s,*. ; tc i e vision industries. Thai is 
sanl the court in the Shubert do- 8cparate consideration.- What 
ciaion. The defendants would J wU h Ihe pictures they 

have us convert tins narrow appli- d take 0| a wholly 

canon of the rule into a sweep.nR »pecla Cl e or exhibition, by 

grant of immunity to e very busi- - » the channels ot 

ness based on he live p, esentatu.n j , , a , lomine , ce to exhibit 

ol local exlubillors, regardless of not n)ake a package 

how extensive its interstate phases . 1 

may be. We cannot do «o If the ...j he rl . spo „ d ent s have nothing 
Toolson holding is to be expanded Ul) wl „ llH . t ,. ansmission of 
—or contracted— -the appropriate'. . niMlll . uc HaillllKn 


— or contracted — the appropriate 
remedy lies with congress. 

“Moreover, none of the consid- 


sound or the pictures. Because 
these incidents are not directly in- 


ivioreover, none oi me consul- . was made to bring 

•rations which led to the decision .. r ... . nninnJin , * 


in Toolson is present here. This 
court has never held that the the- 
atrical business is not subject to 
the Sherman Act.” 

In this connection, reminds tlu 
decision, less than a year after the 
Federal baseball decision of 1914, 


the radio and television companies 
and the sponsors into the case.” 

Birdwell Case Up Mar. 7 

Los Angeles, Feb. 1. 
Superior Court has continued 


federal baseball decision ol 19 4. i unti , Mart . h 7 the suit for money 

the Supreme Couit ruled in allegedly due him filed by Russell 
Hart case that vaudeville was not ] Bi ,. d \ ell> 1)ut> l«cist, last April 26 
exempt horn the anti-trust laws. | a g a i n st p au i Gregory, Gregory As- 
Since then it has many times ruled soc j a t es and Charles Laughton for 
that motion pictures are subject to p , UKj!ing .. The Caine Mutiny Court 
the anti-trust laws. Martial ” 

The original Shubert complaint. Birdwell claimed he was dis- 
filed by the anti-trust division, ' charged after being paid only $45,- 
named as defendants Lee and J. 057, was still owned $77,792 and an 
J. Shubert, Marcus Heiman, the additional $184,275, which repped 
United Booking Office, Select The- amount he would have earned un- 
atres Corp. and L. A. B. Amuse- ! der a 5 r c deal, on an oral agree- 
ment Corp. The Justice Dept, al- ment with the defendants. 



PtfRlETr 

‘Pajama’ Theatre Tour 
A Give-Away Program; 
Lost: One Bus, One Hat 

By JESSE GROSS 

It pays to go to the theatre. 
At least, that was the case last Sat- 
urday (29) when 216 legit enthusi- 
asts bussed-it from New' York to 
attend' the preem performance of ; 
the touring company of “Pajama 
Game” at the Shubert Theatre, 
New Haven. Shelling out $14.50 
each, the N. Y.-N. H. contingent 
got back the equivalent of almost 
twice their investment in food, 
fare, show tickets and souvenirs. 

Rubber-tire trek was the initial 
junket of Theatre Tours, a division 
of Theatrical Subsidiaries, Inc., | 

\ formed several months ago by 
i legit producer Alex Cohen. Utiliz- 
ing five busses, with Sardi’s, N. Y., 
as the terminal, the tour got under- 
| way at about 3:45 p.m. Before 
i busses left, the upper floor of the 
restaurant resembled a miniature ; 
! Macy’s bargain counter, with per- 
sonnel behind tables distributing 
pajamas to all patrons and orchids 
to the femme travelers. 

During the wait for the trip to 
begin a quipster noted he’d previ- 
! ously trekked to New Haven for a 
| football game hut never a “Pajama 
Game,” and there were kidding 
references to hip flasks. An eye- 
opener was a request from a 
couple of just-arrived Rhode Is- 
landers to join the junket, but 
since Cohen was unable to scrape 
: up the ducats, he suggested they 
1 catch the Broadway edition of the 
I musical. 

! Roundtrip/ook approximately 12 
? hours and came off smoothly ex- 
cept for such inevitable mishaps 
! as a bus getting lost (only briefly) 

* and one customer losing his hat. 

’ which Theatre Tours will replace. 

1 Timing on the trip to New Haven 

* was off about 20 minute*, but the 
" curtain was held until the arrival 

of the busses. 

1 Besides the pajamas, which re- 
tail at $5, each couple received an 
‘ original cast album of the musical 
’ < $4.95 ) and a copy of published 
1 text ($2.75). Theatre Arts mag 

* <50e), a souvenir booklet of the 

* show (50e) and tickets ($5.50 each) 

* were distributed to all. Roundtrip 
bus fare to New Haven is about 

J $3.30 while fullcourse dinners. 
| with patrons split between the Red 
I Barn and the Clam Box, both in 
Westport. Conn., would probably 
have run non-junketers a minimum 
of $3.50. In addition, a midnight 
snack of milk and cookies was 
served on the return trip and gals 
received a small vial of perfume. 

Gross take for the tour was 
$3,132, with profit not yet de- 
termined. ^ 

Midwest Spurt 

Continued from page 71 sss 


■ 


ednesilay, February 2, 1955 



EUROPE TO N.Y. 

ANNE JACKSON 
ELI WALLACH 

PETER WALLACH 

TEAHOUSE LTD. TO TEAHOUSE CO. INC. 


a Minneapolis date pending its re- 
ception on its first two stops. The 
Princeton engagement was highly j 
encouraging, and I think you can 
hope for it.” 

Kaplan also was advised that 
other Minneapolis prospects for 
this season include “Oh Men, Oh 
Women” and “King and I.” both 
now in Chicago, plus “Solid Gold 
Cadillac” and “Anniversary Waltz,” 
although the latter two will have 
to change routes in order to play ’ 
here. 

“From here on we appear rich 
in fall prospects for you,” the let- 
ter continued. ‘“The Teahouse of 
the August Moon’ and very pos- 
sibly ‘Kismet’ will be playing east- 
ward from the Coast early next 
fall.” 

Definitely set for the Minne- 
apolis Lyceum during the next 
several months are “Tea and Sym- 
pathy,” Feb. 21-26, and “Pajama 
Game,” May 4-14. They will bring 
the total of seven promised The- 
atre Guild subscription offerings 
here to an actual five. 

Because of the Theatre Guild’s 
inability to deliver tho promised 
goods to subscribers the past sev- 
eral seasons, Kaplan fears that the 
subscription season plan may be 
doomed to extinction. There has 
been grumbling from the 2,000 
odd subscribers who make sub- 
stantial advance payments to en- 
roll and then at the season's end 
get refunds because most of the 
promised shows fail to appear. 

Prior to this season’s opening 
“King and I” was the main bait 
used to enroll subscribers. How- 
ever, the management decided to 
defer the show’s Minneapolis en- 
gagement until after the Chicago 
run, which may span the present 
season. 


Hotelman Jack Hardy 
Leaves Phila. Hospital 

Philadelphia, Feb. 1. 

J. Martin (Jack) Hardy, for 
vears managing director of the Ritz 
Carlton Hotel here until its clos- di 
ing last fall to be turned into an g- 
office building, was discharged last ri 
week from Graduate Hospital, {* 
where he has been confined ofl pi 
and on since October. 

Going to the hospital originally m 
for a routine checkup, Hardy has ” 
had two serious operations and a e 
few weeks back the doctors de- | 
spaired of his Jife. He emerged n 
from the hospital twice, once be- £ 
fore Thanksgiving and again after n 
the Christmas holidays, only to « 
have to return. 

Upon complete recovery. Hardy 
expects to announce a new hotel 
connection. He is well known in a 
legit circles. j ^ 

New Shubert Suit ! 

ii 

Continued from page 71 sSSSm i \ 

tion) an amount equal to the value 
of Lee’s interest in the partnership, i c 
or at their option the profits at- * 
tributed to the estate. 

Lengthy Defense j 

A lengthy defense by Lawrence . 
and Klein claims that Lee’s will , 
provided that the business should t 
! not be liquidated and gave J. J. i 
. the option of continuing it. It ad- 1 
mits that J. J. is in possession of 
the partnership assets and is di- i 
retting the operation of the busi- ] 
1 ness, and states that J. J. has not i 
refused an accounting to the ex- ! 
ecutors of Lee’s estate. 

Defense claims that J. J. has ; 
given certified public accountants 
1 of the executors access to the , 
books and records. It’s further al- 
leged that Milton Shubert and 
Mrs. Golde have no authority to 
institute this action, that it’s un- 
necessary, unjustified and unwar- 
1 ranted, and that its prosecution 
constitutes a threat of “vast and 
irreparable damage” and waste of 
Lee’s estate. 

Lawrence and Klein further 
state that the plaintiff's suit would 
resuR in forced liquidation and 
sale of stock of approximately 75 
closely-knit corporations, owning 
theatres and other interests in nu- 
merous cities. Duo contend that 
after Lee’s death J. J. offered to 
settle the executors’ claim by 
transferring to them one-half of 
the shares of stock held by the 
partnership. They state in an affi- 
davit that the J. J. ..offer is fair, 

| just and reasonable and should 
have been, and still should be, 
accepted by all of Lee’s executors. 

| Action sought by plaintiffs, Law- 
, rente and Klein argue, is contrary 
to and in violation of provisions 1 
contained in Lee’s will, which they I 
claim stated that the theatrical and j 
other enterprises constituting a 
partnership business should con- 
‘ i tinue during the life of J. J. They 

* also claim that the action is con- 
' trary to and in violation of Lee’s 

1 plan to turn over his entire residu- j 
ary estate to the Sam S. Shubert 
1 Foundation, founded by him and 
r J. J. 

1 Lawrence and Klein additionally 
^ state that Lee’s will directed the 
., executors to give special weight 
( i to the judgment of Klein, and 
e f argue that the offer of J. J. to 
' | distribute is fair and reasonable 
, ' and in the best interests of Lee’s 
1 estate and the beneficiaries. Klein 
j further notes that under Lee’s will, 

' J. J. was given the power to con- 
i' duct and continue the busine* as 
;* long as he lives and to prevent 
1 forced liquidation or partition of 
the partnership. 

'* Mrs. Golde, incidentally, has an- 
1 other N. Y. Supreme Court suit 
against J. J., in which she origi- 

* nally sued for stock that J. J. took 
f out to the value of $300,000. The 

complaint was later amended to 
,s cover $400,000 in stocks removed 
, for a safe deposit box registered in 
, Lee’s name. 

■? Mrs. Golde claims that the cer- 

* tificates removed by J. J. were on 
her behalf. She’s asking that J. J. 
surrender these certificates, which 

x n he refuses to do. 


Off-B’way Show 

Tho l’anMion ol IvroMM 

Arthur Lunger it Bernard Lubar pro- 
duction of drama in three acta (16 scenes), 
by Harold Levitt. Features Jack Gilford. 
Sylvia Short. Richard -McMurray. Elaine 
Hyman, James Dukas. Louis Criss. Direc- 
tion. Paul Vincent Gordon; scenery, light- 
ing and costumes, Paul Sylbert; associate 
producer. Walter N. Thompson; inciden- 
tal music. Edward Herzog. At Theatre de 
Lys. N.Y., Jan. 22, '55; S2.90 top. 

Meredith Kale Louis Criss 

Wilma Dodenhopf Elaine Hyman 

Alexander Gross Jack Gilford 

Ernest Miller Richard McMurray 

Scuffington Donald Fernow 

Eugenie Gross • Sylvia Short 

Doctor Charles Reynolds 

Nurse Joan Lightdale 

Burnside \ James Dukas 

Bartender- Richard Marr 

Officer Greenberg Vince Dowling 

Others.. • John Rota. Carol Holden. 

Mark Fleischman, Ethel Kweskin 

“The Passion of Gross” is lost in 
a maze of words and symbolism. 

! There are occasional moments of 
clarity, but Harold Levitt’s script- 
ing is generally obscure. Definite- 
ly not for Broadway, it looks like 
another miss for the Theatre de 
! Lys. 

Play deals \vitl\ the martyrdom 
of a meek college professor, Alex- 
ander Gross, who refuses to sign a 
loyalty oath. As the only faculty 
member to hold out, he loses his 
job, is shunned by his colleagues 
and a thesis, on which he labored 
seven years, is given the go-by. Al- 
though Levitt has chosen a worthy 
issue as his principle theme, his 
treatment is ineffectual. 

Besides the script deficiencies 
mentioned, play’s title character 
lacks effectiveness. Absent-minded, 
mild-mannered, ridiculed bv his 
students and colleagues, unsatisfy- 
ing to his wife. Gross could be an 
argument for signing loyalty oaths, 
rather than the reverse. As por- 
trayed by Jack Gilford, he’s more 
pathetic than statuesque. Gilford 
has a lengthy acting assignment 
and is at his best midway during 
the second act 

As the wife. Sylvia Sh7>rt is gen- 
erally appealing, while Richard 
McMurray is good as a cynical pro- 
fessor who seduces her. James 
Dukas is okay as the college head 
who condemns Gross’ individual 
. stand. Other cast members per- 
form capably. Jess. 

(Closed last week.) 


SUMMER 

THEATRE 

Modern, Air-conditioned, 
1000 seats, eight successful 
yrs. playing STARS. Lease on 
excellent terms. $10,000. 
worth of equipment. Files- 
Mailing Lists— Staffed. Every- 
thing included, ready to open 
for 1955 season, only casting 
necessary. West Coast ceas- 
mitments prevent owner from 
operating. 

JACOB GERSTEIN, Attorney 
36 W. 44 St., N.Y., MU 2-4393 


SUMMER THEATRE 

For rent (1955 Season) to re- 
sponsible manager. Excellent 
location, metropolitan area, 
restaurant and bar. Write 
giving references. 

Box 2355, VARIETY, 

154 W. 46th St., New York 36 


GlljtLS — 

Full or Part Timo 

Add U ye ur Intern# between boeklndf. 
new club memberehip plan, Earn |5.4d F er 
heur, Mu«l be neat, attractive and able te 
meet public. Apply 33 Wait 42nd St„ Bm. 
1843. A.M. preferred. 


AMERICAN THEATRE WING 

PIOHSSIOMAl TRAINING PROGRAM 

Announced a Special Courte In 

TRAINING FOR SHAKESPEARE 

Limited to Qualified Pro/etsionalt 

KVA leCALLIENNE and ROMNEY BRENT: Beene Werk 
FANNY BRAOSHAW: Speech and Veree 
ANNA B0K0L0W: Stan Movement— ED WARD LUCIA: Fenelni 
INTERVIEWS itnetrnlni the eeuree— and admieelen te It — may be 
arranged up te THURSDAY, FEBRUARY IS. 

CLASSES START ON FEBRUARY IS 
111 WEST 4tth STREET. N.Y.C. Sd COlumbue S-W3S 




Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


rOXCERTS-OPEIIA 


75 


Chi Opera Drops 14G in Initial Run; 
Preps 300G Drive (or 2d Season 


Chicago, Feb. 1. 

Lyric Theatre, Chicago’s non- 
profit resident opera company, 
wound up its initial two-week sea- 
son with a deficit of $13,958.42. 
Deficit by operatic standards is 
considered minute; opera deficits in 
Chi in the past went over $1,000,- 
000 annually. The relative success 
of the first season, coupled with 
the unanimously favorable critical 
response, has cued plans for an ex- 
panded five-week schedule next 
fall. 

Lyric co-directors Carol Fox and 
Lawrence V. Kelly are currently in 
Europe on a talent hunt mission. 
They expect to re-sign Maria Cal- 
las, presently singing at La Scala 
in Milan, whose American debut 
was the smash hit of Lyric’s first 
series. Mme. Callas. reportedly was 
paid $2,000 lor each of her six per- 
formances, plus transportation for 
herself and husband, Giovanni 
Meneghini, and other “fringe” ben- 
efits. 

Pavment of last season’s deficit 
has been pledged by the Lyric 
Guild, fund-raising arm of the or- 
ganization. which is launching a 
drive shortly to raise $300,000 for 
permanent capitalization. Total ex- 
penses of $287,676 were incurred 
during the 16 performances of 
eight operas. Boxoffice income, to- 
talling 83% of Civic Opera House 
capacity, was $216,438. Added to 
that were $56,383 in contributions 
and $897 in miscellaneous income, 
for a total take of $273,717. 

Payroll breakdown shows sing- 
ers received $66,835. orchestra 
$53,721, conductors and stage di- 
rectors $19,825, choros $30,422 and 
ballet $5,318. Travel expenses 
(principally artists) amounted to 
$15 526.06. Low Opera House 
rental and services totalled $15,- 
311.82. With both Miss Fox and 
Kelly donating their services, office 
staff expenses other than publicity 
and promotion were $6,153.83. 

Bechet to Baton Bow Of 
Ballet to His Music; 
Sombert in New Troupe 

Paris, Feb. 1. 

Claire Sombert, Gallic ballerina 
who appeared in N. Y. last season 
with Ballets de Paris, is to do a 
ballet written by Sidney Bechet 
and Andre Cbffrant, “La Nuit Est 
Uune Sorciere” (Night Is a Witch), 
which will have its preem at the 
forthcoming Dance Fest of Aix-Les- 
Bains for a first presentation at 
Liege, Belgium. Pierre Lacotte is 
choreographer. Ballet concerns a 
sleepwalker who kills his fiancee 
and her mother and father because 
they offended him. He is accom- 
panied by a Negro valet who kills 
him in the end. 

Bechet will lead the orchestra 
himself for the opening, and has 
already had the music performed. 
He’s also made a recording, which 
has become a big seller. 

Lacotte has created a new ballet 
company with Miss Sombert, which 
will bow next September at the 
Theatre Des Champs-Elysees. 
Other new dances in the rep are 
one by film director Jean Renoir 
with music by pop writer Leo 
Ferre, and a first ballet of Sigi 
Wayenberg, another songsmith. 

Ballet Theatre $35,000 
For Its Week in Frisco 

San Francisco, Feb. 1. 

Despite excellent reviews, Ballet 
Theatre took ip an estimated $35,* 
000 for eight performances last 
week at the War Memorial Opera 
House, for a disappointing boxof- 
fice. A 3,500-seat house, the War 
Memorial scaled to $4 could rack 
up a sellout gross of around $10,- 
000 per performance. 

The slim Frisco showing fol- 
lowed on the heels of a strong Los 
Angeles date and caused local ob- 
servers to wonder if the reason was 
the rash of ballets playing the city 
this year. The London Festival 
Ballet was just here and the Bal- 
let Russe de Monte Carlo opens’ 
next Monday (7) for six perform- 
ances. 


Emile Renan, N. Y. City Opera 
baritone who also edits the “Back- 
stage Noises” column in AGMA- 
Z| ne, artists’ union publication, off 
on winter vacation to Texas and 
Mexico, returning March 1. 


Frisco Opera Troupe 
Readies Six-Show Run 

San Francisco, Feb. 1. 

Campbell McGregor’s Cosmopoli- 
tan Opera Co., a local troupe, be- 
gins a series of six presentations 
at the War Memorial Opera House 
Feb. 15 with Eva Likova, John 
Alexander and Richard Torigi in 
“Manon.” 

“Tosca ,” with Herva Nelli, Ce- 
sare Bardelli and Dean Smith, is 
set for Feb. 18; "Faust,” with Gui- 
lio Gari, Mme. Likova and Wil- 
liam Wilderman, Feb. 22; “La Bo- 
heme,” with Davis Cunningham, 
Lucia Evangelista and Dolores 
Davis, Feb. 25; “La Traviata,” with 
Miss Evangelista, Davis Cunning- 
ham and Bardelli, March 1; “Ma- 
dame Butterfly” with Joy Kim, 
Dean Smith and Lydia Ibarrondo, 
March 4. 

Offer Whiteman . 
In Package Deal 

Paul Whiteman is being offered 
to local concert managers on a 
limited basis as conductor of a spe- 
cial all-Gershwin program. He’s 
being pitched as a package, with 
a piano soloist and a vocalist, and 
is providing his own orchestra- 
tions although utilizing the local 
symphony for the event. Pack- 
age is priced about $3,500. 

Whiteman tried the idea out on 
his own last summer at the Holly- 
wood Bowl and at Red Rocks, 
Colo., and proved a big grosser. 
As result, the Coppicus, Schang & 
Brown division of Columbia Ar- 
tists Mgt. is offering the package 
for limited dates, for this summer 
and for next winter’s indoor sea- 
son. Because Whiteman is on the 
permanent staff of the American 
Broadcasting Co., each date must 
be cleared with ABC. 

The maestro is conducting an 
all-Gershwin concert with the ABC 
Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie 
Hall, N. Y., Feb. 12, for the Gersh- 
win Memorial Foundation. The 
Columbia Mgt. tieup is a reunion 
for Whiteman and Frederick C. 
Schang. the bureau’s prez. Schang 
took Whiteman on about 25 years 
ago, and for two years solidly, for 
about 360 days each year, toured 
a Gershwin concert setup success- 
fully here and abroad. Schang 
admits it’s the only attraction Co- 
lumbia has ever had that toured 
two years straight without any 
seasonal or holiday layoffs. 

VET ESCUDERO SET FOR 
N.Y. HISPANO FLING 

Booking of Vicente Escudero and 
his dance company into the Play- 
house. N. Y., for two weeks start- 
ing Feb. 7 has aroused unusual at- 
tention, on several counts. Noted 
Spanish dancer, last here in 1935, 
is now nearly 70 (he admits to 62). 
Average age of his troupe is re- 
ported at 19, however. 

His former appearances, special 
style and his pronouncements on 
flamenco dance have excited both 
aficionados and other Spanish 
dancers, all of whom are certain to 
turn out for the event. 

Troupe opened up In Montreal 
Monday night <31). If Broadway re- 
ception is good, management may 
keep Escudero here for a longer 
spell, to fill other dates, summer 
engagements and fuller tour next 
season. Company is being pre- 
sented here by Maurice Attias. 
iy. Y. Importer-exporter who’s an 
Americanized Spaniard. He’s fi- 
nancing, with Charles E. Green, as 
Attias’ general manager, doing 
the booking. 

Green has a minimum contract 
of 10 wrecks with Escudero. Over- 
seas passage and expenses to date 
are around $35,000. Weekly N. Y. 
nut will be about $9,000. Troupe 
comprises nine dancers and twm 
guitarists, with a flamenco singer 
as a possible addition. 


WAGNER CHORALE TOUR 

The Roger Wagner Chorale will 
make its first transcontinental tour 
next January through March under 
Kenneth Alien Associates manage- 
ment. 

The touring chorale will consists 
of 30 voices, plus two pianists. 


U.S. Composer Platters 
OK for Export to Israel 

Washington, Feb. 1, 

U. S. records of classical and 
semi-classical music may now be 
exported to Israel under the in- 
formational Media Guaranty Pro- 
gram of the U. S. Information 
Agency. Eligible records are 
limited to classical and semi-clas- 
sical 10 and 12-inch longplays for 
33 rpm machines. They must con- 
sist exclusively of works by Ameri- 
can composers or of works per- 
formed by American artists or or- 
chestras, USIA explained. 

Since 1952, books and periodicals 
valued at about $4,500,000 have 
been exported to Israel under the 
program. 


Opera on Grand Scale 
With Impressive Bow 
Of Tebaldi in ‘Otello’ 

i 

Grand opera — real opera in all 
its stilted grandeur— -came back 
impressively to the Metropolitan 
Opera House, N. Y., Monday night 
(3D, with the first performance 
there since * 1952 of Verdi’s 
“Otello.” A distinguished, excit- 
ing though uneven evening result- 
ed, mainly from the casting of 
three top figures — Renata Tebaldi. 
Mario Del Monaco and Leonard 
Warren — in the lead roles. 

Mine. Tebaldi, a great dramatic 
soprano and singing actress from 
La Scala, in Milan, made her Met 
debut as Desdemona to a gala and 
music-wise audience that taxed the 
house, critically as well as in num- 
bers. It w'as the biggest crowd the 
auditorium could hold, the press 
list keeping the gate down to 
around $19,300. Management re- 
ported an even greater demand for 
tickets than for the recent Marian 
Anderson debut, and this merely 
by quiet word-of-mouth on Mme. 
Tebaldi and her recordings. Every 
singer and critic in town was there, 
and intermission-talk buzzed with 
comment and comparisons. 

Mme. Tebaldi revealed herself a 
beautiful stage figure, a quietly im- 
pressive actress and a dramatic so- 
prano of range and power. Her 
singing in the main is poised, un- 
strained, with chiselled distinction. 
Head tones are spun out softly and 
beautifully for sheer esthetic de- 
light. Here is a great addition to 
Met Opera ranks, probably the 
finest since Flagstad. 

And this in the face of an un- 
even, not completely satisfying 
performance Monday night. The 
diva’s understandable nervousness 
facing a Met debut, the strange- 
ness of the house and stage, were 
accentuated by erratic conducting 
on the part of Fritz Stiedry. The 
orchestra was steadily too loud, 
even for the opening-scene chor- 
uses, while cues, beat and tenapi 
were often insecure. So were 
some of Mme. Tebaldi’s forte 
passages or emissions, as result. 
But as the evening progressed, her 
artistry and vocal powers took on 
increasing distinction, and the 
Willow Song and Ave Maria in the 
fourth act were musical achieve- 
ments of the highest order. 

Del Monaco was an outstanding 
Otello. even though he strained 
and shouted a little too much, and 
overacted the role, especially in 
later scenes. But he has the bril- 
liant ringing tenor, the schooling 
and bearing, for the taxing role, 
and carried it off. Warren made 
a lively if not malevolent Iago, 
with noteworthy singing. Paul 
Franke made the Cassio a vivid 
figure, and Martha Lipton was a 
good Emilia. DinO Yannopoulos’ 
staging was generally effective. 

Bron. 


Warner Subsid to Rep 

Labanotation Bureau 

The Labanotation Bureau of 
N. Y., foremost dance notation sys- 
tem in the terp field, is making a 
deal w'ith Music Publishers Hold- 
ing Corp., a Warner Bros, subsid, 
to represent them. The MPHC, 
which handles all of WB music 
copyrights, will publish the Laban 
ballet scores. The Laban system 
of writing down dance steps for 
subsequent performances is now 
being used throuPhout the world. 

The new MPHC tieup will be 
formally signalized at a press con- 
fab next Monday (7) at the pub- 
lishers’ N. Y. offices, with Lincoln 
Kirstcin. George Balanchine, and 
other ballet notables in attend- 
ance. 


Personality Clash Seen in Kirstem s 

% 

Center Mgt. Vamp; Tension Due to Stay 


♦ By ARTHUR BRONSON 


Top Russian Fiddler 

Set for Japan Dates 

Tokyo, Jan. 25. 

Japan will import some high- 
grade Russian culture early this 
spring. David Oistrakh, one of the 
world’s top violinists, is due in 
Tokyo for a series of recitals. 

Sponsored by the Yomiuri Shiin- 
bun, one of the country’s three 
leading daily newspapers, the Rod 
fiddler will give 12 recitals here 
and in Osaka and Fukuoka. Ar- 
rangements for the tour were made 
by Shinten Jitsugyo, a Japanese 
trading company which imported 
the Soviet film, “The Grand Con- 
cert,” in 1953. 

Concert Shakeup 
In S.F.; Posz Out? 

Ran Francisco, Feb. 1. 

William E. King, manager of the 
San Diego Symphony, will start a 
concert series here next season, 
presenting classical and popular at- 
tractions, with the cooperation of 
Colombia Artists Mgt. and National 
Concert & Artists Corp. of N. Y„ 
at the War Memorial Opera House. 
The two major N. Y. bureaus pre- 
viously booked through Paul Posz 
of the California Civic Music & 
Arts Foundation. 

Posz, who founded the CCMAF 
some years ago, has presented Co- 
lumbia and NCAC attractions for a 
number of years. He w'as at one 
time manager of the San Francisco 
Opera Co. 

King is currently in San Fran- 
cisco making preliminary arrange- 
ments and has already moved his 
family to town. He will continue 
to present his Master Artists Se- 
ries in San Diego in addition to his 
series here. 

Posz, contacted at his country 
home in Colusa, would make no 
comment on the upcoming change, 
which has San Francisco concert 
circles buzzing, except to say that 
he has written Columbia and will 
make a statement next week when 
he hears from them. However, he 
added, he doubts that any final de- 
cisions have been made. 

The California Civic Music & 
Arts Foundation, a non-profit 
group, has usually presented a sea- 
son of from 18 to 25 events. Posz 
has been its paid director. Last 
year the season was good enough 
for a surplus profit of some $4,800 
to be donated to the San Francisco 
Ballet. This year, however, re- 
ceipts are considerably below nor- 
mal and the season might lose 
money. It’s understood that there 
has been cpnsiderable discontent 
with Posz’s absentee management 
of the events. Posz has devoted a 
good deal of time in recent years 
to his rice ranch. 

King’s handling of events would 
begin with the regular season next 
fall. What will now happen to 
CCMAF, with the big bureaus 
switching allegiance (and artists), 
is problematical. 


YUGO OPERA-BALLET IN 
MILD LONDON PREMIERE 


London, Feb. 1. 

Yugoslav National Opera and 
Ballet Co. made only a mild impact 
when it opened a limited season 
at the Stoll Theatre last week. In- 
itial productions of the opera, 
“Prince Igor,” and the “Romeo and 
Juliet” ballet garnered only luke- 
warm notices. 

Peter Daubeny presents the com- 
pany. It’s understood the project 
was heavily subsidized by the Tito 
government and as there were sub- 
stantial advance bookings, it may 
not prove unprofitable. 

Opening production of “Igor” 
was dull and heavy-handed and the 
principal singers infused little joy 
into the Borodin score, while the 
"R & J” ballet was old-fashioned 
in its conception, with melodra 
matic acting often substituting for 
classical dancing. The company 
staged “Ero the Joker” last Friday 
(28) and “Gingerbread Heart” last 
night (Mon.). Myro. 


Resignation last week of Lincoln 
Kirstein as managing director of 
N. Y.’s City Center of Mlisic and 
Drama (he stays on as direclor of 
its ballet wing, Hie N. Y. City Bal- 
let) was no great surprise to in- 
siders. Some bad seen it coming 
a long time — or since the day he 
was appointed 2 1 1 y.a s ago. 

Kirstein’s action, precipitated 
by renewal for another year of the 
contract of Joseph Rosenstock as 
director of the Center’s opera sec- 
tion, the N. Y. City Optra Co., was 
announced as a disagreement be- 
tween Kirstein and the Center’s 
board of directors over basic pol- 
icy. But the splitup goes deepe‘r 
than that — in a fundamental, ir- 
reconcilable clash of personalities 
as well as policies. 

As in most Instances of quasi- 
official or civic organizations with 
large boards of directors, a couple 
of altruistic, aggressive people as- 
sume responsibility and do most 
of the actual work. In the Cen- 
ter’s case, from the very start 12 
years ago, it ’s been New bold Mor- 
ris. board chairman, and Morton 
Baum, finance committee head, 
who ran the Center. There was 
no appointed managing director. 

Arrangement hasn’t always been 
satisfactory to other board mem- 
bers. In 1952, Howard S. Cullman, 
the Center’s treasurer, and Gerald 
F. Warburg, another board mem- 
be, resigned over administration 
policy and lack of a resident mana- 
ger. Kirstein’s appointment came 
soon after. (He has served with- 
out pay, and also has made sub- 
stantial contributions to the Cen- 
ter’s treasury). 

Kirstein had been running the 
Center’s ballet division, raising 
money for it, and contributing his 
own. It was thought he would con- 
tinue to do only this, despite his 
new post as director of all the Cen- 
ter activities (opera, ballet, drama 
and musicals), leaving actual man- 
agement still with Morris and 
Baum. But Kirstein conceived his 
job as that of overall director; had 
ideas of his own on policy (di- 
rectly counter to the others), and 
the inevitable clash was on. 

Kirstem regar's the Center not 
as essentially a money-making ven. 
ture, but as an artistic, cultural 
(Continued on page 76) 


Wm. Morris Booking Can. 
Ballet for Coast Tour, 
Eyeing Overseas Trek 

National Ballet of Canada open- 
ed a short tour in Ontario last 
week, to run through March. A 
few U.S. dates are included, the 
troupe to make its debut in De- 
troit, Chicago and Philadelphia, 
among others. It will play Brook- 
lyn March 25-26, in its first N.Y. 
showing. Deals are on four-wall 
basis, with Shubert UBO houses 
used mostly. 

Next season, troupe comes un- 
der the exclusive management of 
the William Morris Agency. Bu- 
reau is already booking a three- 
month coast-to-coast tour, start- 
ing In January, 1956, in Buffalo or 
Rochester, and ending on the 
Coast. These bookings will be on 
straight fee or percentage. Klaus 
Kolmar, handling WM’s concert 
department, is also negotiating for 
British dates, as WM plans to send 
the troupe to Europe or South Af- 
rica between September and De- 
cember, 1955. 

Toronto troupe is headed by 
Celia Franca, as artistic director 
and lead dancer, and managed by 
Walter Homburger. Company in- 
cludes 34 dancers and orch of 18, 
to be augmented at each stop by 
six local musicians. Anne Sloper 
is ahead of the troupe now as ad- 
vance agent. 


London Festival Ballet 
$28,000 for Four, I).C. 

Washington. Feb. 1. 

The London Festival Ballet, 
though drawing handsome reviews 
from the critics, proved slightly 
disappointing at the boxoffice last 
week, with only $28,000 in the till 
lor four performances at the Cap- 
itol Theatre. 

The Pat Hayes attraction ran 
three evenings. Monday <24) 
through Wednesday, plus a Wed- 
nesday matinee. 


76 


< VHTMI PKH A 


Young Bartok Is Man With Mission; 
Plans to Bisk AH of Bad s Works 


Concert Review 


A man with a mission Is Peter 
Bartok, 31-year-old son of the ’ate 
famed Hungarian compose:*. Be’a 
Bartok. Bartok, an audio engineer 
in N.Y., is a’so owner of Bartok 
Records, which specializes in issues 
of compos’tions of his father. To 
date, he has recorded about 23 
such pieces. His aim is to record 
all of Bartok’s works — of which 
there are 60 to 70 — although it 
will take five to six years more, 
he thinks, to do it. 

There is a sort of Bartok vogue 
now, both in concert performances 
and in recordings, with several 
labels (including the majors) dik- 
ing Bartok compositions. No Bar- 
tok work, his son revealed, was, re- 
corded during the composer’s life- 
time. (Bartok died in 1945.) 

Young Bartok, who has built all 
his own recording equipment 
(‘‘equipment makes the record,” he 
says), got into disking on his own 
by accident. A freelance engineer, 
he made his first disk as a dem- 
onstration. for other recording 
companies, of what he could do. 
It was so well liked that he de- 
cided to form his own company. 
This was five years ago. 

The senior Bartok isn’t a “pop- 
ular” classical composer, like a 
Shostakovich or Prokofiev. Of his 
works, disked by various compa- 
nies, the most popular is the Music 
For Strings, Percussion A Celeste. 
Others are the Concerto For Or- 
chestra. “Miraculous Mandarin,” 
Viola Concerto and Violin Con- 
certo. Bartok Records has an ex- 
clusive on the Viola Concerto, 
disked by William Primrose with 
an oreh under Tibor Serly, and 
this has been the company’s best- 
seller. Also a good seller is Con- 
trasts For Violin, Piano & Clarinet 
(not an exclusive). 

Because of disking costs, young 
Bartok takes his equipment abroad 
for much of his recording. His 
latest issue is “Bluebeard’s Castle,” 
a two-disk LP album, out at Xmas, 
and the next big one will be the 
Cantata Profana, with soloists, 
chorus and orch, to be done next 
summer. In the fall, Bartok will 
have a sampler ready for stores, 
containing three to four minutes 
of each disk in his catalog. 

He’s added a few “outside” com- 
posers to his list. But. only when 
the Bartok catalog is complete, 
does he plan to go in for other 
composers in a large way. At t^ie 
moment, he’s holding on to his 
$6.45 tag per LP, despite the re- 
cent price cuts, feeling that he 
wouldn't sell any more at a cheap- 
er figure. But he expects to drop 
his price eventually, to be near 
competition. Boosey & Hawkes 
represents the Bartok estate in 
America. 


Compagnons, Chanteurs 
In Novel Dual Concerts 

Paris, Jan. 25. 

Two French choral groups, dia- 
metrically opposed in appeal and 
usual spotting, will team up for a 
series of dual concerts to kick off 
at the Salle Pleyel in Paris Feb. 8. 
and then will be off oi> a three- 
week round of 22 major Gallic 
cities. Groups are Les Compagnons 
de La Chanson and Les Petits 
Chanteurs A La Croix De Bois 
i known as The Little Singers of 
Paris in the U. ‘S.>. Booking ar- 
rangements are being handled by 
Marcel Chanfreau. 

Recital will feature both ensem- 
bles in their own numbers with Les 
Compagnons De La Chanson (9» 
doing their more commercial dit- 
ties. and the Little Singers of Paris 
(32». led by Msgr. Fernand Maillet, 
in their usual Gregorian and Pal- 
est, inian chorus music. They will 
then combine to present various 
songs together from each other’s 
rep. Three concerts at the Salle 
Pleyel are already sold out and 
others are selling briskly. 

Both outfits will head for concert 
jaunts in the U. S., on their own 
this time, in the fall of 1955. 


Concert Bits 

Paul Paray signed new two-year 
pact as Detroit Symphony maestro, 
through 1956-57 . . . Toledo Or- 
chestra cancelled its February and 
March concerts, and may disband 
at season’s end due .to financial 
troubles. 

The Sadler’s Wells Ballet will 
launch its fourth American tour at 
the Met Opera House, N. Y., next 
Sept. 11. After a five-week New 
York engagement, the company 
will leave for a coast-to-coast tour. 

Mark Levine, pre* of National 
Concert & Artists Corp., was rest- 
ing at home the past couple of 
weeks, at doctor’s orders, due to 
overwork . . . Maria Tallchief, cur- 
rently with Ballet Russe de Monte 
Carlo, will return to the N.Y. City 
Ballet for its European tour this 
spring and summer. 

Paul Matthen, bass-baritone, has 
been engaged as leading baritone 
of the Stuttgart Opera for the en- 
tire season of 1955-56 . . . Kansas 
City Philharmonic has appointed 
George Morgulis as business man- 
ager. He has been manager of the 
San Antonio Symphony since June. 
1953. 


Danish Ballet 
Eyeing U.S. Bow 

Possibility of the Royal Danish 
Ballet coming to the U. S. this 
spring, for its American bow, 
looms large. The government-spon- 
sored troupe would appear in 
N. Y. at the Met Opera House for 
three or four weeks in May, then 
tour for another four or five weeks 
before returning home. Sol Hurok 
would manage. 

The Dalles and Hurok have 
talked before about an American 
tour, but the transportation prob- 
lem always balked them. Now the 
Danish government is willing to 
assume the $30.000-$50,000 needed 
for overseas passage. 

Hurok. however, is reluctant to 
1 bring the troupe here in May when 
! the Danes want to come. In the 
first place, this comes very late in 
the season. Secondly, the time is 
rather short for booking the com- 
pany. Thirdly, the engagement 
might take the edge off the three- 
week N. Y. spring run of the Bal- 
let Theatre, which is winding its 
15th anniversary season with a 
gala at the Met Opera House start- 
ing April 12, just prior to the 
Danes’ arrival. 

Hurok. who takes over booking 
of Ballet Theatre next season, is 
, starting in, promotion-wise, a little 
earlier, with the N. Y. engagement, 
and the Danish date might compli- 
cate matters. He’s currently in 
Europe, and will fly to Copen- 
hagen to try to induce the ballet 
company to postpone its visit until 
1956. 


CAROIA GOYA & MATTEO 
i “Dances of The World” 

; With Lorenzo Herrera, Raymond 

Sachse 

Ziegfeld, N. Y. 

Miss Goya, back in New York 
after some years, is now teamed 
with an able male partner. Matteo, 
interspersed by an attractive 
! baritone. Lorenzo Herrera, and sup- 
ported by an expert pianist. Ray- 
mond Sachse. After an encourag- 
ing debut recently at the YM-YH 
outpost of culture, the four-person 
“package,” under National Con- 
cert & Artists Corp. auspices, came 
downtown for a Sunday night re- 
cital (30), nearly filling a large 
house on a bitter-cold night. 

( This is an evening’s entertain- 
ment of much charm, even though 
the featured pair, essentially ex- 
perts in the Spanish dance tradi- 
tion, deflect, in the second half, 
to Scottish Highland Fling, Indian 
Nautch, Celyonese devil dances, 
Cuban sleepy afternoon routines 
and an Italian tambourine routine. 
These international tibits justify 
the “Dances of the World” billing 
and presumably fit the current 
concert management demands for 
"fuller packages.” 

Not surprisingly, the Oriental 
and non-Hispanic stuff falls no- 
tably shy of the artistry and sure- 
ness of the pair in their Spanish 
items. But ordinary spectators 
may object less than technique- 
conscious New Yorkers. The pair 
do quite well in venturing into 
dance idioms far removed from 
their basics. 

Pianist Sachse and Herrera are 
sturdy aides in an evening’s re- 
cital that is more than averagely 
beguiling. Miss Goya is a woman 
of much dignity and versatility (al- 
though hardly a Cuban type) and 
both she and Matteo are in solid 
command in the Spanish inter- 
ludes. Their work with castanets 
is peculiarly subtle. 

All in all, with some reserva- 
tions on the global interpolations, 
this is a very sellable program 
that will surely please those who 
f»ncy an evening of artistic 
diversion. Land. 



BBC Deejay to Feature 
Top Pop Russian Tunes 

London, Feb. 1. 

Top pop Russian tunes are to be 
featured by BBC sound radio in 
Elkan Allan’s deejay series, “Inter- 
national Hit Parade,” next Sunday 
(6». Thurston Holland, organizer of 
the series, asked the Russian Em- 
bassy some months ago if they 
could help in obtaining records for 
the program. 

A few days ago an album with 10 
new records and full script and 
lyrics in Russian was delivered to 
his office with apologies for the 
delay and the lack of translation. 


The Master of Them All I 

FAREWELL TOUR OF AMERICA 

ESCUDERO 

AND HIS FLAMENCO COMPANY 
Exclusive Management: 

Consolidated Concerts Corporation — Charles E. Green 
30 Rockefeller Plata. New Ycrk 20. N. Y. 


CO 5-3580 


Marking the third anni of its 
signing of the Pitt Symphony 
under William Steinberg, Capitol 
has devoted its entire January 
classical release to four albums of 
the orch. Admirable gesture has 
also resulted in four sterling re- 
leases: Strauss’ “Till Eulenspiegel” 
& “Death & Transfiguration”; 
Beethoven's Fifth & Eighth Sym- 
phonies; Rachmaninoff’s Symphony 
No. 2, and Prokofiev’s Classical 
Symphony & Tchaikovsky’s Sere- 
nade for Strings. Full dimensional 
sound of the four disks is a rich 
treat for hi-fi fans, while the in- 
terpretations are standout for 
music-lov^s. The Prokofiev is 
treated lightly, but not slurred or 
(galloped through. The Beethoven 
symphonies are clear, un-muddied. 
fresh again. The Serenade is lyric 
and lovely without ‘over-sloshing. 
The Rachmaninoff is romantic- 
enough, yet not sugary despite its 
sonorities. Excellent recordings, 
these. 

Beethoven: Concerto No. 5, E 

Flat (RCA Victor). Admirable in- 
terpretation of the “Emperor,” in 
a forthright, robust and crystal- 
clear reading by pianist Edwin 
Fischer, with strong, well-balanced 
support by Wilhelm Furtwangler, 
who made his orchestra sing. 

Schubert: Quintet in A & Noc- 
turne, E Flat (Vox). Vigorous but 
musical version of the lovely 
“Trout” quintet, in a polished per- 
formance by the Barchet Quartet 
and Friedrich Wuhrer, whose key- 
board work is firstrate. Little- 
heard Nocturne for piano, violin 
and cello is a charming piece, 
quietly building to a strong climax. 

Franck: Symphony (Columbia). 
The D Minor in a rich, substantial 
reading by the Philly Orch under 
Ormandy that’s neVer heavy or 
overladen. Brilliant-sounding 
strings are standout. 

Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night’s 
Dream (Angel. Familiar excerpts 
(like the Overture, Scherzo, Noc- 
turne . plus lesser-heard songs 
from the work. The Philharmonia 
under Paul Kletzki plays the music 
with verve and style, and soloists 
| are quite good# to make this an 
appealing disk. 

Strauss: Don Juan. Death & 
Transfiguration, Till Eulenspiegel 

! (Vox). Jascha Horenstein leads the 
Bamberg Symphony (a fine-sourd- 
ing orch. this) in sensitive, worth- 
• while interpretations of three top- 
notch tone-poems. "Death & Trans- 
j figuration.” especially. builds 
slowly and firmly to a vivid, dra- 
I matic windup, for an e*‘ ”‘ng, 

1 sturdy reading. Bron. 


Wednesday, FeBruary 2, 1955 


Inside Stuff — Concerts 

The current Met Opera season reached the midpoint last week, with 
grosses at the midseason mark just a little below budget expectations. 
(Norm has been 90% capacity). Execs regard this as not bad, in light 
of general conditions, and aren’t alarmed. Weekends have been sell- 
outs, and Monday night biz (due to a heavy subscription list) is terrif. 
Midweek has been a little off. But Saturday matinees bring a b.o! 
take around $19,225 and Saturday nights as much as $19,500. 

The Met announces three new productions for next season. “Magic 
Flute,” “Tales of Hoffmann”- and “Don Pasquale,” Pierre Monteux will 
conduct “Hoffmann,” Bruno Walter the “Flute” and Thomas Schippers 
the “Pasquale.” Season will open Nov. 14. 


Francis Robinson. Met Opera assistant manager and its b.o. and 
press head, still finds time for a considerable sideline — writing liners 
(back-cover program notes) for RCA Victor albums. He wrote the 
data for the recently-issued “Noel And Gertie” (Noel Cow'ard and 
Gertrude Lawrence) album. He also scripted the liners for the fol- 
lowing five upcoming releases: another Lawrence disk, titled “Gertrude 
Lawrence”; “Rosa Ponselle Sings Today,” with songs recorded last 
fall in Baltimore by the 57-year-old ex-Met soprano, due out in April; 
a Licia Albanese album of songs; an Enrico Caruso album of less- 
familiar airs, and “10 Sopranos, 10 Arias.” 


Irving Kolodin, music editor of the Saturday Review', presented an 
interesting thesis in his survey for the mag of Gian-Carlo Menotti’s 
operas, titled "From ‘Amelia’ to ’The Saint.’ ” His recent works, wrote 
Kolodin, “cause one to wonder whether Menotti’s musical impulse 
has not now outstripped his dramatic one, whether it is, in short, time 
for him to find a literary collaborator on a par with his compositional 
craft. If there were a Boito available to aid him — that is to say, a 
composer with the skill to write a ‘Mefistofele’ on his own. as well 
as a librettist able to provide Verdi with the texts for ‘Falstaff’ and 
‘Otello’ — by all means. But’ there is none such.” 

I 

Sol Hurok has put over till next season* his presentation of the 
Spanish dance attraction, Antonio & Co., originally skedded for this 
winter. Non-availability of a proper Broadway house is the cause. 
The impresario is resuming the booking of Ballet Theatre for next 
season, after a lapse of several years. He’s stepping in ahead of time 
on the promotion angle, taking over publicity chores on this spring’s 
gala three-week run at the N.Y. Met Opera House which climaxes 
Ballet Theatre's 15th anniversary season. Martin Feinstein, Hurok’s 
publicity head, will handle. Arthur Cantor, who had been previously 
pacted to do it, however, will continue to rep Ballet Theatre and its 
director, Lucia Chase, on a year-round basis. 


No less than seven Arturo Toscanini recordings are being released 
in February by RCA Victor. Of the seven, five have been taped from 
actual broadcasts of Toscanini with the NBC ^Symphony and the re- 
maining two were recorded in Carnegie Hall. The first five include 
the Verdi “Te Deum ” Boito “Mefistofele.” Act Two from Gluck's 
“Orfeo and Eurydice,” and the Mendelssohn “Italian” and “Reforma- 
tion” Symphonies. Of the remaining two, the Debusey “La Mer” is 
a re-release of an earlier Carnegie Hall recording, and Debussy's 
“Iberia” by Toscy now is available for the first time. 


Vox Records issued a disking of Stravinsky’s “Histoire due Soldat” 
in 1953, recorded in Paris, in French, by a group under F. Oubradous. 
A new English version of the music-drama was done by U S. artists 
at the Y.M.H.A., N.Y., a few- weeks ago, under the direction of Emanuel 
Vardi, NBC Symphony first viola player. Due to frequent requests for 
an English “Soldat,” and the success of the recent presentation. Vox 
has recorded the Vardi version, using three actors and seven instru- 
mentalists, and will issue the album in March. 


Personality Clash 

Continued from pare 75 


enterprise, akin to a Metropolitan 
Museum of Art or N. Y. Public 
Library, that needs public or pri- 
vate subsidy. He and choreogra- 
pher George Balanchine had estab- 
lished noteworthy standards for 
the N. Y. City Ballet, and wanted 
the same artistic slide-rule to ap- 
ply to opera, drama and musicals. 
The ballet troupe has never made 
money, dropping as much as $40,- 
000 a season. 

Morris and Baum, on the other 
hand, concerned with keeping the 
Center going and assuming re- 
sponsibility for raising the funds 
needed, have felt that the Center 
should be a cost-breaking if not 
a money-making setup. As attor- 
neys and businessmen, they’ve 
measured success of an undertak- 
ing by its financial go. 

They vetoed presentation this 
year of Gian-Carlo Menotti’s 
"Saint of Bleecker St.” by the 
opera company (Kirstein’s project) 
because it was too costly, and the 
show has gone over to Broadway 
instead. Kirstein was instrumen- 
tal in getting a $200,000 grant from 
the Rockefeller Foundation for 
commissioning new works at the 
Center, and some of this coin Jias 
gone for “Saint.” So the Center 
will have to present “Saint” event- 
ually, in order not to lose the 
Rockefeller grant. 

Kirstein has not cared for Ro- 
scnstock’s policies in the opera de- 
partment and his lack of new pro- 
ductions. He admitted he was 
sore, too, because Rosenstock last 
year fired the lighting director, 
choreographer and pressagent, and 
the first Kirstein knew' of this, he 
said, was when he read about it 
in Variety. Kirstein didn’t want 
Rosenstock’s contract renewed. He 
had even sounded out Menotti for 
the opera director’s job, and said 
the composer was willing to take 
it. 

Drama Pick-Me-Up 

Morris and Baum have encour- 
aged the annual pick-me-up of 
stars and actors willing to work 


for $100 weekly for a drama sea- 
son at the Center, because the 
plays appealed to a lot of people 
and made enough money to help 
out on ballet-opera losses. Kir- 
stein is against the present* drama 
setup as impermanent and un-ar- 
tistic, preferring an established 
repertory company akin to opera 
and ballet, and dedicated to more 
classical presentations than the 
current type of Broadway revivals. 

Tension at the Center isn’t like- 
ly to ease, despite Kirstein’s resig- 
nation as managing director, be- 
cause Morris and Baum (and a new 
director) will still have say over 
Kirstein’s baby, the ballet com- 
pany. But probably it won’t get 
any worse; Kirstein has some of 
the Rockefeller coin unused, and 
can be relied on to help find more. 
There is no talk of the N. Y. 
City Ballet pulling out of the Cen- 
ter. It apparently has no place 
to go; a move to a Broadway house, 
with high rentals, stop clauses, 
etc., is impractical. Only a new' 
director quite repugnant to Kir- 
stein and Balanchine would cause 
such a move. 

Meantime, the Center’s board of 
directors has appointed a commit- 
tee to pick a new manager. The 
board itself is split in half over 
the question of a director with 
authority, or one without. Mean- 
time. Morrts and Baum run the 
Center. 


Col Distrib in Philly 

Named Academy Head 

Philadelphia, Feb. 1. 

Stuart F. ; ouchheim, Columbia 
Records distrib and songwriter, has 
been elected president of the 
Academy of Music, Philly’s cen- 
tury-old concert showcase. He*suc- 
ceeds C. Wanton Balls, who re- 
signed recently to become presi- 
dent of the Philadelphia Orchestra 
Assn. 


» 



Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


LITERATI 


77 


Literati 


Tender Is The Word For L.A. 

American Civil Liberties Union 
has entered the L.A. controversy 
over the removal “for study and 
review” of 15 books from city 
schools. School superintendent 
Claude L. Reeves, in ordering the 
action, did not identify the per- 
sons or groups complaining about 
the books. 

Southern California branch of 
ACLU, in protest, warned that 
“anonymous criticism, submission 
to pressure group censorship, and 
removal of books before investiga- 
tion, instead of after, could en- 
danger the entire school system.” 

The so - called controversial 
books are “American Argument” 
by Pearl Buck and E. M. Robeson, 
“Thirteen Against the Odds,” Ed- 
win R. Embree; “Emotional Prob- 
lems of Living,” O. S. English and 
G. H. J. Pearson; “We Call It Hu- 
man Nature.” Paul Grabbe; “My 
Wild Irish Rogues.” Vivian Hal- 
linan; “H is for Heroin/’ David 
Hulburd, and “Peoples of the So- 
viet Union,” Corliss Lamont. 

Also, “The Growing Human 
Family,” Minco Masani; “Brother* 
Under the Skin,” Carey McWil- 
liams; “Field of Broken Stones,” 
Lowell Naeve; “Walls Came Tum- 
bling Down.” Mary Ovington; 
“How Man Discovered His Body,” 
Sarah R. Riedman; “Russian Jour- 
ney,” John Steinbeck; “Intercul- 
tural Education in the American 
Schools," William E. Vickery, and 
“Russians; The Land, the People 
and Why They Fight,” Albert Rhys 
Williams. 


*This Is Not My Text’ 

Another instance of a publisher 
“slashing the text of an author’s 
book without his knowledge or per- 
mission is a matter of discussion 
currently in literary attorney and 
Authors Guild circles of Manhat- 
tan, A paperbag 35c work, “Dark 
Plunder,” by Victor Rosen, is in- 
volved. Lion Library, owned by 
Martin Goodman, is the publisher. 

Last Otcober. when he saw page 
(not galley) proofs in order to 
check details with Walter Winchell 
and various police officials knowl- 
edgable concerning the gangster, 
Vincent Coll, the subject of the 
book, the author first realized that 
his 110,000-word manuscript had 
been cut to 75,000 words. Lion 
Library’s original editor, Arnold 
Hano, had meanwhile departed and 
another editor, Walter Fultz, taken 
over. 

Rosen, on advice of his agent. 
Jay Gorney-Brooks Associates, and 
his attorney, Newman Levy (him- 
self a writer), filed official warning 
to Martin Goodman that the book 
he wrotgc-was not the book about to 
be published. As a compromise of- 
fer, Lion offered to put back 1,000 
lines or “typescript.” This did not 
satisfy author Rosen and the issue 
was in abeyance until last week, 
when the paperback suddenly, 
without notice to the ‘author, ap- 
peared on the stands. 


Wylie’s Double-Header 

Max Wylie, script editor of the 
Ford Foundation Omnibus series, 
whose “Clear Channels” book was 
reviewed in Variety fortnight back 
actually was the author of two 
books appearing in the same week 
— always a feat for any scribe. 

His second literary chore was 
a ghosting job. Wylie composed 
the text for “Assignment: Church- 
ill” published by Farrar, Straus 
& Young ($3.75) which is the amus- 
ing memoir of a Scotland Yard 
man, Inspector Walter H. Thomp- 
son, who spent something like 19 
years as bodyguard to Sir Winston, 
both in his Lord of the Admiralty 
days and later. 

The book is an amusing and 
arresting “worms-eye” view of a 
Ereat man and a not unuseful ad- 
dendum to Churchilliana. That the 
text sounds so much like an Eng- 
lishman and an English inspector 
is a considerable comment on Max 
Wylie’s “ear” and his versatility 
*s a ghost. Land. 


Toronto Star’s Alumni 

Fast and present staffers of To- 
ronto Star, Canada’s largest daily 
and one of the continent’s noted 
razzledazzlers, are holding the first 
comprehensive reunion April 30, 
ir^ilie Royal" York hotel, Toronto. 
Most famous Star alumnus is Ern- 
*' st Hemingway, who worked there 
two years in the 20’s and was its 
European correspondent for a 
while. Others are Pierre Van Paas- 
* (> n. its correspondent in Spain 
during the Franco revolt; Merrill 
Denison, the author; Robinson Mac- 
the mystery writer; Tom 
, h, teside, New Yorker profile ex- 
!!°u’ ^, en Clarke, later a feature 
'liter for PM, now lost track of; 


John Clare and Scott Young, who 
sell fiction to U. S. slicks. 

Also Keith Munro, original 
chronicler and later manager of 
the Dionne Quintuplets, and their 
photographer Fred Davis. (Story 
goes that when the quints were 
born the then city editor of the 
Star replied to his correspondents’ 
query: "Send 75 words.”) Gordon 
Sinclair, travel author, left the 
Star but now does a radio-tv 
column for it. 

Roger Irwin, onetime financial 
editor, is a farmer in Tobago, 
B.W.I. Another alumnus is the 
head of a seminary, and another 
is a Toronto traffic cop at King 
and Yonge, a block from his Alma 
Mater. Frank Chamberlain, To- 
ronto publicist, is rounding up his 
fellow alumni. 


Important Severance Victory 

Four discharged employees of 
the Press Publishing Co. of Atlan- 
tic City are entitled to severance 
pay guaranteed by an American 
Newspaper Guild contract al- 
though they were discharged after 
the contract’s termination. County 
Judge Leon Leonard ruled Friday 
(28). 

However such serverance pay is 
due only between the dates of the 
Guild’s contracts, which ran from 
Oct. 23, 1944 to Aug. 22, 1952, the 
judged ruled. Under the ruling 
members of the Guild still em- 
ployed by the company likewise 
continue to receive severance pay 
protection should they be dis- 
charged. 


Enters As Novelist 

Angna Enters, the mime, who 
has more variegated talents than 
Noel Coward, doesn’t quite make 
the grade in her debut as a novel- 
ist. Her Coward-McCann book, 
“Among The Daughters,” is a curi- 
ously uneven manuscript. It’s 
hard to keep the mind engrossed, 
although individual segments and 
characters are arresting. 

It’s not too certain what the 

author is trying to say. Many of 
her people are "arty” in the worst 
sense of having little talent and 

vast pretense. They abuse the 

privilege of being neurotic and 
poseur and in the end the novel 
is more of a smudge than a suc- 
cess, although there is surely 

more than a little^writing talent 
in this talented woman. Land. 


CHATTER 

Helen Gould is the new western 
editor and columnist for TV Re- 
vue. 

Louis L’Amour sold “The Burn- 
ing Hills,” a serial, to the Sateve- 
post. 

Dale Evans’ “My Spiritual 
Diary” will be issued Feb. 14 by 
Fleming H. Revell Co. 

Delmore Schwartz has joined 
the New Republic as poetry editor. 
He’ll also review films. 

Len Boyd shifted from the city 
desk to drama editorship of the 
Valley Times on the Coast. 

Sara Welles, assistant article ed 
of Woman’s Home Companion, 
back after eight-week maternity 
leave. 

George R. Cruze, Jr., has been 
named as retail advertising 'man- 
ager of the Burlington Free Press 
in Burlington, Vt. 

Wade N. Nichols Jr., has been 
upped to veepee of McCall Corp., 
which publishes Redbook and 
Bluebook magazines. 

Scenarist-playwright-n o v e 1 i s t 
Robert Ardrey is due east next 
week en route to London and 
thence to South Africa to do a 
series of articles for the Reporter 
mag. 

Ted Howard, In conjunction 
with the Betty Impellitteri office, 
to handle the publicity on the 
Travel & Auto Sports Show at 
Madison Square Garden, N. Y., 
Feb. 20-27. 

Roland Gammon, writer of re- 
ligious books (“Truth Is One’’) and 
lecturer, is becoming PR director 
of the Council of Liberal Churches 
(Universalist-Unitarian) and open- 
ing a Park Ave., N. Y., office as 
headquarters. 

Gene Maslow has resigned as 
publicity director of Music Corp. 
of America to open his own public 
relations office. Maslow, who suc- 
ceeded John Newman as MCA 
publicity head when the latter left 
to join Official Films, has been 
succeeded by Paul Steiner at the 
talent agency post. 

A testimonial dinner to Charles 
F. Young, veteran sports editor of 
Gannett’s Albany Knickerbocker 
News, will be given March 6 in the 
Sheraton-Ten Eyck Hotel ball- 
room, with Dick Walsh, sports edi- 
tor of Hearst’s Times-Union, and 
Ben Danforth, of the Knicker-j 


bocker News sports staff, as co- 
chairmen. 

Bob Buchanan, Ottawa Citizen 
reporter (now negotiating a Guild 
contract with Canadian Broadcast- 
ing Corp. for its news employees), 
was re-elected president of Ameri- 
can Newspaper Guild’s Ottawa 
local. Claude Hammerston, also 
Citizen and a former Guild prexy, 
is new president of the Canadian 
capital’s press club. 

Charles E. Crane, once a well 
known newspaperman, has retired 
after serving as director of publici- 
ty for the National Life Insurance 
Co. in Montpelier, Vt., since 1932. 
He served on the Associated Press 
staffs in Boston, New York City, 
Pittsburgh and other cities and 
spent a year in London as a fea- 
ture writer for American newspa- 
pers. After 15 years with the AP, 
he returned to Vermont and pur- 
chased the Middlebury Register. 
Later he was an editor and column- 
ist on the Brattleboro (Vt.) Re- 
former and his column, “Pendrift,” 
was published in book form. 


’Billions & Blunders’ 

SS Continued from page 2 

to gather hiaterial. He person- 
ally shot some six pages of 
photos, included in the book, illus- 
trating the luxurious accommoda- 
tions of Government publicity 
forces overseas. 

Forced to Turn Author 

Castle turned author only after 
he became convinced, following 
many personal appeals to Con- 
gress, that his Republican friends 
were no different than the Demo- 
crats in supporting handouts, both 
financial and mimeographic. Al- 
though himself a Republican, Cas- 
tle does not spare Eisenhower or 
the party, but accuses both of 
double-talking the whole “econo- 
my” question. 

“We are the victims of our own 
overorganization,” writes Castle, 
“We have erected a much too cost- 
ly and complicated superstruc- 
ture.” He advocates total abolition 
of film propaganda (70,000 existing 
prints of 1,000 one and two-reel- 
ers) and the creation of a compact 
information staff of professional 
newspapermen to handle whatever 
needs the State Dept, may legiti- 
mately have. 

Many Washington personages get 
undelicate treatment in “Billions, 
Blunder and Baloney” but nobody 
perhaps so much as Ted Streibert, 
longtime head of WOR, New York, 
and now director of the U. S. In- 
formation Service. There are 278 
pages of closed packed charge and 
fact, figures and interpretations, 
indignation and angec in this pri- 
vate citizen’s diatribe against his 
party and Government. 

Castle argues that “Communist 
leaders make themselves close to 
the common people in their mode 
of life,” but in contrast Americans 
live swank existences and talk 
high-falutin intellectuality. In 
Cairo, Castle states, no native 
would dare venture into the re- 
stricted (and militarily guarded) 
sector of the city where the 
U. S. A.’s “people library” is situ- 
ated. “American government work- 
ers are paid and live like kings. 
That makes for jealousy and bad 
will — the Communist agitators 
feed on it.” 

“Billions, Blunders and Baloney” 
will be exhaustively analyzed and 
rebutted for a simple reason: it is 
a body-blow to what its advocates 
insist is a necessary speaking up 
for America and what Castle con- 
tends is the worst kind of “ama- 
teurism” in the communications 
arts, all costing American taxpay- 
ers billions of dollars and doing 
more harm, he argues, than good. 

A fighting book, it has already 
been adopted as a political weapon 
and will undoubtedly have consid- 
erable impact upon the spending 
climate in Congress. That’s the 
way Castle played it. 


Pepsi-Cola 

— Continued from paxe 1 SSSSS 

ning continuously between the two 
bottles and beneath the crown; cas- 
cading 50,000 gallons a minute in 
New York’s newest Niagara. Win- 
ter? - Three thousand gallons of 
antifreeze added. And the water- 
fall can’t overflow since it’s held 
in place from the derriere by a 
vacuum process. Bulb count is 
35,000. 

If a million visitors each took a 
Pepsi of the eight-ounce variety 
and poured it into the two towering 
bottles, the latter would be SRO. 


i SCULLY’S SCRAPBOOK ;; 

;;♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ »♦♦♦+♦♦♦ By Frank Scully ♦+♦+♦♦♦»»♦♦+»»+" 

Palm Springs. 

While I yield the floor to none in my devotion to la belle France, 
I must warn any foreigner who tries to get married there that it’s no 
Gretna Green. Contrary to Congreve, in Paris you marry at leisure 
and repent in haste. 

French law has been gathering tape since Paris was called Lutetia, 
and that was long before Julius Caesar became a stand-in for Shakes- 
peare. Indeed, up to the entry of Mexico and Nevada in the field, 
France was the hardest place to get married and the easiest to get 
divorced In the so-called Christian world. 

You Start Here To Get Married 

Once, losing all restraint, I shouted loud enough to wake up the 
dead in the Neuilly bureau of births, marriages and deaths: “I can 
now understand why so many people live in sin on the Left Bank. 
They can’t afford to cut all this red tape, grease all these palms and 
wait this long, because they have only one live to live!” 

The chef assured me he was not making things difficult for us. 
It was, with a shrug of his shoulders, the law. And what is the law? 
Well, first, if you’re foreigners, you have to collect the signatures of 
all the concierges where you have lived for the six previous months. 
These you must take to the various chiefs of police, who will certify 
that the signatures of the glorified janitors are not forgeries. 

Armed with these, the applicant must get an attorney approved by 
his nation’s embassy to draw up a certificate of eligibility, meaning 
that these characters bent on holy wedlock are not already bigamists 
in their native land. This must be taken to the country’s ambassador, 
who must swear that the attorney was not disbarred in his native 
land and is indeed an honorable fellow with only ope weakness — a 
love of champagne cocktails. 

All this, of course, costs money. Papier timbre must be pasted on 
all these documents. Signatures have a varying price structure. 
American ambassadors are worth $1 a word, French ministers of the 
interior come as low as 15c. Special treatment, of course, can run 
into big money, but in the end not much time will be gained. 

Once you have these basic documents, you can then apply for a 
marriage license. But you cannot get married until the banns have 
been dispatched by mail to your home town, posted on the bulletin 
board of the city hall for 10 days and .then mailed back to Paris. 
This is figured to take six weeks. During that time, one of you may 
not move from one hotel to another without throwing the whole thing 
back to first base. ' 

You’re Still Not Married 

If you argue that banns are not posted in your homeland any longer, 
you might get this proviso waived, provided you can get a cabinet 
minister in office long enough to read it, waive the requirement and 
take his fee. 

You can judge along about now that anybody insisting on a legal 
or holy marriage (and in France you can’t have the second without 
first submitting to the state’s take) must really mean it. 

It is wiser to send the little woman in alone as this red tape gets 
more tangled. She has the only dissolvant. It’s tears. France may 
be more bogged down with bureaucrats than Washington, blit, they 
are still easily fetched by a woman’s tears. 

In our own hunt for happiness, I sent Little Alice in to get a “yes” 
from a cabinet minister while I sat outside in the sun and talked 
the whoje thing over with a taxidriver. He told me of a woman who 
had spent tw-o years trying to knock over these obstacles to wedlock. 
“She, too, was a foreigner,” he said. “She spent a fortune. She bribed 
everybody. Finally, her purse empty, she broke down in tears. They 
fixed the papers within minutes. Everybody kissed the expectant 
bride and sent her merrily on her way. Her chief difficulty was that 
she had seven marriage certificates but could dig up only five divorce 
decrees. She wept the other two into the record.” 

It was a beautiful sunny day in September. The taxidriver and I 
watched as Alice approached. She was dabbing her eyes. She was 
a beautiful sight. Why is it that the highest and holiest always seem 
crowned with melancholy? 

What’s French Without Tears? 

We asked her if she had got the waiver signed. She bowled her 
head “yes” and burst into tears." The taxidriver was so touched by 
this proof of how well my little skijumper understood the heart of 
France, that he too wept quietly at our side. He drove us back to the 
chef of births, marriages and deaths. He read the document. “Imbe- 
cile,” he cried, “he doesn’t answer my questions at all. All he does 
is write ‘yes’ for everything. Some of the answers should have been 
‘no’ if he favored getting permission.” 

Then he saw some tears staining the document. He looked up and 
saw the expectant bride’s eyes were still moist. He rubbed the back 
of his neck, bit his thumb, shrugged, okayed the document and said 
“Voila!” 

This solved everything? Au contraire! It permitted us to marry 
in 10 days instead of having to wait around for six weeks. 

If a lady wants a little church wedding in a little French town, she 
may find canon law superimposed on the civil arm’s limitations. That 
happened to be our case and the full details of it were not solved 
for eight years. 

It seems that after the church ceremony in France, Mme. Scully 
remembered that her ring had not been blessed. It was a trinket, 
really, and cost only 75 francs ($3). 

The Hollywood Twist 

Years later, in Hollywood, a Jesuit told her if we would come down 
some morning about 8 he would bless her ring. When we arrived 
we found altar boys in white, white pillows for our well-worn knees 
and indeed all the details of a nuptial mass. 

We went through the entire marriage ceremony for one line. The 
line was: “With this ring I tbee re-wed.” # 

Two days later, at a cocktail party, an actor, who shall remain 
nameless, grabbed Alice and said, “You know, my mother must be 
cracking up. She swears she saw you and Frank getting married the 
other day. ‘But Mother/ I said, ‘they have three children!’ She still 
insisted it was a marriage ceremony and she saw it with her own 
eyes.” 

Alice said, '"That’s right. I'll tell ypu how it happened” . . . With 
that someone yanked her off to answer a telephone call and she never 
did get back to complete the explanation for six months. 

Meanwhile, this character went around telling what a cautious one 
I was, that I fathered three # kids before I accepted marriage in Its 
entirety. 

Not that this lowered me in the eyes of Hollywood, but it gives 
you some idea of what getting married in Paris can produce by way 
of repercussions. 

While I’m no authority on marriage, having been married only 
once or, more correctly, three times to the same person, I’d advise 
anybody who could afford it to stay out of France till married. Go 
to Gretna Green, Switzerland or even Las Vegas and then take off 
for Paris on your honeymoon. 



Wednesday* February 2, 1955 


Broadway 


Special Services has a production 
of “Guys and Dolls,” now touring 


the u!s. areas in Germany. 

Jack Baker, Republic’s produc- 
tion chief, here to catch the final 
work on William Dieterle’s “The 
Magic Fire,” film on the life of 
Richard Wagner, being shot at 
Munich. 


George Murphy in from the 
Coast for an indefinite stay. 

Spencer Tracy in for the preem 
of “Bad Day At Black Rock.” 

Metro studio executive J. J. 

Cohn leaves for the Coast today 

'Wfi' after two weeks ot home- , ^ Germany now shows s0 

office confabs. ! much j n t eres t i n East German film 

Goddard Lieberson, exec veepee doings an( j possible co-productions 
of Columbia Records, off to Ja- j that the West German papers are 
maica, B.W.I., Saturday ' 5 1 foi a beginning to carry special East 
two-week vacation. 

Jerome Robbins left Monday 
night <31 > for the Virgin Isles for 
a two-week rest, following recovery 
from an attack of hepatitis. 

Harold A. Porr of the homeoffice 
of Variety goes to the altar Feb. 

5 at Church of Good Shepherd in 
Inwood, N.Y. Bride is Patricia Ann 

Leonard Bernstein left Saturday 
(29) for Italy, where he will con- 
duct during the next five months 
at La Scala. the Florence May 
Festival, and on the first European 


London 


German news. 

Marta Eggerth and Jan Kiepura 
are so successful with “Zare- 
witsch” at Vienna’s Raimund 
Theatre that the play is being held 


i uvuwi v * ,,v r —j — • » W 

over for six weeks', this may delay [month 


their scheduled February appear- 
ance on tele in New York. 


Paris 

By Gene Moskowltz 

(28 Rue Huchette; Odeon 49-44) 
New Lido show, “Desires,” play- 

}?r U c r hc?t f ra ,he ^ Ph,lharm ° mC ‘"Ireston “.urfefwriting . play 
Anna Magnani arrived in Got- in French for production next sea 
ham from the Coast yesterday 
(Tues.). Italo actress, who com- 
pleted her first American picture. 

Hal Wallis’ “The Rose Tattoo.” 
will remain in town ,for a week 
before returning to Rome. 


Miami Beach 


By Lary Solloway 

Bill Miller in from Las Vegas 
gandering the acts in town. 

George Jessel playing the Pagoda 
Room in the Saxony for three 
nights. 

Five O’Clock Club reopening 
Friday (4> with girlesque show 
headed up by B. S. Pully. 

Arthur Godfrey will emcee up- 
coming benefit for Variety Chil- 
dren’s Hospital at Beach Audito- 
rium. „ , < . 

Sophie Tucker. Billy Eckstine 
and Sam Levenson set to succeed 
the Ritz Bros, at the Beachcomber 

Feb. 10 - , , 4 A 

Sammy Davis Jr. into top slot 
at Copa City, holding over when 
Jimmy Durante and company* 
arrive on Feb. 8. 

Agent Art Gordon booked the 
Rivieras, comedy-Apache team, for 
tour with the Edith Piaf company 
beginning late in March. 

Jack Benny will helm the United 
Jewish Appeal kickoff dinner at 
the Saxony Feb. 27. He will vacash 
at the swankery for several days 
before the event. 


Australia 


By Norm Louden 

Peter Dawson, director of Syd- 
ney and Melbourne arty houses, 
back from sevep months touring 
Europe. 

Lee Oldmeadow. recently super- 
visor of Metro’s three theatres in 
Melbourne, transfers to Sydney to 
cover the company’s six houses 
there. 

The Graeme Bell jazz band, local 
outfit which had a successful over- 
seas tour a few years ago, re- 
turned to Sydney from a stint in 
Japan. 

After a record run of 10 months 
in Melbourne, Frank Quinn (Fran- 
quin) opens his show at the Sydney 
Empire, Feb. 8. He follows “Rose 
Marie On Ice.” 

. Frankie Laine is skeddod to 
arrive Feb. 9, for a series of per- 
sonal appearances in the keys; will 
be accompanied by Jerri Adams 
and Leo DeLyon. 

John Furlong. Metro publicist 
with Sydney headquarters, quit to 
join radio station 2GB in a similar 
capacity; replaces Lew Kidd, who 
goes into ad agency biz. 

John Davis, managing director 
of JARO, arrives from England 
late this month. His stay will be 
brief, coming here for a looksee 
at his company’s affairs here which 
are closely linked with Greater 
Union Theatres. 


son. 

Peter Rathvon in for preem of 
his Franco-German pic, “Double 
Destiny.” 

George Weltner, Paramount’s 
foreign chief, here on annual visit 
of foreign offices. 

Eric Von Stroheim playing the 
leader of a dope ring in a new 
gangster pic, “Serie Noire.” 

Daniel Gelin will tour Italy in a 
reprise of an early Jean Anouilh 
play, "Eurydice.” Play gets here 
in April and also stars Francoise 
Lugagne. 

Louis Verneuil’s posthumous 
play, “Les Trois Messieurs De 
Bois-Guillaume,” opens at the The- 
atre Varietes this week with Fer- 
nand Gravey and Francoise Chris- 
tophe. 

Jeanne Moreau elevated to star 
status after her sock portrayal and 
crix appraisal in the legit revival 
of George Bernard Shaw’s “Pyg- 
malion” at the Theatre Bouffes- 
Parisiens. 

Norman Granz’ JATP will give 
two concerts at the Theatre 
Champs-Elysees Feb. 19-20. Troupe 
will be composed of Ella Fitzger- 
ald, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, 
Flip Philips, Bill Harris, Buddy 
De Franco, Loviec Bellson, Ray 
Brown and Herb Hellis. 

Roberto Rossellini huddling with 
Isa Miranda here on her role in 
the reprise of the 1911 Gabrielle 
D’Annunzio mystery oratorio 
which Rossellini will reprise in 
Italy. He would tour the Conti- 
nent with it as he did with Paul 
Claudel’s “Joan At The Stake.” 

Michele Morgan planning a first 
assault on the theatrical boards, 
encouraged by the success of three 
other film stars in their first at- 
tempts — Yves Montand, Simone 
Signoret and Nicole Courcel. All 
are in Marcel Ayme’s adaptation 
of Arthur Miller’s “Crucible.” 


Associated British Picture Corp. 
again declared an interim divvy 
7 1 5% on the common stock. 

E.M.I., which recently acquired 
control of Capitol Records, opening 
a training school for disk sales- 
men. 

Sir Eric Bowater, member of 
newsprint company bearing his 
name, joined board of National 
Film Finance Corp. at invitation 
of the Board of Trade. 

Major Gwilym Lloyd-George, 
.Home Secretary, is to be principal 
speaker at the annual dinner of 
the Cinematograph Exhibitors 
Assn, at Grosvenor House next 


Frankfurt 


in 


By Hazel Guild 

(24 Rheinstrasse ; 76751 > 

Thirty-eight films are now 
production at Gieselgastflg. 

Next Paramount release here is 
“Submarine Command,’' now be- ; pcarances at the Tap Room 
ing dubbed in Berlin. ** D e 


Minneapolis 

By Les Rees 

Ed.vth Bush Little’ Theatre doing 
“Post Road.” 

Tito Guizar in St. Paul Auditori- 
um appearance. 

Pianist Nino Nanni held over at 
Hotel Radisson Flame Room. 

Jewel Box Revue, comprising fe- 
male impersonators, into Gay ’90’s. 

Violinist Szymon Goldberg in 
.St. Paul for first Twin Cities’ con- 
cert. 

Pianist Artur Rubinstein in guest 
artist appearance with Minneapolis 
Symphony orchestra. 

“Pajama Game” national com- 
pany tentatively set for Lyceum 
fortnight here starting May 2. 

E d g ar Bergen’s $2,000 suit 
against Hotel Radisson here for 
lost luggage being settled out of 
court. 


Faith Domergue and Gene Nel- 
son planed in from Hollywood and 
started lensing Monday on “Time 
Slip,” which Anglo-Amalgamated 
is producing in association with 
Tory Owen. 

George Relph, now’ appearing in 
“Little Glass Clock” at the Ald- 
wych, celebrating h i s golden 
Jubilee in legit. He was seven 
years old when he did his first role 
in a provincial production of 
“Othello.” 

Nicholas Monsarrat, author of 
“The Cruel Sea,” arrived here 
yesterday (Tues.) via the Queen 
Mary and checks out a week later 
on a tour of South Africa. He’ll 
be back in time for preem of “Ship 
that Died of Shame” next month. 

Jack Hawkins, who broke his 
arm during last month's big freeze, 
will wear a specially designed 
plaster cast when he starts filming 
in “Touch and Go” at Ealing at 
the end of the month. Production’s 
start had to be postponed a fort- 
night. 

Jack Waller, due back next week 
from a Madeira vacation, is stag- 
ing “Sailor Beware” at the Strand 
Feb. 16, with Peggy Mount, an 
unknown stock actress, in the lead. 
“Simon and Laura” transfers from 
the Strand to the Apollo, succeed- 
ing “Both Ends Meet.” 

The Variety Club sponsoring 
tomorrow’s (Thurs.) preem of 
“Show Business” (20th) at the 
Odeon, Marble Arch. Princess 
Alexandra is attending and the 
proceeds will be shared by the 
National Society for Prevention of 
Cruelty to Children and Variety’s 
Heart Fund. 


goya in 1954 with $35,000 in 35 
days. “Roman Holiday” (Par) was 
second with $30,000 in 28 days. 

Loweli Thomas here briefly en- 
route from Hong Kong to the U.S. 
as last lap of trek spotting loca- 
tions for “Seven Wonders of 
World,” current Cinerama project. 

Henry King here for 1^ hours 
enroute to Hong Kong for location 
shooting of backgrounds for 20th- 
Fox new C’Scoper, “A Many 
Splendored Thing.” starring Jen- 
nifer Jones and William Holden. 

Sessue Hayakawa, Japanese 
character actor last in “Japanese 
War Bride” with Shirley Yama- 
guchi, signed to appear with her 
in 20th-Fox C’Scoper. “The Bam- 
boo House.” It stars Robert Ryan. 

Shochiku will make a joint pro- 
duction with Shaw Bros, of Singa- 
pore. Crew of Japanese techni- 
cians and stars leave here Feb. 7 
for Hong Kong where film will be 
made. Except for several bit- 
parts, cast will be all Japanese. 
Film is titled “Exile.” 

U.S. major companies distrib- 
uting here most likely will suffer 
a slight reduction(a<bout 1%) in re- 
mittances to the U.S. for months 
of January and February, accord- 
ing to Finance Ministry sources. 
Majors usually send home about 
20 c 'c of distribution revenue per 
month. 


Hollywood 


Paul Kelly ailing. 

Arthur Kennedy planed in from 
N. Y. 

Fred Rapport recuperating after 
major surgery. 

Morris Brodsky opened a pub- 
licist office in Las Vegas. 

* Jay Robinson checked in at 20th- 
Fox after a serious illness. 

G. Ralph Branton in town after 
Allied Artists huddles in N. Y. 

Helen Brenon home from hospi- 
tal to recover from heart attack. 

Jean Pettebone joined the Comp- 
ton-Cornell flackery as an asso- 
ciate. 

George Glass sold his Hollywood 
home and is moving the family 
to Ojai. 

Eddie Cantor lauded for his 45 
years in show business on special 
telecast over*KTTV. 

Aleon Bennett packaging a 
telethon in Lubbock, Texas, for 
the March of Dimes. 

Southern California Motion Pic- 
ture Council presented a plaque 
to Perlberg-Seaton for “Bridges at 
Toko-ri.” 


Kansas City 

By John Quinn 

Ralph Flanagan and his hand in 
for a one-nighter at the Pla-Mor 
Ballroom last Saturday (29). 

Penny Singleton lending a hand 
in polio campaign promotion while 
in towm for her night club stint at 
the Terrace Grill of Hotel Muehle- 
bach. 

Robert Strauss in from Holly- 
wood for round of press interviews 
and hospital visits, plugging 
“Bridges of Toko-Ri” at the Para- 
mount. 

Former Variety stringer who’s 
now Air Force Colonel Barney 
Oldfield in town ogling the Burl 
Ives show at tddys’. He came on 
from Colorado Springs. 

Burl Ives goes to New York and 
rehearsals for his role in Tennes- 
see Williams’ new play, “Cat on a 
Hot Tin Roof,” following his club 
date at Eddys’ here. 


Philadelphia 


Santiago 


By Edythe Ziffren 

(Dr. Corbalan Melgarejo 27 -A; 
31645) 

“Marahunta” (“Naked Jungle”) 
(Par) back at the Rex in Vista- 
Vision. 

Peters Sisters snagged for “Bim 
Bam Bum” revue, and nitery ap- 


Director Dr. Harald Braun will 
remake the Emil .Tannings film, 
“The Last Man.” thin year. 

David Selznick has registered 
the title “War and Peace” for Ger- 
many, based on the Tolstoi novel. 

Herzog is doing a film, “Wilhelm 
Furtwangler.” on the' life of the 
famed conductor who died re- 
cently. 

New film set for production 
here is “The Spanish Fly,” star- 
ring Gretl Senorg and Jester 
Naefe. 

Gina Lollobrigida is set for the 
lead in Ludwig Thomas’ “Moral” 
which will be done in Germany 
this year. 

Heidelberg Area Command's 


, By Jerry Gaghan 

Georgie Shaw, local cafe singer 
and recording star, signed by Uni- 
versal. 

Frederic Mann named president 
of Robin Hood Dell for his seventh 
consecutive term. 

Thomas Schippers, Curtis grad, 
local organist and choir director, 
signatured by Metopera as a con- 
ductor. 

The Four Lads put on a special 
show at the Widencr School for 
Crippled Children to aid the 
March of Dimes. 

Ronnie Graham, who quit local 
niteries for legit and films, returns 
to his old spot, the Rendezvous, 
for three weeks Feb. 21. 

Melanie Magnen, ice-skating star 
in Benjgmin Franklin Hotel’s rink 
revue, wings to Europe Feb. 10 
for world's figure skating cham- 
pionships. 


Berlin 

By Hans Hoehn 

Noboru Toyomasu of Tokyo giv- 
ing a piano recital here. 

Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting 
the Berlin Philharmonic Orch. 

“Fear,” German Ingrid Bergman 
starrer, preemed at Cinema Paris. 

CCC started shooting here Jan. 
20. with “Star of Rio,” starring 
Maria Frau. 

The Brazilian Ballet from Rio 
played the Titania Palast, first time 
here for the ballet. 

Willy Birgel celebrating his 50th 
pic role in “A Man Forgets the 
Love” ( Apollo-Deutsche London). . 

Fourth Cultural and Documen- 
tary Film Week at Mannheim (U.S. 
Zone of Germany), will be held 
May 16-21. 

Paul May. who recently megged 
the b.o. hit, “08/15,” currently di- 
recting “Oberarzt Dr. Solm” (De- 
los) at Berlin-Spandau. 

“The Big Whisper” is the title 
of another Republic film to be 
made in Germany. William Diet- 
erle, who recently directed “Magic 
Fire” here, will also do this one. 

In his review on “Star Is Born” 
(WB), K. H. ^Krueger, film cric 
here, advised domestic musical 
producers to see this film three 
times a day to find out how mu- 
sical numbers should be staged. 


Chicago 

John Ericsnn and singer-wife 
Millie Coury here visiting latter’s 
relatives. 

Don Post doing research at the 
Adler Planetarium for upcoming 
Walt Disney film. 

Paul Bannister, Associated Book- 
ing Corp. one-nighter booker, and 
wife vacationing in Cuba. 

Morris Rotman, prexy of Harshe- 
Rotman public relations firm, re- 
cupping from pneumonia bout. 

George Jessel and Mickey 
Rooney logged in for annual City 
of Hope telethon on WGN-TV Feb. 
18. * 

Robert Young, in for the annual 
Chicago Press Club banquet, 
helped kick off local March of 
Dimes drive. 


Maria Romero, editor of a local 
screen mag, planning book on her 
recent tour of Hollywood and 
Broadway. 

Violin Gitano noite reopened 
with Rosa de Guadalupe. Zoila 
Gonzalez, Jorge Luenin and Medar 
Kunnet orch. 

Miguel Frank starred rehearsals | 
of “Kl Amigo de la Casa” < Friend 
of the Family), with Chela Bon; 
will open at the Petit Rex. 

Tito Davison, director, and Oscar 
Brooks, producer, started shooting 
“Cabo de Homo" (Cape Horn), 
novel by Chilean writer Francisco 
Coloanes. Jorge Mistral. Silvia 
Pinal, Myriam Thorud. Eugenio 
Rctes. Gerardo Grez and Raul Lat. 
tore head the cast. 


Tokyo 

By Richard if. Larsh 

(Press Club; 27-0161) 

Columbia crew r due early in Feb- 
ruary for final shooting of “Gentle 
Wolfhound.” 

Mr. and Mrs. James Stewart due 
here this month for personals for 
“Rear Window” (Par). 

Motion Picture Producers Assn, 
of Japan has accepted Cannes In- 
ternational Film Fest invitation. 

William R. Latady, Robins In- 
ternational, Inc. veepee, off for the 
U.S. via Southeast Asia after 
launching “This is Cinerama” here 
and in Osaka. 

“The Robe” (20th>. first C’Scoper 
in Japan, was top earner in Na- 


Scotland 

By Gordon Irving 
(Glasgow: Kelvin 1590) 

“A Star Is Born” (WB) trade- 
screening at Glasgow Feb. 22. 

“Guys and Dolls,” with Jacque- 
line James, switched from Glasgow 
to Edinburgh. 

Tyrone Guthrie, megger and 
playwright, gandering legit scene 
at Edinburgh and Glasgow. 

Eddie Chandler taking over 
from Dudley Gunnell as General 
Film Distributors publicist in Scot- 
land. Gunnell moved over to sales 
side. 

Anna Neagle and Herbert Wil- 
cox made personals at Glasgow 
and Edinburgh to bally the Neagle- 
Errol Flynn pic, “Lilacs in the 
Spring.” 

Kurt Frindt’s Trio Morlidor, 
novelty dance team now in panto- 
mime at King’s Theatre, Edin- 
burgh, inked for spring revue at 
Prince of Wales, London. 


Pittsburgh 

By Hal V. Cohen 

Bill Finkels heading for Holly- 
wood to visit their son, Bob Finkel, 
the ’tv director. 

Parents of Bill Blair. Nixon man- 
ager. chalked un wedding anni No. 
66 Monday (31). 

Mountain Playhouse in Jenners- 
town inked Charles Crain as direc- 
tor again for 1955 season. 

Ethel Waters’ one-woman show 
here, set for Saturday (5), can- 
celled because of star’s illness. 

Maxine Sullivan’s mother has 
moved back to Pittsburgh after liv- 
ing with the singer in N. Y. for 10 
years. 

Tele gal Florence Sando and her 
husband, Arthur Manson. Ciner- 
ama ad-pub man, celebrated sec- 
ond wedding anni. 

Joe Hiller and Variety Club 
chief barker I. Elmer EcH*r planed 
to Miami Beach for dedication of 
a Tent No. 1 room at the Floridian 
Hotel. 


V 


San Francisco 


Rome 

By Robert F. Hawkins 

( Archimede 145; 800 211) 

Femandel ancK Nicole Berger in 
from France for local stint in a 
co-nroduction. 

Alberto Lattuada to do a Cine- 
mascope, “Goya,” also in Spain, 
starting in July. 

Federico Fellini signed to direct 
“Don Quixote.” Spain locationer to 
start late this year. 

Eduardo DeFilippo’s new play, 
“Mia Famiglia,” received favorable 
notices in its local bow. 

John Huston may shoot a pic 
here this year. Ditto Gregory 
Ratoff, who is to do “The Fifth 
Season.” 

“Sign of Venus” winds up scoot- 
ing sked at Titanus. Pic stars Vit- 
torio De Sica. Sophia Loren, Raf 
Vallone and Franca Valeri. 

Samuel Steinman took over 
Roman column, now “Lend Me 
Your Ears,” recently vacated by 
Carhartt and Winter, in the Rome 
Daily American. 

Annual visiting period by U. S. 
fashion buyers is on, with show- 
ings by most Italian designers 
scheduled, spotlighted in various 
Roman Palazzos. 


By Ralph J. Gleason 

Smiling Jack Smith, plugging his 
new major disk in city visiting 
radio stations. 

Lube Sharoff doing a one-woman 
theatre, "Profiles of Infamy,” at 
the Playhouse in March. 

Ex-Chronicle drama critic Luth- 
er Nichols now’ writing a daily 
book column for the Examiner. 

Rio Theatre, arty house, com- 
pletely remodeled for West Coast 
preem of Graham Greene’s “Heart 
of the Matter,” Thursday (3). 

Jackie Robinson, in town for an 
award from the National Con- 
ference of Christians and Jews, 
made his only tv appearance on 
KQED, the educational tv station, 
on a kids program. 

Longtime record man, Harry 
Meyers, formerly with Decca in 
Los Angeles and most recently 
with Stairway to Music in Oak- 
land. now on sales staff of United 
Music in San Francisco. 


Vienna 

By Emil W. Maass 

(Grosse Schiffgasse 1A; A45 0 45) 
Negotiations looking to the pro- 
duction of “Kiss Me Kate” in tbe 
Raimund Theatre, only operetta 
house open in the capital, are pro- 
gressing favorably. 

Oscar Sima inked by American 
producer Emeric Pressburger for 
role of “Frog” in the Jo han n 
Strauss operetta. “The Bat.” We 
of film will be “Rosalinde.” 

Rosenhuegel Studios in Russian 
zone began work on an operetta 
film of Jacques Offenbach. It is 
one of his less known pieces 
“Archduchess of Gerolstein.” 

Austrian government announced 
that by end of 1956 regular tele 
programs will be aired for 2 <) 
hours weekly. Meanwhile work on 
new stations in Vienna, Linz ana 
Graz have started. 


Wednesday, February 2, 1955 


79 



ADOLF SENZ 

Adolf Senz, 86, retired wigmaker 
and makeup man for the theatrical 
profession, died Jan. 26 in New 
York. Before retiring three years 
ago, he was active in his trade for 
a half-century. Much of the time 
he made up operatic singers in the 
course of his association with the 
Metropolitan, Boston and Chicago 
Civic Opera Cos. 

After starting his career with 
the Met in 1902, Senz left in 1910 
to join the Boston Opera Co. but 
returned to the Met in 1932. Famil- 
iarly known as Pop or Papa to 
hundreds of performers, he made 
up such opera stars as Geraldine 
Farrar, Enrico Caruso and Gio- 
vanni Martinelii. He also helped 
groom a number of silent screen 
players including Rudolph Valen- 
tino, Gloria Swanson and Wallace 
Reid. 

While with the Met, Senz was 
entrusted with maintenance and 
care of some 1,500 wigs at one 
time. Reportedly the most expen- 
sive hairpiece he ever devised was 
a $400 creation for Bidu Sayao for 
the role of Melisande in "Pelleas 
and Melisande.” 

Surviving are a son, Ira, wig- 
maker to the major tv networks 
and many Broadway productions: 4 
another r son, Edward, N.Y. #gnd ! 
Hollywood makeup and beauty ex- 
pert; a daughter and a brother. 

BIGGIE LEVIN 

Biggie Levin, 51, talent agent 
and radio-tv packager, died of a 
heart attack Jan. 30 in Chicago. 
One of the Windy City’s top per- 
sonal managers, he devoted much 
of his time the past few years to 
masterminding Dave Garroway’s 
career. He joined forces with Gar- 
rowav when the latter was a Chi 
disk loekey and picked a key role 
in developing the emcee into a 
national personality. 

Levin also was handling singer- 
orch leader Eddy Howard, Chi 
NBC newsman Clifton Utley, poet 
Eddie Guest and deejay Bill Evans. 
In a show biz career that dates 
back to 1920, his managerial 
activities embraced operatic and 
classical music as well as the pop 


In fond memory of my 
Dear Friend 

ALFRED DE MAMBY 

who died February I, 1920 

JERRY VOGEL 


Exhibition, died recently in Lon- 
don, Ont., following a plane crash 
there in which he suffered a frac- 
tured skull, broken pelvis and 
internal injuries. 

As head of Canada’s largest ex-‘ 
position, Saunders had completed 
plans to visit every provincial 
premier across the Dominion to aid 
in building a bigger nationalistic 
C.N.E. this year. He was also 
endeavoring do bring the Olympic 
Games to Toronto’s 24,000-seat 
C.N.E. grandstand. 

A former mayor of Toronto, he 
is survived by his wife and a 
daughter. 


- JOHN R. MUNGO 

John Robertson Mungo, theatre 
owner and producer, died Jan. 20 
in Dairy, Ayrshire, Scotland. He 
staged vaude and pantomime 
shows in the small Ritz Theatre 
at Irvine, country vaudery with 
strong local following, and gave 
early chances to many performers 
unabje to find an audience for 
tryouts. 

Among artists who won early 
opportunities from Mungo were 
George Mack, comedian, and Ken- 
neth McKellar, upcoming Scot 
tenor. He brought topline stars to 
his intimate vaudery, barely cov- 
ering expenses but believing that 
a policy of featuring established 
names would pay dividends, as it 
did. 

Survived by his wife, two sons 
and a daughter. 


entertainment field. He managed 
Mme. Ernestine Schumann-Hemk 
while still in his teens and pack- 
aged one of the first sponsored 
network radio symphony broad- 
casts featuring Leopold Stokowski 
and the Philadelphia Symphony. 

Among other Levin clients were 
Harry Lauder, Otis Skinner and 
the Don Cossack chorus. Currently 
his television airshows firm is 
producing Chicago Symphony tele- 
casts on DuMont. 

A son and daughter survive. 


FRANK J. STORTY 

Frank J. Storty, 56, longtime 
Washington exhibitor, died Jan. 24 
in that city, following an illness of 
three years. A native of suburban 
Maryland, he started as an usher 
more than 30 years ago, later serv- 
ing as manager and projectionist 
in several film houses. For 14 
years he was chief projectionist for 
Loew’s Theatres in Washington. 

In 1929, Storty went into part- 
nership with the late Louis B. 
Bernheimer and with William C. 
Ricks, in ownership of the Alamo 
Theatre. In 1943 he built the 
Jewel Theatre and more recently 
purchased an interest in the Best 
Theatres in Washington. 

Surviving are a son. Francis, 
who was associated with him in 
business; his wife, sister and 
brother. 


DR. ERNST LERT 

Dr. Ernst Lert, 71, operatic di- 
rector for the Peabody Conserv- 
atory of Music in Baltimore for 
over 15 years, died Jan. 30 follow- 
ing a stroke at his home in that 
city. Before coming to the U. S. 
as stage director of the Metro- 
politan Opera Co. from 1929 to 
1931,. he was director of German 
opera at La Scala in Milan, from 
1923 to 1929 under Arturo Tosca- 
nini, 

A guest lecturrt*, conductor, and 
writer on operatic themes, Dr. Lert 
had been invited to direct at the 
Salzburg Festival in Austria. He 
donated his former home in Milan 
to the Casa Verdi, a foundation 
for aged musicians established by 
Giuseppe Verdi. 


BRADLEE MARTIN 

Bradlee (George E.) Martin, 80, 
veteran stage and vaude perform- 
er, died of coronary thrombosis 
Jan. 22 in Martha’s Vineyard, 
Mass. Starting his thesping ca- 
reer with Richard & Canfield My 
Boys, he subsequently appeared 
with the Columbia Stock Co. in 
Brooklyn, Belasco Stock in Los 
Angeles, Fanny Davenport’s Rep- 
ertoire and R. D. MacLean’s 
Shakespeare Repertoire. 

Martin, who trouped in vaude 
for some 20 years with a turn 
known as Jessie. Jack & Jerrie, 
also appeared with his wife, Jessie 
Courtney, in "Bits of Travesty.” 
He retired in 1930 to his farm at 
Tiah’s Cove, West Tisbury, Mass., 
where he lived until his death. 

His wife, and a son by a pre- 
vious marriage survive. 


ALAN DEVITT 

Alan Devitt. 68, stage and tele- 
vision actor, died Jan. 28 in Valley 
Cottage, N. Y., after a long illness. 
In 1928 he appeared on Broadway 
in a comedy. "He Understood 
Women,” and in a farce, "Get Me 
In the Movies.” 

In 1929 Devitt played with Mary 
Nash in a drama, "Diana,” and also 
appeared with Miss Nash in "East 
is West.” He trouped in vaudeville 
early in his career in his own act. 
"The Fall of Eve,” written by Anne 
Shelby, who later became his wife. 

More recently Devitt had ap- 
peared on tv in "Studio One.” 
"Crime Club,” "Stella Dallas,” 
"The Big Story” and "The Web,” 
among other programs. 

His wife survives. 


NEWELL CHASE 

Newell Chase, 50, pianist and 
composer of pop and classical 
music, died Jan. 26 In New York. 
A member of the American Society 
of Composers, Authors and Pub- 
lishers, he began his career as a 
church organist, later becoming a 
pianist and a conductor of dance 
bands throughout New England. 
He was named assistant conductor 
at the Capitol Theatre in N. Y. in 
1924 and afterwards was solo 
pianist with the old "Roxy Gang.” 

Chase went to the Co^st in 1928 
where he worked for 11 years as 
a composer and musical adviser 
to several film studios. Among his 
pop songs were "My Ideal,” "Music 
in the Moonlight” and "It’s a Great 
Life If You Don’t Weaken.” 


DIANA D’ESTE 
Diana d’Este, 71, the former 
Katheryn Belle Powell, opera 
singer, died Jan. 23 in New York. 
A native of Richmond, Va., she 
studied voice under Victor Maurel 
in N. Y. from 1904 until 1908. 
Afterwards • she went to Italy, 
j where she gained fame as a lyric 
i soprano and sang on tour in Malta, 
; Cairo and Italy. 

When illness forced Miss d’Este 
to give up her career, she returned 
| to this country to teach with Mar- 
garet Matzanauer, retired mezzo- 
soprano of the Metopera. Sub- 
| sequently she opened her own 
voice studio in N. Y. 

Surviving is a sister. 


ROBERT H. SAUNDERS 

Robert .Hood Saunders, 51, pres- 


HELEN W. PRYDE 

Helen W. Pryde, 52. Scot play- 


ment of the Canadian National wright and author, and creator of 


the w.k. radio series, "The McFlan- 
nels,” died Jan. 23 in Edinburgh 
after a long illness. A native of 
Maryhill, Glasgow, she devised the 
Auld Lang Syne radio family of 
McFlannels, broadcast each week 
for 14 years from 1939. 

Radio family won its way into 
hearts of listeners and was often 
believed by some to be a real 
group. Characters were homey 
working class types dealing with 
domestic and romantic problems. 
Series was adapted into two stage 
plays and produced at theatres in 
Scotland. 

Survived by husband. 


SCHNITZ SEYMOURE 

Anschel B. Licbstadter, 76, re- 
tired theatrical producer known 
professionally as Schnitz Sey- 
moure, died Jan. 16 in Kansas 
City. He had been in failing i 
health for several years. Prior to 
his retirement in 1930, he pro- 
duced a number of musical pro- 
ductions which toured the mid- 
west. 

Born in New York, Seyiqoure 
started his stage career there and 
later won recognition as a dancer j 
and comedian. 

Surviving are his stepmother, a 
brother and a niece. 


CHESTER MARTIN 

Chester Martin. 57, former Louis- 
ville musician who for years was 
a drummer and xylophonist with 
hotel and nitery bands, died Jan. 
23 in New York. He last appeared 
as a member of the orch with "Hol- 
iday on Ice.” 

After leaving Louisville some 20 
years ago, Martin performed with 
name bands on«radio. tv and in 
theatres. He was a member of the 
pit bands at the Roxy and Para- 
mount Theatres, N. Y.. when those 
houses used live music. 

Surviving are his wife, a sister 
and a nephew. 


JOAQUIN S. WANHF.LL 

Joaquin S. Wanrcll, 91. onetime 
operatic singer who was known as 
Hawaii’s “grand old man of music.” 
died Jan. 20 in Wailuku. Maui Is- 
land, Hawaii. He sang in Europe 
and the U S. before coming to 
Hawaii in 1916 with the De Falco 
Opera Co. 

White in Europe, Wanrell at- 
tended Spain’s National School of 
Music and became leading basso 
of the Madrid Court Opera. He 
was one of the first singers to be 
heard on radio in Hawaii. There 
are no known survivors. 


A. B. HUNTER ^ 

A. B. Hunter, 60, concert man- 
ager, died Jan. 19 in Edinburgh. 
For years he was manager of the 
concert division of Paterson - & 
Sons, Edinburgh, having joined the 
firm in 1910 and becoming concert 
manager after World War I. Hun- 
ter played a prominent part in 
celebrity concerts. From 1942 he 
was honorary concert director of 
the Edinburgh Concert Society and 
held a similar post for the Scottish 
National Oreh at Edinburgh. 

Survived by widow and two sons. 


EDNA A. CRAWFORD 

Edna A. Crawford, retired 
actress, died Jan. 31 in New York. 
Her first stage appearance was in 
1900 with the E. H. Sothern Co. 
Her subsequent appearances were 
in "The Famous Miss Faire,” "The 
Cat and the Canary,” "The Garden 
of Allah” and "The Lion and the 
Mouse.” 

Miss Crawford had toured with 
a U.S.O. company in 1943 in "Ar- 
senic and Old Lace." She retired 
in 1947 after acting in summer 
stock. 


MAURICE H. HOFFMAN 
MaurUe H. Hoffman, 92. noted 
thesper of oldtime legit in Britain, 
died Jan. 12 in Barnstaple. Devon, 
Eng. Before retiring some 15 years 
ago, he had an active stage career 
of more than 45 years. 

Hoffman was famed for his 
heavy leads in dramas of yester- 
year. He also won renown for a 
series of sketches titled "Sorrows 
of Satan.” Aside from his appear- 
ances in England, he toured South 
Africa and America. 


JOSEPH J. MARTIN 

Joseph J. Martin, 61, veepee and 
research director at the Henri, 
Hurst & McDonald ad agency, died 
Jan. 27 in Chicago. A pioneer in 
advertising research, he had been 
with the Chicago agency since 
1923. 

Survived by wife and daughter. 


MARY MELLISH 

Mrs. Mary Mellish Eakin, who 
sang supporting roles with the 
N. Y. Metropolitan Opera under 
the name of Mary Mellish. died 
Jan. 30 in Albany, after a short 
illness. She was with the Met fro^ 
the season of 1918-19 until 1923-2-*. 

Miss Mellish’s roles included 
Xenia in "Boris Godunov.” Nella 
in "Gianni Schicchi.” and Fras- 
quita in "Carmen:” Her autobiog- 


raphy, "Sometimes I Reminisce,” 
was published in 1941. 


A. Jim Rurrus, 79, Crete, Neb., 
motion picture theatre owner since 1 
1920, died there Jan. 28. 1 1 is grand- j 
daughter. Jinx Burrus, Miss Ne- 
braska «f 1950, has played some bit 
parts in Hollywood. Also surviving 
are his wife, two sons and a daugh- 
ter. 


Fatl\er Joseph Gallon, of St. 

Martin's Church, New Hope, Pa., 
who was a familiar figure to per- 
formers who appeared at the near- 
by Bucks County P.ayhousc and 
Lambertville, N. J , Music Circus, 
died Jan. 20 in New Hope. 


Ben H. Focht, newspaper pub- 
lisher and the father of Wendy 
King, who co-stars with her hus- 
band on KDKA’s "Party Line" in 
Pittsburgh, died Jan. 20 in Spen- 
eerville, O. 


Robert F. McGowan, 72, pioneer 
film director, died Jan. 27 in Santa 
Monica. He directed numerous 
silent pictures, including the “Our 
Gang” comedies. His widow, tw'o 
daughters and three sisters survive. 


Father, 82, of George Oshrln, 
company manager of the road "Tea 
and Sympathy,” died Jan. 28 in 
New York City after a year’s ill- 
ness. Survived by wife, three sons 
and a daughter. 


Carl F. Trippe, owner and oper- 
ator of the Chain of Rocks Amuse- 
ment Park, the second largest in 
St. Louis, died Jan. 22 in that city 
after a brief illness. His mother, 
wife and three daughters survive. 


Arthur C. Alexander, 73. member 
of the old vaude team of Alexander 
I & Scott, died Jan. 26 at the home 
of his sister. Mrs. C. A. McLean, 
in Norfolk, Va. 


Father, 66. of Jean Stoddard, ra- 
1 dio and concert actress, was killed 
, m auto crash in Glasgow Jan. 25. 
i He himself was a concert enter- 
1 tainer. 


Milton Besch, former newscaster 
for NBC and ABC, died Jan. 25 in 
Hollywood. He retired several years 
ago because of ill health. His 
parents and a sister survive. 


Mrs. Jean A. d’Argenzio, former 
musician and vocalist who made 
| extended concert tours throughout 
| the U. S., died Jan. 24 in Exeter, 
N. II. 


Mrs. Gertrude Walburn, wife of 
actor Raymond Walburn, died Jan. 
26 in Hollywood, following a 
stroke. 


John P. IVordsman, 38, trumpet 
player, died Jan. 26 in Yonkers, 
N. Y. 


Father, 76, of bandleader Russ 
Case, died Jan. 26 in Hamburg, Ph. 


Nets May Make Pix 

Sm Continued from page l 

agreement in the pact gives NABET 
"electronic jurisdiction,” which net 
execs take to mean that NABET 
will merely worry about kinescopes 
and will allow the net to use IATSE 
personnel for filmmaking. 

Agreement would thereby put 
the nets in the position of being 
able to go out and produce their 
own film instead of contracting it 
to indie producers as it does at 
present. Such a move, while not 
yet formally indicated by NBC, 
would have the effect of putting 
some Hollywood producers out of 
business. 

CBS already has the right to film 
its own shows under its IBEW 
pact, and this was used as a bar- 
gaining point in the NABET hud- 
dles. CBS is filming on its own. 
"You Are There” and “The Phil 
Silvers Show.” 

Agreements affect both network 
and syndication programming op- 
erations. NBO Film Division has 
had to farm out its production 
work, even though in most cases 
it fully finances the pix, to indie 
producers. Agreement would en- 
able it to set up its own production 
unit. More significant, the network 
program departments themselves 
could set up film units just as they 
have live production units to put 
more show's on film. 

Significantly, NABET in return 
for yielding film jurisdiction not 
only retained kinescope but also 
assumed jurisdiction over any tv 
shows made on tape. That’s a tip- 
off to the union’s conviction that 


Twofers to Nofers 

Continued from page 1 — ^ 

apt to be as low as $7.000-$9,000 a 
week, compared to the standard 
louring nut of around $20,000 for 
a straight play. But the theme is 
almost invariably the smoking-car 
brand of S-E-X, and the reaction 
of cr.tics usually varies from face- 
tious scorn to indignant denuncia- 
tion, depending on the degree of 
sophistication of the local aisle- 
sitter. 

The* rash of twofer production 
last fall reflected, of course, the 
success of such ventures in pre- 
vious semesters, largely hv twofer- 
tycoon Jules Pfeiffer, with such 
hokum antics as "Good Nite, La- 
dies” and "Maid in the Ozarks.” 
But the lush days ol the twofers 
are obviously going, if not just 
about gone. The fatalities this sea- 
son, besides "Getting Gertie’s Gar- 
ter.” include "Gentlemen Prefer 
Blondes,” "N a u g h y Natalie,” 
"School for Brides,” and "Models 
in Reason.” 

Still going and presumably mak- 
ing profits are "The Moon Is Blue,” 
starring Jerome Cowan, and "Pa- 
jama Tops.” starring Diana Barry- 
more. But where the trade was 
making quips last season about 
the possibility of threefers, four- 
fers and even freefers, the situa- 
tion is now down to fewfers, with 
a prospect, of nofers. 


N. Y. Times 

Simmmmm Ccn.llUlfd flOHl P;U!«* 1 ^ 

Sunday in 23-odd years. Broadway 
ticket prices have gone up only 
about 30^ to 40 ffc,” a producer 
pointed out last week. 

"Yet the paper prints in appar- 
ent seriousness and thereby gives 
plausibility to letters from readers 
protesting against ’excessive’ tick- 
et prices. As for the letters about 
the occasional rudeness of theatre 
treasurers. I’d like just once to 
see the paper publish a letter p’o- 
testing against the discourtesy of 
a salesgirl at, say Macy’s or Lord 
& Taylor’s or even a tickefcseller 
at the Radio City Music Hall. Why 
is the theatre always the patsy?” 


Metro 

Continued from pace 7 

policy. At Warner Bros., which is 
now serving 2-D versions of its 
C’Scope films both domestically 
and foreign, future policy in the 
light of the Metro decision is still 
under study. 

Execs close to the foreign mar- 
ket are impressed with the speed 
with which exhibs abroad are 
equipping. Latest count showed 
3,315 foreign installations of Cine- 
mascope with close to 6,000 on or- 
der. In some areas, this represents 
virtual saturation of the key first 
and sub-runs. Elsewhere, however, 
partly due to economic restrictions, 
growth of Cinemascope has been 
much slower. 

• 

MARRIAGES 

Catherine Kolar to Clarence 
Farkas, Johnstown, Pa., Jan. 15. 
Groom’s the son of John Farkas, 
Johnstown theatre owner, and 
works for his father. 

Mrs. Leonore Kahn to Louis W. 
Landay, Baltimore, Jan. 19. Bride’s 
the mother of Jacques Kahn, 
former pub-ad head for WB thea- 
tres in Pitt and now veep of Dubin- 
Feldman advertising agency. 

Betty Manners to Skee Good- 
hart, Des Moines, Jan. 28. Bride 
is a skater with "Holiday on Ice 
of 1955,” he’s company manager 
with same show. 

Dee Mastcrson and Les Colodny, 
New York. Jan. 29. He’s with the 
William Morris Agency. 


BIRTHS 

Mr. and Mrs. Phil Wasserman, 
daughter, Kew Gardens. N. Y., Jan. 
18. Father is a publicist. 

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Hfcmley, 
son, Hollywood, Jan. 25. Father 
fcs a film editor. ^ ^ 

Mr. and Mrs. George Eisenhauer, 
daughter, 'Pittsburgh, Jan. 24. 
Father’s an announcer at KDKA- 
TV. 

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lachimia, 
son, Pittsburgh, Jan. 23. Father's 
on WWSW staff. 


the roming couple of years will Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Edwards, 
see the magnetic tape used with in- daughter, Bridgeport, Conn., Jan. 
creasing frequency as a substitute , 25. Father is a sales staffer with 
for film. I WICC. 




Wednesday, February 2, 1935 



CORAL 


Currently Continuing 


After FOUR WEEKS with TONY MARTIN, He|d Over 

for the MARIE WILSON Show 

I BOOKED TO RETURN for 4 WEEKS in '55 and 8 WEEKS in 'S6) 

A Grateful Acknowledgement to TONY MARTIN, 

ALBERT PARVIN, DAVE SIEGEL and MAXINE LEWIS 


FLAMINGO, Lot Vegas 

... Garner laughs with stunts that 
** v# «uditnc# yelling for more." 


Opening FEB . 2 7th 

CHEZ PAREE 

Chicago 

4 

• FEB . 2 1st 

TONY MARTIN SHOW 

NBC-TV 

r~1 • Reporting to 

■Sf 20th CENTURY FOX 

IW ^ in June for 

hA “PINK TIGHTS” 


9 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA 
NEW YORK, N. Y. 


eirtcrl«n 


Personal Management: MANNIE GREENFIELD 






FILMS 


RADIO 


VIDEO 


MUSIC 


STAGE 


‘KEEP BOXOFFICE OUT OF HOME’ 




Published Weekly at 154 West 46th Street. New York 36, N. Y., by Variety, Inc. Annual subscription. $10. 
Entered as second-class matter December 22. 1905, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the 

COPYRIGHT. 1955. BY VARIETY. INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 

Sinfle copies. 25 cents, 
act of March 3. 1879. 


VOL. 197 No. 10 

NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1955 


PRICE 25 CENTS 


♦ 


4 


Wide Notice by Dailies, Mags 

Of Hollywood Product Upsurge 


Film business’ sock comeback ♦ 
during the past year or so is mush- 
rooming into a hefty public rela- 
tions payoff for the industry which 
night have the effect of cementing 
and continuing the public's inter- 
est in motion pictures for some 
time to come. 

The industry’s new projection 
gimmicks, the solid array of box- 
office pictures, plus the resurgence 
of exploitation and showmanship 
has pushed the pix biz to the fore- 
front in all quarters. In brief, 
people are talking about the 
“movies” again and this conversa- 
tion is extending to all communica- 
tion media which, in many in- 
stances. are carrying the ball for 
the industry. 

Hardly a newspaper or publica- 
tion of note has failed to bring to 
the attention of its readers the in- 
dustry’s remarkable recovery dur- 
ing 1954. These reports, in the 
general press as well as in influen- 
tial business and financial papers, 
have stimulated stockholder inter- 
est in film issues and public de- 
sire just to go out and see a pic- 
ture. 

Last Sunday (6), the N. Y, Times, 

In an unusual feature, ran a review 
and analysis of the industry from 
1946 to 1954. It was a three-part 
survey covering different aspects of 
fne picture business. Article, 
headed “Survey of the Movies: Out 
of a Crisis, They Achieve Stabil- 
ity.” was written by film critic Bos- 
ley Crowther, Hollywood corre- 
spondent Tom Pryor, and N. Y. film 
staffer A. H. VVeiler. 

Previously Fortune Magazinb, in 
its February issue, ran an eight- 
page article simply titled, “The 
Comeback of the Movies,” by Free- 
(Continued on page 74) 


TV ‘Devastating’ 
British Theatre 

Hollywood. Feb. 8. 

Television is having a devastat- 
ing effect on the British- theatre 
and has caused many legit and 
Variety houses to close during the 
past year. British Equity is seri- 
ously concerned with the situation, 
particularly in light of only about 
40' ( of its members making a liv- 
ing, 27 r 'p scratching to get by and 
flic balance in dire straits. 

This was disclosed by Lester 
Ferguson, American singer who 
* 1as his own program on BBC in 
London and also heads Ferguson 
Entertainments, Ltd., who flew’ 
back to the English capital yester- 
day after several days in Holly- 
wood. While here, he was screen- 
* esl °d by Paramount and huddled 
Vith Leo McCarey on latter’s up- 
turning “Marco Polo,” as well as 
holding discussions with other 
studios. 

The impact of tv began to be 
(Continued on page 70) 


WED ON VALENTINE'S DAY? 


’Tain’t Legitimate Employment Ad, 
Rule N. Y. Dailies 


The search for a local boy-and- 
girl team to marry cn St. Valen- 
tine’s Day at the Sutton Theatre, 
N. Y„ in the interest of drum- 
beating “Romeo and Juliet” had 
the N. Y. Times and United Artists 
bucking heads fever so gently) over 
last weekend. 

UA pub-ad staffers prepared the 
following classified ad for insertion 
I in the Times and other N: Y. pa- 
pers: 

i “Romeo and Juliet Competition: 

' Young couple who w ill marry on 
, Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. wanted. 
Winning couple will w’in many 
prizes which will help you get 
(Continued on page 72) 

ABC Radio Gets in Under 
Wire on Malenkov Scoop 
Via Hearst Interview 

ABC Radio Slipped in under the 
Iron Curtain communications wire 
yesterday (Tues.) to come up with 
the only direct report from Mos- 
cow r on the sudden resignation of 
Premier Georgi Malenkov, a taped 
phone interview with William Ran- 
dolph Hearst Jr. Shortly after 
the network got the interview, 
telephone lines to Moscow were 
jammed, thereby giving the net- 
work a clean exclusive insofar as 
on-the-spot coverage of the shake- 
up went. 

Sequence of events under which 
the net got the story was something 
like this. Jesse Mass, news editor 
on duty at 5:45 a.m., saw the bul- 
letin and called radio special events 
chief Don Coe, who told him to 
place a call to Hearst in Moscow, 
where he’s doing a series for In- 
ternational News Service. Mass 
called INS to find where Hearst is 
staying and was told the National 
Hotel, to which he placed a call. 
(INS, incidentally, didn’t follow 
the same procedure, thus being 
forced to use a transcript of the 
ABC interview.) Mass was told 
that phone service to Moscow 
didn’t open up until 8:45 a m., and 
(Continued on page 74) 


Oliviers Revive ‘Titus’; 
Gielgud-Ashcroft Tour 

Stratford-on-Avon, Feb. 8. 

“Titus Andronicus,” seldom- 
staged Shakespeare drama, will be 
included in the 1955 program at 
the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre 
here. Laurence Olivier ^nd Vivien 
Leigh will lead the company in five 
plays, also including “All’s Well 
That Ends Well” and "Macbeth.” 

Company will also consist of 
Angela Baddeley, Joyce Redman, 
Alan Webb, Michael Denison and 
(Continued on page 24) 


THEATRES YELL 
FEE-TV MURDER 

The leadership of America’s mo- 
tion picture exhibitors is distressed 
this week because it has gotten | 
tvind of the possibility of the Fed- 
eral Communications Commission 
in Washington taking official notice, 
for the first time, of home-toll 
(subscription) television. Any 
“pecognition” of home-toll (i.e., 
parlor boxoffice) by the FCC is un- 
welcome news to theatre operators 
— even if the FCC does no more 
than merely move to secure added 
information. 

A shiver went down exhibitor 
backs when FCC Commissioner 
Robert E. Lee told Minneapolis 
businessmen that he saw home-toll 
“in the cards” and thought that it 
might mean a $1 fee for entertain- 
ment in the family circle. 

Theatremen fear that looney col- 1 
lected from people in their homes 
is money that would otherwise go 
to the boxoffice and hat a life- 
and-death struggle is implicit in 
any Government sanction of home- 
toll video. 

Exhibitors are using every con- 
ceivable argument to block author- 
ization of this type of broadcast- 
ing. 

Insiders say the FCC may move 
today (Wed.) by issuing long await- 
ed questionnaires to Zenith and 
Skiatron, seeking comments on a 
detailed list of questions. Query 
may also go to Paramount on its 
Telemeter method of tollcasting 
but there’s said to have been some 
hesitancy among FCC officials on 
inclusion of Par since Telemeter, 
so far, has been tested in closed- 
circuit only. (Last w’inter at Palm 
Springs, Cal.) Latter wouldn’t come 
under FCC jurisdiction. 

Impression in N. Y. is that the 
FCC will give Zenith and Skiatron 
60 days to prepare their replies. 
On receiving them, it will then 
decide on whether to go ahead 
with the rulemaking for any new 
system without bothering with pub- 
lic hearings or to schedule debate 
via public sessions. 

All of this is on the assumption 
that the FCC will remain the com- 
( Continued on page 24) 


In The Family 

Boston, Feb. 8. 

On April 4. Pierre Monteux 
will conduct the Boston Sym- 
phony Orchestra in a special 
concert in his honor, to mark 
his 80th birthday. Monteux 
was regular conductor of the 
BSO 30 years ago. 

Meyer Davis, the dance band 
maestro, will conduct the 
symph in a “Happy Birthday” 
number to precede the con- 
cert. Davis did a similar stint 
five years ago in San Francis- 
co, for Monteux’s 75th birth- 
day, batoning the San Fran- 
cisco Symphony, of which 
Monteux was then the con- 
ductor. 

Davis is Monteux’s brother- 
in-law. 


High Ct. Decish Gives Greenlight To 
Govt. Probe of Entire Concert Biz 

♦ By ARTHUR BRONSON 


SWISSAIR OPERA FLIGHTS 

Plans Special Junkets Out of New 
York Thi^ Spring 


Zurich. Feb. 8. 

Swissair is planning “Opera j 
Flights’’ from New' York to vari- 
ous European cultural centres this 
sprihg, aimed at special opera 
performances in Milano, Rome. 
Vienna, Paris, Berlin and Frank- 
furt. 

Business-promoting stunt is rem- 
iniscent of provincial visits to 
London drama via “charabanc” 
(bus) and the “show trains” 
from Ohio and New England 
which bring in junketing drama 
enthusiasts to Manhattan. 

Details of Swissair's “Opera 
Flights” are now being worked 
out. 


Ike First President To 
Use Closed-Circuit For 
Convention Addresses 

The President of the United 
States always has more invitations 
to make speeches than he has time 
or energy. But the new device of 
closed-circuit television is enab- 
ling Dwight Eisenhower to talk 
without leaving the White House. 

In a period of a month, he has 
or will be heard by members of 
the American Heritage Founda- 
tion, the American Medical Assn., 
and the Inter-American Invest- 
ment Conference. First event was 
last night (Tues.) when his talk for 
the American Heritage Foundation 
was fed to gatherings in hotels in 
34 cities. Telecom Systems, head- 
ed by Irving Sulds, former ABC- 
Paramount exec, arranged the 
technical and other details for the 
Foundation. 

Today (Wed.) the President will 
open a televised “Videclinic” at 
which some 20,000 doctors in 32 
cities gathered at hotels and col- 
lege auditoriums will hear new 
developments in the treatment of 

(Continued on page 75) 


Bill Miller Plans New 

Riviera Near Old, Site 

Bill Miller, who operated the 
Riviera at Ft. Lee, N. J., until it 
was torn down about a year ago 
to make room for the Palisades 
Interstate Highway, is planning a 
new editidn of that famed nitery 
just a few hundred yards away 
from the original site. 

Miller, currently in New York, 
says that he still retains control 
of the liquor license and the title 
of that room, and Jie intends to 
revive the spot. He says that he is 
currently negotiating for addition- 
al land, which in addition to foot- 
age he now owns, would give him 
(Continued on page 74) i 


Last week’s Supreme Court de- 
cision — applying the antitrust laws 
to the legit theatre, and setting 
the stage for a Government suit 
against the Shuberts on the 
grounds of monopoly — has had a 
subsidiary effect. It’s given the 
Dept, of Justice a similar green- 
light to go after the concert busi- 
ness. 

The Government’s complaint has 
been drawn up. and suit is expect- 
ed to come within a week’s time. 
Managers have been awaiting it 
and are alerted to it. 

For the last five years, on the 
basis of beefs from indie concert 
managers, the Government has 
been investigating the longhair 
field. Since July, ’51. the FBI has 
been looking into the affairs of Co- 
lumbia Artists Mgl. Inc. (CAMI) 
and National Concert & Artists 
Corp. iNCAC), the industry’s two 
top bureaus, against whom the 
beefs have been made. For two 
! years previously, the Government 
had been interrogating everyone 
else in the field. 

Core of the indies’ complaint 
centers around the organized audi- 
ence movement in this country — 
i the music associations set up in 
smaller towns that otherwise 
, might not get longhair entertain- 
ment. CAMI. through its outlet 
or subsidiary. Community Concerts, 
has been operating in over 800 
such towns. NCAC, through its 
Civic Concerts subsid has been 
working in over 400 cities. Indie 
managers claim they’re at a disad- 
vantage in offering their own at- 
tractions in these 1,200-plus towns, 
NCAC and CAMI artists getting 
most of the bookings. 

The Government’s complaint, it’s 
(Continued on page 72) 


Col Pix Stars 
Into TV Dramas 

Columbia Pictures will be the 
first major to use television as a 
direct means of promoting and 
training their stable of young stars 
through spotting them in tv dra- 
matic shows. Deal has been worked 
out between Columbia and ABC- 
TV whereby the studio will slot 
its talent into such ABC stanzas as 
the “U. S. Steel Hour” and “Elgin 
Hour” dramatic entries. 

That’s the substance of a deal 
set between Columbia exec pro- 
ducer Jerry Wald and ABC-TV 
talent and programs v.p. Bob Weit- 
man on the latter’s recent trip to 
the Coast. Weitman said the actual 
details hadn’t been set, but that 
the working agreement had been 
made. Columbia, incidentally, got 
a healthy promotion boost last 
Sunday <6» on Ed Sullivan’s CBS- 
TV “Toast of the Town” with “The 
(Continued on page 22) 















2 


MISCELLANY 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Uruguay’s Festival, After Fight 
For Right to Give Prizes, Doesn’t 


Ltiuuwn at Uic r uma-uci-uon, 

Uruguay, Internationa^ Film Fes- 
tival, where the jury last week re- 
fused to hand out any prizes, has 
focused the U.' S. companies’ atten- 
tion anew on the spate of upcoming 
competitions this year. , 

Hollywood has never been happy 
with the film festival setups, partic- 
ularly the ones that award competi- 
tive prizes. There is now consider- 
able sentiment among the compa- 
nies to keep budgets for those oc- 
casions to a minimum and to seek 
some sort of assurance that what 
happened last week in Uruguay 
would not happen again. 

According to reports received by 
the Motion Picture Export Assn, in 
N. Y. from its rep on the spot, Rob- 
ert Corkery, the “international” 
jury at Punta-dcl-Este which in ef- 
fect consisted wholly of Latin 
American" — refused to award the 
Grand Prix of Soulhamerica on the 
grounds that 1 one of the entries 
merited such honors. Instead, it 
handed out honorary mentions to 
four pix, one going to Walt Disney’s 
“The Living Desert.” 

The head cf the Festival commit- 
tee publicly upbraided the jury for 
its failure to “discharge its obliga- 
tion.” Reps of tfte contesting na- 
tions, according to the report, were 
plenty burned up over the jury’s 
stand and were discussing an ap- 
peal to the International Federa- 
tion of Film Producers Assns. un- 
( Continued on page 14) 


Cannes Stalls 
Acceptance Of 
Festival Rules 

London, Feb. 8. 

Unless the Cannes Film Festival 
authorities respond to an ultima- 
urn from the International Federa- 
tion of Film Producers Associa- 
tions, this year’s event may have to 
take place without the product of 
22 countries, including America, 
Britain and France. 

In the latter part of 1954 the In- 
ternational group defined its policy 
towards film festivals and decreed 
that as from 1956 onward there 
should only be one competitive 
(i.e., prize - warding) junket, al- 
ternating annually between Cannes 
and Venice. Acceptance of this 
ruling was made a condition tor 
supporting the 1955 Festivals. 

The deadline date for a reply 
was Dec. 31 and the Venice au- 
thorities confirmed their accept- 
ance in good time. There has, 
however, been no acknowledgment 
from Cannes, although even a last- 
nainute confirmation would pave 
the way for the usual flock of en- 
tries. 

As things stand no producer who 
is a member of a national organiza- 
tion affiliated to the International 
Federation is entitled to submit 
pix for the Cannes fest, which is 
skedded to open April 2G and run 
through to May 10. Non-affiliated 
filmmakers are, of course, entitled 
to please themselves. The most 
prominent British producer with- 
out organizational ties is Sir Alex- 
ander Korda, who ankled the Brit- 
ish Film Producers Association 
some years back. 


Musical Tent for L.A. 

Los Angeles, Feb. 8. 

A 1200-seat tent theatre is in 
prospect here, for a six-month 
1 summer stock season to start in 
mid-April. Alexander White, east- 
ern legit producer who operated 
a summer theatre under canvas 
last year in Indianapolis, will peti- 
tion L. A. city fathers for an okay. 

He proposes to launch the proj- 
ect in Griffith Park, two blocks 
from the Greek Theatre. 


Brit. Equity Launches 
Drive for Strict Pacts 
From Com’l, BBC Tele 

London, Feb. 1. 

In a two-pronged attack launched 
last week, British Actors Equity 
struck'simultaneously against BBC- 
TV and commercial television 
units, introducing a closed shop in 
the state-owned web, and demand- 
ing contract terms for performers 
engaged in the production of tele- 
pix for the rival outlet. 

The thespians’ closed shop in the 
BBC, which will cover all the tele 
programs and part of sound radio, 
comes into force a month from to- 
day. From March 1 it will be a 
! breach of union rules for an Equity 
member to work on tv with a non- 
cardholding performer. In radio, 
the bar will be restricted to drama, 
light entertainment, professional 
ice-skating, ballet and opera. 

In the minds of Equity toppers, 
the introduction of the BBC closed 
shop is especially important be- 
cause of the approaching advent of 
commercial tele. The union claims 
that pilot telepix are being made 
in basement and backroom studios 
under very poor conditions and 
: “with quite inadequate safe- 
(Continped on page 70) 


Soviet Praises Chaplin 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

Radio Moscow lauds Charlie 
Chaplin in a radio review of a new 
biography of the comedian, beamed 
shortwave to the U. S. Russian 
translation of the new French 
book, “The Life of Charlie,” quotes 
Soviet film director Grigory Alex- 
androv as saying in a foreword: 
j “Chaplin inspired and continues 
to inspire many Soviet film direc- 
, tors, and we honor him as our 
teacher in the art of the films.” 



HORACE HEIDT 


For Swift &. Co. 

Offices — J. Walter Thompson, 
Chicago 

Herman Axelbank’s Unique 
Specialty, Salvage of Faded 
Prints, Creates a Business 

Number of historical events of 
yesteryear will be seen again 
through efforts of Herman Axel- 
bank, a specialist in restoring old 
films whose career in the industry 
dates back to when he was an of- 
fice boy for Samuel Goldwyn some 
40 years agor For Axelbank al- 
ready has a feature-length docu- 
mentary on Russia from the Czar- 
ist era to Lenin-Trotsky-Kerensky 
in release and is readying four 
other ventures which will be culled 
from aging prints. 

Axelbank’s Russian documentary, 
which he calls “Tsar to Lenin,” has 
a history of its own xur the film 
was tied up in litigation for more 
than a decade. Shortly after the 
picture preemed in 1937 several 
suits were brought against Axel- 
bank. Among those making claims 
in the actions was Max Eastman, 
who did the commentary, editing 
and narration on the film. 

Under a Federal Court decision 
in 1952 Axelbank won all rights to 
“Tsar to Lenin.” However, he re- 
called in New York this week, “it 
took some time to re-assembie the 
picture since parts of the original 
print were lost in the course of 
the litigation. These were recov- 
ered and I opened the film at the 
Fifth Ave. Cinema in N. Y. last 
w r eek.” 

His other quartet of projects, 
Axelbank said, are “The German- 
Soviet War,” “Israel’s 13 Colonies,” 
“Return of Ring Immortals” and 
(Continued on page 75) 


SHOWFOLK: YOU GOTTA KEEP RECORDS! 

(PREFERABLY A DIARY) 


U. S. -Getting Toughi’r — 800 New Tax Agents Hired For 
1955— Closer Auditing Threatens Careless Professionals 
Who Lack Proof of “Expenses.” 


2 9 


Subscription Order Form 

Enclosed find check for $ 

One Year 

Please send VARIETY for rfwo Years 


To 


(Please Print Name) 


Street 
City. . 


Regular Subscription Ratos 
One Year— SI 0.00 Two Years— $18.00 

Canada and Foreign — SI Additional per Year 

P'&filETY Inc. 

T54 West 44th Street New York 36. N. Y. 


By Ernest D. Loewenwarter, C.P.A. 

Showpeople may be particularly vulnerable victims of the Treasury 
Department’s new policy toward deductions from income for travel- 
ing, entertaining and similar business expenses. Revenue agents will 
require more proof and better records in support of these deductions, 
but many people in show business find record-keeping a difficult and 
onerous job. 

The Internal Revenue Code specifically allows the deduction of 
ordinary and necessary expenses incident to producing an income. The 
only requirement for deducting such expenses is adequate proof. Bills 
and cancelled checks are the best evidence. A well kept diary or 

;♦ other written record is easy to 
maintain and it will carry great 
weight even in support and ex- 
planation of cash expenditures, if 
it is currently recorded and if the 
deductions indicate a business pur- 
pose. 

A diary or other written record 
is not of itself accepted as evi- 
dence, because it can be a “self- 
serving declaration.” However, 
when reasonably supported by 
hotel bills, ticket stubs, sales slips 
and rail and plane ticket memos 
and envelopes, there should be no 
difficulty. The record should in- 
dicate names and their relation to 
the taxpayer’s business. A signed 
guest book serves as an excellent 
record for those who do a great 
deal of home entertaining for busi- 
ness purposes. 

The value of an acceptable rec- 
ord is obvious if you consider that 
if your taxable net income Is $10,- 
000, every $100 of deductible ex- 
(Continued on page 75) 


Zone .... State 


Silly— When Not Ugly 

Attention, students and enemies of censorship. There’s 
dandy new handbook full of ammunition against the brood of 
prudes. Grab yourself a copy of Anne Lyon Haight’s 172 pp. vol- 
ume, “Banned Books” (R. R. Bowker; $4). It’s an easy birds-eye 
view of the whole long and tortured history of censorship, some 
334 incidents, back to antiquity, with names, dates, essential 
facts and pithy commentary. No writer should be without a 
copy, no producer, no editor, nobody who traffics in ideas. 

That word “tortured,” is Yat, for there are plenty of paragraphs 
about authors who were literally buried and burned alive. The 
more strongly people feel about politics, religion or sex, appar- 
ently the more brutal and savage are the repressive measures 
John Calvin, of Geneva, not only railroaded to death a fellow 
scholar who dared differ with him, but ordered slow burning 
greenwood for the fire and straw sprinkled with sulphur to be 
bunched about the head. All this in the name of a religion 
teaching brotherly love. 


Critics of old, or proponents of new, ideas have been thrown 
into rat-infested pits, have had their ears, their right hand 
their nose cut off : all as a rebuttal to criticism. 


Daniel DeFoe, author of “Robinson Crusoe,” once played a 
trick on the bigots of his day. He wrote a satire suggesting that 
all dissenters be killed. This was at first taken quite seriously, 
and considered. When the sarcasm was realized the book was 
burned and DeFoe fined, imprisoned and pilloried. 


Modern censorship cases here and abroad are cited in profu- 
sion. They make clear (1) the essential absurdity (when not 
vicious) of suppressions and (2) that “taste” is a matter of gen- 
eration and geography. It is amusing to find the humorist 
Lewis Carroll, creator of “Alice In Wonderland,” waxing oh, so 
indignant because Gilbert & Sullivan used a “Damne, it’s too 
bad” in “Pinafore.” Said the creator of nonsense, “I cannot find 
words to convey to the reader the pain I feel in seeing those 
dear children taught to utter such words to amuse ears grown 
callous.” 


The reader is edified with a rich smorgasbord of censorship 
tidbits and may miss the drollery of the Pentagon banning the 
Kinsey Report in West Germany on the grounds that sex has 
“no worthwhile interest for soldiers.” Land 


How Come You Dues Me Like You Dun! 


Exhibitors Today Beset by Money Demands To 
Support ‘Causes and Issues’ 




Brass Rail’s R.R. Tie 

Brass Rail chain of restaurants 
in Manhattan is working an all- 
expense dinner addendum to the 
legit Show Train angle. First link 
is for a Feb. 25 New Haven Rail- 
road party attending the Victor 
Borge show. 

Max Ernest Hecht reps the Brass 
Rail. 


James Mason Unsold On 
That Standard Interview 
About Talent Scarcity 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Taking a slap at exhibitors and 
producers who continually are hue- 
ing that the public is tired of look- 
ing at the same familiar faces, on 
theatre screens and the industry 
is in dire need of new personali- 
ties, James Mason today whipped 
out with the accusation: 

“You can usually trace the 
echoes of such complaints to the 
doorsteps of certain producers. 

“Whenever a producer com- 
plains of a lack of new faces in 
Hollywood or a shortage of wells 
to tap for fresh talent,” he said, 
“the truth of the matter is he is 
probably incapable of creating suf- 
ficiently attractive entertainment. 
Consequently he will blame his 
own failures upon an apochryphal 
absence of new talent.” 

Talent pools in all branches of 
the entertainment industry are 
flooded to overflow markings, the 
actor believes. This he attributes 
to the fact that there will always 
be fewer entertainment projects 
than there are actors, producers, 
director, writers and technicians. 

“Not only is there a rich source 
of untapped acting, production and 
directorial talent avaiable,” he de- 
(Continued on page 72) 


Jeanmaire's Modern Jazz 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Jeanmaire drops her ballerina 
role for one sequence in Para- 
mount’s “Anything Goes” to per- 
form a modern jazz dance, first 
time she’s ever strayed from the 
classics. 

Roland Petit, choreographer on 
film in which she co-stars with 
Bing Crosby, will stage a hot in- 
i terpretation of Cole Porter's “I Get 
i a Kick Out of You.” 


In an industry sorely beset by 
issues” ranging from public re- 
lations to arbitration, exhibition is 
finding itself carrying an increas- 
ingly heavy financial load. 

A conscientious circuit operator 
wanting to do right by his col- 
leagues and the industry at large 
is practically inviting a wide va- 
riety of dues assessments plus an 
equally extensive range of “neces- 
sary” expenses. In each case he'll 
have to decide how close a tie he 
wants between his “vision” and his 
pocketbook. 

There’s certainly no lack of in- 
dustry, and more specifically ex- 
hibition, causes to support. He has 
to pay his membership fee in 
Whatever theatre organization he 
belongs. Then there’s COMBO to 
contribute to. And now he’s going 
to be asked to chip in for arbitra- 
tion and the fight against toll-tv. 
Before long, too, he may have to 
invest in theatre-tv. 

Considering that theatremen are 
also constantly tapped by charity 
orgs and various other causes, and 
they’ve been urged to get behind 
(Continued on page 63) 

Gallic Music Biz 
Beaucoup Upbeat 
And So Is Payola 

By GENE MOSKOWlT£ 

Paris, Jan. 25. 

In the last half century, the song 
in France has made its way from 
the gutter into the bigtime circle 
of show biz. Previously hawked in 
coloful fashion by street singers 
and by itinerant troubadors. the 
song (la chanson) has now earned 
its stripes in France and Hie f*8‘ 
ures denote that the purveyors, 
writers, publishers and performers 
to be the recipients of six figure 
incomes. , 

SACEM (Society Des Auteurs 
Compositeurs et Editcurs Do MU‘ 
sique), the Gallic prototype ol 
ASCAP, : sts 18,000 songwriters or 
their lists with an annual revenue 
of 3,000.000.000 francs ($9,000 n() 0 ' 
Of their members, 12.000 get a 
| (Continued on page 56) 



Wednesday, February 9, 1935 


PICTURES 


3 ' 


THIS IS FILMS’ CADILLAC AGE 


Then III Be Tax-Happy 

AP dispatch from Hollywood quoting Doris Day as free at last 
of any contract committment with a studio, and so-o-o happy over 
it prompted one New York wag to quip: 

“I can remember when stars used to worry that their option 
wouldn’t be picked up and they’d be on their own." « 


Black-and-White C’Scope Newsreel 
Possibility But Color Too Costly 


Depending on the extent to 
which theatres will equip, it may 
eventually pay to turn out a black- 
and-white Cinemascope newsreel, 
according to Walton C. Ament of 
the Warner Pathe Newsreel, new 
chairman of the newsreel commit- 
tee. Group had its first meet un- 
der Ament in N. Y. last week. 

Ament expressed serious doubt 
that a color C’Scope reel would 
ever be feasible, partly because of 
the timing problem Involved in the 
tint processing and partly due .to 
the cost question. 

The one company that has been 
toying with a C’Scope reel has 
been 20th. However, chances of 
Movietone ever going into such a 
project are said to be very slim 
indeed, if for no other reason than 
that exhibs appear unwilling to 
pay the added freight. All the 
reels have been having a rough 
time of it within recent years and 
have lost accounts in considerable 
numbers. 

Ament pointed out that another 
difficulty was the source of footage 
supply which comes primarily 
from outside N. Y. Lenses there 
haven’t got C’Scope prisms so that, 
he said, the C’Scope material 
would be limited to film shot in 
and around N. Y. Quite apart from 
that, it would also be necessary 
to employ double crews to shoot 
events simultaneously in C’Scope 
and standard versions. 


Verne in AO Widescreen 


OVERHEAD CHIUS DEAL 


Gregory-Goldman Not To Do 
’Naked and Dead’ at 20th 


Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

High overhead is reported by 
Gregory-Goldman Enterprises as 
its reason for calling off negotia- 
itons with 20th-Fox for the release 
of ‘‘The Naked and the Dead." 

Deal was dropped after a con- 
ference here with Sypros Skouras, 
20fh-Fox chief. Taking part in the 
huddles were Paul Gregory, Wil- 
liam Goldman and two Philadel- 
phia bankers, William F. Kelly and 
Anthony J. Felix. Understood G-G 
is negotiating for another distribu- 
tion deal for the picture which 
goes intd production in mid-sum- 
mer. 


Television Tough 
In Canada, Too; 
Seek Tax Cut 

Toronto, Feb. 8. 
Because of hefty drop in film 
house attendances of some 21% in 
television area competition, the 


For Columbia Release; 
Todd All-Out Tolstoy 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Negotiations have been virtually 
completed for the Michael Todd 
Co. production of Jules Verne’* 
“Around the World in 80 Days” to 
go out as a Columbia release, with 
Todd and William Goetz coproduc- 
ing. Film will be made in the Todd- 
AO widescreen process. 

Todd’s farming out “World" and 
probably also the projected “Man 
Who Would Be King," the latter 
likely to Allied Artists with John 
Huston directing, is aimed to leave 
the promoter-showman free to de- 
vote himself fulltime to the super- 
vision of his planned “War and 
Peace" which Fred Zinnemann will 
direct and for which Robert E. 
Sherwood is scripting. This’ll be 
Todd’s first Todd-AO production. 

He has a Magna Theatres fran- 
chise for eight pix to be made 
within the next five years. Ar- 
rangements call for the Todd re- 
leases to alternate with pix from 
the Magna stable or via other 
franchises. However, he also has 
the right to farm out his own fran- 
chises. First film to be made in 
the Todd-AO process was the re- 
cently-completed “Oklahoma.” 

“Around the World in 80 Days" 
Involves a three-way financing and 
profit sharing deal — Columbia, 
Todd and Goetz — with the original 
release restricted to roadshow 
dates in 60 worldwide keys. 


20TH UPS TO 22 PIX 

v.. 

Six Releases Added To Previous 
AU-CinemaScope Schedule 


Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Production at 20th-Fox this year 
will be stepped up from 16 pic- 
tures, as originally planned, to 22, 
*11 in Cinemascope and Tech- 
nicolor. 

Added product, In the high-bud- 
get class, will be based on stage 
Plays such as “Anastasia,” “Can 
Can” and "The King and I." and 
on novels such as “Katherine,” “A 
Many Splendored Thing” and 
View From Pompey’s head/* 


Ontario government proposes to 
call off Its 12 * 4 % tax on all admis- 
sions under 50c, with possibility 
that the current tax will also be 
reduced on tickets exceeding that 
amount. Decision follows a brief 
presented to the government by 
The Motion Picture Theatres Assn, 
and The Independent Motion Pic- 
ture Theatre Owners Assn., who 
operate over 500 houses in Ontario. 
(Top price in Toronto is $1; with 
some 5,000,000 of Canada’s popu- 
lation concentrated in Ontario.) 
Tax has previously been turned 
over by the government to the 
hospitals. 

Drop of the amusement tax was 
submitted to Premier Frost, with 
Arch Jolley heading the exhibitors, 
this vital to the survival of a large 
number of small town • theatres 
faced with large installation costs 
via wide screen etc., claim being 
that further houses, particularly in 
the smaller centers, would be 
forced out of business. 


GARBO ‘CAMILLE’ (1936) 
BIG IN TEST DATES 

On the basis of the early recep- 
tion of “Camille,” the 1936 Metro 
film starring Greta Garbo, the film 
company may place the picture on 
its regular release schedule and 
give it the full-fledged reissue treat- 
ment. Film was dusted off to coin- 
cide with the renewed interest in 
Miss Garbo via the recent bio- 
graphical series in Life Magazine. 

Only two engagements have been 
set for the film so far — at the Trans 
Lux Normandie where it is current- 
ly showing and at a Brandt art 
house in Miami. The initial test 
bookings, according to present 
plans, will all be in art situations. 
If it clicks in these spots, Metro 
may push for circuit dates. 

Metro, incidentally, requested 
the Museum of Modern Art to can- 
cel its scheduled showing of "Ca- 
mille” in the museum’s N. Y. audi- 
torium from Feb. 7-14. The mu- 
seum was also asked to withdraw 
the film from national distribution 
temporarily. I 


New Process, Plus Financing Loom ! 

As Next Technicolor Expansion 

♦ 

'FRIGHTENED TO DEATH 


[IBS PAY, GET 
M0RE-1RNER 

By ABEL GREEN 

Palm Springs, Feb. 8. 

“The exhibitor is paying more, 
sure, but he's getting more.” That’s 
how Jack L. Warner sizes up the 
present situation in the motion pic- 
ture business. Warner is very bull- 
ish, though not more so than most 
of the 1955 producers out here. 
The film colony this year is jump- 
ing with an optimism that is in full 
cry where a year ago it was gather- 
ing voice. 

Warner speaks as the man who 
has had the longest tenure in the 
highly sensitive spot of production 
head of a major studio. He goes 
back to the early silent years be- 
fore Warners rated as a major 
company, before Vitaphone and 
talkies. 

There’s irony to the way in 
which Los Angeles itself takes the 
boom in pictures and the vast 
sums earmarked for features. “We 
think nothing today of spending 
$3,000,000 for a film. This is the 
same sum an industrial outfit in- 
vests in a factory and cops all the 
newspaper headlines as when 
Pabst Beer’s $3,000,000 plant and 
some ballbearing company’s $4,000,- 
000 layout in the San Fernando 
Valley becomes a giant civic hur- 
ray.” 

Warner’s point is that the major 
studios, his own among them, risk 
that kind of capital almost any 
week in the year. He comments: 
“This is the Cadillac Age of the 
^motion picture industry.” 

“We have no illusions when ex- 
hibitors complain. Of course they 
will. The May Co. and Macy’s also 
don’t do top volume on Mondays.” 
Warner argues that it all averages 
out. What the exhibitor ought to 
appreciate more is that there are 
more boxoffice trail-blazers than 
ever before. 

Warner studio’s many deals with 
“independent” producers are ad- 
justments to current realities. So, 
too, as regards the studio’s deci- 
sion to set up a television film- 
producing unit. “We can’t assume 
that television is going to blow 
over. There’s no reason why we 
can’t make pictures for the adver- 
tiser market, too.” 

So far as the Hollywood studios 
(Continued on page 11) 


Severe cold weather is taking a 
heavy boxoffice toll in many key 
cities this session, especially in the 
east, but biz is holding up surpris- 
ingly well. The strong "b.o. stems 
naturally from some outstanding 
product, many new entries just 
getting around this week. 

Again pacing the pack is 
“Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par), which 
was a strong champ last stanza. An 
entirely different type pic, but 
with a similar tag, “6 Bridges to 
Cross” (U) is capturing second 
place by a hefty margin. “20,000 
Leagues Under Sea” (BV), second 
week ago, is winding third. 

“Vera Cruz” (UA) is taking 
fourth money against third last 
round. “Cinerama” (Indie) is fifth 
while “Sign of Pagan” (U) is finish- 
ing sixth. 

“Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G), 
a newcomer, is showing enough to 
take seventh spot, with “Many 
Rivers To Cross,” also from Metro, 
in eighth. “Violent Men” (Col) is 
winding ninth. 

“Americano” (RKO) is taking 
10th position. “Carmen Jones” 
(20th), with some new dates, will 
land 11th place, with “So This Is 
Paris” (U) rounding out the Gold- 
en Dozen. 

“Battle Cry” (WB), with five en- 
gagements currently in keys cov- 
ered by Variety, shapes as a 
champion. It is rated great in N.Y., 
wham in Balto, terrific in Buffalo, 
socko to pace L.A. and hitting a 
new record in Washington. 

“Country Girl” (Par), also new, 


Widow’s Claim Is Settled By 
Columbia Pictures for $28,000 


Los Angeles, Feb. 8. 

Columbia Pictures paid $28,000 
to settle a $400,000 damage suit 
brought by Mrs. Carolyn Satter- 
field involving the death of her 
husband, Robert. 

Plaintaiff claimed her husband 
was “frightened to death” during 
dive-bombing sequences for the Co- 
lumbia picture, “Mission Over 
Korea,” near the Satterfield ranch. 


Code Less Rigid, 
Pictures Closer 
To Real Life 

Indications that the Production 
Code authorities are easing up on 
restrictions to allow “more adult” 
handling of films is noted in (wo 
upcoming or current films, accord- 
ing to industry observers. Example 
cited is a line in Elia Kazan’s pro- 
duction of John Steinbeck’s “East 
of Eden.” which Warner Bros, is 
releasing. 

A character in the film says: 
“Any law against followin’ around 
the town, er, madam, whatever you 
call ’er?” How this use of the 
word “madam” passed code offi- 
cials is unclear, since the code 
(Continued on page 24) 


Gleason's Brotherhood Film 

Special Brotherhood Week news- 
reel featuring Jackie Gleason will 
be shown in theatres throughout 
the country starting Feb. 16. 

Filmed appeal by Gleason will 
kick off the campaign undertaken 
by the nation’s showmen in behalf 
of Brotherhood week, Feb. 20-28. 
Reel, prepared under the super- 
vision of Walton C. Ament, will be 
distributed by the news divisions of 
20th-Fox, Metro, Paramount, Uni- 
versal and Warner Pathe. 


is starting to measure up to its in- 
itial promise on first engagements 
in N.Y. and L.A. Crosby starrer is 
soaring to a new high in Washing- 
ton and also record in Ph illy. Pic 
still is terrific on eighth round 
in N.Y. “The Racers” (20th) is very 
uneven currently although rated 
good in Boston and fine in Denver. 

“Far Country” (U), also new, is 
big in K.C. (ace pic) and Toronto. 
“Women’s Prison” (Col), good in 
N.Y.. is sock in Philly and sturdy 
in Chi. “Camille” (M-G), great in 
Philly, is hitting a new record in 
N.Y., both unusual for an oldie. 

“Tonight’s the Night” (AA) looks 
oke in Balto and N.Y. “They Were 
So Young” (Lip) shapes good in 
Buffalo. “Barefoot Contessa” (UA) 
looks solid in Cincy and good in 
L.A. 

“Silver Chalice” (WB), which 
has about rounded out its main 
key city dates, is okay in Denver 
and Cincy and lofty in Indianapo- 
lis. “Black Tuesday” (UA) is trim 
in Seattle. 

“Prince of Players” (20th) still 
is limping although in seven key 
cities currently. It ranges from 
modest to sad. “Aida” (IFE), great 
in Chi, looks fine in Cleveland and 
good in N.Y. 

“Destry” (U) is collecting size- 
able coin, with good showings in 
Providence, Minneapolis and St. 
Louis. “Detective” (Col) is nice in 
Chi and K.C. 

( Complete Boxoffice Reports 
on Pages 8-0) 


Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, Techni- 
color prexy, is expected to disclose 
in very near future a Technicolor 
Corp. plan to enter into the financ- 
ing of indie production, both from 
investment standpoint and to lock- 
in pietures for Techni processing. 
First indie film to be financed by 
Technicolor will reputedly be 
“Porgy and Bess,” which will be 
placed before cameras in Europe 
by Blevins Davis, producer of 
George Gershwin operetta revival 
now touring continent under U. S. 
State Dept, auspices. 

By financing production, Techni- 
color will ensure itself against 
drifting away of some business to 
other laboratories. At same time 
as disclosing company’s intention 
to finance production, Kalmus will 
likely unveil new horizontal camera 
on which company has been exper- 
imenting for some time. In prin- 
cipal this is said to be much like 
Paramount’s VistaVision process. 
With added improvements. 

Kay Harrison, Technicolor man- 
aging director, currently here to 
discuss with Kalmus the plans for 
financing production. Harrison is 
likely to remain on Coast for an- 
nouncement, also demonstration of 
Techni’s new horizontal camera. 

122 Weeks, $4,707,688 
Gross Final Statistics 
On This Is Cinerama’ 

“This Is Cinerama,” first picture 
in the widescreen medium which 
ushered in the film industry’s new 
era, wound up its Broadway run 
Sunday (6) with a gross of $4,707,- 
688 for 122 weeks and three days. 
It was seen by 2,471,538 people. 

Second picture in the medium, 
"Cinerama Holiday,” produced by 
Louis de Rochemont for Stanley 
Warner, preemed last night (Tues.) 
at the Warner Theatre, N. Y. It 
was a plush bow, complete with 
kleig lights, radio-tv interviews, 
(Continued on page 11) 


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ABEL GREEN, Editor 
Vol. 197 No. 10 

INDEX ~ 


Bills 63 

Chatter 74 

Concert-Opera 71 

Film Reviews 10 

House Reviews 63 

Inside Legit 66 

Inside Pics 20 

Inside Radio-TV 44 

International 14 

Legitimate 66 

Literati 73 

Music 50 

New Acts 59 

Night Club Reviews 64 

Obituaries 75 

Pictures 3 

Radio-Television 26 

Radio Reviews 44 

Record Reviews 50 

Frank Scully 73 

Television Reviews 36 

TV-Films 33 

Vaudeville 59 

Wall Street 18 


DAILY VARIETY 

(Published In Hollywood by 
Dally Variety. Ltd.) 

$13 a year. $20 Foreign 


National Boxoffice Survey 

Biz Stout Despite Record Cold; ‘Tok-ri’ Again 1st, 
'6 Bridges’ second, Sea’ Third, ‘Cruz’ Fourth 




4 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Italo Tint Print Mix Extends 


To C’Scope; Griff Johnson To 
Roma Other Trouble Areas 


With three potential troublespots 
on the horizon in the European film 
market, Griffith Johnson. Motion 
Picture Export Assn, v.p., leaves 
next week for a Continental swing 
that’ll take him to Parts, Rome 
and Frankfurt and possibly also to 
Madrid. \ 

Johnson’s immediate destination 
Is Rome where the government’s 
edict on local tint printing is of 
considerable concern to thfc com- 
panies. It’s now definite that 
C’Scope color prints are also cov- 
ered by the import nix. Johnson 
will meet with Warner Bros.’ Wolfe 
Cohen in Italy to discuss the sit- 
uation with the Italians. 

Even as MPEA is concentrating 
on Europe, its most Immediate con- 
cern is in the Far East, where 
Japan is threatening to reduce its 
license allocations for the new film 
year, which starts April 1. MPEA 
prexy Eric Johnston may go to 
Japan again before a final decision 
there is made. 

Most immediate problem in Eu- 
rope, apart from the still pending 
color print issue in Italy, is in 
France, where the American com- 
panies still haven’t received ally 
licenses beyond the basic alloca- 
tion of 90. Another 20 are due un- 
der the current agreement which 
runs through June 30. There have 
been no indications of any reluc- 
tance on the part of the French to 
come through with these licenses. 
At the same time the companies 
are beginning to get anxious about 
them. 

Another issue in France is the 
disposition of accumulated U. S. 
earnings, the French not having 
allowed any capital account deals 
since last June. Current French 
remittances are $200,000 a month/ 
There has been talk that com- 
pensation deals in France may be 
arranged. 

In Germany the American out- 
fits are keeping an eye on the seg- 
ment of the local industry which 
is pressing for import limitations 
and other restrictions, including a 
possible release tax. No major 
moves are expected unless the Ger- 
mans succeed in winning altera- 
tions in the General Agreement 
on Trade and Tariffs which is cur- 
rently in negotiation in Geneva. 

The current deal in Spain termi- 
nates June 1. There’s hope that, 
with Spain’s improved economic 
position, an agreement more favor- 
able to the American companies 
may be negotiated. 

Inter-Negative Stock For 
Dupes Due This Summer 
From Eastman Company 

New inter-negative stock neces- 
•ary in the manufacture of dupe 
negatives will be brought out by 
Eastman Kodak 4his summer. 

Due to the shortage of prints 
In the foreign markets, the studios 
are finding increasing necessity to 
make dupe negatives from which 
additional prints can be struck in 
Jabs abroad. An inter-negative has 
to be made before a dupe nega- 
tive can be obtained. 

Up till now it was necessary to 
make separation negatives from 
the original negative in manufac- 
turing the inter-negative. The new 
Eastman stock consists of a single 
strand and thus greatly facilitates 
the manufacture of inter-negatives. 
No price has been set. 


Halpern-Francavilla 
Confer on IA Vs. TNT 


Studio Workers’ Pay 

Sacramento, Feb. 8. 

Wages of workers on the 
film lots took a jump in De- 
cember, according to the Cali- 
fornia Labor Statistics bulle- 
tin. Average weekly earnings 
were $130.99, or $10.71 higher 
than in December, 1953. 

Workers put in an average 
of 43.8 hours at $2.99 an hour, 
compared with 42 hours at 
$2.94 in December of the pre- 
ceding year. 


No B.O. Ceiling 
In Todays Film 
Biz— Friedlob 

* 

Bydgets may be up, but on the 
good pix there’s nothing to worry 
about because “there’s practically 
no ceiling on the boxoflfice gross in 
today’s market.” Bert E. Friedlob 
said in N. Y. last week. 

East to plug his "Untamed” for 
20th-Fox and give the town the o.o. 
for his forthcoming “News Is Made 
at. Night,” the Indie producer re- 
ported that “Untamed” had been 
brought in at about $3,750,000. Pic, 
which has South African back- 
grounds, was wholly financed by 
20th, but Friedlob gets a cut. Wil- 
liam Bacher, Who wrote the screen- 
play and coproduced, also got a 
20th deal. 

Discussing the favored position 
of the indie in today’s industry, 
Friedlob, whose releasing deal with 
20th covers tw'o or three more pix, 
said that under present conditions 
he’d rather own negatives than 
anything else. “I trust that more 
than stock,” he commented. “The 
man who owns negatives today is a 
lucky fellow.” 

As if to prove his point, Fried- 
lob said two of his oldies were 
currently playing tv — they’re also 
still making their theatrical reis- 
sue rounds — and that each stood to 
net him $75,000 to $100,000 from 
that source alone. Due includes 
"Millionaire for Christie” and 
“Fireball.” 

Friedlob reported he had formed 
a company with Casey Robinson to 
do “News Is Made At Night,” on 
which Robinson’s done the screen- 
play. In color and Cinemascope, 
it’s a newspaper story that, accord- 
ing to its producer, fits in with his 
concept that “the public wants in- 
telligent stories, but not arty ones.” 
No release deal for "News” has 
been set, but Friedlob is discussing 
it with 20th. 

Also on the producer’s sked are 
(Continued on page 63) 

3,000-POpTtEXAS TOWN 
NO LIKE CONDITIONS 

Shamrock, Tex., Feb. 8. 

J. S. Worley’s Texas Theatre 
here will go to two changes a w’eek 
because of (1* a shortage of film 
products and (2) the "outrageous” 
prices that are being asked for the 
rental of film in a small commu- 
nity such as this with a total of 
3,000 persons. 

These problems coupled with the 
acute drought in this area, now go- 
ing into its fourth year, may force 
closing of the Texas for a time, 
i^ast year the Texas was closed for 
six month i. 


DUDLEY REVOLVING FUND 


Nate Halpern, prexy of Theatre 
Network Television, is holding ne- 
gotiations with the International 
Alliance of Theatrical Employees 
relating to contracts for IA mem- 
bers handling various aspects of 
closed-circuit telecasts. 

The TNT topper has been 'dick- 
ering with John J. Francavilla, the 
I A internationl rep who oversees 
tv matters for the national theatri- 
cal union. It’s understood the talks 
involve special compensation for 
projectionists who are in attend- 
ance at theatres during closed-cir- 
cuit telecasts. 


Starts “9-Million Names of God” 
In London This Spring 


Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Dudley Pictures has set up a re- 
volving fund of $2,000,000 to fi- 
! nance a program of 25 features 
over a period of five years, start- 
ing with “The Nine Million Names 
of God,” to be produced in Lon- 
don. starting in April. 

Second picture, still untitled, is 
slated for a May start in Rome. 
Richard Goldstone will produce 
’ both films, in Vistarama and East- 
I mancolor. 



Birdwell Wins Legal Point 
In Suit Versus I^aughton 

\ Los Angeles, Feb. 8. 

Russell Birdwell was granted the 
right to amend his complaint in 
his contract suit against Charles 
Laughton before Judge Austin 
Smith in Superior Court. 

Amendment asked that Laugh- 
ton be enjoined from denying the 
press agent’s five-year contract 
with him. 

Sidney: Care Behind 
Making Modern Feature 
Not Generally Known 

_ By HY HOLLINGER 

Hollywood’s scramble for pre- 
sold properties is only one aspect 

of the film industry "honestly try- 
ing to make good pictures,” accord- 
ing to director George Sidney. This 
factor, plus the penchant for au- 
thenticity via careful research, 
elaborate and realistic sets, and lo- 
cation excursions are evidence, Sid- 
ney noted, that the studios “haven’t 
let economics stand in the way.” 

“It may be a strange kind of in- 
tegrity,” he commented, but the 
veteran director feels this displays 
Hollywood’s desire to provide the 
public only with the best. In 
analyzing the pre-sold versus origi- 
nal story, he said it’s a case of 
knowing your values. “It’s like a 
man who builds a house and one 
who buys one,” he explained. “It’s 
a question of which provides the 
best buy or fills a particular need.” 
He cited the remark of Mervyn Le- 
Roy who directed “Mr. Roberts” 
for Warner Bros. “My picture has 
had 4.000 previews,” Sidney quoted 
LeRoy as saying, the implication 
being that the stage outings could 
build up potent word-of-mouth 
publicity for the film. 

“In the past it was fashionable 
to accuse Hollywood of tending to 
make bad pictures,” Sidney said. 
You would think that we had two* 
piles of scripts — one good and one 
bad — and that we selected only the 
bad ones. It’s unfortunate that 
the public can’t be shown the 
painstaking preparation and work 
that goes into the making of a pic- 
ture.” 

Sidney, who returned to the 
Coast Friday (4), spent several 
w'eeks in New York scouting loca- 
tions for “The Duchin Story,” the 
film biography of the late band- 
leader which he’ll direct for Co- 
lumbia. He expects shooting to 
begin in April. 

Gazing out of the window of his 
Sherry-Netherland suite at the 
snow-covered city, Sidney said: 
Wouldn’t it be great if I could 
come back here three months from 
now and be sure that this view 
would still be here?” This started 
him on a discussion of location 
shooting which, he maintained, was 
part of Hollywood’s new integrity. 
“It would be easy to remain at the 
studio and just have the sets paint- 
ed. but very few people are doing 
that now. Everyone Is sincerely 
and honestly trying to obtain the 
best results. People have no con- 
cept what you go through to make 
a picture. Look what George 
Stevens has been doing before 
starting the production of Edna 
Ferber’s “Giant.” He has spent 
months in Texas, looking over nu- 
merous smalltowns, carefully study- 
continued on page 24) 


L. A. to N. Y. 

Michael S. Baird 
Mary Castle 
Fred Clark 
Charles Einfeld 
Mona Freeman 
Herb Golden 
Abel Green 
Grace Green 
Harold Hecht 
Edward Everett Horton 
Fritz Lang 
Dorothy Malone 
Tony Martin 
Mitch Miller 
George Murphy 
Maureen O’Hara 
Marty Schwartz 
Sol C. Siegel 
Spyros P. Skouras 
Milton Sperling 
Anna Sten 
Ursula Thiess 
Mike Todd 
Benay Venuta 
Card Walker 
Lew Wasserman 
Gig Young 
Max Youngstein 
Darryl F. Canuck 


New York Sound Track j 

Sweet the inspiration of publicity: Tennessee Williams has applauded 
Congressional resolutions asking that the rose be made the national 
flower. Williams claims he titled his play, “The Rose Tattoo,” which 
Hal Wallis recently filmed for Paramount release, because his research 
turned up the amazing fact that the rose is more popular as a tattoo 
than naked ladies or the flag.* 

Charles Smadja, United Axtists Continental manager, in from Paris 
for confabs with homeoffice executives . . . Stubby Kaye, who origi- 
nated the role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in “Guys and Dolls,” Coasted 
this week to begin rehearsals for the Goldwyn film version ... All 
forqier cadets of West Point are receiving letters from Col. E. W. 
Richardson, Academy public information officer, to support Columbia's 
“The Long Gray Line." 

Producer Joseph Kaufman to Europe for two weeks to set up deals 
for “Long John Silver . . . RKO Theatres board chairman Albert A. 
List part of a three-man syndicate purchasing 800,000 shares of Atlantic 
Iron Ore Ltd. and International Iron Ore Ltd. Buy made through a 
new Canadian company, Ungava Developments, of which members of 
the syndicate are the principal shareholders . . . Edward J. Davis and 
J. W. Holmes, managing directors of Walt Disney Character Merchan- 
dising Division from England and Italy respectively, visiting Disney 
New York office. They head for the studio next week . . . Maureen 
O’Hara here from the Coast . . . Coca-Cola Co. footing all luncheon 
bills for the Metro Ticket Selling Workshops, with 15 more meetings 
slated between now and June . . . June Allyson, William Holden and 
Universal’s "Magnificent Obsession” are 1954 winners of annual Photo- 
play Magazine Gold Medal Awards. Grace Kelly and Guy Madison 
voted “most promising” newcomers . . . Nearly 400 attended Wednesday 
dinner of Pittsburgh Variety Club to Harold V. Cohen, film and drama 
critic of the Post-Gazette, who’s the Screen Directors Guild’s “Movie 
Critic of the Year.” Cohen then flew to Hollywood. 

Paramount pub-ad veepee Jerry Pickman to the Coast for a week 
of studio confabs . . . Cinematographer Jack Cardiff in from London 
en route to Mexico to film the King Bros.’ ‘The Boy -and the Bull.” 
. . . Milton Sperling, head of U.S. Pictures, releasing through Warner 
Bros., in for business confabs . . . Roy O. Disney, prexy of Walt Disney 
Productions, and Card Walker, advertising director, in from the Coast 
Monday (7). Disney heads for abroad shortly . . . Bernard Luber, pro- 
ducer of the DCA picture, “Lelia,” based on the Andre Maurois biog- 
raphy of George Sand, has optioned Maurois’ latest biography. "Alex- 
andre Dumas.” “Leila” rolls in France this summer, with “Dumas” 
scheduled to follow. 

Harold Wolff, p.r. counsel for the Joint Committee on Toll-tv, Coast- 
ing following the Allied convention in St. Louis . . . Charles J. Feld- 
man, Universal sales topper, presided over the N.Y. meet of U office 
managers and head bookers last week. Three similar powwows are 
skedded in L.A., New Orleans and Chicago . . . Darryl F. Zanuck due 
in N.Y. tomorrow (Thurs.) . . . The Edinburgh Film Festival, having 
accepted the International Federation of Film Producers’ Assns.’ con- 
ditions re festivals, has now been included in the list of events approved 
for 1955 . . . George Murphy quoting Samuel Goldwyn on the sound 
in “Oklahoma”: "This music is better than music” . . . Latest count 
of U.S. and Canadian Cinemascope installations: 11.287. Included are 
1,508 drive-ins . . . Universal’s Maurice Bergman accomped AI Daff 
to the Coast over the weekend . . . Distribs still trying to divvy up 
300 Bolivian licenses. Meanwhile the “master formula,” which would 
be applied to just such a problem, is colder’n ever. 


Ray Milland, in Debut as Director, 
Embarrassed by His Actor Pals 


This Is A Secret 

A top-level, hurriedly-called 
hush-hush meeting of Loew’s 
toppers took place in Miami 
this week. 

With prexy Nicholas M. 
Schenck currently vacationing 
in Miami, veepee and treasurer 
Charles C. Moskowitz planed 
out for the south from New 
York over the weekend while 
the studio executive E. J. Man- 
nix came from Hollywood for 
the confab with the chief. 

McCarthy Key To 
French Joining 
Italian Office 

Return to N. Y. Monday (7) of 
E. R. Zorgniatti, Italian Films Ex- 
port prexy. is expected to cue an- 
other round of confabs between 
him and John G. McCarthy of In- 
ternational Affiliates on the ques- 
tion of the possible IFE release of 
French product. 

McCarthy, who reps George 
Lourau. prominent French pro- 
ducer. in the U. S., has huddled 
with IFE on this question before, 
particularly as it concerned IFE’s 
hid for Lourau’s “Wages of Fear.” 
Stumbling block has been the 
Lourau-McCarthy contention that, 
if any such arrangement were con- 
( Continued on page 24) 


N. Y. to L. A. 

Mike Dann 
Richard Egan 
Jacques Gautier 
Larry Gore 
Mike Hall 
Stubby Kaye 
Jerry Pickman 
Shelley Winters 


Preparations for Ray Milland’s 
first directorial effort, “The Gun- 
men,” are causing many casting 
problems to the actor-director. 

“It Lsn’t easy for one actor to 
sit in judgment on another per- 
former,” commented Milland. “I 
wonder how many friends I’ll lose 
before I complete the picture. One 
thing is certain. I’ll interyiew at 
least a dozen actors for each speak- 
ing part.” 

Milland emphasized that he had 
no fixed ideas about old faces or 
new faces, and that the actor or 
actress best fitting a role would be 
selected w hether they had appeared 
in a hundred films previously or 
were still looking forward to their 
screen debut. 

“In my opinion, there is too much 
controversy about off-beat casting.” 
Milland observed. “This type of 
cast selection doesn’t always guar- 
antee the most interesting or be- 
lievable performances.” 

Milland, who also stars, rolls pic- 
ture on the Republic lot next 
month. 


N. Y. to Europe 

Robert Ardrey 
Roy O. Disney 
Pandro S. Berman 
Freddie Carpenter 
Gaby Casadesus 
Robert Casadesus 
Jack Cole 
Philip Coolidge 
Joseph Kaufman 
Anna Magnani 
William Steinberg 

Europe to N. Y* 

Victoria De Los Angeles 
Jack Cardiff 
Constance Carpenter 
Edward J. Davis 
HenrFDeutschmeister 
James A. Doolittle 
Mary Ford 
J. W. Holmes 
Barry Jones 
Dino De Laurentiis 
Prince Littler 
Les Paul 
Richard Todd 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


PICTURES 


ALLIED’S NEW VILLAIN: FEE-TV 


Rate Distribs on Toughness 


[AS SEEN BY ALLIED MEMBERS] 


»♦♦♦♦♦< 


In a survey of 16 regional areas, Allied States Assn, has com- 
piled a listing of the attitude of exhibitors in each territory toward 
the major companies. In answer to the query “What company is 
hardest to get along with?” Warner Bros, emerged the “toughest” 
in six zones, the “next toughest" in seven. In some instances two 
companies shared the dubious honors in each category. 

This information is relayed in Allied board chairman Abram 
F. Myer’s interim report of the exhibitor org’s Emergency Defense 
Committee, a group formed to combat the alleged unfair trade 
practices of the distributors. Paramount also came out the “tough- # 
est” in six instances and “next toughest” in four. Universal was 
“toughest” in two situations, "next toughest” in five; 20th-Fox 
“toughest” in two, “next toughest” in one; Columbia was “next 
toughest” in two spots. Metro, RKO, and United Artists were not 
named. 

The report points out that unanimity was not expected since “a 
company manifests itself locally through its branch manager and 
an exhibitor’s view of the company is bound to be affected by 
his regard or lack of regard for the manager.” According to Myers, 
EDC therefore Vdoes not feel warranted in naming any company 
as No. 1 ‘toughie’ on a national basis.” He points out, however, 
that EDC does feel that the frequency with which certain com- 
panies appear in the polls “should be a matter of concern to the 
executives of those companies as well as to exhibitors." 

The survey showed the following: 


Area 

Ohio 

Maryland . . . . 
lowa-Nebraska 


Toughest 

Paramount . 
None Named 
Paramount . 


Next Toughest 

WB, Universal 
None Named 
WB, Universal 


New Jersey Paramount tvarner Bros. 


West. Pennsylvania. 

Wisconsin 

North Central .... 

Mid-South 

Texas 

East. Pennsylvania. 

New England 

Kansas-Missouri . . 

Indiana 

Rocky Mountain . . 

Gulf States 

Connecticut 


20th-Fox 
Universal . . . 
Warner Bros. 
Universal, WB 
Warner Bros. 
Paramount . . 

20th-Fox 

Paramount . . 
Paramount . . 
Warner Bros. 
Warner Bros. 
Warner Bros. 


Par., Universal 
WB, Columbia 
Paramount 
Par., Columbia 
None Named 
Universal 
Warner Bros. 
Warner Bros. 
Warner Bros. 
Paramount 
Universal 
20th-Fox 


Reason most cited for the selection, according to Allied, is prices 
and terms, although uncivil treatment by sales force is sometimes 
mentioned as well as failure to adjust. 

20th Protests as British Television 
Contrasts Carmen Jones’ to Opera 


London, Feb. 8. ♦* 

A studio reproduction of “Car- 
men Jones” in the BBC-TV "Lime- 
light” series drawing a contrast of 
the American film to the original 
Bizet opera, has provoked a protest 
from 20th-Fox. The distribs com- 
plained to the BBC that the public 
was left with the impression they 
were witnessing an excerpt from 
the actual theatre film and that no 
steps were made to correct that 
impression. 

The tv program, directed by 
Henry Caldwell, featured Rose 
Hardaway and Elizabeth Welch. 
Miss Hardaway mimed to a disk 
taken from the sound track and 
supplied hy 20th, while Miss Welch 
4i sed hcrown voice. 

According to Caldwell the stu- 
dio reconstruction became neces- 
sary as it is impossible to show 
squeezed anarmorphic prints on 
tv and he secumi prior approval 
from 20th. 


Giving the Bird 

San Antonio, Feb. 8. 

Henry Bergman, manager 
of the State Theatre here, is 
giving his patrons “the bird.” 

Each Monday night is “Para- 
keet Night” and 20 of the talk- 
ing birds are given away as 
prizes. 


Advises Allied To 
Forget Idea For 
Making Gear 


Citizen-Run Film House, 
Bought to Hypo Main St., 
Shows Unexpected Profit 

Omaha, Feb. 8. 

Owners of Carson (pop. 596), la., 
biz firms who took over the Dream- 
land there last July, are discover- 
ing they can make money as ex- 
hibitors, too, despite the fact they 
nnly bought the house to keep traf- 
fic coming into town. 

Carson purchased the theatre 
Hrom ex-Iowa Rep. Howard Brook- 
ings) via donations. Volunteers 
came forward to sell and take tick- 
ets. Some of the village's top citi- 
zens even help clean the place. 

Now Harold Smith, one-time 
owner of the house who is the 
' oneman committee” in charge of 
the operation, has a problem he 
seldom encountered in the past: 
What to do with the profit? 

Most Carsonites, it’s reported, 
are in favor of building a memorial 
park with same. 



DIM MEET 


Allied States Assn, prexy Ben 
1 Marcus has recommended to the ex- 
hibitor organization’s board of di- 
rectors that Allied’s plan to enter 
into the manufacture of sound and 
other theatre equipment be drop- 
ped. Careful not to use the word 
"abandon," Marcus suggested that 
the idea “be temporarily tabled.” 

At Allied’s national convention 
last October in Milwaukee. Marcus 
was named a committee of one to 
explore Allied’s entry into the 
equipment field in cooperation 
with an established manufacturer 
who would turn out the 
equipment under the Allied label. 
When the idea was first suggested, 
Marcus told the board, here was a 
great need for good, inexpensive 
equipment for the new era projec- 
tion techniques. However, he noted 
that during the past three or four 
months certain developments had 
taken place in the sale and manu- 
facture of equipment and "that 
made me reappraise our entire po- 
sition, and question the advisability 
for Allied to enter into the manu- 
facture of sound and other equip- 
ment under present circum- 
stances.” 

According to Marcus, Allied’s 
plan was “greatly responsible” for 
j (Continued on page 11 ) 


Fooling Around With 
All Those Millions May 
Hurt Somebody— Yates 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

A warning against inflated mo- 
tion picture budgets was expressed 
here by Herbert J. Yates, presi- 
dent of Republic, although his 
company has lined up the most 
expensive program of production 
in its career. "One of these days," 
he said, "somebody will be hurt 
by $3,000,000 and $4,000,000 budg- 
ets,” at the same time voicing an 
optimistic note about film busi- 
ness in general. 

A halt must be called, Yates 
declared, on the alarming in- 
crease in the overall cost of film 
production in all its branches. If 
not. some of the studios will meet 
with disaster. 

Republic’s 1955 schedule calls 
for 20 films without any "B” pro- 
ductions. Pictures will cost from 
SI. 000.000 up to $1,750,000, with 
only a select few in the latter 
category. H this program does not 
return a reasonable profit, Yates 
indicated that the company may go 
in 100% for television production 
and abandon theatrical films. 

There will be plenty of shooting 
space on the lot this year, the 
prexy explained, regardless of the 
great amount of tv-film production 
by Music Corporation of America. 
At least 50% of Republic’s theatri- 
cal films will be made on location. 
More than $1,000,000, he added, 
was collected last year in studio 
rentals because of MCA’s tv-film 
production. In addition, television 
has kept the company’s Consoli- 
dated Lab busy on a seven-day 
basis and has necessitated the con- 
struction of a new $1,000,000 build- 
ing. 


Levy Sees Tragedy for Downtown’ 

If Home-Toll Kills Theatres 


By SAM H. HURST 

St. Louis, Feb. 8. 

Federal Communications Com- 
mission okay of toll-tv would set 
the stage “for a giant grab of the 
public domain which could lead to 
a ten billion dollar-a-year combine 
tying Hollywood, Broadway, sports 
and television together in a power- 
ful monopoly." 

This and similarly gloomy pre- 
dictions for a fee-tv dominated 
future calne here today (Tues.) 
from Harold Wolff, new public re- 
lations counsel for the Joint Com- 
mittee on Toll-TV, addressing the 
Allied Drive-In Theatres Assn, 
meet. 

Another statement on toll-tv 
came from Trueman T. Rembusch, 
National Allied past prexy, who 
blasted proponents of pay-as-you- 
see for "phony statements” and 
for having employed the "big lie” 
technique in their attempt? to sell 
their systems to the public and to 
Washington. Rembusch complained 
that some distribs are accepting as 
truth false statements to the effect 
that subscription-tv would bring 
into existence an instantaneous and 
very economical electronic distri- 
bution web. 

Delivering the main address on 
the toll-tv subject, which suddenly 
(as of recent weeks) looms large in j 
exhib thinking, Wolff maintained 
the campaign to put over home-toll 
(Continued on page 24) 


EARLIER SUNDAY START 


Vermont Allows Films at Present 
Only From Six O’clock 


Montpelier, Vt., Feb. 8 
A bill introduced in the legisla- 
ture here would permit Sunday 
film shows to start at 2 p.m., in- 
stead of 6 p.m., as at present, in 
communities where the earlier 
schedule was approved by the 
voters. 

The measure, sponsored by Sen. J 10 ! 1 on * y exhibs, but with 
Barry of Chittenden County, is sim- I them the merchants any given 


Hartford, Feb. 8. 

Authorization of toll-tv even on 
a partial, single-channel basis 
eventually is likely to see all tv 
programs follow suit “with the ul- 
timate result of all television being 
pay, rather than free, television,” 
Herman M. Levy, general counsel 
of Theatre Owners of America and 
of TOA of Connecticut, told the 
Hartford Advertising Club here to- 
day. 

Levy’s big pitch was that suc- 
cessful operation of toll-tv would 


ilar to a bill defeated at the 1953 
session of the Legislature. 


Century Films Package 
Includes Douglas Novel 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Century Films, which produced 
“Day of Triumph,” have lined up 
three story properties, including 
Lloyd C. Douglas’ “The Big Fisher- 
man,” and will offer package to a 
major studio for financing and dis- 
tribution. 

In addition to stories, also in- 
cluding “The Carpenter’’ and “Not 
Without Vengeance,” authored by 
George Van Marter, package will 
include James K. Friedrich as pro- 
ducer of first two. Spencer H. Lees 
as producer of "Vengeance,” and 
cast principals. 


Sanction Loew s 
Buying Drive-In; 
Indies No Like 


First attempt of a former affili- 
ated theatre circuit to add a drive- 
in to its holdings has succeeded. 
Federal Judge Gregory F. Noon- 
an signed a petition Friday <4i al- 
lowing Loew’s Theatres & Realty 
Corp. to acquire the Twin-Oak 
Drive-In Theatre, Oak Lawn. 111. 
Azoner accommodates 850 cars. 

Under the consent decree, which 
separated Loew’s Theatres from 
its former production-distribution 
affiliate, the signatories were bar- 
red from further acquisition of 
theatres unless they could show' 
to the satisfaction of the court 
that such acquisition would not 
unduly restrain competition. 

Loew’s and the other major cir- 
cuits have eyed expansion into the 
drive-in field since they met the 
divestiture conditions set down by 
the Government. Almost all the 
former affiliated circuits have shed 

(Continued on page 22) 


town. "Flourishing towns become 
ghost towns when the downtown 
theatre closes,” he declared. While 
in operation, the motion picture 
theatre gets people out of their 
homes and brings them downtown. 
But will people go downtown to 
the movies if they are *\ble to see 
them, or comparable movies, in the 
living room of their homes? 

"Will they go downtown to your 
stores if they are able to sit com- 
fortably in their homes and see the 
same, or the same kind of enter- 
tainment. that is available to them 
downtown?” 

Levy asked whether it was fair 
that businessmen "should be com- 
pelled to compete with subscrip- 
tion television which, if it obtains 
its grant from the Federal Com- 
munications Commission, will be 
getting permission to be a monop- 
oly and to compete for the public’s 
(Continued on page 22) 


Advisory Service to Deal 
With Prices and Terms, 
Myers’ Point to Allied 

St. Louis, Feb. 8. 

Setting up of an advisory and 
conciliatory service for Allied 
States Assn, members to deal with 
prices and terms relating to any 
particular film company is advo- 
| c ated by board chairman A brain 
i F. Myers in his interim report of 
! the Emergency Defense Commit- 


BERGER BREAKS C’SCOPE | Plan, as outlined by 

UPPED ADMISH POLICY 

Minneapolis, Feb. 8. 

Bennie Berger, North Central 
Allied president and theatre cir- 
cuit owner, tossed another mon- 
keywrench into tfie local admission 
price structure by following the 
SuperScope "Vera Cruz” and the 
C’Scope "Bad Day at Black Rock” 
at regular 65-85c. admission at his 
firstrun loop Gopher here. 

Other downtown houses, oper- 
ated by United Paramount Thea- 
tres and RKO Theatres, regularly 
charging 86-85c, too, have an es- 
tablished advanced tap of 85c.-$l 
for all ’Scope pictures. 

Despite Berger’s refusal to “play 
ball” Paramount's Radio City and 


as outlined by Myers, 
would operate as follows: 

"As an example, assuming that 
(he Allied members in a mid-west- 
ern territory are having difficulty 
in buying the products of a certain 
company on fair and equitable 
terms, and they believe those terms 
are out of line with those prevail- 
ing in other areas, their leaders 
could invite the company’s divi- 
sion manager or other executive 
to attend a meeting to discuss the 
matter. At the same time, they 
could invite a member of EDC 
< preferably from another terri- 
tory) to sit in and render what- 
ever assistance he can in adjusting 
the difficulty.” 

Value of such a meeting, accord- 
ing to Myers, is that it would per- 


State are showing “Prince of Play- 5 t , EDC members fo D „ in t u » 
ers” and "White Christmas” and nm u,e - memDers to point up 


the prices asked in other terri- 


the RKO Orpheum "Underwater" i . .. .. , , , . 

at the tilted 85c-$l scale, despite l ? r * es ,f the ,ocal sale Vf P are ln : 

the Gopher’s “Bad Day at Black 

Rock’s” 65-85C. 

Berger explains he’s averse to 
any varying admission price pol- 
icy for his theatres. He says he’d 


sisting upon prices and terms out 
of line with those prevailing in 
other zones, or not in keeping 
with assurances given by the gen- 
eral sales manager If the terms 


consider going to 85c-$l regularly, offered are fair, Myers notes the 


regardless of the attraction, if the 
Paramount and RKO downtown 
theatres did likewise. 

In the local loop Paramount's 
Radio City, State and Lyric are 
equipped with orthophonic sound 
C'Scope, etc., ditto RKO’s Or- 
pheum. Berger’s Gopher and 
RKO’s Pan have the optical sound. 


EDC members will so state, thus 
giving local exhibitors greater as- 
surance to accept the terms "know- 
ing that they are acting on the 
best possible advice.” 


Re-Elect Ellis Arnall 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Ellis Arnall was re-elected presi- 
dent of the Independent Film Pro- 
ducers Export Corp., the foreign 
arm of the Society of Independent 
Motion Picture Producers. Others 
returned to office were Gunther 
Lessing, board chairman; Marvin 
Faris, veepee-secretary, and George 
Bagnall, treasurer. 


Astor’s San Francisco Deal 

Astor Pictures Corp. prexy R. M. 
Savini has closed a deal with Sam 
Sobel, head of Tower Pictures Co. 
of San Francisco, for latter to dis- 
tribute Astor product in the 
Frisco territory. It’s an exclu- 
sive arrangement. 

In hLs first booking under the 
new deal, Sobel set Astor’s “The 
Sleeping Tiger,” Alexis Smith- 
Alexander Knox starrer, for the 
Fox West Coast circuit. Mean- 
while, Astor’s N. Y. franchise 
holder, Harry Goldstone, placed 


SIMPP, through its executive 
board, voted to continue as a mem- ' "The Master Plan,” starring Wayne 
1 ber of the Motion Picture Industry Morris, at Loew’s Metropolitan, 
1 Council for another year. i Brooklyn for a Feb. 16 start. 


6 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 9 , 1955 


P'fifHET? 


German films’ 
Lack of Market 
Progress Shown 

Extent to which German film* 
still lacked acceptance in the ma- 
jor world markets in 1953-54 is 
revealed via statistics showing the 
low volume of exports during that 
year. 

Major foreign markets for Ger- 
man producers that year were Aus- 
tria, which took 182 German films; 
Luxemburg U66), the Saar terri- 
tory <165) and Switzerland (120). 
Figures are provided in a rundown 
in the mag, "German Film." 

U. S. is put down for 44 films 
and Canada for 41. Middle and 
South America took 42. In Europe, 
Holland showed 66 German im- 
ports and France 49. Italy import- 
ed only 18. 

Says Father McClafferty: 
'Think of Moving Pictures 
As Gift of God in Use’ 

The Right Rev. John J. McCkf- 
ferty, a former leader of the Le- 
gion of Decency, urged the film 

industry to use pictures as "a gift 
of God” for the “enlightenment 
and enoblement of man." Msgr. 
McClafferty, dean of the School 
of Social Service at Catholic Uni- 
versity, Washington, D. C., spoke 
at the fifth annual communion 
breakfast Sunday (6) for em- 
ployees of the film industry in the 
N. Y. metropolitan area. About 
1,500 attended. Msgr. McClafferty 
was executive secretary of the Le- 
gion of Decency from 1936 to 1946. 

Citing the technical advance- 
ments that have brought a greater 
impression of reality to the screen, 
Msgr. McClafferty said he won- 
dered whether the widening of the 
screen had been accomplished by 
a "wider and deeper concept of 
the responsibility to use light as a 
gift of God. The good light of 
God’s creation, which is the prime 
element of the motion picture, 
should be focused on morally good 
films." 

Other speakers included the 
Right Rev. Philip J. Furlong, P.A.. 
who represented Francis Cardinal 
Spellman; George Murphy, Holly- 
wood’s unofficial goodwill ambas- 
sador, and singer Lillian Roth. 
Robert W. Coyne, of the Council 
of Motion Picture Organizations, 
was toastmaster. Before the break- 
fast the group received Holy Com- 
munion at the 9 a.m. mass at St. 
Patrick’s Cathedral. 


Abram Myers 9 Inventory of Exhib Grief 


St. Louis, Feb. 8. 

The film shortage, high film rentals, and the 
threat of toll-tv ere three major problems con- 
fronting exhibitors. Allied States Assn, board chair- 
man and general counsel Abram F. Myers declared 
in his annual report of the exhibitor organization. 
Allied’s board met here over the weekend prior to 
the opening of its second annual drive-in conven- 
tion at the Chase Hotel. 

With these three thorns continuing to plague ex- 
hibitors, Myers said, "the era of good feeling to 
which the exhibitors looked forward once the tax 
burden was eased still evades them." 


Hate Those 50'/e Terms 


I 


In surveying exhibitor beefs, Myers asserted, the 
single source of irritation that stands out above 
all others is the 50% picture. It’s "the exhibitors’ 
No. 1 villain,” he said. He noted that in the view 
of 95% of exhibitors "film rentals have reached an 
uneconomic level and the price of film stands as 
one of our most perplexing unsolved problems." 

Most sub-run and smalltown exhibitors, the Allied 
official said, assert they cannot afford to pay 50% 
even for the topflight pictures. Those who admit 
they can get by with an occasional smash hit at those 
term*, he continued, are frightened by the ever-in- 
creasing number of pictures offered at 50% or 
more. Myers further charged that the distributors 
j "are reaping untold amounts from old pictures 
' which were long since liquidated on their books 
and which are now reissued on terms which only a 
I few years ago were regarded as high for new pic- 
tures." 

* Sales Managers Do n’t Liste n ) 

In his 30-page report, Myers noted that it’s ap- 
parent that no relief can be gained from appealing 
to the general sales managers. He said the exhibi- 
tors must find a way "to penetrate to the inner 
Sanctums" if tfiey want relief without legislation, 
and if the company heads remain "obdurate," then 
exhibitors "may want to consider treating these 
executives to a callithump that they cannot ignore." 

(Webster's New International Dictionary ( un- 
abridged ) defines " callithump ” as "a boisterous 
parade, with blowing of tin horns and other dis- 
cordant noises.” — Ed. ) 

In discussing the film shortage, Myers said that 
Allied had not completely abandoned its stock buy 
plan proposed two years ago by Trueman Rem- 
busch at the exhib org’s national convention. Under 
this plan, exhibitors would buy stock in some film 
company and by the use of their proxies could 
force distributors to make and release more pic- 
tures. He said the board decided to hold the plan 
in abeyance pending the outcome of the Makelim 
Plan and other plans then being discussed for in- 
creasing the supply of films. 

| ’Pitiless Exploitation of Starved’ | 


said, advanced the idea in good faith. “But the film 
companies’ pitiless exploitation of the starved film 
market," he said, "and their absorption of the bene- 
fits of tax relief, soon showed up in their financial 
statements. Allied’s contentions still are plausible, 
and if put into practice probably would be vindica- 
tion, but with the film companies’ earnings zooming 
through the roof to new and undreamed heights, it 
would be difficult to persuade most stockholders to 
Interfere with the management.” 

He said the plan’s future and its revival depends 
on the board. One bizarre aspect of the stock buy 
plan, he noted, is that exhibitors who purchased 
stock "for the sole purpose of aiding in the plan" 
made money when the stock went up and "indirectly 
and unwittingly became beneficiaries of the very 
conditions which it was the purpose of the plan to 
correct. 

| H^l Makelim Still Hopeful j 

Myers disclosed that he had heard from Hal 
Makelim shortly before leaving for the board meet- 
ing. Makelim, he said, indicated that he was slowly 
making headway, that his goal is in sight, and that 
he is definitely going ahead with his project. Noting 
there are two other plans to increase product supply, 
presumably the Exhibitors Film Finance Committee, 
a Theatre Owners of America project, and Fred 
Schwartz’ DCA, Myers said "it is encouraging that 
these movements are underway; we should support 
them in whatever way we can, and hope for the 
best " 

As far as the major producers are concerned, he 
said, the outlook is grim for increased production. 
"No accurate forecast for 1955 is available," he 
said, "but based on recent performances, these 
studios cannot be expected to increase materially 
1954’s gaunt total.” He declared that exhibitors 
owe it to themselves to patronize indie producers 
"as far as they can do so in justice to themselves." 

On the charge that distributors were confiscating 
the benefits of the recent tax relief, Myers noted 
that the board had the full right to proceed with 
seeking additional Government regulation if it so 
desired. At the last convention, Myers presented a 
bill to the delegates. The delegates instructed the 
board that it had full discretion to take action on 
the matter. "If the board feels that the Emergency 
Defense Committee is making progress," Myers 
said, and that it should continue its efforts for an 
additional period before approaching Congress, it 
is within its province to so order. Or the board 
may properly defer action on the legislative front 
for a reasonable time in hope that a top level in- 
dustry conference may be forthcoming, and that it 
will do some good." 


Ask Judge Keep 
Malkan & Ellner 
Out of Action 

Federal Judge Matthew T. Abruz- 
zo has taken under advisement a 
motion by distributor defendants to 
disqualify the lawfirm of Malkan & 
Ellner as counsel for Fisher Studios 
in the latter’s antitrust case vs. 
the major companies in Brooklyn 
Federal Court. 

Status of a number of other trust 
actions in N. Y. and Pennsylvania 
is uncertain pending Abruzzo s rul- 
ing in the matter. 

Root of the defendants' move 
goes back to April, 1954, when 
Abruzzo barred Malkan 8c Isaacson 
from repping Fisher as a result of 
proceedings against David Isaac- 
son. Latter had at one time 
worked for Sargoy & Stein and, 
according to the distribs, was using 
against them confidential info ob- 
tained during his employment pe- 
riod there. Sargoy & Stein rep 
the majors in percentage suits 
against exhife. 

Isaacson was barred from acting 
in any further lawsuits vs. the com- 
panies. However, Arnold Malkan 
formed a new partnership with J. 
Robert Ellner and continued to rep 
Fisher Studios. 

Federal Judge Archie O. Dawson, 
in N. Y. Federal Court, has stayed 
all proceedings in trust suits 
brought by Laskey Bros, of W. Ya. t 
and Austin Theatre, Forest Hills, 
L. I., pending determination of 
Malkan & Ellner’s standing. In 
Western Pennsylvania District 
Court, three other trust actions 
wait the Abruzzo decision. 

Last week, Malkan & Ellner 
asked Judge Dawson that they he 
allowed to rep Laskey & Austin 
and not be barred as counsel. The 
jurist said he’d w ait for Abruzzo s 
ruling before making up his mind. 


Reckless Advocates of Toll-TV 


Another reason for proceeding cautiously, he said, 
1 was the necessity to convince non-exhibitor stock- 
holders that increased circulation of films would 
make more money for the company. Allied, he 


Myers declared that "the blatant and reckless 
propaganda and aggressive tactics of those who are 
seeking government approval for devices for mak- 
ing televised programs available to set owners only 
upon a pay-as-you-see basis, have forced toll-tv to 
the fore as the theatres’ most imminent and deadly 
menace.” (Full details of Myers’ views on toll-tv 
are contained in another report in this issue). 


‘GAME OF LOVE’ BAN 
ON WAY TO TOP COURT 

The French film "Game of Love" 
now joins the picture "Mom and 
Dad" as a possible testcase of state 
censorship before the U. S. Su- 
preme Court. 

Times Film Corp., in filing suit 
in the Baltimore City Court last 
week against the Maryland State 
Board of Motion Picture Censors, 
challenged the constitutionality of 
the Maryland censor law on the 
grounds that it’s “a prior restraint 
upon freedom of speech and press” 
and violates the Maryland Declara- 
tion of Rights and the First and 
Fourteenth Constitutional Amend 
ments. 

"Game" may also become a court 
issue in Pennsylvania where, ac- 
cording to Jean Goldwurm, Times 
Film prexy, the rejection of the 
film by the censor board is on 
appeal. 

In Maryland, as in Pennsylvania. 
"Game" was banned in toto, the 
Maryland censors charging it was 
"obscene.” In N. Y., where the 
Board of Regents recently upheld 
the banning of a childbirth scene 
in "Mom and Dad" and thus in- 
vited a law suit. "Game of Love” 
passed the office of censor Hugh 
M. Flick with nary a cut. 

Brief in the Maryland court was 
filed by attorney Felix Bilgrev. He 
pointed out, among other things, 
that the film was based on the Col- 
ette novel. "Le Ble en Herbe” 
which, along with other works of 
that French author, was freely cir- 
culated in the Baltimore public li- 
brary. 

•JIM l‘ 5? li j ' 


Minnesota Faces 
B. 0. Tax Threat 


Minneapolis, Feb. 8. 

Minnesota exhibitors are out to 
defeat a bill in the state legisla- 
ture enabling the state’s nine larg- 
est cities to levy municipal enter- 
tainment admission taxes. North 
Central Allied is spearheading the 
battle. 

The legislation has the backing 
of the Nine Cities Revenue com- 
mittee and the League of Munici- 
palities, the latter comprising offi- 
cials from all towns. If initially 
successful, the League has made it 
known it will attempt to have 
the admission tax enabling act 
stretched to cover all municipali- 
ties. 


SAM KATZMANS PLANS 


Well Above Hlf Earlier Budgets 
— Ilia ‘If* on Derring-Do 


Hollyw'ood, Feb. 8. 

Sam Katzman, Columbia pro- 
ducer, is going in for fewer and 
bigger productions. Formerly he 
made 15 pictures a year but his j 
1955 program calls for not less 
than six "and as many more than ; 
six that I can find the right prop- ■ 
cities for." 

In the past Katzman’s budgets 
have run from $250,000 to $700,000 
l*r film but in the future he will 
not hesitate to spend $1,000,000 or 
more on a production if the story 
calls for it. 

Costume pictures are out, as far j 
as Katzman is concerned. "The 
market is flooded with them.” he 
said, but added, "I may produce a 
swashbuckler or two if I can find 
a story out of the ordinary and 
enn round up a top cast." He has 
already dropped "Ten Nights In 
a Harem” and several other prop- 
l ci ties from his schedule. 1 

.' ••tjiKin ; b- 


Film Circuit to Town: 

‘We’ll Make Your Hall 
Hum With Excitement’ 

Asbury Park, N. J., Feb. 8. 

Walter Reade Theatres has asked 
officials of this resort city for a 
three-year lease to operate the city- 
owned Convention Hall. Request 
was made in a letter by Walter 
Reade Jr. to the mayor and city 
council and delivered "to City Man- 
ager Oliver Armstrong last week. 

The letter said "the desire of our 
company is to attract the largest 
possible number of persons to As- 
bury Park both during the winter 
and summer months. Therefore, 
our plans are perhaps more ambi- 
tious for the operation of these 
important premises than those of 
anyone in the past." 

Among the plans outlined by 
Reade were the presentation of 
concerts, symphonies, arena spec- 
taculars, name dance bands, im- 
portant lecturers, and nationally- 
known speakers as well as exhibits 
and displays in and around the 
building. Reade said he hoped to 
make the Convention Hall "the cul- 
tural and ‘want to go’ place for all 
of New Jersey." 

The Reade offer states that It 
would utilize its theatre circuit to 
advertise and publicize the city of 
Asbury Park, and plans to establish 
a permanent, remote television in- 
stallation at Convention Hall for 
Station WRTV to televise events at 
the Hall. 

The Reade organization operates 
the Paramount Theatre directly 
across the Boardwalk arcade from 
Convention Hall, as well as the 
Mayfair, St. James, Lyric, Ocean, 
and Savoy Theatres here. The cir- 
cuit comprises more than 40 thea- 
tres in New Jersey and New York, 
in addition to the operation of 
WRTV, and a large catering depart- 
ment. 

*•’» »-ii *•> t i.mci 4I * I* j - 


Natl Theatres’ 
13-Week Drop 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

National Theatres’ net profit for 
the 13 weeks ended Dec. 25, 1954 
totalled $546,416, falling approxi- 
mately $100,000 under the same 
quarter a year ago, when the net 
was $655,582. First quarter earn- 
ings fdr the current fiscal year are 
equivalent to 20c a share on 2,769,- 
486 shares outstanding, compared 
to 24c a year ago. 

Theatre admissions and miscel- 
laneous theatre income during the 
quarter was $14,105,515, or $2,650,- 
193 under the quarter ended Dec. 
26, 1953, Elmer C. Rhoden, presi- 
dent, reported to the stockholders 
However, he stated "this decrease 
in gross was the result of there not 
being released in the 1954 quarter 
any motion picture of the phenom- 
enal drawing capacity of ‘The 
Robe,’ whch was exhibited in many 
of our important theatres in 1953." 

Rhoden pointed out that, as a 
matter of fact, "The Robe" en- 
gagements "produced about $3,- 
000,000 more in admissions than 
was received in comparable theatre 
playing time in the quarter ended 
last Dec. 25." 

Report emphasized that the de- 
crease in gross income was substan- 
tially offset by reductions in ex- 
penses, particularly film costs, and 
Rhoden noted that the release of 
many top pix over the holiday sea- 
son and in the coming months 
make him optimistic about results 
for the current quarter. 

NT disposed of theatre interests 
during the quarter for a net loss, 
after jncome taxes, of approxi- 
mately $13,000. In the same quar- 
ter a year ago, disposing of thea- 
tres in compliance with the con- 
sent decree resulted in a net profit, 
after income taxes, of $19,000. 


Columbia Beef That It’s 
Discriminated Against 
Crimps 20th’s Banner 

Columbia and 20th-Fox pluggers 
in N. Y. were barely on speaking 
terms Monday <7) as the city, in 
response to Col complaints, or- 
dered removal of a 20th banner 
strung across Broadway and adver- 
tising "The Racers” at the Roxy 
Theatre. 

What made things worse, the 
20th boys were quite proud of the 
banner w hich topped a huge 
streamer inviting the public to visit 
the Auto Sports Show at Madison 
Square Garden. 

Trouble started when Col asked 
the city for permission to put up 
an airborne streamer for its "The 
Long Gray Line” at the Capitol 
Theatre. The bid was refused 
though Columbia even tried to get 
the Pentagon to intercede. When 
Col then beefed about discrimina- 
tion ("What about the 20th-Fox 
banner, etc.’’), the office of Bor- 
ough President Hulan Jacks or- 
dered the 20th banner hauled 
dowrt The Auto Show display 
continued. 

To add insult to injury, the 20th 
crew was also beaten out of a news- 
reel story. Movietone crew had 
been sent to Broadway to lense the 
aerial display. By the time it got 
therw, the Col debacle had already 
taken place and the "Racers" ban- 
ner was no longer flying. 


‘THEM’ VOTED BEST AS 
SOUND-EDIT EXAMPLE 

Hollyw’ood, Feb. 8. 

Motion Picture Sound Editors se- 
lected "Them," produced by David 
Weisbart for Warners, as the best 
sound-edited film of 1954. Runner- 
up was "Johnny Dark," produced 
by William Alland for UI. 

Plaques will be presented early 
next month to sound editors Irving 
Jay, Lincoln Lyons, David DePat ie 
and Walter Feldman. 


Shoot Jewish Welfare Film 
Hollywood, Feb. 8 
"The Hidden Crisis." 1955 Unit- 
ed Jewish Welfare Fund campaign 
film is being lensed on 20th-F<>x 
lot. Produced and directed bv Joe 
Parker with Allen Rivkin scripting 
and Paul Stewart starring. 

Preem of public service pix. used 
for UJWF sessions only, will be m 
i March. 


!»•» 0 Mi, 


l». 11 


• 1 M'lirui 


• UJ »<#•.'«* 1* 


U'.'j 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


PICTURES 


7 


CANADA GETS B EST BREAKS 

French Dialog on Idiot Cards’ For 
English Actor in Gauthier Film 


Levey Scoffs: Exhihs Selfish 

Exhibitors' arguments in opposing toll*tv authorization “are so 
transparent and self-serving" that it's hard to believe the FCC 
will lend an ear to them, Arthur Levey, prez of Skiatron Elec- 
tronics & TV Corp., said in N.Y. yesterday (Tues.). Skiatron holds 
the patents to the Subscriber-Vision system of pay-as-you-see toll- 
casting. 

“Subscription-tv, in one form or another, is going to come 
because the economics of the tv industry demand it," Levey de- 
clared. "The theatre owners who now emerge as the' vociferous 
champions of ‘free’ television aren’t really worried about a prin- 
ciple. They are worried only about their business, irrespective 
of whether or not a new form of telecasting would benefit the 
public or not." 

Levey pointedly reminded exhibs of their position on theatre-tv. 
“They don’t mind depriving the public of a topflight sports event 
by tying it up for a couple of theatres and making patrons pay 
high prices for it," he said. “What they are really concerned about 
is the shift of the box office into the living room. If they were 
honest, they’d admit that instead of putting out all that dribble 
about government monopoly and ‘unfair’ competition.” Levey added 
that many in the film biz were realizing the potential advantages 
of pay-as-you-see but opined that their voices were not being heard 

due to the clamor set up by the exhibs. „ * 

— - -■ ~ ■ ■ — - - ■ - » 

Roitfeld on French Producers’ Logic 

Dubbing Itself Less of Gamble Than the Feature- 
Had Happy Interview With N.Y. State Censor 


-♦ 


U.S. SCREEN AIDS 
TOURIST TRADE 


By FRED HIFT 

Dubbing and coproductions are 
seen as the two potential answers 
to the problem of the French film 
in the U. S. by Georges Roitfeld, 
prez of Productions Jacques Roit- 
le!d in Paris. 

In N. Y. last week prior to re- 
turning to France, Roitfeld said 
in his opinion U. S. distribs were 
prejudiced against dubbed pix 
without actually giving the process 
a chance. “An excellent dubbing 
job is being done today in Europe. 
Why shouldn’t it be possible here?" 
he commented. “Actually the dub- 
bing job is much less of a gamble 
than the picture itself." 

Roitfeld, w’ho proudly announced 
he had had a session with the 
N. Y. censor board and had gotten 
along famously with censor Hugh 
M. Flick and his crew', felt French 
producers failed to grasp the re- 
alities of the American market. 
“We have come to the conclusion 
that there is no way of making a 
picture for the U. S.," he said. “In 
our own production we figure on 
the European market primarily. If 
we get a break in America we’re 
lucky. But we certainly don’t count 
on it.” 

Roitfeld said another false no- 
tion of French producers was that 
(Continued on page 63) 


Sam Engel’s New Contract 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Samuel G. Engel has been reop- 
tioned as 20th-Fox producer for an- 
other year. He has “Man Called 
Peter," “Daddy Long Legs” still 
unreleased. 

“Pink Tights.” “Good Morning. 
Miss Dove” on his upcoming sked. 


1 5% of Original Pay To 
‘Young Lovers’ Cast Is 
Squarer for Guild 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Filmakers, Inc., made peace with 
the Screen Actors Guild after an 
argument over the sale of a 1950 re- 
lease. “The Young Lovers," to tele- 
vision. Production company agreed 
to p ay tlje actors involved and SAG 
withdrew its 60-day notice of con- 
tract abrogation. 

Film company w ill pay the thesps 
I V r of their total original salaries. 
Half will be paid by April 1 and the 
remainder by Sept. l. 


Police Chiefs Rap Comics 


Albany, Feb. 8. 

The N. Y. State Assn, of Chiefs 
of Police, at'its annual meeting in 
Albany recently adopted a resolu- 
tion calling for the elimination of 
comics, picture books, magazines 
and picture packets that depict 
“brutality, sadism, blood lust." 
Such publications w’ere termed a 
“menace to the moral health of 
the state”: they had a damaging 
eilcct “upon the minds and emo- 
tions of young and unstable per- 


sons.” 


The latter were tempted to acts 
of cruelty, brutality and violence 
‘or else to equally unlawful and 
unmoral acts." Content of such 
publications represented a “clear 
and present danger" to peace and 
saiely, the resolution asserted. 


Perlberg-Seaton 
Chant to Indies’ 
Rising Sun 

Palm Springs, Feb. 8. 

With the indies riding high, the 
major lots are increasingly rele- 
gated to the function of a service 
station, “there to prime the bank- 
roll — put air in your financial tires, 
so to speak," In the opinion of pro- 
ducer Perlberg of the Bill Perl- 
berg-George Seaton indie produc- 
tion team. 

Duo is just back from a gruelling 
road pitch on behalf of their 
“Bridges of Toko-ri” and much 
elated over their showing In the 
Red book Magazine aw ards which 
they dominated with their “Toko- 
ri” and “Country Girl." They 
noted that all of the Paramount 
nominees for the awards were indie 
candidates, including Alfred Hitch- 
cock’s “Rear Window." “Billy 
Wilder’s “Sabrina.” Hal Wallis’ 
“Living It Up” (Martin & Lewis' 
and Dena’s “Knock on Wood” 
i Danny Kaye). 

“The independent producer is 
the kingpin of today’s picturemak- 
ing." opines Perlberg. “Without 
wanting to do any fingerpointing 
at the majors, the production-distri- 
bution companies with the inde- 
pendent units are the ones with the 
hits. And those struggling along 
with staggering setups under one- 
i man central control just don’t seem 
to happen to have the hits. 

“Maybe it’s coincidence. And 
I maybe it’ll be something else again 
next year, but right now it does 
seem strange, doesn’t it, that all 
six Redbook nominees were at Par- 
amount, and so were the winners. 
I might add. maybe immodestly, 
that two of the six were Perlberg- 
Seaton productions.” The Red- 
book awards, as Perlberg and Sea- 
ton see it, support the evidence 
of the great new impact being 
scored by indie production. 

Cinerama’s Detroit Switch 

’ Detroit, Feb. 6. 

Midwest preem of “Cinerama 
Holiday” will be Feb. 15 at the 
Music Hall. It will be a benefit for 
the Detroit Memorial Hospital. 

Meanwhile, “This Is Cinerama” 
continues to do w'ell with last week 
running around $27,000 figure. 


Canadian Cooperation Project, 
initiated by the U. S. film industry 
seven years ago to boost Canada’s 
tourist trade and aid her economic- 
ally, continued to pay dividends 
for the Dominion in 1954. 

Motion Picture Assn, of America 
report covering the year and now 
in the hands of the companies 
shows that the major American dis- 
tribs released a record 18 shorts 
featuring Canada wholly or in part. 

Newsreel coverage also was up. 
topping previous years, with 200 
clips carried about Canada and 
shown in the American theatres. 

I CCP pix. l.e., features either made 
! wholly or partly in Canada or in- 
cluding references to Canada, were 
down in 1954 to 21, a drop of six 
from the 26 total of 1953. Explana- 
tion. says the report, lies in the 
general reduction of Hollywood's 
production volume. 

Project, since 1947, resulted in 
138 features. 109 shorts and 1,049 
news clips featuring Canada, its 
people, its industry and its scenery, 
in that period, the flow of Cana- 
dian tourist dollars rose from $250,- 
000.000 to $300,000,000. 

The report points out that the 
project was originated to help 
solve Canada's dollars shortage 
which, back in ’47, was severe. 
Since then, the Canadian dollar has 
strengthened and, for the past two 
years, has sold at premium rates. 

Second Market 

Canada, it’s pointed out, is the 
second most important market for 
American films outside the U. S. it- 
self. This is another reason w r hy 
the U. S. industry is anxious to 
maintain good and neighborly re- 
lations with the Dominion. 

Of the 21 features that fell into 
the project’s realm in 1954, tw-o — 
"Operation Manhunt” and “The 
Kill” (both United Artists re- 
leases) were lensed entirely in 
Canada. Two others, released in 
the U. S. by MPAA members, were 
based on Canadian stories. A fifth 
was produced partly In Canada, 
and three more deal with Canadian 
characters throughout. 

The report stressed that, with 
Hollywood’s yen for “big” scenery 
to fill these wide screens, the pros- 
pects of increased feature produc- 
tion in Canada w r ere greatly height- 
ened. The Cooperation Project 
maintains a fulltime man on the 
Coast to advise producers on where 
they might profitably go on loca- 
tion In Canada and the extent to 
(Continued on page 14) 


Eric Johnston in Cairo 

Washington. Feb. 8. 

Eric Johnston is currently in 
Cairo. Egypt, following several 
days in Israel, but plans to move 
out "into the field again” visiting 
middleastem countries for the , 
next couple of weeks, his office re- j 
ports herw 

The MPAA prexy is on^ mission 
for President Eisenhower for an 
Arab-Israel agreement on a plan • 
for use of Jordan River waters for I 
irrigation purposes. 


UA’s Smadja 
To Supervise 
O’Seas Features 


With United Artists staking be- 
tween $10,000,000 and $12,000,000 
on seven productions to be made 
for it in Europe during 1955. 
Charles Smadja has been Elected 
UA v.p. in charge of European pro- 
duction for the company, according 
to Arthur B. Krim, UA prexy. 

Of the seven, three — “Gentlemen 
Marry Brunettes,” ‘‘Alexander the 
Great” and “Trapeze” — are to be 
in CinemaSeope and a fourth, “The 
Ambassador’s Daughter” also may 
be lensed in the widescreen proc- 
ess. The other three pix are “The 
Storv of Goya,” “Viking Raiders” 
and “The Gun.” “Brunettes” has 
been completed and “Alexander” 
is about to start. 

Smadja, who met the press in 
N. Y. yesterday (Tues.i will con- j 
tinue as UA’s continental distribu- j 
tion supervisor. He’s been con- 
tinental manager for the outfit for 
two years. In his new' capacity 
he’ll keep an eye on production 
for UA in France, Germany, Italy 
and Spain. 

Smadja agreed with Arnold 
Picker, UA foreign sales topper, 
that it was the policy of the com- 
pany to keep its distribution doors 
open to anyone anywhere. He dis- 
closed that UA may increasingly 
enter into distribution deals for 
local product abroad, and may aid 
in arranging the financing for such 
pix. However, Smadja stressed that 
(Continued on page 63) 


ft’s the show' that brings people 
of any nationality to the b.o. atM 
as long as a French producer has 
that vital ingredient in his pic, 
he doesn’t have to worry about 
giving it any special slants ’for 
the U. S. market. 

That, in a nutshell, is the phil- 
osophy of Jacques Gauthier, head 
of the French production outfit, En- 
terprise Generale Cinematograph- 
ique. Gauthier was in N. Y. last 
week talking a release deal with 
Allied Artists (Stratford Pictures* 
and heading for the Coast to look 
for # a production partner. 

Gauthier, who turns out a film 
a year, said he was distrustful of 
the popular notion abroad that a 
produel shortage in the U. S. 
would give foreign films a wedge 
in the American market. “Our 
costs are up. that’s quite true, and 
we now' really need a greater in- 
come from the American* market, 
but we aren’t exactly counting on 
it," he observed. “This business of 
making pictures that will appeal to 
American audiences — I don’t see 
it. If a film is good, if it is a 
‘show’, it’ll do business. And for 
that you don’t need any great 
American star in it. In fact, if the 
story is really good, you don’t need 
a star at all.” 

Gauthier said he and his French 
confreres were fully aware of the 
I importance of the European mar- 
ket in Hollywood’s scheme of 
! things. "It just means that we have 
; to work together and helD one an- 
other," he commented. He added 
; that, in his opinion, coproduction 
! was desirable but difficult. “You’ve 
got to please too many people," he 
observed. 

He’s currently huddling with AA 
on two of his pix, “Les Amants du 
Tages,” which locationed in Por- 
tugal and which stars Francoise 
Arnuoil, Daniel Gelin and Trevor 
Howard, and "L’Arage Au Corps," 
which he wrote under a pseu- 
( Continued on page 14) 


Is Dew Off Franco-Italian Rose? 


Two French Producers Disagree — But Co-Production 
Faces High Costs and Rigid Rules in Italy 


Has French-Italian coproduction 
reached a point of no return? 

Two French producers in N. Y. 
last week found themselves in 
sharp disagreement over the con- 
tinued benefits of the Franco- 
Italian working arrangement which 
has set the pace for other European 
coproduction activity. 

Taking the positive side. Georges 
Roitfeld of the French Productions 
Jacques Roitfeld delivered a big 
pitch for the French industry’s 
Italian liaison. “It’s the only way 
for us to make a major picture to- 
day,” he declared. “(Coproduction 
turns two smaller markets into one 
big one for our product." 

Taking the opposite view, 
Jacques Gauthier of Enterprise 
Generale Cinematographic stated 
flatly that there had been too much 
coproduction between the French 
and the Italians. “Because prices 
in Italy are so high, those copro- 
ductions cost more than they 
should." he said. “I think there 
is currently very little interest in 
France in making films with the 
Italians." He added that Italian 
censorship had become very strict. 

Roitfeld, whose past two pix have 
been coproductions, and who gen- 
erally favors the coproduction idea 


more than Gauthier, pointed to the 
government support resulting from 
the coproduction arrangements and 
the artistic gain from the inter- 
change of talent and ideas. How- 
ever, he, too, had some criticisms. 

Italians Turn Stiff 

“It’s true that the Italians have 
become unnecessarily stiff and for- 
mal in enforcing the printed word 
of our agreement," he said. “There 
could be changes in the technical 
workings of the arrangements. For 
instance, it has happened that 
we’ve had to use an Italian player 
not because we wanted him or be- 
1 cause he fitted into the picture, but 
simply to satisfy regulations. That’s 
not a healthy climate for coproduc- 
tion." 

Roitfeld recalled that Italy and 
France had been mutually poor 
markets for one another’s pix and 
he emphasized that picking themes 
of appeal in both countries was 
difficult. Comedies, for instance, 
pose great problems in coproduc- 
j tions due to an apparent difference 
in the national sense of humor. 
This point w r as brought up also by 
Gauthier who said French audi- 
ences were fed up with the neo- 
realist approach of the Italo film- 
makers. 


Schaefer-Agnew Actively 
Seek Church Support 
For ‘Day of Triumph’ 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Bringing “Day of Triumph" to 
attention of the public through 
pulpits of the country is plan 
adopted by George J. Schaefer in 
selling this religioso turned out for 
theatrical release. Feature, the 
story of Christ running 110 min- 
utes and lensed in Eastman-color, 
was taken over for worldwide dis- 
tribution by Schaefer, a veteran in 
this field, and Neil Agnew, an- 
other vet distrib, appointed sales 
manager by Schaefer. 

Advancemen are being sent out 
[ to talk to the clergy of all denomi- 
nations, with a view to enlisting 
their support. Picture is screened 
for them, so they may make men- 
tion of it to their congregations, 
and practically all who have been 
contacted, according to Schaefer, 
have expressed great willingness 
to cooperate. Subject matter is 
such that it lends itself to such 
merchandising, and this form of 
selling will be stressed in all situa- 
tions. 

In line with this. Schaefer has 
arranged for discount tickets to he 
handed out in the churches. Six 
field men already are out, follow- 
ing specialized training in N. Y., 
and more will be added to the staff 
later. 

Schaefer also is propping an ad- 
vertising campaign which will hit 
ail religious publications in all 
faiths. Excess of $100,000 already 
has been allotted for such adver- 
tising. 

Picture will be roadshowed on a 
territorial basis, the first showing 
to be in Charlotte. N. C., on March 
16, following its world preem last 
December in Tyler, Tex., where 
money for its production was 
raised. Territories will be saturat- 
ed before moving on to the next 
area. Schaefer reported that In- 
terstate In • Texas already has 
signed to show picture on its en- 
tire circuit. 



Wednesday, February 9, 1935 



Battle’ Dominates LA., Giant 58G, 

‘6 Bridges’ Sturdy 53G, 'Americano’ 
Good 28G, ‘Contessa’ Trim 


“Americano” 
good $28,000 


Los Angeles, Feb. 8. ♦ 

Biz is perky among firstruns 
currently, with one sock and two 
good bills among newcomers bol- 
stering overall pace. Stoutest of 
fresh entries is "Battle Cry” sight- 
ing smash $58,000 in two theatres. 

“ is heading for a 
in three locations 
while "Barefoot Contessa” first 
time out in pop release, is seeking 
a fine $32,000 in four spots. 

“6 Bridges To Cross.” while 
only fair $21,000 in three hard- 
tops, is adding about $32,000 addi- 
tional from seven ozoners. Cream 
of holdovers remains "Bridges at 
Toko-ri,” which is substantial $18,- 
000 in third; "Leagues- Under 
Sea,” brisk $13,000 in* seventh; and 
“Country Girl,” smooth $11,000 
also in seventh. 

“Cinerama” continues stoutish. 
racking up $24,300 for 92d week 
at Warner Hollywood. 

Estimates for This Week 

Downtown Paramount, Egyptian 
(ABPT-UATC) <3.200; 1.536; $1- 

$1.50i— “Battle Cry” (WB>. Socko 
$58,000. Last week. Paramount, 
“White Orchid” <UA* and "Snow 
Creature” <UA*. $7,000; Egyptian. 
“Deep In My Heart” <M-G) <6th 
vvk-5 days'. $4,700. 

Warner Downtown, Wiltern-Hol- 
lywood iSW-FWO <1.757; 2.344; 
756; 80-$1.10> — "Americano” 
<RKO) and "Target Earth” < AA). 
Good $28,000. Last week, different 
units. 

State, Ritz, New Fox 'UATC- 
FWC) <2.404; 1.363; 965; B0-$1.10> 
— “6 Bridges to Cross” <U) and 
“A &C. Meet Keystone Kops” (U). 
Fair $21,000 plus $32,000 from 
seven ozoners. Last week, State, 
“Battleground” <M-G) and "As- 
phalt Jungle” <M-G> . ((reissues), 
$6,700; New Fox, with Warner 
Downtown, Loyola. Uptown, “Vera 
Cruz” <U A) (3d wk», $28,500. 

Los Angeles. Vogue, Loyola, Up- 
town <FWC) 12.097; 885; 1.248; 1,- 
715; $1-$1.50) — "Barefoot Con- 
tessa” <UA) and “Operation Man- 
hunt” < UA). Good $32,000. Last 
week, L.A., Vogue. “Battle Taxi” 
<UA) and "Race For Life” (Lip), 
$11,000. 

Fine Arts <FWO <631; $1-$1.50) 
— “Hulot’s Holiday” <ABD> < 2d wk). 
Stout $7,500. Last week, $8,400. 

Orpheum (Metropolitan) <2.213; 
80-$1.25)— “Sign of Pagan” <U) and 
“Fast and Furious” (Indie) <2d 
wk). Light $5,500. Last week, with 
Hollywood, Wiltern. $28,000. 

Hollywood Paramount <F&M) 

(1 .430; $1-$1. 50)— “Bridges at Toko- 
ri” (Par) <3d wk). Nifty $18,000. 
Last week. $21,500. 

Ilillstreet, Pantages < RKO) 
(2,752; 2.812; 80-$l .25) — “Phffft” 
<Col) and “Pirates Tripoli” (Col) 
<3d wk). Slow $11,500. Last week, 
$17,000. 

Hawaii <G&S) <1.106; 90-$l .25) — 
“Green Fire” <M-G) <4th wk). Thin 
$1,800. Last week, $2,500. 

Chinese <FWC) <1.905; $1-$1.75) 
— “Show Business” < 20th ) (7th wk). 
Okav $9,500. * Last week. $10,700. 

Fox Wilshire <FWC) <2.296; $1- 
$1.50)— "20,000 Leagues” <BV) (7th 
wk). Brisk $13,000. Last week, 
$15,300. 

Warner Beverly <SW) <1.612; 90- 
$1.50)— “Country Girl” <Par) <7th 
wk). Smooth $11,000. Last week, 
$11,800. 

Four Star <UATC) <900; 90-$1.50) 
— “Detective” <Col) < 7th wk>. Oke 
$3,000. Last week, $3,600. 

El Rey <FWC) <861; $1-S1 50> — 
“Romeo and Juliet" <UA) <7th wk'. 
Modest $2,000. Last week. $1,900. 

Warner Hollywood <SW) <1.364; 
$1.20-$2.65) — “Cinerama” (Indie) 
<93d w f k). Into current week 
Sunday <6) after sturdy $24,300 
last week. 

Vagabond (Rosener) <390; $1.50) 
— "Gate to Hell” < Indie) (7th wk). 
Sharp $4,500. Last week, $5,000. 



Broadway Grosses 


Estimated Total Gross 
This Week $523,600 

( Based on 21 theatres.) 

Last Year $489,900 

(Based on 24 theatres.) 



Girl’ Record 23G, 
D.C.; Battle’ 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

The cold spell and rainy week- 
end made a sharp dent in firstrun 
biz. Washington is traditionally 
paralyzed at sign of initial snow, 
so last week’s flurries look a big 
toll all along the line. Despite 
this, "Country Girl” at the Trans- 
Lux shapes as a record-breaker. 
“Battle Cry,” day-dating Ambassa- 
dor and Metropolitan is only other 
entry, and smash. "6 Bridges To 
Cross” looms solid in second Co- 
lumbia session. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador <SW> <1.400; 60-85) 
—"Battle Cry” (WB).. Terrific $15,- 
000. Holds. Last week, “Reap 
Wild Wind” <Par) (reissue). $5,000. 

Capitol (Loew’s) <3,434; 75-$l> — 
“Cdrmen Jones” <20th> <2d wk). 
Pleasing $13,000 alter $22,000 last 
week, over hopes. May go an- 
other. 

Columbia (Loew’s) (1,174; 60-85) 
— "6 Bridges to Cross” (U) <2d wk). 
Very sturdy $7,500 after $10,000 
last week. Stays on. 

Dupont <Lopert) <372; 65-$l) — 
"Romeo and Juliet” <UA) (7th wk). 
Okay $3,000 after firm $4,000 last 
week. Holds. 

Keith’s (RKO) <1.939: 75-$l'— 
"Leagues Under Sea” <BV) <7th- 
final wk*. Strong $7,000 in final 4 
days despite weather. Last week, 
$11,000. 

Metropolitan (SW) <1.200; 60-85) 
—"Battle Cry” <WB». Soaring to 
new record at $23,000 or over, 
huge for this house. Last week, 
“Reap Wild Wind” (Par) (reissue), 
$6,500. 

Palace < Loew’s) <2,370; 70-95)— 
“Vera Cruz” (UA) (3d wk). Stout 
$11,000 after $15,000. May go an- 
other stanza. 

Playhouse (Lopert) <435; 70-$l) 
— "Sign of Pagan” (U) < 7th wk>. 
Okay $3,000 for second consecu- 
tive week. Stays. 

Warner <SW) <1,300; $1.20-$2.40) 
— “Cinerama” (Indie) <65th wk). 
Probably upgraded this session to 
$13,000 after disappointing $12,000 
last week. Holds on. 

Trans-Lux <T-L) <600; 70-$l> — 
“CoOntry Girl” (Par). Huge $23- 
000 despite weather which cut 
down street lines. Looks like rec- 
ord breaker, bettering previous 
high of "Eternity.” Holds, natch! 
Last week. “Phffft” (Col) (5th wk), 
$6,000 in final 9 days. 


‘CARMEN’ SULTRY 16G, 
ST. LOO; .‘CRUZ’ 11G, 3D 

St. Louis, Feb. 8. 

“Carmen Jones” shapes as top 
moneymaker here this round, with 
smash take at the St. Louis. 
Launching of “Underwater” at the 
huge Fox today may cut in. Both 
pix have been liberally ballyhooed. 
“Destry” and “Abbott - Costello 
Meet Keystone Kops” just ended a 
fine week at the Fox. "Vera Cruz 
looms torried in third frame at 
Loew’s. "Bread, Love, Dreams ’ is 
holding well in second week at 
Shady Oak. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador (Indie) <1,400; $1.20- 
$2.40) — “Cinerama” (Indie) 54th 
! wk). Neat $16,000 after $18,000 
last week. 

Fox <F&M) <5.000; 75)— “Under- 
water” <RKO) and “Private Hell 
36” (Indie). Opened today (Tues.). 
Last week, “Destry” (U» and "Ab- 
bott-Costello Meet Keystone Kops” 
(U>, fine $13,000. 

Loew’s (Loew’s) <1.172; 50-85) — 
“Vera Cruz” <UA) <3d wk). Hotsy 
$11,000 after $13,500 for second. 

Orpheum (Loew’s) <1.140; 75-$l) 
— “20,000 Leagues Under Sea” 
< BV) < 7th wk). Solid $8,000 after 
$9,000 in sixth. 

Pageant <St. L. Amus.t <1.000; 82) 
— "Fighting Pimpernel” (Indie). 
Good $3,000. Last week. “She- 
Wolf” (Rep) (2d wk), $2,000. 

Richmond < St. L. Amus.) <400; 
! 82) — "Fighting Pimpernel” (Indie), 
Lusty $2,500. Last week, “She- 
Wolf” <Rep) < 2d wk). $2,000. 

St. Louis (St. L. Amus.) <4,000; 
75* — “Carmen Jones” < 20th '. Smash 
$16,000. Last week, “Silver Chal- 
ice” (WB) <2d wk), $13,000. 

Shady Oak <St. L. Amus.) <800; 
82) — "Bread, Love, Dreams” ( IFE) 
<2d wk). Fancy $4,000 after $5,500 
opener. 


‘Girl’ New Record 
36G Paces Philly 

Philadelphia, Feb. 8. 

Despite snow and zero tempera- 
tures, "Country Girl” is running 
away from the field currently. It 
is setting a new house record of 
$36,000 or better, terrific for the 
1,000-seat Midtown Theatre. Ex- 
ploitation via visit of Cleo Moore 
helped “Women’s Prison” to a 
great total at Stanton. “Camille” 
is proving sock surprise at the 
Trans-Lux. “Cinerama” is going 
so strong in closing weeks that 
the Boyd has scheduled matinees 
every day. "Americano” is rated 
hefty at Goldman. “6 Bridges to 
Cross” is sturdy in second round 
at Stanley. 

Estimates for This Week 

Arcadia <S&S) <625: 99-S1.35) — 
“Deep in Heart” <M-G> (7th wk). 
Okay $7,000. Last week. $10,000. 

Boyd (SW) (1.430; $1.25-$2.60>— 
“Cinerama” (Indie) < 70th wk). 
Smash $24,300. Last week, $23,- 
700. 

Fox (20th) (2.250; 90-$1.40) — 
“Prince of Players” <20th> <2d wk). 
Slow $9,000 or less in last 4 days. 
Last w’eek, $17,000. 

Goldman (Goldman) <1.200; 65- 
$1.30) — “Americano” (RKO). Hefty 

(Continued on base 25) 


‘Toko-ri’ Socko $34,000, Hub; ‘Racers’ 
19G, ‘Rivers’ 25G, ‘Bridges’ 20G, 3d 


‘BRIDGES’ STOUT 15G, 
CLEVE.; ‘MEN’ 10G, 2D 

Cleveland, Feb. 8. 

Heavy traffic is being pulled by 
"6 Bridges to Cross” at Palace, 
heading local list of fresh product. 
A lofty take is likely. Stayovers 
are showing enough strength to 
hold their own against A1 Sirat 
Grotto’s 26th annual indoor circus 
which usually dents key house 
matinees. “Bridges of Toko-ri” on 
second lap shapes up smartly for 
State while Hipp’s h o. of “Violent 
Men" looks satisfactory. 

Estimates for This Week 
Allen <S-W) <3,000; 70-90) — 

“Fire Over Africa” <Col) and 
“They Rode West” <Col>. Fair $9 - 
( Continued on page 25) 


Boston. Feb. 9. 

A break in the prolonged cold 
wave hypoed biz at downtown 
majors over the weekend with 
“Bridges at Toko-ri” the standout 
newcomer at the Met. “Many 
Rivers to Cross” shapes nearly 
okay at Orpheum and State. “The 
Racers” at Paramount and Fenway 
is fairly good. “Six Bridges to 
Cross” in third round at the Me- 
morial still is fancy. “Prince of 
Players.” also in third at Astor. is 
very disappointing. "Cinerama” 
continues to roll at the Boston. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (B&Q) (1.500; 70-S1.101 — 
“Prince of Players” <20th) <3d wk*. 
NSG $5,000 following $7,200 in 
second. 

Beacon Hill (Beacon Hill) <800; 
74-S1.25) — “Romeo and Juliet” 
<UA> <7th wk). Neat $5,500 after 
$6,700 in sixth. 

Boston (Cinerama Productions) 
<1.354; $1 20-S2. 85) — “Cinerama” 

< Indie) (58th wk). Still in running 
with $15,000. Last week. $16,000. 

Exeter < Indie) <1.300; 60-$l> — 
“Bread. Love. Dreams” <IFE) < 7th 
wk*. Holding big at $4,700 follow- 
ing $5 600 in sixth. 

Fenway (NET) (1,373; 50-90)— | 


“The Racers” (20th) and “Black 
13“ <20th). Good $5,000. Last 

week. “Gangbusters” (Indie) and 
“Hell’s Outpost” <Rep) (3d wk), 
$4,500. 

Memorial (RKO) <3.000; 60-$l)— 
“6 Bridges to Cross” <U) and “Kill- 
er Leopard” <AA* < 3d wk). Fancy 
$20,000 after $29,500 for second. 

Metropolitan <NF.T) <4.367; 60-$l) 
— “Bridges at Toko-ri” (par) and 
“Other Woman” <20th). Leading 
town with socko $34,000 or over. 
Last week. “So This is Paris” <U) 
and “Ricochet Romance” (U>, $16,- 
500. 

Orpheum (Loew’s) (3.000; 60-$l) 
— “Many Rivers To Cross” <M-G> 
and “Operation Manhunt” <UA). 
Not bad at $15,000. Last week. 
“Vera Cruz” <M-G) (3d wk). $10,000. 

Paramount (NET) (1.700; 50-90) 
—"The Racers” <20th) and “Black 
13” <20th>. Okay $14,000. Last 
week. “Gangbusters” < Indie) and 
“Hell’s Outpost” (Rep) <3d wk), 
$17,000. 

State (Loew’s) <3.500; 60-$l) — 
“Many Rivers To Cross” <M-G) and 
"Operation Manhunt” <UA). Okay 
$10,000 looms. Last week, “Vera 
Cruz” (UA) < 3d wk/, $5,500. 


New Pix Boost Mpls.; ‘Xmas’ Mighty 
, ‘Rock’ Hep 65 / 2 G, ‘Bridges’ ?G 



Key City Grosses 

Estimated Total Gross 
This Week $2,658,000 

( Based on 24 cities and 225 
theatres, chiefly first runs, in- 
cluding N. Y.) 

Total Gross Same Week 

Last Year .. ... .$2,551,400 
( Based on 24 cities and 228 
theatres' .) . 


Battle Cry’ Wow 

in Balto 



Baltimore, Feb. 8. 

World preem of “Battle Cry” 
written by former Baltimore man, 
Leon Uris, at the Stanley managed 
the best w#ekly gross for this 
house in recent years. Contfngent 
topped by Mona Freeman and Tab 
Hunter here lor opening gave the 
new entry a solid getaway which 
was not affected by lukewarm re- 
views and rainy, cold weekend. 
“Vera Cruz” is nice at the Century, 
but bad weather and competition 
is being felt in most grosses here 
this week. 

Estimates for This Week 

Century <Loew’s-UA) <3.000; 25- 
65-95) — "Vera Cruz” <UA). Fine 
$15,500. Last week. “Violent Men” 
(Col) (2d wk), $7,000. 

Cinema (Schwaber) <466; 50-$l) 
— “Inspector Calls” (Indie) <2d 
wk). Tame $1,800 after $3,000 
opener. 

Film Centre (Rappaport) <960; 
50-$ 1) — "Tonight’s The Night” 
<AA). Okay $4,500. Last week. 
“Detective” (Col) <6th wk), $3,000. 

Hippodrome (Rappaport) <2.100; 
50-$l) — “20,000 Leagues Under 
Sea” (BV) (7th w'k). Still nice at 
$7,000. Last week, same. 

Keith’s (Fruchtman) <2.400; 35- 
$1) — “Black Tuesday” <UA) <2d 
wk). Falling to lean $5,000 after 
moderate $8,500 opener. 

Little (Rappaport) (310; 50-$l) — 
“Rome, 11 O’Clock” (Indie). Mod- 
est $3,300. Last week, “Flamen- 
co” (Indie), $2,000. . 

Mayfair (Hicks) <980; 25-70)— 
“Far Country” <U). Opens to- 
morrow (Wed.). In ahead. “Three 
Hours To Kill” (Col), mild $3,500. 

New (Fruchtman) <1,800; 35-$l) 
— “Carmen Jones” (20th) <3U wk). 

(Continued on page 25) 


‘Sea’ Smash $30,000 In 
Toronto; ‘Far Country’ 
Big 15G, ‘Cruz’ 12G, 3d 

Toronto, Feb. 8. 

With long early morning lineups, 
“20,000 Leagues Under Sea” is do- 
ing fantastic turnaway biz on six 
shows daily at Imperial. Another 
newcomer. “Far Country” is also 
smash at the Uptown. Of the hold- 
overs, biz is still hefty for third 
stanzas of “Vera Cruz” at Loew’s. 

Estimates for This Week 

Christie, Hyland (Rank) (848; 
1,354; 75-$l) — "Romeo and Juliet” 
(Rank) <2d wk'. Sharp dip to $5,500. 
Last week, $7,500. 

Downtown, Glendale, Scarboro, 
State (Taylor) <1,050; 955; 698; 694; 
40-70)— “Atomic ‘Kid” (Rep) and 
“Cry Vengeance” (AA). Oke $12,- 
000. Last week, “Yellow Mountain” 
<U) and “Ricochet Romance” (U), 
$ 10 , 000 . 

Eglinton, University (FP) <1,080; 
1,558; 50-80) — “Desiree” < 20th > <2d 
wk). Holding hep at $15,000. Last 
week, $20,000. 

Imperial (FP) (3,373: 60-$l) — 
“20,000 Leagues” (BV). Smash $30.- 
000. Last week, “Star Is Born” 
(WB) (4th wk), $12,000. 

International (Taylor) (605; 50- 
80) — "Belles St. Trinian’s” <IFD) 
<7th wk). Good $3,000. Last week, 
$3,500. 

Loew’s (Loew’s) <2.090; 60-$l)— 
“Vera Cruz” <UA) (3d wk). Hefty 
$12,000. Last week. $15,000. 

Odeon (Rank) <2,380; 60-$l) — 
“Violent Men’’ (Col). So-so $10,000. 
Last week, “Beachcomber” (Rank), 
$ 11 , 000 . 

Shea’s (FP) (2,386; 75-$l — 

“Drum Beat” (WB) <2d wk). Neat 
$8,500. Last week, $12,000. 

Towne (Taylor) <693; 60-90) — 
"Vanishing Prairie” (Disney) <7th 
wk). Nice $4,000. Last week. $5,000. 

Uptown (Loew) (2,745; 60-80) — 
“Far Country” (U). Big $15,000. 
Last week, “Destry” lU), $9,500. 


* Minneapolis, Feb. 8. 

JJoxoffice powerhouses like 
“White Christmas” and “Bad D;,v 
at Black Rock,” arriving simultane- 
ously in the Loop, are luring larger 
crowds downtown than in some 
w-eeks. In addition to providing 
turnstile grease, they’re a'so stir- 
ring up interest in other product. 
Continued low temperature and 
abundant snow are handicaps but 
these topdrawer pix are overcom- 
ing them. “Xmas” shaoes terrific 
at the State and “Rock” is firm at 
the smaller Gopher. “Six Bridges 
To Cross” is sock at RKO Pan on 
moveover. 

Estimates for This Week 

Century <S-W) (1,140; $1.75-$2.65) 
— “Cinerama” (Indie) <43d wk). 
Getting big convention and group 
play. Stout $13,000. Last week, 
$14,000. 

Gopher (Berger) (1.000; 65-85' — * 
"Bad Day at Black Rock” <M-G', 
First C’Scope picture at house and 
at regular prices. Fancy $6,500. 
Last week, “Down 3 Dark Streets” 
(UA). $3,500. 

Lyric (Par) <1,000; 85-$l)— “Car- 
men” (20th) (3d wk). Sturdy $4,000. 
Last week. $5,000. 

Radio City (Par) <4,100; 85-$l) — 
"Prince of Players” <20th). Absence 
of big star cast names maybe a 
handicap. Brutal $5,000 or near. 
Last week, “Silver Chalice” <WB) 
<2d wk), $8,000. 

RKO-Orpheum (RKO) <2.800: 65- 
85)— “Destry” (U). Well-liked west- 
ern, but up against tough opposi- 
tion. Modest $6,000. Last week, 
“6 Bridges to Cross” (U). $9,200. 

RKO-Pan (RKO) (1.600; 65-85>— 
“Bridges to Cross” (U) (m.o.). Good 
$7,000. Last week. “Violent Men” 
<Col) <2d wk), $4,000. 

State (Par) (2.300; 85-$ 1) — 

“White Christmas” (Par). This long 
and eagerly awaited hit eo’ng great 
guns. Tremendous $20,000. Last 
week, “Americano” (RKO), $6,500 
at 65-85c. 

World (Mann) (400; 65-$1.20> — * 
“The Detective” (Col) <2d wk'. 
Good $3,600. Last week, $4,600. 


Weather Clips K.C. But 
‘Country’ Crisp $15,000; 
‘Men’ Mild 9G, ‘Fire’ 6G 

Kansas City. Feb. 8. 

Stormy W’eather and season's 
heaviest snow is taking the edge 
off biz all around here albeit there 
are a couple of strong entries. 
“Far Country” in a new hook-up 
of three Fox Midwest houses is 
heading for big money, and a hold- 
over. “Green Fire” is modest at 
the Roxy, while “Violent Men” is 
slow at the Midland. "Toko-ri” in 
third week at the Paramount is 
strong despite adverse elements. 

Estimates for This Week 

Glen (Dickinson) (750; 75-$l) — 
“Manon” (Indie). Okay $1,300. 
Last week. “High and Dry” (U) 
<12th w'k) and “The Promoter” <U) 
(2d run), $700. 

Kimo (Dickinson) (504; 75-$l>— 
“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (7th wk). 
Good $1,000. Stays. Last week, 
$ 1 , 200 . 

Midland (Loew's) (3.500; 60-80) 
—"Violent Men” (Col) and “3 
Hours To Kill” (Col). Slow $9,000 
or near. Holding. Last week, “Vera 
Cruz” (UA) and “Return To Treas- 
ure Island” (UA) (2d wk), $7,000. 

Missouri (RKO) (2.650; 50-80)— 
“West of Zanzibar” (U) and “Jam- 
boree” (Indie). Light $5,000. Last 
week, “Americano” (RKO) and 
“Cairo Road” (Indie), $6,000. 

Orpheum. Fairway, Granada 
(Fox Midwest) (1.913; 700; 1.217; 
75-$l)— “Far Country” (U) with 
“River Beat” (Lip) added at 
Granada, New day-and-date coup- 
ling for this engagement, with 
downtown house in K. C., Mo., plus 
suburban house and K. C., Kans., 
hou.se. Big $15,000. “Country” 
will hold at Orpheum. Last week, 
Orpheum alone “Show' Business” 
(20th) (6th wk), $5,000. 

Paramount (United Par) (1.900; 
75-$ 1 ) — “Bridges at Toko-ri” '< Par) 
<3d w'k). Good $8,000. Last week, 
$13,000. 

Roxy (Durwood) (879; 70-90*— 
"Green Fire” (M-G). Moderate 
$6,000. holds. Last week. “Track 
of Cat” (WB* (2d wk*. $3,000. 

Tower, Uptown (Fox Midwest) 
<2.100; 2,043; 65-85)— “Abbott. Cos- 
tello Meet Keystone Kops” (U) and 
“Atomic Kid” (Rep). Fairish ST- 
000. Last week, these two houses 
in regular pairing with Fairway 
and Granada. “So This Is Paris 
<U> and “Port of Hell” <Lip'. 
$14,000. 

Vogue (Golden) (550; 75-SI - 
“The Detective” (Col) (7th wk) and 
"Four Poster” (Col) (2d run>. Fire 

$1,300. Holds. Last week. $1,400. 


Wednesday, February 9, 1953 


PICTURE GROSSES 


Chi Climbs; ‘Bridges’ Mighty $21,000, 
‘Feather Fair 17G, ‘Rock’ Good 20G, 
Pagan’ Hot 18G, ‘Toko-ri’ 49G, 3d 


Chicago, Feb. 8. 

Chi biz is on the upbeat this 
round, coming out of the past few 
week's doldrums despite lack of 
major openers. Solid film fare and 
warmer weather are factors in the 
b o. improvement. 

With six new pix opening in the 
Loop this frame, “6 Bridges To 
Cross’* at the Grand shapes a 
terrific $21,000 in first round. A 
fair $17,000 looms for “White Fea- 
ther” at the McVickers. The Loop 
is dullish $8,000 with “Secret of 
the Incas.” "An Inspector Calls” 
at Esquire looks rousing $0,500 for 
first stanza. Ziegfeld has sock $8,500 
for "Mile Gobette.” 

In second session, “Violent Men” 
at Oriental should hold fair while 
for same week the Woods’ "Band 
Day at Black Hock” shapes good. 
"Women's Prison" at Roosevelt is 
staunch while at United Artists. 
"Sign of Pagan” is heading for a 
hefty take, both in second weeks. 

"Bridges At Toko-ri" at the Chi- 
cago, with Sarah Vaughan heading 
stageshow, is holding up neatly in 
third stanza. “Aida” at World 
continues strong in seventh week, 
while "The Detective” is solid at 
the Surf for seventh also. 

Estimates for This Week 

Carnegie (Telem’t) (480; 95) — 
“Ugetsu” (Indie) (4th wk>. Good 
$2,500. Last week. $2,900. 

Chicago (B&K) (3.900; 98-$1.50> 
— "Bridges AT Toko-ri” (Par) with 
Sarah Vaughan topping vaude (3d 
vk>. Nifty $49,000. Last week 
$54,000. 

Esquire (H&E Balaban) (1,400; 
85-$l) — "Inspector Calls” (Indie). 
Solid $9,500. Last week, subse- 
quent-run. 

Grand (Nomikos) (1,200; 98- 

$1.25)— "6 Bridges To Cross” (U) 
and "Pirates Tripoli” (Col). Mighty 
$21,000. Last week “Cry Venge- 
ance" (AA) and “The Desperado” 
(A A). $8,800. 

Loop (Telem’t) (606; 90-$1.25> — 
"Secret of Incas” (Par). Slow 
$8,000. Last week, "West of Zan- 
zibar” (U) and "Security Risk” 
(AA) (2d wk), $5,500. 

McVickers (JL & S) (2,200; 65- 
$1.25)— "White Feather” (20th). 
Fair $17,000. Last week, "Other 
Woman” and “Outlaw’s Daughter” 
(20(h), $9,000. 

Oriental (Indie) (3,400; 98-$1.25) 
— "Violent Men” (Col).. (2d wk). 
So-so $17,000. Last week, $23.- 

000 . 

Palace (Eitel) (1,484; $1.25-$3.40) 
— "Cinerama” (Indie) (80th wk). 
Neat $26,500. Last week, $24,500. 

Roosevelt (B&K) (1,400; 65-98) — 
"Women’s Prison” (CoD and 
"Human Desire” (Col) (2d wk». 
Stout $16,500. Last week, $20,000. 

State-Lake (B&K) (2,400; 65-98) 
— "Leagues Under Sea” (BV) (7th 
vk>. Staunch $18,000. Last week, 
$ 21 , 000 . 

Surf (H&E Balaban) (685 ; 95) — 
• Detective” (Col) (7th wk). Nice 
$3,500. Last week, $4,000. 

United Artists (B&K) (1,700; 98- 
$1.25)— "Sign of Pagan” (U) (2d 
wk». Bright $18,000. Last week, 
$23,000. 

Woods (Essaness) (1,206; 98- 

$1.25»— "Bad Day at Black Rock” 
(M-G> (2d wk). Okay $20,000. 
Last week. $22,000. 

World (Indie) (697; 98)— “Aida" 
(TFE) (7th wk). Great $6,500. Last 
week, $6,500. 

Ziegfeld (Lopert) (430; 98) — 

# Mlle. Gobette” (Indie). Swell 
$8,500. Last week, subsequent- 
run. 


Estimates Are Net 

Film gross estimates as re- 
ported herewith from the vari- 
ous key cities, are net; l.e., 
without usual tax. Distrib- 
utors share on net take, when 
playing percentage, hence the 
estimated figures are net in- 
come. 

The parenthetic admission 
prices, however, as indicated, 
include the U. S. amusement 
tax. 


Pagan’ Sockeroo 

in Prov. 



Providence, Feb, 7. 

Standout here currently is 
"Sign of Pagan,” smash at Majes- 
tic. Loew’s is hot with "Many 
Rivers To Cross.” On the more 
normal side is RKO Albee’s "Des- 
try.” "Reap the Wild Wind” looms 
good at Strand. 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) (2.200; 50-75)— 
“Destry” • (U) and "Pride of the 
Blue Grass” (AA). Average $7,000. 
Last week, "6 Bridges to Cross” 
(U> (2d wk>, $12,000. 

Majestic (Fay) (2,200; 70-90)— 
"Sign of Pagan” (U) and "West of 
Zanzibar” (U). Upped scale help- 
ing to smash $13,000. Last week. 
"Prince of Players” (20th) and 
"Security Risk” (AA), $6,500. 

State (Loew’s) (3,200; 50-75)— 
"Many Rivers to Cross” (M-G) and 
"Crest of Wave” (M-G). Hot $14.- 
000. Last week, "Black Tuesday” 
<UA) and "Operation Manhunt” 
(UA), $13,000. 

Strand (Silverman) (2,200; 50- 
75) — “Reap Wild Wind” (Par) (re- 
issue). Good $6,500. Last week, 
"Tonight’s Night” (AA) and "Bob 
Mathias Story” (AA), $9,000. 


Severe Weather Still 


Hits Cincy; ‘This Paris’ 
Boff 9iG, ‘Rivers’ 11G 

Cincinnati, Feb. 8. 

Hangover of bad weather con- 
tinues to chill downtown biz this 
session even though overall total 
is above par. "Silver Chalice” is 
shaping just okay in big Albee 
while "Many Rivers to Cross” at 
Palace looks nice. However, stand- 
out is "So This Is Paris” piling up 
one of the Grand's best takes in 
some time with great total. "Bare- 
foot Contessa” stacks up strong in 
second week at Keith’s. 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) (3.100; 75-90)— 

"Silver Chalice” (WB). Okay $11,- 
500 in face of weather drawback. 
Last week, "Deep In My Heart” 
(M-G). $12,500. 

Capitol (Ohio Cinema Corp.) 
(1,376; $1.20-$2.65) — "Cinerama” 

(Indie) (34th wk). May climb to 
hefty $17,000 after last week’s $15,- 
500 with extra performances help- 
ing both sstanza. 

Grand. (RKO) (1.400; 50-84)— "So 
This Is Paris" (U) and "Dawn at 
Socorro” (U). Great $9,500 or over. 
Last week, "A Woman’s Face” 
(M-G) and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. 
Hyde” (M-G) (reissues), $3,000 in 
4 days. 

Keith’s (Shor) (1,500; 75-$1.25) — 
“Barefoot Contessa” (UA) (2d 
wk). Solid $10,000 after $13,500 
bow. Stays third round. 

Palace (RKO) (2.600; 75-90)— 
"Many Rivers to Cross’* (M-G). 
Nice $11,000. Last week, “Bad Day 
at Black Rock” (M-G), $10,000. 


STORM DENTS OMAHA 
BUT ‘CRUZ’ FAST 10G 

-Omaha, Feb. 8. 

Another storm struck the city 
|n current week. But the timing 
tins session was poor and dented 
weekend biz. Only new entry, 
The Raid.” is so-so at the Omaha, 
v era Cruz” is top holdover, solid 
at the Orpheum. “Carmen Jones” 

hght in second session at the 
State. 

Estimates for This Week 

Brandeis (RKO) (1,100; 65-85)— 
Violent Men” (Col) and "Pirates 
Tripoli” (Col) (2d wk). Oke $4,- 
00(1 Last week. $7,000. 

Omaha (Tristates) (2,000; 65-85) 
The Raid” (20th) and "Out- 
Jaw s Daughter” (20th). Mildish 
$.).50°. Last week, "Deep in Heart” 
! , '9 1 find "This Is Your Army” 
Undie), (2d wk), $6,000. 

Orpheum (Tristates) (2,890; 70- 
90> Vera Cruz” (UA)'(2d wk). 
strong $10,000 after $16,500 bow. 

State (Goldberg) 875; 60-90) — 
Carmen Jones” (20th) (2d wk). 
D ull $4,000. Last week, $7,300. 


‘Racers’ Rousing: 17G, 
Denver; Toko-ri’ 18G, 2d 

Denver, Feb. 8. 

Two big holdovers coupled with 
a fine week for “The Racers” at 
the Denver and a rousing session 
for “So This Is Paris” at Para- 
mount are drawing the chief in- 
terest this stanza. "Americano” also 
is good at Orpheum. "Bridges at 
Toko-ri” still is great in second 
round at Denham. 

Estimates for This Week 

Aladdin (Fox) (1,400; 50-85)— 
"Shield for Murder” (UA) and 
"White Orchid” (UA). Fair $3,000. 
Last week, "Bob Mathias Story” 
(AA) and "Mighty Fortress” 
(Indie), $3,000. 

Centre (Fox) (1,247; 60-$l)— 

"Silver Chalice” (WB) (2d wk). 
Okay $11,000. LasJ week, $14,000. 

Denham (Coekrili) (1,750; 60-$ D 
— “Bridges of Toko-ri” (Par) (2d 
wk). Great $18,000, and stays over 
again. Last week, $20,000. 

Denver (Fox) (2,525; 50-85) — 

"Racers" (20th) and "Other Wom- 
an” (20th). Fine $17,000 or close. 
May hold. Last week. "Violent 
Men” (Col) and "Bamboo Prison” 
(Col), $11,000. 

Orpheum (RKO) (2.600; 50-85)— 
“Americano” (RKO) and "Trouble 
in Store” (Indie). Good $11,000 or 
near. Last week, "Bad Day at 
Black Rock" (M-G) and "Utopia” 
(Indie) (2d wk), $6,500. 

Paramount (Wolfberg) (2,200; 50- 
85)— “So This Is Paris’’ (U) and "4 
Guns to Border” (U). Sturdy $13,- 
000. Last week, "Sign of Pagan” 
(U) (2d wk*. $9,500 in 5 days. 

Vogue (Pike) (442; 74-90) — 

“Bellissima” (IFE). Sad $1,000. Last 
week, on reissues. 


‘Pagan’ Bangup $26,000, 
Frisco; ‘Toko-ri’ 14G, 3d 

San Francisco, Feb. 8. 
Some new product launched here 
this stanza is helping the overall 
gross total. Standout newcomer is 
"Sign of Pagan” which is smash 
at Golden Gate. “The Racers” 
shapes fair at the Fox. “Bad Day 
at Black Rock” looks fancy in sec- 
ond Warfield session while "Bridges 
at Toko-ri” still is very big in 
third Paramount week. 

Estimates for This Week 
Golden Gate (RKO) (2,859; 90- 
$1.25)— "Sign of Pagan” (U) and 
"African Adventure" (RKO). Smash 
$26,000. Last week. "So This is 
(Continued on page 25) 


‘Battle’ Huge 26G, 
Buff.; ‘Cruz’ 25G 

Buffalo, Feb. 8. 

Two great new entries here cur- 
rently make the b.o. pic loom very 
bright. Top money is going to 
"Battle Cry” with a mighty take 
at the Center, for outstanding 
showing.' "Vera . Cruz" is also 
great at the Buffalo. "6 Bridges 
to Cross" looks okay at Lafayette. 
Estimates for This Week 

Buffalo (Loew’s* (3,000; 60-85)— 
"Vera Cruz" (UA). Whopping 
$25,00Q, Last week, "Deep in 
Heart” (M-G) (2d wk), $12,000. 

Paramount (Par) (3.000; 70-$l) — 
"Bridges At Toko-ri" (Par) and 
"Trouble in Glen”. (Rep) (3d wk». 
Strong $12,000. Last week, $15,- 
500. 

Center (Par) (2,000; 50-$l) — 
"Battle Cry” (WB). Terrific $26,- 
000. Last week, “Prince of Play- 
ers” (20th), $6,000. 

Lafayette (Basil) (3.000; 50-80) — 
"Six Bridges to Cross” (U> and 
"Carolina Cannonball” (Indie). 
Okay $9,000 or over. Last week, 
"Violent Men” (Col> and 'True 
and the False” (Indie) (5 days), 
$5,500. 

Century (Buhawk) (3,000; 60-85) 
— "They Were So Young” (Lip) 
and "Outlaw’s Daughter” (20th). 
Good $9,500. Last week, "Ameri- 
cano” (RKO) and "Return From 
Sea” (AA), $12,000. 


‘Rivers’ Smooth $12,000, 
Indpls.; ’Chalice’ Ditto, 
‘Toko-ri’ Socko 11G, 2d 

Indianapolis, Feb. 8. 

Biz is good despite bad weather 
at firstruns here this stanza, three 
key houses running almost even 
for top coin. "Many Rivers To 
Cross” at Loew’s is socko and best 
bet. "Silver Chalice" at the Indi- 
ana is stout. "Bridges at Toko-ri” 
at Circle still is smash in second 
stanza. 

Estimates for This Week 

Circle (Cockrill-Dolle) (2,800; 60- 
95) — "Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) (2d 
wk). Great $11,000 after $16,000 
opener. 

Indiana (C-D) (3,200; 50-85) — 
""Silver Chalice” (WB). Lofty $12,- 
000. Last week, $20,000 Leagues 
Under Sea” (BV) (2d wk). Dandy,] 
$11,500, making It about $31,500 
for two stanzas, at $1 top. 

Keith’s (C-D) (1.300; 50-85)— 

"Lure of Sila” (Indie) and "Un- 
holy Four" (Lip). Mild $4,000. 

Loew’s (Loew's) (2,427; 50-80) — 
"Many Rivers to Cross” (M-G) and 
"Golden Mistress” (UA). Sock 
$12,000. Last week, "Green Fire” 
(M-G) and "White Orchid” (UA), 
$9,000. 

Lyric (C-D) (1.600; 35-70)— "Yel- 
low Mountain” (U> and "Cannibal 
Attack” (Col). Fair $5,000, with 
All-Star Jamboree onstage replac- 
ing second pic Sunday only at 
$1.25. Last week. "Naked Alibi” 
(U) and "Fang of Wild” (Indie), 
ditto, same setup. | 


Weather Chills B’way But ‘Battle’ 

Big 90G, ‘Rock’ 21G, ‘Racers’ 46G, 
‘Camile’ (Vintage ’36) Record 21G 


t>reak in the long cold spell over 
the past weekend gave Broadway 
firstrun theatres a hypo but the 
rain late Sunday . hurt all spots. 
And the snowstorm of Wednesday 
(2) and near-zero weather of 
the following two days dealt all 
houses a real body blow. Busi- 
ness is reaching the lowest 
point in several years at some 
smaller deluxers as a consequence. 
Only the hardiest pictures were 
able to stand up against the severe 
cold. The only thing giving the 
Broadway overall total a break is 
the launching of several new, 
strong pix. 

Standout newcomer is "Battle 
Cry,” which is finishing its initial 
session at the Paramount with a 
great $90,000. This has been big 
since opening day and looks set 
for a run. "Camille” is stealing 
second honors despite being out 
on reissue, the Greta Garbo star- 
rer hitting a new record at the 
arty Normandie with a terrific 
$ 21 , 000 . 

"Bad Day at Black Rock” fin- 
ished its first round with a nice 
$21,000 at the Rivoli. “Women’s 
Prison” and vaudeville shapes 
passably good $23,000 in 9-day 
week at the Palace. "The Racers” 
is heading for mild $46,000 at the 
Roxy. It stays only two weeks. 

Biggest m<mey still is going to 
"Bridges at Toko-ri” with stage- 
show, with a nice $120,000 prob- 
able for current (3d) week at the 
Music Hall. Show stays for a 
fourth stanza. "Holiday For Hen- 
rietta” continued smash in second 
round at the Fine Arts. 

Others which are doing reason- 
ably well to big are the exception 
rather than the rule. One is 
"Country Girl,” still terrific with 
$30,000 in current (8th) week at 
the Criterion. "20.000 Leagues 
Under Sea” is another to success- 
fully combat the elements, head- 
ing for a great $28,500 in seventh 
session at the Astor. 

Many newcomers come in this 
week. "Underwater” preems to- 
day at the Mayfair. “Signs of 
Pagan” opens Saturday (12) at the 
State while "Far Country” tecs off 
the same day at the Globe. "Cine- 
rama Holiday” starts its regular 
run today (Wed.) at the Warner. 
An amazing advance sale is report- 
ed, all the more unusual in view 
of the crowds which jammed the 
theatre the last few weeks of 
"This Is Cinerama.” 

Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; 75-$1.75) 
— "Leagues Under Sea” (BV) (7th 
wk). Present stanza winding up to- 
da£ (Wed.) is heading for $28,500, 
great. Sixth week was $32,000, 
storm hurting midweek biz. Stays 
on, naturally. 

Little Carnegie (L. Carnegie) 
(550; $1.25-$2.20)— "Aida” (IFE) 

(13th wk). Current session ending 
today (Wed.) looks to reach good 
$5,400 after $6,200 for 12th week. 
Continues. 

Baronet (Reade) (430; 90-$1.55) 
— "Game of Love" (Indie) (9th wk). 
Eighth round finished yesterday 
(Tues.) was big $5,200 after $5,300 
for seventh. Stays on indef. at this 
pace. 

Capitol (Loew’s) (4,820; 85-$2.20) 
—"Vera Cruz” (UA) (7th-final wk). 
This week of 5 days ending today 
(Wed.) looks like only $9,000 or 
under. Sixth full week was $16,- 
000. "Long Gray Line" (Col) opens 
tomorrow (Thurs.). 

Criterion (Moss) (1.700; 75-$2.20) 
—"Country Girl” (Par) (8th wk). 
Week ending today (Wed.) con- 
tinues amazingly big at $30,000 
after $35,000 for seventh stanza. 
Continues on. 

Fine. Arts (Davis) (468; 90-$1.80) 
— “Holiday For Henrietta” (Arde) 
(3d wk). The initial holdover round 
ended Monday (7) held with $10,- 
300, great in view of weather for 
a new pic. Opening week was 
$13,500, one of all-time big grossers 
here. Holds, natch! 

Globe (Brandt) (1,500; 70-$1.50) 
— "Cattle Queen of Montana” 
(RKO) (3d-final wk). Looks only 
$4,000 In second frame concluded 
Monday (7) night after $6,500 in 
first week. Stays only 4 days of 
current week, with "Far Country” 
(U) set to open Saturday (12). 

Guild (Guild) (450; $1-$1.T5) — 
“Gate of Hell” (Indie) (9th wk). 
Eighth stanza concluded Monday 
(7) continued smash at $15,500 
after $17,500 for seventh. End of 
run not even in sight, with many 
weeks left in this. 

Mayfair (Brandi) (1.736; 79-$l .80) 
— "Underwater” (RKO). Opens to- 
day (Wed.). Last week, "Ameri-J 


cano” (RKO) (3d wk), was light 
$5,500 after $8,500 in second. 

Normandie (Trans-Lux) (592; 
$1.15-11.65)— 1 “Camille” (M-G) (re- 
issue) (2d wk). Soared to mighty 
$21,000 in first week ended Mon- 
day (7), new house record even 
though this is an oldie and in face 
of terrible weather. Lines every 
night, with a longrun certain. 

Palace (RKO) (1,700; 50-$ 1.60)— 
“Women’s Prison” (CoD and vaude- 
ville. Holding for 9 days to bring 
in new bill next Friday. Looks to 
get fine $23,000 in 9-day week. Is 
ahead, "6 Bridges To Cross” (U) 
and vaude (2d wk-5 days), $19,000. 

Paramount (ABC-Par* (3,664; 85- 
$2)— "Battle Cry” (WB) (2d wk). 
Initial week ende'd last night 
(Tues.) soared to great $90.0)00. 
one of best opening sessions here 
in some time. Made this despite 
having to open on one of w’orst 
days of year, last Wednesday (2). 
Looks in for run. 

Paris (Pathe Cinema) (568; 90- 
$1.80) — "Animal Farm” (Indie) 
(7th-final wk). Sixth week ended 
yesterday (Tues.) slipped to okay 
$6,200 after $7,500 for fifth round. 
"Wages of Fear" (Indie) opens 
Feb. 16. 

Radio City Music Hall (Rocke- 
fellers) (6.200; 95-$2.75>— "Bridges 
At Toko-ri" (Par) and stageshow 
(3d wk). Current week, winding 
up today (Wed.), likely will hit 
nice $120,000 after $137,000 for 
second. Both weeks were hurt by 
storm. Stays a fourth. 

Rivoli (UAT) (2,092; 85-$2) — 
"Bad Day At Black Rock” (M-G) 
(2d wk). Landed nice $21,000 open- 
ing week ended Monday (7). In 
ahead, "Prince of Players” (20th) 
(3d wk), $6,500. 

Roxy (Nat’l Th.) (5.717; 65-$2.40> 
— "The Racers" (20th). Heading 
for mild $46,000 in first stanza 
preview tossed in. Will be around 
only two weeks. In ahead. “Show 
Business” <20lh) (7th wk), $27,000, 
but finishing a fine longrun. 
“White Feather” (20th) due in 
next. 

State (Loew’s) (3.450; 78-$1.75)— 
"Vio’ent Men” (CoD (2d wk-10 
days). Second round of 10 days 
winding Friday (ID looks to get 
modest $11,000 after $19,000 
opener. . "Sign of Pagan” (U) 
opens Saturday (12). 

Sutton (R&B) (561: $1-$1.80) — 
"Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (8th wk). 
Seventh frame finished yesterday 
(Tues.) was sturdy $8,500 after 
$10,000 for sixth. Stays on. 

Trans-Lux 52nd St. (T-L.) (540; 
$1-$1.50)— “Tonight’s the Night” 
(AA) (7th wk). Current session 
finishing up today (Wed.) is head- 
ing for okay $3,700 after $4,200 
for sixth week. "Doctor in House” 
(Rep) opens Feb. 17. 

Victoria (City Inv.) (1.060; 50- 
$1.75)— "Unchained” (WB) (2d wk). 
Off sharply to slow $7,500 or less 
in week ending today (Wed.) after 
$14,000 opener, storm cutting what 
originally had been expected. 
Holds, however, in order to ooen 
N. Y. Confidential” (WB) on Feb. 
18. 

Warner (Cinerama Prod.) (1.600; 
$1.20-$3 30)— "Cinerama Holiday”. 
(Indie*. Opens regular run here 
today (Wed.) after a benefit preem 
last night (Tues.) and preview 
press showings Monday (7). In 
ahead. "Cinerama" (Indie) (87th 
wk). held at an amazing $51,800 
despite stormy weather after $52,- 
600 for 86th week, one of biggest 
weeks of whole run. Terrific ad- 
vance reported for "Holiday.” 


‘Toko-ri’ Torrid $38 000, 
Del; ‘Racers’ Laggard 23G, 
‘Sea’ Big IOC, ‘Pawn’ 9G 

Detroit. Feb. 8. 

Biz is spotty this stanza at down- 
towners. "Bridges at Toko-ri” 
shapes smash at the Michigan but 
“Tfcje Racers” looks only fair at the 
Fox. "Prince of Players” is poor 
at the United Artists. "Cinerama” 
looks to finish its 100-week run at 
Music Hall on a high note. "20.000 
Leagues Under Sea” at Madison 
and "Sign of Pagan” at the Palms 
are strong holdovers. 

Estimates for This Week 
Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5.000; $1- 

$1.25)— "The Racers" (20th). Fair 
$23,000. Last week. "Black Tues- 
day” (UA) and “Ten Wanted Men” 
(Col* (2d wk). $10,000. 

Midvran (United Detroit ) (4,000, 
$P5-$1.°5> — "Bridges at Toko-ri” 
(Par). Terrific $38,000. Last week, 

(Continued on page 25) 



10 


FILM REVIEWS 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


( inerama Holiday 

(TECHNICOLOR) 


Many of the same strong box* 
office values of original pic- 
ture in Fred Waller’s process. 
Bright outlook while raising 
some questions for future. 

Klanley-Warner Cinerama Corn, presen- 
tation of Louis de Rochemont film. Direc- 
tors. Robert Bendlck, Phillipe de Lacey. 
Introducing Betty and John Marsh. Bea- 
trice and Fred Troller. Adaptation. Otis 
Carney. Louis de Rochemont 3d; narra- 
tion. John Stuart Martin; cameramen. 
Joseph Brun. Harry Squire: sound. Rich- 
ard J. Pietschmann Jr., Rolf Epstein; 
technical supervisor, Wentworth D. Fling; 
editors. Jack Murray. Leo Zochling. 
Frederich Y. Smith; art direction. Joy 
Batchelor. John Halas; music. Morton 
Gould. Van Cleave; conductor. Jack 
Shaindlin. Running time, lit MINS. 


In something over two years, 
“This Is Cinerama” has made box- 
office history, triggered a theatri- 
cal revolution and turned Russian 
propaganda red with confusion and 
embarrassment in Syria and Thai- 
land. Presently running as a great 
novelty attraction in same 18 cities, 
including London and Tokyo, the 
Fred Waller process is now seen at 
the Warner Theatre, New York, in 
its second mounting. Immediately 
the question arises: can “Cinerama 
Holiday” be expected to duplicate 
the sensational financial record of 
the original film? 

A balanced answer must run, 
generally, on the strong prognosti- 
cation side. There are no visible 
omens that any point of diminish- 
ing returns hovers over the daddy 
of the new widescreen media. 
Much of the excitement remains, 
although there is some feeling of 
repeating tried-and-true pictorial 
effects. The sheer size of the pano- 
ramic stuff, the tremolo of the 
downhill rides, the adventure of 
roping jet-planes on the flat top 
of an aircraft carrier possess im- 
plicit drama. For millions of Amer- 
icans such Cinerama tricks will 
undoubtedly be joyously reexperi- 
enced, and no ouibbling. 

The big question which the spec- 
ulative imagination of show busi- 
ness cannot avoid asking is this: 
can the Stanley Warner auspices 
go on, indefinitely assured of reap- 
ing a boxoffice bonanza, without 
telling a story or going beyond the 
travelog format? The danger of 
diminishing returns is not imme- 
diate, but the third offering, 
“Seven Wonders of the World," is 
apparently lined up as more of the 
same. Well, worry about that next 
year. 

Right off, one thing stands out. 
Here is the greatest trailer for 
travel ever produced. “Holiday" is 
a sock synthesis of every thing Bur- 
ton Holmes ever did or said in 50 
years on the lecture platform. 
More specifically, it is the public 
relations coup of the decade for 
one carrier, namely Swissair. 
Switzerland ought to forgive us on 
our high clock tariffs after this 
super-sell. When they see “Cine- 
rama Holiday" there should be 
yodelling and free wine on the 
streets of Zurich. 

There is a wisp of continuity in 
“Holiday" unlike the predecessor 
film. Betty and John Marsh of 
Kansas City and Beatrice and Fred 
Troller of Zurich did an exchange 
student type of act, each pair of 
newlyweds visiting the other’s 
hemisphere. They are reunited at 
thie ending in New York. Mean- 
while the Swiss pair, mounted on 
a Vospa motorcycle, has hit the 
far west, meeting cowpunching 
Apaches, Las Vegas gamblers and 
the cocktail crowd in San Fran- 
cisco’s Top O’ the Mark. Against 
that, the American pair has a long 
visit in Switzerland, climbs the 
Alps on Toonerville trolleys, goes 
sleighing, bob-sledding, watches an 
ice show (presumably American) 
outside the Suvretta House in St. 
Moritz and has fun on skis and in 
picturesque chalets where they 
wash down cheese fondue with the 
cup that cheers. 

Since the second part of the 
show, after a 15-minute intermis- 
sion, is largely made up of an 
extended visit to Paris, the impres- 
sion grows into a conviction that 
the American couple really went 
places, did things and met people 
far beyond the arrangements for 
the Swiss pair this side — who had 
much tamer calls to make — for ex- 
ample. upon the rural folk of Louis 
de Rochemont’s New Hampshire, 
at rather considerable length. The 
New Hampshire stuff is “justified” 
in the continuity on the grounds of 
exquisite autumnal tree colorings. 
It seemed a purely personal choice. 

Because “Cinerama Holiday" is 
Intended fop reserved seat opera- 
tion it may not be valid to hint 
that maybe it's overlong in footage, 
some 119 minutes. An intermission 
is a necessary physical considera- 
tion. 

Naturally, certain scenes stand 
out. The bobsled ride, of course. 
And the skiorama where seemingly 
hundreds of devotees zig and zag 
and frolic all over the snowy ter- 
rain. The extremely charming chil- 
dren of Paris also stand out. So do 
some of the shots in the gambling 


halls of Nevada. Nor docs the 
United States Navy fail to score. 
(It’s /text to closing, very strong 
and a natural segue into the 
slightly George M. Cohanesque 
patriotic fireworks finale). 

Louis de Rochemont’s documen- 
tary technique works fine on occa- 
sion, but is a mite on the awkward 
side at a few points. Negroes may 
or onay not complain about the 
jazz band parade stuff from the 
cemetery in New Orleans. This is 
undoubtedly innocuous in motiva- 
tion but nonetheless tends to be 
pretty condescending about the 
picturesque American “darkies." 
Not that there’s even a hint of any 
word of comment which in itself 
could be objectionable. It's just 
that the only sequence showing 
Negroes to a Swiss couple just 
happens to make the Negroes 
“quaint" at best? 1 Why not honor 
American Negroes by showing their 
superior types? This was a serious 
lack of foresight on the producer’s 
part. 

A rather strange bit of old hat 
“humor” crept into the continuity 
of the American couple in Paris, 
Remember this is a fresh, whole- 
some.mewlywed pair. Comes a silly 
bit of business of him ducking his 
wife to join some Navy shipmates 
who appear in Paris out of no- 
where. This arouses expectations 
of something “naughty” in the next 
sequence but it's all very tame, 
except that the shipmates have 
French girls with them. The ex- 
pected “dive” is nothing of the 
sort but instead the highly posh 
Lido night club. 

Trouble with the documentary, 
or real-life, technique when visit- 
ing cafes, whether in New Orleans, 
Las Vegas or Paris, is that the 
production numbers are markedly 
inferior to the production numbers 
in any, say, Metro Technicolor 
musical. Dullest item in the show, 
undoubtedly, is “Les Indes Gal- 
antes." They have better ballet at 
the YM-YWHA any Friday. 

“Cinerama Holiday" is strong on 
choirs, as was “This Is Cinerama." 
There are choirs from Dartmouth, 
Annapolis and Notre Dame de 
Paris. 

Any attempt to judiciously 
bestow proper credit where it is 
due is almost impossible on such 
a long and many-elemented film. 
The musical score of Morton Gould 
and Van Cleave as conducted by 
Jack Shaindlin is stunningly effec- 
tive. Many of the sound effects 
throughout are unusual, although 
occasionally distractive. Techni- 
color, too, makes a giant contribu- 
tion. It is also easy to suppose that 
Robert Bendick and Phillipe de 
Lacey, the directors of the units 
working • the respective hemi- 
spheres, were litHe Napoleons of 
location ingenuity and resourceful- 
ness. Of the heroic cameramen 
there are four major credits, 
Joseph Brun, Harry Squire, Jack 
Priestley and Gayne Reseller. Un- 
doubtedly will be shop talk 

aplenty among the camera, sound, 
color and other cinema crafts on 
the problems of making this pro- 
duction. (Thore were 201 days of 
unit shooting and 675,000 feet of 
film were exposed.) 

And what of the “seams" on the 
middle panel? They still show, 
although some improvement has 
apparently been effected by engi- 
neering experiment. Some “inti- 
macy" previously missing has been 
achieved. 

To sum up, second time round 
for Cinerama is still very promis- 
ing, but enough is manifest in 
"Holiday" to highlight upcoming 
hazards. Granting that this is a 
great vicarious travel thrill, some- 
thing more will eventually have to 
be added. But Swissair hasn’t got 
a thing to complain about, not a 


thing. 


Land. 


The Long Lrnv Line 

(COLOR-C’SCOPE) 


Standout drama of West Point 
with class, mass appeal; fine 
performances by Tyrone Pow- 
er. Maureen O’Hara, others; 
stronr b.o. 


with appeal for most all types of 
audiences. It merits and should 
hit a strong pace at the boxoffice^ 
particularly in view of the favor- 
able word-of-mouth the initial 
showings will create. It is frankly 
sentimental, very human, proudly 
patriotic, and quite long with its 
two hours and 15 minutes running 
time. Only a small minority will 
quarrel with either the unabashed 
sentiment or the footage. 

For Tyrone Power the role of 
Marty Maher, Irishman through 
whose eyes the story is told, is 
a memorable one. Certainly none 
of his more recent film roles has 
had the depth or breadth that 
would permit full use of his con- 
siderable talent as does this one. 
For Maureen O’Hara, his costar, 
the picture also is a major credit 
and she brings to the role of 
Maher’s wife her Iri$h beauty and 
seldom displayed acting ability. 
Both are very fine. 

Robert Arthur’s exceptionally 
well-fashioned production is based 
on “Bringing Up the Brass,” the 
autobiography of Maher’s 50 years 
at the Point which he wrote with 
Nardi Reeder Campion. A screen- 
play by Edward Hope that is full 
of wonderfully human touches 
gave just the right foundation for 
John Ford to show his love for 
country <and the Irish) with his 
direction. Story oscillates between 
unashamed sniffles and warm 
chuckles. Ford not being afraid 
to bring a tear or stick in a laugh. 

In addition to spanning the 50 
years Maher spent at West Point, 
the picture writes a patriotic his- 
tory of the Academy during a pe- 
riod in which two World Wars 
fell and through which passed such 
cadet names as President Eisen- 
hower. Generals Bradley, Pershing, 
Cousins, McNamey, Stratemeyej 
and Van Fleet. 

Maher’s story begins when he 
comes to West Point, fresh off the 
boat from Ireland, and becomes 
a waiter in the cadet mess hall. 
From there he jpins the regular 
Army, remaining at the Point with 
the service troops stationed there. 
He worked as an athletic trainer 
and swimming instructor and be- 
came, with the Irish lass who 
married him, friend and adviser 
to the embryo officers who trained 
at the Academy during the half- 
century. It’s what Maher, his wife 
and the cadets put into those years 
that irjikes this picture rich with 
incident and the script, the di- 
rection and playing blend it all 
into rewarding drama. 

The cast is large, and the per- 
formances are of a quality that 
merit individual praise. Donald 
Crisp is great as Maher’s father, 
brought to this country by the 
soldier’s bride as a surprise. Robert 
Francis shows up very well as a 
second generation cadet, the son 
of Betsy Palmer and William Les- 
lie. Miss Palmer scores as the 
mother and LesLie shows much 
promise. Ward Bond walks ofT with 
a sock rendition of the* Academy’s 
Master of the Sword (athletic di- 
rector), and Phil Carey impresses 
as Cadet Dotson, now general. All 
of the others, too, are equally 
good, and include Harry Carey Jr., 
as the young Cadet Eisenhower; 
Patrick Wayne as Cherub Overton; 
Sean McClory as Maher’s brother; 
Peter Graves. Milbum Stone, Erin 
O’Brien Moore, Walter D. Ehlers 
and Willis Bouchey. 

West Point, its grounds, its 
buildings and its cadets in review 
have been strikingly lensed in 
Cinemascope and Technicolor by 
Charles Lawton Jr. The editing 
by William Lyon is a standout 
job of blending together the wealth 
of footage. Also important to the 
entertainment is the music adapta- 
tion by George Duning, which 
Morris Stoloff supervised and con- 
ducted. Brog. 

While Feather 

(COLOR) 


Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Columbia release of Robert Arthur pro- 
duction. Star* Tyrone Power. Maureen 
O'Hara; coatara Robert Francia. Donald 
Crisp, Ward Bond. Betay Palmer. Phil 
Carey: featurea William Leslie. Harry 
Carey Jr.. Patrick Wayne. Sean McClory* 
Peter Graves. Mtlburn Stone. Erin O’Brien 
Moore. Walter D. Ehlers. WUlia Bouchey. 
Directed b.v John Ford. Screenplay. Ed- 
Jrward Hope; baaed on ''Bringing I’p the 
Brass” by Marty Maher and Nardi Deader 
Campion; camera (Technicolor). Charles 
Lawton Jr.; editor. William Lyon; muaic 
adaptation. George Duning; supervised 
and conducted by Morris Stoloff. Pre- 
viewed Jan. 27, '35. Running time. 135 
MINS. 

Marty Maher Tyrone Power 

Mary O’Donnell Maureen O’Hara 

James Sundstrom Jr Robert Francis 

Old Martin . Donald Crisp 

Capt. Herman J. Koehler... Ward Bond 

Kitty Carter Betsy Palmer 

Charles Dotson Phil Carey 

| Red Sundstrom William Leslie 

Dwight Eisenhower Harry Carey Jr. 

Cherub Overton Patrick Wayne 

Dinny Maher Sean McClory 

Corp. Rudolph Hein* Peter Graves 

Capt. John Pershing Milburn Stone 


Robert Wagner, Debra Paget, 
John Lund, Jeffrey Hunter in 
Indian western thriller. High 
quality Western. 


20th Fox release of Leonard Goldstein 
(Panoramic) production. Stars Robert 
Wagner, Debra Paget, John Lund, Jeffrey 
Hunter; features Hugh O'Brian, Eduard 
Franz, Virginia Leith. Noah Beery. Di- 
rected by Robert Wi’ebb. Screenplay. Del- 
mer Davca, Leo Townsend, from story by 
John Prebble; camera, Lucten Ballard; 
editor, George Gittens; print by Techni- 
color; music. Hugh Friedhofer. Trade- 
shown in N.Y., Feb. 3, '53. Running time, 
102 MINS. 

Josh Tanner Robert Wagner 

Colonel Lindsay John Lund 

Appearing Day Debra Paget 

Little Dog Jeffrey Hunter 

Chief Broken Hand Eduard Franz 

Lt. Ferguson Noah Beery 

Ann Magruder Virginia Leith 

Magruder Emile Meyer 

American Horse Hugh O’Brian 

Commissioner Trenton .... .Milburn Stone 


! “The Long Gray Line" is a 
standout drama on West Point 


• i 


i j j i . t 


Here is s well-contrived, faith- 
fully made and intriguing picture 
which somewhat handicapped by 
lack of marquee names having top 
I impact at the wickets. Robert 
Wagner, turning in one of his fin- 
i cst screen portrayals; Debra Paget, 

1 "* 1 1 •. t i » 1 l j l i i i i i j ) w * 


fetching as a comely Indian girl; 
and Jeffrey Hunter, excellent as • 
Redskin warrior, however, are not 
personalities established as lures 
to the b.o. But feature should 
have good word-of-mouth and 
shapes about as strong as “Broken 
Lance" as a grosser, sans the stars 
the latter picture boasted. 

Delmer Daves-Leo Townsend’s 
screenplay, based on the John 
Prebble story, about the Cheyenne 
Indians circa 1877 when they were 
being pushed out of Wyoming by 
the Federals is grippingly unfold- 
ed in colorful Cinemascope. Plot 
depicts Wagner as a surveyor who 
is with the vanguard of the gov- 
ernment party (U.S. Cavalry and 
all) about to sweep west from Ft. 
Cheyenne. They are stalled until 
the Cheyennes agree to ipove from 
their hunting grounds to some 
southern area. Scripters apparent- 
ly slipped up when they pointed 
up that gold had been found. 

Film builds to climax when the 
big. chief’s son and his young fight- 
er jk'al challenge (via the arrow 
witn whitefeather attached) the 
whole cavalry contingent to 
pitched battle. It is only through 
the successful intervention of 
Wagner and Miss Paget, the In- 
dian girl, that a needless slaughter 
is averted. Wagner of course, wins 
the Indian beauty. The whole 
story is so deftly unfolded that the 
cornier aspects are mainly sub- 
merged. And seldom is the Red- 
skin depicted as the villain. Rath- 
er, the plot makes the white man 
the aggressor. 

Produced by the late Leonard 
Goldstein and directed by Robert 
Webb, the characters are all well 
portrayed by Wagner, Miss Paget 
and Hunter, last as the chief’s son. 
Eduard Franz is superb as the ven- 
erable Indian chief, Broken Hand, 
while Hugh O’Brian is well chosen 
as Hunter’s warrior pal, American 
Horse. Noah Beery does one of his 
better thespian jobs as a cavalry 
lieutenant, with John Lund equally 
adequately suited for the role of 
Colonel Lindsay, commander at 
Ft. Cheyenne. 

In support, Virginia Leith makes 
something of the role of daughter 
of a drunken store proprietor, 
Emile Meyer. Latter is sufficient- 
ly obscene to make the character 
realistic. 

Lucien Ballard’s camera takes in 
the sweep of the western back- 
ground and handles the traveling 
shots with fine effect. George Git- 
tens has done a sharp editing job. 

Wear. 


Ten Wanted Men 

(COLOR) 


Standard Randolph Scott west- 
ern actloner in Technicolor for 
the outdoor market. 


Hollywood, Feb. 1. 

Columbia ral*aa« of Harry Jo« Brown 
(Scott-Brown) production. Start Randolph 
Scott; features Jocelyn Brando. Richard 
Boone, Alfonso Bedoya, Donna Martell, 
Skip Homeier. Directed by Bruce Hum- 
berstona. Screenplay, Kenneth Garnet; 
atory, Irvins Revetch. Harriet Frank Jr.; 
camera (Technicolor), WUfrid M. Cline; 
editor. Gene Havllck; score. Psul SawtaU. 
Previewed Jan. 20, 03. Running time, 
•• MINS. 

John Stewart Randolph Scott 

Corinne Michaels Jocelyn Brando 

Wick Campbell Richard Boone 

Hermando Alfonso Bedoya 

Marla Segura Donna Martell 

Howie Stewart Skip Homeier 

Tod Grlnnel Clem Bevans 

Frank Scavo Leo Gordon 

Jaaon Carr Minor Watson 

Adam Stewart Lester Matthews 

Green Tom Powers 

Sheriff Clyde Gibbons. .. .Dennis Weaver 

A1 Drucker Lee Van Cleef 

Tom Baines Louts Jean Heydt 

Marva Gibbona Kathleen Crowley 

Red Dawes Boyd "Red’* Morgan 

Dave Weed Denver Pyle 

Warner Francia McDonald 

Bartender Pst Collins 

Some standard oater action Is 
turned out in “Ten Wanted Men" 
to fit it to the progam demands of 
the outdoor market. The entertain- 
ment content isn’t up to the level 
usually reached in the action fare 
bearing the Scott-Brown produc- 
tion brand, but Randolph Scott’s 
name gives it a booking advantage 
for release intentions. 

Story deals with Scott’s efforts 
to establish law and order on the 
particularly large slice of Arizona 
range he controls, now that he 
finds it no longer necesary to use 
personal force of arms to build an 
empire. Scott's plans do not meet 
with the aims of Richard Boone, a 
rival, but lesser, bigshot, who pre- 
fers his own law of the shooting 
iron and hired thug to wrestle a 
fortune from the range. There are 
a number of diverse angles to the 
Kenneth Garnet script, based on a 
story by Irving Ravetch and Har- 
riet Frank Jr., and some of them 
eventually work out as things build 
to the climax in which right tri- 
umphs and law is established. 

There is a pretentiousness in the 
Harry Joe Brown production to 
which the story development is not 
equal; nor is Bruce Humberstone’s 
direction able to overcome it. On 
the action score, though, the han- 
dling gets in some rough and ready 
sequences, and the Technicolor 
lensing by Wilfrid M. Cline shows 
off the outdoor locations effective- 

• * l J i ” > i J • i b- ., J . « i ‘i < ; I 


ly. On a technical count, the pic- 
ture has some large holes. The 
doubling done for Scott in the big 
climactic fight is painfully obvious, 
and, elsewhere, action and scenes 
are not always well matched in 
shifts from long to medium or 
close shots. Such technical care- 
lessness Is seldom encountered in 
major releases today. 

Scott is an experienced saddle 
hero and does this assignment 
easily, while Boone puts over the 
villainy in good style, with an as- 
sist in that department from Leo 
Gordon and other hirelings. Other 
more prominent parts are occupied 
by Skip Homeier as Scott’s nephew 
who doesn’t take readily to the 
west; Jocelyn Brando, a widow 
long in love with the hero and 
whose wait is eventually rewarded 
after the business at hand is out 
of the way, and Donna Martell, 
Latin girl coveted by Boone and 
whose turndown of the heavy 
sparks some of the trouble. 

Brog. 


Smoke Signal 

(COLOR) 


Standard outdoor actloner with 

Colorado River’s Grand Can- 
yon location for fresh interest. 

A program entry. 

Hollywood, Feb. 3. 

Universal release o f Howard Christie 
production. Stars Dana Arfdrews. Piper 
Laurie, Rex Reason. WiUiam Talma n; fea- 
tures Milburn Stone, Douglas Spencer, 
Gordon Jones. William Schallart. Dlracted 
by Jerry Hopper. Story and screenplay. 
George F. Slavin. George W. George; 
camera (Technicolor), Clifford Stine; edi- 
tor, Milton Carruth. Previewed Jan. 31, 
'55. Running time, 07 MINS. 

Brett Halliaay Dana Andrews 

Laura Evans Piper Lauria 

Lieutenant W’ayne Ford Rex Reason 

Captain Harper WiUiam Talmun 

Sergeant MUes Milburn Stona 

Garode Douglas Spencer 

Corporal Rogers Gordon Jones 

Private Livingston WiUiam Schaliert 

First Sergeant Daly Robert Wilke 

Private Porter B*U Phipps 

Delche Pat Hogan 

Ute Prisoner Peter Coe 

(Aspect ratio : 2-1 > 

Cavalry versus Indians. Added 
interest from. being plotted and 
filmed In the Colorado River’s 
Grand Canyon, the fresh location 
making for pleasingly rugged back- 
ground. 

The visual qualities of the How- 
ard Christie production are better 
than the story values, but since the 
film is aimed at the non-discrimi- 
nating action buyer the character 
and plot cliches get by with some 
vigorous direction by Jerry Hop- 
per. Chief fault of the story and 
screenplay by George F. Slavin 
and George W. George is that it 
drags in some extremely formula 
problems of human relationship, 
which lesssen the main problem of 
a small cavalry detachment daring 
uncharted river rapids to escape 
a band of warring Indians. Up until 
about the halfway mark the story 
is proceeding satisfactorily, but 
goes flat thereafter. 

Dana Andrews and Piper Laurie, 
latter the lone femme, top the cast 
and he’s more suited to the out- 
door action than Is the distaffer. 
William Talman heads the cavalry 
group, and he has the double pur- 
pose of getting the outfit to safety 
and bringing to courtmartial An- 
drews, a deserted who had gone 
over to the redskins after they 
were mistreated by another officer. 
Rex Reason is a petulant lieutenant 
who resents the fact Miss Laurie 
is attracted to Andrews. There are 
several good character types among 
the other players, best of which is 
Douglas Spencer as a trapper who 
has joined the party. 

Camera work by Clifford Stone 
does justice to the Grand Canyon 
settings and the other technical 
aids bring off their contributions 
satisfactorily. Biog. 


Abbott A Costello Moot 
the Keystone Kop* 

Abbott & Costello following to 
help this mild program comedy 
in general bookings. 

Hollywood, Jan. 27. 

Universal release of Howard Christie 
production. Stars Bud Abbott. Lou Cos- 
tello; features Fred Clark. Lynn Bari. 
Maxie Rosen bloom. Directed by Charles 
Lamont. Screenplay. John Grant; story. 
Lee Loeb; camera, Raffle Lanning; edi- 
tor. Edward Curt las: musical direction. 
Joseph Gershenson. Previewed Jan. 2% 
‘35. Running time, 7f MINS. 

Harry Pierce Bud Abbott 

Willie Piper Lou Costello 

Joseph Gorman Fred Clark 

Leota Van Cleef Lynn Bari 

Hinds Maxie Rosenbloom 

Mr. Snavely Frank Wilcox 

Cameraman Harold Goodwin 

Old Wagon Driver Roscoe Ates 

Himself Mack Sennett 

Comic Helnie Conklin 

Prop Man Hank Mann 

(Aspect ratio: 2-1) 

When Bud Abbott and Lou Cos- 
tello finally meet up with Mack 
Sennett’s Keystone Kops in this 
program comedy a wild and amus- 
ing chase finale results. Until the 
old and the more contemporary 
funsters get together, however, it’s 
dull filmfare that will tax the 
loyal of the more avid A&C fan. 
(Of possible utility for tieups is 

J . i j » « i l J ) ) * *»(:.<■• • • 1 


WfdoeMlay, February 9 , 1955 


FILM REVIEWS 


11 


t ust-published Mack Sennett auto- 
*iography, “King o< Comedy,” al- 
though there’s no direct relation- 
ships 

Plot period goes back to early 
filmmaking when puttees -were 
standard directorial equipment so 
that the Mack Sennett comical 
cops are at least logically intro- 
duced for the windup. Hbward 
Christie’s production has a number 
of nostalgic values that are better 
than the antics the stars are put 
through in the John Grant script 
from a story by Lee Loeb. Charles 
Lamont’s direction seems slow, 
until the finish, and the laughs are 
extremely spotty. 

The early-teens yarn opens in 
New York with AAtC being swin- 
dled by Fred Clark*, who sells them 
the Edison studio and then flees 
to Hollywood. The boys take up 
the chase and by accident become 
a film comic team. Clark’s larceny 
again crops out and he blows a 
job as director to flee with pro- 
ducer Frank Wilcox’ cash. It’s here 
that A&C are joined In pursuing 
the fleeing Clark and his accom- 
plice, Lynn Bari, to the airport by 
the Sennett police. Their patrol 
wagon, the motorcycle and sidecar 
commandeered by the comic team, 
and the producer’s Rolls Royce all 
arrive in time to^nab the crooks 
after hectic chase footage. 

Abbott & Costello, and the other 
casters, including Maxie Rosen- 
bloom, Herold Goodwin. Roscoe 
Ates, Sennett, Heinie Conklin and 
Hank Mann, do what they can to 
generate fun. 

Musical direction by Joseph 
Gershenson is well-tuned, often 
having a better sense of humor 
than the action it supports. Tech- 
nical credits are standard. 

Brog. 


Tlmberfafk 

(COLOR-SONGS) 

Fair adventure-melodrama for 
the outdoor market. 


Republic release 6f Herbert J. Yates 
presentation. Stars Sterling Hayden. Vera 
Ralston. David Brian; features Adolphe 
Menjou. Hoagy Carmichael. Chill Will*. 
Directed by Joe Kane’. Screenplay. Allen 
Rivkin based on novel by Dan Cushman; 
camera (Trucolor). Jack Marta; editor. 
Richard L. Van Enger; music. Victor 
Voung; songs. Paul Francis Webster. 
Koagv Carmichael. Johnny Mercer. Ned 
Washington. Victor Young. Tradeahown 
N Y.. Feb. 4. ’53. Running time. *4 MINS. 


'Hm Chipman Sterling Hayden 

Lynne Tilton Vera Ralston 

Croft Brunner David Brian 

Swiftwater Tilton Adolphe Menjou 

Jingles Hoagy Carmichael 

S’ eve Riika Chill Wills 

Poole . . Jim Davis 

Axe Handle Ole Howard Petrie 

P.iuauette Jan MacDonald 

Funky Elisha Cook 

R d Bush Karl Davis 

Veazie Wally Cassell 

Charley Tex Terry 

Fireman Ceorge Marshall 

(Aspect ratio: 1.85-1) 


“Timberjack” is a lusty actioner 
geared to the needs of the outdoor 
market. Story hews to a familiar 
pattern but the picture’s scenic 
values and a wealth of fisticuffs 
help mold the 94 minutes’ running 
time into fair entertainment for 
the action fans. 

Despite the triteness of the Al- 
len Rivkin screenplay as adapted 
from a novel by Dan Cushman, the 
natural beauty of Glacier National 
Park and western Montana, where 
the film was lensed as a locationer 
is a distinct asset. Mountain vistas 
are eye-catching as captured by 
Republic’s Trucolor process. 

Marquee dressing isn’t too stout 
but names of Sterling Hayden, 
Vera Ralston and David Brian can 
be regarded as familiar in situa- 
tions where Republic product usu- 
ally reaches. Use of Miss Ralston 
as a cabaret owner-singer is a con- 
venient means of bringing in 
Hoagy Carmichael as her pianist- 
accompanist along with several 
songs staged as production num- 
bers. • 


a fast clip thanks to Joe Kane’s 
breezy direction. Of the better 
portrayals provided by supporting 
players, Menjou is amusingly gar- 
rulous as an aging attorney, Car- 
michael is fine as the pianist and 
Howard Petrie impresses as a 
rough-and-tumble timberjack. Jack 
Marta’s Trucolor camera extracted 
full value from the Montana ter- 
rain and other technical credits 
come off favorably. Gilb. 


A Race for IJfe 


Okay programmer with Euro- 
pean auto racing background. 


Hollywood, Jan. 28. 

Llppert release of a Michael Carrera* 
production, produced by Mickey Delamar. 
Stars Richard Conte. Marl Aldon; features 
George Coulouris. Directed by Terence 
Ftsher. Screenplay. Richard Landau; 
based on novel by Jon Manchip White; 
camera. Jimmy Harvey; editor. BUI Len- 
ney. Reviewed Jan. 25. '55. Running time. 
41 MINS. 

Peter Wells Richard Conte 


Pat Wells Mari Aldon 

Dallapiccola George Coulouris 

Bellario Peter lUing 

Guido Rizettl Alec Mango 

Lawrence Meredith Edwards 

Johnny Jimmy Copeland 

Martin Jeremy Hawk 

Brecht Richard Marner 

Gibson Edwin Richfield 

Alverez Tim Turner 


( Aspect ratio : 1.33-1) 


European auto racing provides 
the background for this British 
import, its routine story line bol- 
stered somewhat by speed se- 

S uences lensed on some of the 
ontinent’s best tracks. Starring 
Richard Conte and Mari Aldon, 
both from the American screen, 
film is an okay entry for minor 
double billing. 

Script written by Richard Lan- 
dau, also from Hollywood, twirls 
about the try of a former Ameri- 
can racing great to stage a come- 
back after the war. He ties in with 
an Italian team, and races against 
the wishes of his wife, who wants 
her husband whole and in one 
piece. After leaving him when he 
refuses to give up the track, she 
returns as he’s winning the Grand 
Prix in Piedmont, Italy, to find 
he’s ready to follow her wish. 

The two stars struggle as best 
they can with- cliche-filled roles, 
but it’s colorless acting at best as 
directed by Terence Fisher. George 
Coulouris, another from Holly- 
wood, makes a valiant effort as 
another driver who is killed, and 
manages a measure of interest. 
Principal interest is centered on 
the racing scenes in final reels, 
where Jimmy Harvey’s photog- 
raphy sometimes catches good 
effects. Mickey Delamar gave film 
satisfactory production mounting. 

Whit. 


The roltllilz Story 

(BRITISH) 


Strong prisoner-of-war camp 
meller, based on authentic 
records, and filled with sus- 
pense and humor; big b.o. 
locally, with bright hopes overr 
seas. 


London, Jan. 25. 

British Lion release of Ivan Foxwell 
Production. Stars John Mills. Eric Port- 
man. Directed by Guy Hamilton. Screen- 
play, adaptation by Guy Hamilton, Ivan 
Foxwell from novel by P. R. Reid: cam- 
era. Gordon Dines; editor. Peter May- 

hew; music. Francis Chagrin. At Gau- 

mont. London, Jan. 23, '55. Running time, 
97 MINS. 

Pat Reid John Mills 

Colonel Richmond Eric Portman 

Mac Christopher Rhodes 

Harry* Lionel Jeffries 

Jimmy Bryan Forbes 

Robin Ian Carmichael 

Richard Richard Wattis 

Dick David Yates 

Kommandant Frederick Valk 

Priem Denis Shaw 

Fischer Anton Diffring 

Franz Josef Ludwig Lawinski 

German Officer Carl Duering 

French, Colonel Keith Pyott 

La Tour Eugene Deckers 

Dutch Colonel Rudolf Offenbach 

Vandv Theodore Bikel 

Polish Colonel Arthur Butcher 


Amidst a setting of the forest 
primeval, the script unfolds >a 
“fight-till-death” rivalry between 
two lumbermen. Brian, a powerful, 
ruthless operator, has already slain 
the father of Hayden and the lat- 
ter has vowed to avenge family 
honor and regain timber holdings 
wrested from the eiffate. 

Miss Ralston, whose affections 
are sought by both Hayden and 
Brian, attempts to act as peace- 
maker. However, when she learns 
that Brian has killed her father 
< Adolphe Menjou) she flees to Hay- 
den. Now grimmer than ever, Hay- 
den bests Brian in a rifle duel for 
a time-honored happy fadeout. 

Performances aren’t too convinc- 
ing. Hayden seems too restrained 
for the demands of his role, Miss 
Ralston is only adequate while 
B-’ ian does a stock characterization 
° the heavy. Musical sequences 
offer a change of pace with Miss 
Ralston doing most of the num- 
bers. Among the better tunes are 
“He's Dead But He Won’t Lie 
Down” by Johnny Mercer and Car- 
michael. There’s also a title song 
by Ned Washington and Victor 
*oung. 

While the story occasionally 
mgs, the physical action moves at 


Easily one of the best prisoner- 
of-war yarns to come from any 
studio here, “The Coldlitz Story” 
is a taut real life meller, based on 
the personal experiences of the au- 
thor and conscientiously adapted 
and scripted by Guy Hamilton and 
Ivan Foxwell. This British pic has 

a high b.o. potential in the home 
market and should make the grade 
in most overseas situations. 

Coldlitz Castle, in the heart of 
Saxony, was the fortress to which 
the German High Command sent 
officers who had attempted to 
escape from conventional prison 
camps. They regarded it as im- 
pregnable although they threatened 
the death penalty for anyone at- 
tempting to break out. And to 
make escape even more precarious, 
the Gestapo had exerted pressure 
on a Pole to act as a spy. 

Apart from the British contin- 
gent, the Allied forces at Coldlitz 
included French, Dutch and Poles. 
On the Initiative of the senior Brit- 
ish officer (Eric Portman > a four 
power escape committee was 
formed with the object of co-ordi- 
nating all the breakout plans. An 
attempt to tunnel a way out of the 
fortress was foiled by the Gestapo 


stooge; a brazen try to get over the 
barbed wfre defenses was ended 
by Nazi bullets; but the initial 
triumph, which was the forerun- 
ner of other successful ones, came 
when four men, disguised as Ger- 
man officers, openly walked 
through the officers' mess and 
through the main gates to free- 
dom. 

Film is loaded with meaty sus- 
pense situations and neatly leav- 
ened with good-natured humor to 
strike an excellent balance be- 
tween the grim and the natural. 
Under Guy Hamilton’s expressive 
direction, the all-male cast keeps 
the yarn rolling at a lively pace. 

John Mills is in fine form as the 
author. Portman turns in a dis- 
tinguished performance as the 
British colonel. Christopher Rhodes 

f ives a sensitive portrayal of the 
cottish lieutenant who authors 
the successful escape plan but is 
unable to participate because his 
height would create unnecessary 
suspicion. Frederick Valk. as the 
German commandant, and Theo- 
dore Bikel, as a Dutch prisoner, 
are on the polished supporting 
team. Vetchinsky has designed the 
settings with imaginative skill. 

Myro. 




Bonnes A Tner 

(Ripe For Killing) 
(FRENCH) 

Paris, Jan. 25. 

Sirius release of EGE-CFC-Noria Film 
production. Stars Michel Auelair. Danielle 
Darrieux. (lor inns Calvet. Directed by 
Henry Decoin. Screenplay. Decoin. Jac- 
ques Do BaroncellL J. C. Eger from novel 
by Pet Mac Gerr; camera. Robert Le 
Febvra; editor. Denise Reiss. At Biarritz, 
Paris. Running time. 95' MINS. 

Larry Michel Auelair 

Constance DanieUe Darrieux 

Vera Corinne Calvet 

Maggy Myrlam Petacci 

Cecil* Lyla Rocco 

Freddy Jean OUvier 

Forestier GUles Delamare 


Lowlife among the highborn is 
the theme of this slickly made pic 
which deals with a slightly mad 
opportunist who invites all his past 
and present women to a dinner at 
which he intends to kill one of 
them. Suspense is main feature 


lacking in this because of card- 
board characterisations and obvious 
unfoldmont. Names will make this 
an okay entxy here. For America, 
this is mainly dualer fare, which 
means very spotty playdating. 

Michel’ Auelair is shown as a 
poor boy who rises to the 
heights of Paris society by at- 
taching himself to various aprons, 
and also doing a little blackmail 
via a gossip sheet. He also cheats 
on his wives. He invites his former 
wife, the present one, an estranged 
wife, a mistress and'a future, rich 
fiance to a dinner party. He intends 
'to kill one of them while dancing. 
During the dinner each girl has a 
flashback which shows up the heel 
qualities of the host. By the time 
he is ready to kill .there isn’t much 
interest left to the pic. In sudden 
madness, he plunges to death him- 
self through the sawed-off railing 
he contrived. 

Auelair plays this with a gamut 
of two expressions which make his 
character vapid. Danielle Darrieux 
is appealing as the conscience and 
near-victim while Corinne Calvet 
pops up in her first Gallic pic as 
a. starlet who talks French with a 
U.S. accent. Others are okay. 
Lensing and editing are excellent. 
Lack of tact by director Henri. 
Decoin gives this an unsavory 
rather than engrossing aspect. 

Afoalc. 


Hu In C Ion 

' (No Exit) 

(FRENCH) 

Paris, Jan. 25. 

Marcesu production and release. Stars 
Arletty. Gaby Sylvia. Frank Vlllard. Di- 
rected by Jacqueline Audry. Screenplay. 
Pierre Laroche from play by Jean-Paul 
Sartre; camera. Robert Julllard: editor. 
Marguerite Beauge. At Ermitage. Faria. 
Running time, 94 MINS. 

Inez Arletty 


Joseph Frank Vlllard 

Estella Gaby Sylvia 

Olga Nicole Courcel 

Valet Yves Deniaud 

Wife Arlette Thomas 

Florence Danielle Delorme 


This is an attempt to transfer 
Jean-Paul Sartre’s metaphysical 
play, "No Exit,” to the screen. 


Films’ Cadillac Age 


Transposition does not help. The 
atmosphere of hades is rarely 
created with the suspension of 
disbelief hardly achieved. The un- 
savory trio, who are condemned to 
pass all eternity bickering and 
torturing each other, run hot and 
cold ana uneven in this pic. Even 
if this passes the censors, its over- 
stated Existentialist theories, static 
direction and vacillating thesping 
will not help much for U.S. 
chances. Too downbeat and plod- 
ding. with only chance for some 
possible arty spotting. 

In play-form, the Sartre philos- 
ophy came out as part of the pat- 
tern. But here it is forced in 
endless repitition. Characters have 
been added to the original three 
character opus, both on earth as 
in hell, but it still remains too 
stagy. Actors are unstable. Most 
flagrant in overacting is Gaby 
Sylvia as the man-hungry, rich 
Woman. Arletty has some moments 
as the bitter dame while Frank 
Villard is fairly sober as the 
coward. Lensing is below par and 
background projection is obvious. 
Editing is only fair. There is the 
Sartre and Arletty names plus the 
theme for exploitation purposes. 

Mosk. 


line Ball* Sufflt ... 

(One Ballet Is Enough) 

(FRANCO-SPANISH; SONGS) 
Paris, Jan. 25. 

A GDC nlMM of ED1C-IFI production. 
Stars Georges Ulmer; features Vera Nor* 
man. Jacques Castelot. Mercedes Bar* 
ranco. Andre Valmy. Directed by Jean 
Sachs. Screenplay, Sacha; camera. Marcel 
Welaa; editor, Paulette Robert; music. 
Ulmer. Jean Marion. At Raimu. Paris. 
Running Ume, 100 MINS. 

Carmo Georges Ulmer 


Florence Vera Norman 

Rita Mercedes Barranco 

Lawyer ...... Jacques Castelot 

Director Andre Valmy 

Donny Manuel Gas 


One plot would have been 
enough in this. But instead a 
blending of familiar ingredients of 
tough guy and prison pictures, 
with both light and reform charac- 
teristics, makes this an overlong 
hybrid. It even has songs worked 
in to take care of Georges Ulmer, 
singer-impressionist. 

It is his first film stint. This 
shapes as a fair entry here but for 
U. S. it could only do as part of a 
twin bill. 


Continued I 

are concerned, they have their con- 
fidence back. Television is realis- 
tically evaluated both as an ex- 
ploitation medium for selling box- 
office pictures and as a rival dis- 
traction for public attention. Tele- 
vision showmen fully appreciate 
Hollywood’s glamor and want “in.” 

While expressing some concern 
about the rising costs of production 
(stories, actors, etc.), WB’s produc- 
tion head said that “dollars them- 
selves don’t make good pictures — 
nothing is exorbitant if it’s the 
right thing. However, if it’s the 
wrong thing and it costs only $2, 
it’s too much.” 

Warner said that WB’s produc- 
tion and releases this year will be 
flexible — depending on the mate- 
rial and top casting available. He 
figures on WB making a minimum 
of 20 and a maximum of 30 pictures 
in 1955 — “all big ones.” These will 
include indie package setups as 
well as wholly owned WB films. 

Figuring importantly in War- 
ner’s thinking for the future is the 
-use of television to sell WB’s prod- 
uct. The production head said that 
there can no longer be any doubt 
about the potency of tv to sell the 
public on the idea of going out 
to the theatres. Warner said that 
his company “will use tv 100% 
to sell pictures,” and said he was 
personally looking forward to Ed 
Sullivan’s enactment of "The War- 
ner Story” on Toast of the Town 
(CBS) March 27. The program will 
emanate from the Coast, but War- 
ner refused to divulge which per- 
sonalities who figured in the his- 
tory of WB would appear. 

Warner, incidentally, gave cred- 
it to 20th-Fox and Cinemascope 
for the film industry’s new wave 
of prosperity. As Warner put it: 

“The picture business turned the 
corner a year ago, thanks to Cin- 
emascope.” He added that since 
then grosses have been higher than 
ever before — for all pictures re- 
gardless of dimensions. 

Warner culled “Dragnet” from 
tv and points to its $6, -$7.000 .000 
gross potential. “High and Mighty” 
will do $8,000,000, he says. - He 
points to Paramount’s “White 
Christmas.” with its $15,000,000 
“sleeper” gross, as evidence that 
there are no ceilings on the box- 
office potential. He’s certain the 
Judy Garland picture, “A Star Is 
Born,” will pay out despite thg 
staggering cost. 

He regards Goldwyn’s $1,000,000 
for “Guys and Dolls” and Warners’ 

( $750,600 and percentage for "Pa- 


om pace S — — — — — 

jama Game,” which George Ab- 
bott will do as an indie package 
for WB, as not unusual. 

Warners’ “Battle Cry,” “East of 
Eden” and “Mr. Roberts” (Leland 
Hayward) are deemed hot boxoffice 
potentials. 

Warner is also currently gam- 
bling on Mario Lanza who iS down 
to 195 pounds. Also he thinks there 
“will be no censorship problems in 
licking the Jim Cain “Serenade 
Story.” 

Warner is due east for the “War- 
ner Bros. Story” over CBS-TV on 
March 27. 


Advises Allied 

Continued from pace 5 

the changes that have taken place 
in the sale and prices of equip- 
ment. He noted that sound manu- 
facturers had reduced the cost of 
their equipment and that now “it's 
economically feasible foj- the aver- 
age exhibitor to buy this equip- 
ment at fair and reasonable 
terms.” He pointed out that opti- 
cal companies had reduced the 
price of anamorphic lenses from a 
high of $1,800 a pair to as low as 
$395 a pair. The average exhibitor, 
he said, can now buy equipment 
on an open competitive market at 
a price within his reach. 

Marcus said that as long as there 
is a free and competitive market 
for equipment “from legitimately 
established manufacturers,” Allied 
members should make their pur- 
chases from them. He cautioned, 
however, that Allied remain “ever 
vigilant,” and maintain a stand- 
ing equipment committee which, 
could swing into action immediate- 
ly “if ever again any distributor of 
motion pictures or manufacturer 
of equipment attempted to impose 
economic strangulation upon ex- 
hibition again.” , 


Cinerama 

— Continued from page 3 

and social, civic, entertainment, 
and business celebrities. The open 
ing was under the sponsorship of 
the Travelers Aid Society. Pre- 
theatre dinner parties and after- 
theatre receptions in honor of the 
producer and the tw'o young cou- 
ples. John and Betty Marsh and 
Fred and Beatrice Toller, who co- 
star, highlighted the preem activi- 
ties. 


Director Jean Sacha has tried 
unsuccessfully . for stylization in 
this, and it remains only a sound 
secondary entry. Plot concerns a 
pickpocket who is framed for a 
murder by the gang. He is sent to 
prison, but he has something the 
ang wants and they keep after 
im. In jail, he sees the light and 
reforms when a friend of his is 
killed. Meanwhile, his girl is work- 
ing on the outside to trap the real 
killers. 

Sacha gives the prison scenes 
some fine values but it bogs down 
the main premise. Georges Ulmer 
overacts and gives the impression 
of mugging a gangster role along 
familiar U. S. pattern. But he 
scores with his warbling. Support- 
ing cast is fair with the heavies 
ape U. S. counterparts. 

Lensing is fine as is editing. This 
may cash in on the gangster cycle 
here, but lacks the unusual tag for 
snjadiuj jjodxa Mosk. 


Papa, Mamam La Bonne 
El Mai 

(Papa, Mama. The Maid And I) 
(FRENCH) 

Paris. Jan. 25. 

Coclnor release of Cocinex-Champs- 
Elysees Film Lambor production. Stars 
Robert Lamourrux, Gaby Morlav, Fer- 
nand Ledoux. Directed bv Jean-Paul Le 
Chanois. Screenplay. Le Chanols. Marcel 
Ayme, Pierre Very; camera. Marc Fos- 
sard: editor, Emma Le Chanols. At Paris. 
Paris. Running time, 104 MINS. 


Robert Robert Lamoureux 

Maman Gaby Morlay 

Papa Fernand Ledoux 

Catherine Nicole Courcel 

Maid Madeleine Barbulee 

Neighbor Louis De Funes 

Germaine Judith Magre 

Nicole Francoise Horn»»z 


As title suggests, this is a homey 
film. It engenders enough laughs 
plus the presence of one of the top 
young, comedians, Robert Lamour- 
eux, to insure it good local returns. 
However, its possibilities are 
limited for the U.S. because this 
skimpy “life with father and 
mother” relies too much on the 
idea, based on some r/tdio pro- 
grams by Lamoureux, to make It 
draw in America. 

Lamoureux is an easygoing man 
who loses his Job while mak- 
ing a pass • at one of the office 
girls. Instead of telling his par- 
ents he gets some teaching lessons 
on the side. He meets a lovely 
young girl and romance blooms. 

Director Jean-Paul Le Chanois 
has treated this material tastefully. 
Lamobreux is engaging as the son 
with Fernand Ledoux and Gaby 
Morlay making pleasant humans 
out of the parents despite their pat 
pue guisuaq ’suoiiuzudpBJcip 
editing help this over its more gar- 
rulous sections. Mosk. 



PHOTOPLAY 


MAGNIFICENT 




AWARD TO 
Y. FRANK FREEMAN 
ON BEHALF OF 
PARAMOUNT FOR.. 


TO 

MOTION 

PICTURES 




Wfdnfiday, February 9 , 1955 


NOW THE PHOTOPLAY AW 

AGAIN PARAMOUNT 


MOT/ON PICTURE I HIGH FIDELITY 


Photoplay Gold Medal 

WILLIAM HOLDEN 

Year’s Most Popular Actor 
Now Starring In 

THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI 

and 

THE COUNTRY GIRL 


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Photoplay Achievement Award 


DANNY KAYE 


Ambassador at Large for the United Nations 
in behalf of UNICEF and starring soon 
in the inspiring featurette: 

ASSIGNMENT CHILDREN 


• • •':?% *:•* **v. • V * ‘ ' > //< ••• •-••w. 


• .;.v.yV. .y.w. •.v.'.yXv. .• 


. /.vXvivisvivW’. . ••• Xv. fovv* 


Photoplay Certificate 


WHITE CHRISTMAS 

in VistaVision 

One Of Year’s Most < 

Popular Pictures 




Photoplay Certificate P 

grace" kelly * 

Year s Most Promising Actress 
Now Starring in 

THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI 

and 

THE COUNTRY GIRL 


* 

- ' V 






•.•'.'.•/•‘WWW- 


r e<lne8clay, February 9, 1955 


P'S^rIETy 


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„ ■■ * ' 

, :• ' 

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Paramount thanks Photoplay for another tribute in the long 

* . 

list of honors that have pointed to Paramount’s achieve- 
ments throughout the past year. The Photoplay Awards 

become another assurance to exhibitors that during the 

■ ** ~ 

year ahead they can depend upon Paramount for the finest 

in boxoffice attractions— glorified by VistaVision and 

~ 

starred with the personalities most wanted by the public . . . 


Photoplay Certificate 


JAMES STEWART 


For “Rear Window” 

Coming Soon In 

STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND 
• in VistaVision 


V.ssy.*.yv V.v • • • 


Photoplay Gold Medal 

JUNE ALLYSON 

Year’s Most Popular Actress 
Coming Soon In 

STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND 
in VistaVision 


Photoplay Certificate 

JANE WYMAN 

One Of Most Popular 
Performances By Actress 
Coming Soon In 

LUCY GALLANT 
in VistaVision 


f *-w..;.y.vyv * 'W AHW • w#. ' ■ * 


Next To Watch: 

ACADEMY AWARD 
NOMINATIONS 

in which Paramount is 
predicted a strong contender 


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f 


14 INTERNATIONAL 



'VANITY'S' LONDON OMICfl 
S St. Martin's Place. Trafalgar Square 


Partial Freeze of Bank Coin for Indie 
Pix Looms in Britain as Costs Mount 


By HAROLD MYERS 


A partial freeze "otcoi^by "the ^bof C UX OpOlS 


major banking houses for financ- 
ing independent production is seen 
looming here, and if production 
costs continue to mount, there is 
a serious danger that the tighter 
money policy may spread. At 
present, the banks tend to look 
askance mainly at the second fea- 
ture proposition, but there is gen- 
uine concern that this policy be- 
fore long may be directed also at 
first features. 

The e have already been a few 
cases in which the banks have re- 
fused to discount a- distributor's 
guarantee although it has been 
normal policy that a releasing con- 
tract should be the instrument for 
raising 70% of the production 
costs. Hitherto, the main problem 
has been to raise the balance of 
30%. And it was for this reason 
that the gove rnment some , years 
back promoted legislation to set 
up the National Film Finance 
Corp. 

Informed studio execs believe 
that this new trend stems from 
the normal cautious policy operat- 
ed by all the main British banking 
houses. As production costs con- 
tinue to rise and the likelihood of 
independently-made dualers re- 
couping their negative costs in the 
domestic market becomes more 
hazardous, the banks prefer to'un* 
derwrite the financing for major 
corporations. They would rather 
do this than take a chance with 
the small and privately-owned pro- 
duction and distribution outfits. 

One sign of the more cautious 
bank policy emerged recently 
when it became known that it was 
impossible to raise the coin to 
p oduce a picture which would be 
accorded an “X” rating by the 
censor. Such. pix, to which those 
under 16 are barred from admis- 
sion, are not booked by either of 
the two Rank circuits. Nor are 
they particularly acceptable to the 
other- major groups. 

With little prospect of a circ.iit 


Uruguay Festival 


Continued from pafee 2 


War on Mex Exhib Group 

Mexico City, Feb. 1. 

War of extermination is to be 
waged soon against what Felipe 
Rayon, Mexico’s new film labor 
czar, calls the monopoly of William 
Oscar Jenkins and Gabriel Alar- 
con ifT the pix trade. Rayon an- 
nounced this in his first speech as 
i secretary general of the powerful 
i National Cinematographic Indus- 
try Workers Union (STIC). 

Rayon, for long STIC’s labor sec, 
was elected top man by 576 votes 
over his rival, Fnrique Molina, who 
got 564 votes, in an election held-| 
recently. Molina was moved up to 
labor sec. Rayon succeeds Pedro 
Tellez Vargas who quit after 16 
years because of ill health. 

6TIC4iad not gone after the con- 
trol of two great cinema chains 
here and in the provinces before 
because of internal strife in the 
union. Rayon explained. 


First Italian 
C’Scope Tinters 

Rome, Feb. 1. 

First Italian Cinemascope color 
productions are scheduled to start 
shooting here this spring accord- 
ing to present plans. First ones in 
the process will be “The Honor- 
able Peppone.” a followup of the 
Don Camillo series; a pic version 
of Renato Rascel’s current stage 
musical, “Tobia, Candida Spia’’; 
and “The Pastures of Heaven,’’ to 
be directed by G’useppe Bennati. 
All these are for April starts. 

Other CinemaScopers have been 
or will be announced officially soon 
for early starts. Among these are 
“Goya,” in a Hispano-Italian co- 
production, filmed in Spain by Al- 
release deal, a recent David Lean berto Lattuada for Titanus Studios; 
project was vetoed; and the NFFC | Pn d “Ferdinando,” co-starring Vit- 


is taking a similar line with such 
ventures. As a result of these de- 
velopments, the British Film Pro- 
ducers Assn, is seeking a meeting 
with the British Board of Film 
Censors. One suggestion is that 
there should be an independent 
appeal board, such as exist in Ire- 
land and some European territor- 
ies. 


U.S. FILMS’ EARNINGS 
IN BRIT. UP $2,500,000 

London, Feb. 8. 

Earnings of American pix in 
Great Britain rose by about $2,500,- 
000 in 1954 over the previous year, 
according to figures released in 
the House of Commons last week. 
The Board of Trade prez, Peter 
Thorneycroft, said remittances in- 
creased from $22,680,000 in 1953 to 
$25,200,000 in 1954. 

Information was given by the 
Minister in response to questions 
by Lieut. -Col. Marcus Lipton, 
Labor M.P., who subsequently pro- 
tested that this was a shocking 
waste of dollars on a lot of rub- 
bish.” He also suggested this was 
one of the reasons why the gov- 
ernment was not able to restore 
precarious gold and dollar reserves 
to the -level at which they stood ! 
late in 1951. 

The BOT prexy declined to go 
into the wid#r issues but ‘com- 
mented that “quite a lot of peo- 
ple in this country like to see these 
.films.” 


torio DcSica with Sophia Loren, 
also for Titanus. 

At least one film “Giove in 
Doppio Petto,” starring Carlo Dap- 
porto and based on his stage musi- 
cal. has already been shot in Cine- 
panoramic, a widescreen process 
with the same ratio as Cinema- 
Scone. INCOM, the Italo newsreel 
outfit, recently pioneered the dis- 
trib of CinemaScope newsreels 
(labeled “IncomScope”) in color. 
Several short subjects have also 
been made here in the widescreen 
ratio. “William Tell,” the ill-fated 
Errol Flynn nroject, had begun 
shooting in C’Scope when lack of 
finances halted operations. 

Meanwhile, 20th-Fox has an- 
nounced here that the first lo- 
cally released CinemaScoper, “The 
Robe,” grossed $1,800,000 in its 
first year on local screens, followed 
by “How to Marry a Millionaire.” 
with $724,500. More recently, sev- 
eral non-20th-Fox pix have been 
added to the list of CinemaScope 
top grossers. 


Ottawan Diskers 

Ottawa. Feb. 8. 

Sparton of Canada has waxed 
four sides each by two Ottawa 
singers — Colette (Devlin) and 
Bruce Webb. All are backed by 
Cammie Howard and orchestra. 


Cinerama Paris Pact 

Calls for May Preem 

Paris, Feb. 8. 

The Empire, owned by the Lido 
Syndicate, which was recently an- 
nounced as converting to a music 
hall next September, has made an- 
other switch in plans and is now to 
be the first Gallic housing of Cine- 
rama. Empire director, Jean Bou- 
chel-Ysaye, signed a pact with 
Stanley Warner, Robbins Interna- 
tional and Pathe-Cinerama to make 
his house the exclusive Parisian 
showplace of this process for a 
two-year period. 

Cinerama choice vacillated be- 
tween the Moulin Rouge picture 
theatre and the immense Palais 
De Glace before deciding to use 
the Empire. Alterations start as 
soon as the present commitment to 


w.ho’ve regularlv on Cana- , the Hungarian Ballet ends. May 


dian Broadcasting Cmp.’s Trans- 
Canada Network for 14 years. 

Colette's sides, in French, in- 
clude Charles Trend's “Dimanche 
Prochain. ” Webb’s embrace “Let 
Me Go, Lover” and "Cool- Water” 
(not paired). Colette is an ac- 
tress. radio singer and wife of 


A puiu nuuiLiitca/, dll 1 

Iv director. Webb is a tv baritone. I hall at night. 

i > i n j if \ i n \ i i t i j 


der whose aegis these events are 
held. 

What makes the Uruguayan de- 
velopment doubly odd is that the 
Festival committee there went 
through no end cf trouble to se- 
cure from the IFFPA permission to 
stage a competitive event in 1955. 
That international body did a good 
deal of date juggling to accomo- 
date the Uruguayans, there being a 
ruling that only one such event can 
be held each year. Argentina has 
skedded a festiyal for late 1955. 
However, it is being credited to 
1956. 

Next Festival on the horizon is 
the important one in Cannes, 
France, due to come off May 3-20. 
(See separate story.) Venice, the 
other major European fest, is pen 
cilled in for Aug. 29 to Sept. 13. 
In between the IFFPA has author- 
ized a lot of smaller events, such 
as the ones at Durban, S. Africa, 
Aug. 8 to 20; Edinburgh, Aug. 21 
to Sept. 10; Zagreb, Yugoslavia, in 
September, and Berlin in mid-sum- 
mer. In some of these, the com- 
panies may enter individually. 

Feeling generally — and the Uru- 
guayan experience has strength- 
ened it — is that the U. S. rarely 
gets a fair break at the festivals, 
partly due to difference in stand- 
ards applied by Hollywood and the 
local juries. Furthermore, it is 
suspected that many of the Festi- 
vals are “fixed” in advance. 

Despite what they consider pat- 
ent injustices in the award of 
prizes, the American companies 
w'ill probably keep playing the 
circuit, mostly for prestige reasons 
and in some instances at the behest 
of the U. S. State Dept. 


French Dialog 

Continued from page 7 


donym. A big European bo. hit, 
“L’Arage” is what Gauthier termed 
an “unconventional” film — it tells 
the story of a nymphomaniac. Gal- 
lic producer related proudly that 
this subject had never before been 
touched on the screen. 

His next film, “Un Passe Du 
| Desire,” is due to be made on loca- 
tion in Hong-Kong and will be in 
color and CinemaScope. Gauthier 
said he intended to shoot an Eng- 
lish-language version of the film 
for the U. S. with Hollywood play- 
ers on the set. Here, again, AA 
may be in the picture. 

Gauthier related that, in “Les 
Amants du Tages,” due to onen in 
France in March, actor Howard 
was speaking French that hadn’t 
been dubbed in. “We had him read 
it off prompter boards distributed 
all over the set,” he said. “That 
way he didn’t have to look in any 
special direction to see his lines. 
Whatever the natural camera angle, 
there Howard had *h ; s lines star- 
ing him right in the face. It 
worked out perfectly.” 

The French producer said he 
didn’t think it would be wise for 
the French industry to copy the 
Italians and set up an office in the 
U. S. “I don’t think it would do us 
a lot of good,” he remarked. 


Canada Gels 


Continued from page 7 


is the proposed date for unveiling 
Cinerama here. 

This throws out plans of Jean- 
Jacques Vital who had the idea 
of using the Empire on a 24-hour 
routine, with radio and tv shows 
in the morning and afternoon (to 
paid audiences), and then music 


i i 


which Canadian government facil 
ties would be available to them. 

In the shorts field, 1954 saw fou 
of the 18 subjects releqged lense 
in color, and two of these were i 
CinemaScope. In prior years, th 
number of shorts on Canada stoo 
at 15. Features made in or aboi 
Canada totaled 25 in 1952 and 2 
in 1951. 

During 1954, the number of Ci 
nadian items in tv newsreel 
propped by the theatrical reels ra 
to 71. 

The report, which carries still 
from CCP features and shorts, lisl 
the features with Canadian re 
erences. This might include bri< 
dialog exchanges, such as a ma 
saying: “I was thinking of takin 
a leisurely fishing trip off Nov 
Scotia before this came up” Or. i 
"Sitting Bull,” the reference; “Hi 
the general forgotten that Sittin 
Bull is just beyond the north coui 
try — in Canada!” 

A host of other activities furthc 
Canadian interests and serving th 
CCP purposes are also listed in th 
f report, 


Paris Legit Season Still Booms, 

With 4 Hits Out of 6 Openings 


— — « — ♦ 

Finn Censors Ban 7 

Columbia Pix in ’54 

Helsinki, Feb. 1. 

Survey of 1954 activities by the 
Finnish censors shows that Colum- 
bia was - especially hard hit with 
seven pix banned. United Artists 
four and RKO three films on the 
black list. A total of 23 U. S. pix 
were nixed. Great Britain, France, 
and Germany each had one banned 
pic, but the French won an appeal 
for the controversial “La Neige 
Etait Sale” as did RKO for its 
“Back to Bataan.” 

Among Columbia’s turned-down 
films were “The Wild One,” "Gun 
Fury” and “Lost Planet.” United 
Artists failed to get “I, the Jury” 
and “Stiddenly” accepted. Most 
sensational were the bans against 
“Night People” (20th) and “No 
Way Back” (German), both for po- 
litical reasons. The decisions of 
the Board of Censors lately have 
been criticized for their incon- 
sistency. 


Mex Govt. Has Big 
Clasa Plant Back 

Mexico City, Feb. 1. 

The government again has back 
on its hands Mexico’s original mod- 
ern pic studios, the 10-stage Clasa 
plant here. 

Without public explanation, the 
producers syndicate which Raul de 
Anda heads, withdrew the $160,000 
cash deposit it had posted with the 
trade’s own bank, the semi-official 
Banco National Cinematografico. to 
guarantee its intention to buy 
Clasa. The bank, acting for the 
government, recently invited trade 
members to bid for Clasa. the base 
price of which was $800,000. 

The syndicate also included Jesus 
Grovas. Armando Orive Alba, Al- 
fonso Rosas Pliego and Valentin 
Gascon. As soon as the buying 
deal was off, de Anda inked with 
the Tepeyac studios here to handle 
11 pix this year, five for him and 
six for Gascon. They are the first 
producers to reveal their tentative 
plans for 1955. 

Nacional Financiera, the govern- 
ment’s fiscal agency, will continue 
to operate Clasa. 


20th-Fox to Release 

Italo C’Scope Shorts 

Rome, Feb. 1. 

20th-Fox has taken over release 
of a series of CinemaScope color 
documentaries produced for them 
under a long-term agreement with 
Astra Cinemalografica. First batch 
of anamorphic shorts, now going 
the rounds with current 20th-Fox 
C’Scope feature releases, totals 14, 
all in Eastmancolor. They are 
printed on Ferraniacolor positives. 
Most afford widescreened glimpses 
of the Italian tourist spots such as 
Capri, Venice, Rome, etc. 

Astra, primarily a newsreel and 
documentary outfit, is now plan- 
ning to enlarge its scope with a 
larger percentage of feature pro- 
duction. Among upcoming plans 
are a C'Scope “Don Quixote,” to 
be co-produced with Spain or 
France late this year. Giuseppe 
DeSantis and Federico Fellini have 
been named as possible directors 
of “Quixote.” Company also is set- 
ting up a production for Jules 
Dassin, who will probably do 
“Mastro Don Gesualdo” this year. 
Spencer Tracy is being sought for 
the title role. 


London Legit Bits 

London. Feb. 8. 

Michael Renthall has extended 
his Old Vic contract another three 
years to remain for the completion 
of the five-year plan to produce all 
the Shakespearean plays in the 
First Folio. 

John Fernald is leaving the Arts 
Theatre next month to give his 
whole attention to his West End 
production activities. He is now 
working on “The Moon and the 
Chimney” for Henry Sherek. It’s 
due to come to town in March 
( a provincial tryout tour,.. 


Paris, Feb. 1. 

Six more legit openings, with 
four likely hits among them, fore- 
casts a solid average for the new 
batch of theatrical openings during 
this most prolific season here. Of 
the four hits, two are classics and 
two contemporary reprises. Two 
new additions, though written by 
old boulevard hands, look in for an 
early demise. 

Most grandiose newcomer is the 
Theatre National Populaire’s “Mac- 
beth,” adequately adapted by Jean 
Curtis. Curtis has not strained to 
transpose Shakespeare’s lyricism 
and has given a tight, solid text. The 
piece ably transferred by Jean 
Vilar to the huge stage of the Palais 
De Chaillot. Maria Casares is the 
pathologically ambitious Lady Mac- 
beth in a performance which 
stamps her one of the great trage- 
diennes of the present theatre 
here. Vilar is an impressive Mac- 
beth if lacking the weakness and 
vacillating aspects of the character. 
Use of lighting, sound and creation 
of mood is outstanding and ovation 
by a youthful, student crowd was 
tremendous. 

Jean-Louis Barrault-Madeleine- 
Renaud Co., at the Theatre Marigny, 
also has gone to the classics in 
resurrecting Racine’s “Berenile,’* 
with the great, tragic actress, 
Marie Bell, appearing with the 
company in her first chore since 
quitting the Comedie-Francaise. 
This poetic tragedy gets the sonor- 
ous, and brilliant staging needed 
with Miss Bell’s clear, ' graceful 
work. Drew rave notices. Paired 
with Christopher Fry’s “Sleep of 
Prisoners." it got bad notices.. It 
looks to do SRO on the twin lures 
of great quality and public notorie- 
ty. “Sleep” stays on despite the 
crix disapproval. 

‘Pygmalion* Another Hit 

Claude-Andre Paget’s adaptation 
of George Bernard Shaw's "Pyg- 
malion” at the Bouffes-Parisiens, 
is another in the hit sweepstakes, 
with Jean Marais and Jeanne Mo- 
reau scoring with crix. Although 
a bit faded in its social aspects, the 
firmness of the Shaw text, its pal- 
atable theme (plus the fine work of 
Miss Moreau) still possesses a flock 
of pleasing scenes. And Marais 
has done well in his decors and di- 
rection. He plays the lesser ro’e 
of Higgins. Miss Moreau amply 
portrays the metamorphosis of the 
guttersnipe into a creature of ele- 
gance. This makes two posthumous 
Shavian hits here, with “Arms and 
the Man” also doing fine biz. 

The two clinkers are by old hands 
Jacques Drval and Jean Guitton, 
being ‘II v A Longtemps Que Je 
T’Aime” (I’ve Always Loved You) 
at the Theatre Edouard VII, and 
“Lady 213,” at the Madeleine, re- 
specively. “Longtemps” is a hack- 
neyed attempt at a poetic comedy. 
Over-embroidered and obvious, th s 
languishes in its top heavy pro- 
gression. and wears out interest 
long before the denoument. Even 
the Jean-Pierre Aumont name in 
the cast w’on’t help this creaking 
melodrama get far. 

Guitton’s “Lady 213” is a drag- 
ging story of spying and interna- 
tional skulduggery which tires 
too early in the game. This 
is not helped by the unimagi- 
native, nervous thesping of Suzet 
Mails. It looks in for a short stay. 

‘Play With Me’ Revived Again 

Marcel Achard’s 1923 comedy. 
“Voulez Vous Jouer Avec Moi?” 
(Will You Play With Me?), has 
been given a fine mounting at the 
Tfleatre En Rond, in circle theatre 
staging. It is immeasurably helped 
by this type of format since in 
keeping with the play’s circus at- 
mosphere. Got fine reviews and 
looks to stay for long time. It’s in 
its third revival but for first time 
getting the services of former 
nitery and revue clowns in Robert 
Dhery, Christian Duvaleix, Colette 
Brosset and Jacques Duby. A spec- 
tator falls in love with the comely 
bareback rider, and when he re- 
sponds to the invitation to play 
wth her he enters the colorful 
carny world. Here the clowns and 
personnages tear into various as- 
pects of life in a symbolic but 
breezy way. 

Dhery supplies a brand of poetry 
and character in the clown role, 
and the others lend ample support. 
Here is something for off-Broadway 
oj; straw hat reprise. . , Mosk. 



'VARICTY'r LONDON OFF ICO 
• St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square 


INTERNATIONAL 15 


Seven Arg. Firstruns, 13 Moveovers 

Ordered to Obey Vaude Law, Or Else 

♦ — 


London Wanner, Biz Better; 'Rough’ 
Boffo $12 JO, 'Bull’ Fancy $8,500, 
Coldlitz’ Same, 'Brides’ $10,800, 6th 


Buenos Aires, Fetk 1. 

Exhibitors have been in a hassle 
with the authorities here for some 
time over the despised obligatory 
vaudeville law, which is a real 
headache to not only them, but 
also audiences. Latter are still vo- 
cal in their displeasure with many 
acts. Patrols definitely prefer pa- 
tronizing picture shows at times 
when vaude is not included. But 
the officials go right ahead trying 
to force the law. 

Last month the Labor Ministry 
ordered seven first-run houses in 
Mar del Plata to tee off with vau- 
deville the middle of the month. 
Thirteen moveover houses here re- 
ceived similar orders effective 
March 1. Many are dickering for a 
postponement because most-of the 
theatres have no dressing rooms, 
stages or any talent lined up. The 
law is also to be enforced in sev- 
eral provincial cities. But nobody 
ever explains where all the talent 
is to be obtained. 

The exhibs fought hard to ob- 
tain a temporary suspension of the 
vaude law during summer, and to 
get elimination of acts at least 
three days weekly because receipts 
are so low. This effort was coun- 
tered by a peremptory order to 
fall into line or else. It will be dif- 
ficult for the government to en- 
force the law in rural areas be- 
cause in most small towns theatres 
are shuttered except on Saturdays 
and Sundays. Weekend operation 
only is necessary because costs are 
too high for full weekly operation. 

Vaude Acts Want 60% Raise 

Vaudeville talent is claiming that 
Mar del Plata exhibs should pay a 
60% increase over the rate of pay 
fixed by the Labor Ministry, citing 
the high cost of travel and accom- 
modation at the beach resort city. 
Exhibitors consider this unfair, 
since contending any sock business 
at vacation spots stems from the 
film fare. 

Typical example of the head- 
aches for Latin-American exhibs 
nowadays turned up in the north- 
ern provincial city of Tucuman, 
where temperatures are torrid al- 
most six months per year. The 
municipal authorities have given 
theatres there 180 days to air- 
condition their houses. This is a 
manifest impossibility because 
even if they had the coin, the 
Argentine Central Bank will not 
issue permits for importation of 
the equipment. Actually several 
major Tucuman cinemas are all 
ready for installation of cooling 
plants but they have been unable 
to buy them since none are on 
the market. 

The most fallacious part of the 
Tucuman municipality’s fiat is that 
by the time the 180-day period is 
up, it will be June and briskly cold 
in that city. 

Tucuman cinemas scales are still 
at the low levels of April last year, 
the Tucuman provincial govern- 
ment never permitting any admis- 
sion increase. 

Scotland Yard Resents 
BBC’s Telepix Series 

London. Feb. 1. 

Asserting that the “Fabian of 
the Yard” telepix series, now being 
screened on BBC-TV, give a false 
impression of how Scotland Yard 
operates and implies that the police 
force does not always act in accord- 
ance with the law, the police com- 
missioner has protested to Sir Ian 
Jacob, BBC Director-General. He 
has requested that the public 
should be told the films are ficti- 
tious and have no support from the 
yard. 

Fifth in the “Fabian” series was 
aired Jan. 29. The commissioner 
believes that the opening shots in 
the films showing the star walking 
into Scotland Yard implies of- 
ficial co-operation in the produc- 
tion. 


Scot Television Center 

Glasgow, Feb. 1. 

British Broadcasting Corp. plans 
!° build a gigantic new building 
m Queen Margaret Drive here to 
•^erve as a Scot Television Center. 
11 would be alongside the present 
i>ulio headquarters. 

Latest equipment will be In* 
■'billed, and center will act as base 
ur entire Scot tv service.- 


Brit TV Interests 

Bay Into Film Lab 

London, Feb. 1. 

Commercial tele interests have 
bought into George Humphries & 
Co., a v major London film !. bora- 
tory, presumably as a means of as- 
suring adequate processing facili- 
ties when the advent of the new 
web makes heavy demands on ex- 
isting resources. Sir Arthur Jar- 
ratt, managing director of the new 
British Lion outfit, is chairman of 
Humphries. 

Sidney L. and Cecil G. Bernstein, 
the Granada group toppers who 
have been named as program con- 
tractors for the commercial tv out- 
let in Manchester, have acquired 
the holding of Randal Terreneau in 
Humphries, and are to become di- 
rectors. Terreneau is retiring 
from the board. 

This announcement was accom- 
panied by news that invitations to 
join the lab board have been ex- 
tended to Paul Adorian and F. J. 
Bellchamber, both of whom are as- 
sociated with Broadcast Relay 
Services, the company which is to 
run the London rival tv station in 
conjunction with Associated News- 
papers. 


'Xmas’ Holiday 
Smash in Aussie 

Sydney, Feb. 1. 

With the annual school vacation 
ended, cinemas here will miss the 
juvenile trade. But the buffo box- 
office was a great exhib treat while 
it lasted. It was the biggest Xmas- 
New Year’s period ever.. 

“White Christmas” (Pari is one 
of the pacemakers nationally, top- 
ping Paramount’s previous best re- 
lease, “Greatest Show on Earth.” 

In the first three weeks of run 
in Brisbane, “Xmas,” played to 
100,000 or one-fifth of the city’s 
population. 

Of Sydney’s 17 firstruns, 11 are 
continuing with pix which have 
been running five weeks or more. 
These are: “Susan Slept Here” 
(RKO), “The Kidnappers” (British 
Empire), “Adventures of Hajji 
Baba” (20th), “Gone With Wind” 
(Metro) (reissue), “Hell Below 
Zero” (Col) and “Massacre Can- 
yon” (Col), “Woman’s World” 

I (20th), “Living Desert” (Disney), 
“White Christmas” (Par), “Coins 
in Fountain” (20th), “Magnificent 
Obsession” (U), “Ma and Pa Kettle 
at Waikiki” (U) and “Drums 
Across River” (U). 

“Brigadoon” (M-G) bowed out 
of the St. James after racking up 
seven smash weeks, while “Adven- 
tures Robinson Crusoe” (UA) quit 
at the Palace with five profitable 
stanzas to its credit. 

Of the newcomers here, “Ring of 
Fear” (WB) is pacing the field 
with a terrific coin intake at the 
Plaza, and day-date at five of 
Hoyts’ leading nabe spots. 

UA launched “Suddenly” at the 
Palace, to coincide with Frank 
Sinatra’s visit on Gordon and 
Reyes’ stadium circuit. 

Sultan Braves Bandits 
To Open Malaya Cinema 

Singapore, Feb. 1. 

Opening new theatres may have 
its hazards in Malaya but His High- 
ness, the Sultan of Pahang, who 
rules the largest Malayan state, was 
undaunted last week when he drove 
through nearly 60 miles of “bandit- 
infested” country to preside at un- 
veiling ceremonies for the new 
Cathay Cinema In Kuantan, 
Malaya. 

A few days earlier, a bandit was 
killed on the same route the Sul- 
tan took going from Kuantan to his 
home in Pekan. After officiating 
at the opening of this latest link 
in Cathay Organization chain, His 
Highness returned to Pekan ac- 
companied by a family retinue of 
10 members and a small police 
escort. Initial bill, appropriately 
] enough, was "King of the Khyber 
l Rifles” (20tlv).' • • >• 


New Cinema Building 
On Upbeat in Holland 

Amsterdam, Feb. 1. 

Although “closed trade” - exists 
in this country and new theatres 
may be built only after permission 
by a special committee of the 
Dutch Bioscoop Bond, which gives 
okays only when it seems probable 
that a new theatre won’t hurt the 
existing houses, there is now more 
activity in building of new cinemas 
than of any time since the war. In 
towns which were bombed severe- 
ly during the war, many new li- 
censes have been given. 

In Nijmegen and Arnheim, both 
heavily damaged during the last 
conflict, fine, new theatres have 
been opened in the last few 
months. Rotterdam, where about 
50% of the film houses were de- 
stroyed, four new houses were 
opened within four weeks. The 
number of theatres in Holland now 
totals about 520. of which 100 now 
have Cinemascope. 

French Pix Take 0’seas 
Doubled ’53 Biz to Hit 
$8,427,000 in Past Year 

Paris, Feb. 8. 

According to statistics released ; 
by the Centre National De La 
Cinematographie, the foreign in- 
come for French film producers 
doubled in 1954. Big flux in both 
the French Union and foreign take 
came to $8,427,000 as compared to 
$4,263,000 in 1953. Some claim 
this is the result of the official 
efforts to increase French markets 
and prestig^plus bilateral accords, 
coproduction deals and the new 
organizations set up (i.e. Unifrance) 
to hypo Gallic pix abroad. The 
various Film Weeks held in the 
capita’s of the world were also ad- 
vanced as a reason for this hike in 
foreign revenue. 

Breakdown shows Belgium, with 
$1,743,000, as the biggest market. 
Switzerland, with $717,000, was 
second and Canada ($438,000) was 
third. The French-speaking area 
in last-named was a big factor. 
Biggest foreign lingo area was Ger- 
many, with a solid $1,731,000. 

Italy, despite the large copro- 
duction with, France, was only a 
disappointing $195,000. However, 
there is the extenuating fact that 
coproductions are considered Italo 
entries and this figure applies 
mainly to the all-Gallic pic. 

Sweden comes next, followed by 
Holland, South America and the 
U. S. Iron Curtain income hit 
$186,000, taking in Russia, Hun- 
gary, Poland and Czechoslovakia. 

Eckstine Returns To 

England This Spring 

London, Feb. 1. 

Billy Eckstine returns to Britain 
in the spring for an extensive 
vaude tour which will take him to 
nabe situations in London and key 
provincial cities. Last season he 
topped the bill at the Palladium 
before touring the country. 

After a one-night stand in Leices- 
ter April 17, Eckstine opens at 
the Finsbury Park Empire, Lon- 
don, the fololwing day and is 
hooked solid for the next eight 
weeks. His latest disk, “No One 
but You,” is currently No. 3 on the 
best-sellers list. 


181-YR.OLD HOUSE TO CLOSE 


Birmingham Theatre Royal to 
Make Way for Office Bldg. 


Birmingham, Eng., Feb. 8. 

Acknowledged to be the second 
oldest theatre in the British prov- 
inces, the Theatre Royal, here, 
opened in 1774, is to be shuttered. 
Currently operated as part of the 
Moss’s Empires chain, it will be 
pulled down to make way for mod- 
ern offices and shops. The Royal 
opened as the Playhouse, but has 
been called the Theatre Royal for 
the last 150 years. 

Closure of the Royal will leave 
Birmingham, busy industrial city, 
with only two theatres in its city- 
center, the Hippodrome and the 
Alexandra. The Empire and the 
Prince of Wales theatres were 
blitzed by the Nazis, while the 
Grand Theatre is now a furniture 
emporium. 

Shuttering of vauderies in dif- 
ferent parts of Britain has been a 
disturbing feature of show biz 
news in the United Kingdom re- 
cently. Growing threat of tv is re- 
garded as largely responsible. * 


60 Techni Prints For 
‘Senso’ Mass Release 

Rome, Feb. 1. 

The 60 Technicolor prints or- 
dered and delivered to Lux Film 
for its current, mass release of 
“Senso” in 58 Italian cities is 
claimed a record for this country, 
where a print order of 30 is more 
the norm. Prints were rushed out 
by the London Techni labs after 
some cuts had been made by cen- 
sorship bodies following the Venice 
Festival presentation of the pic- 
ture. 

“Senso," a costumer, stars Ali^a 
Valli and Farley Granger. It was 
directed by Luchino Visconti, with 
G. R. Aldo and Robert Krasker at 
the camera. Critical reaction 
throughout the country was largely 
favorable. 


Paris Legit Crix, 
Authors Wrangle 

Paris, Feb. 8. 

Probably a good sign of legit fer- 
tility here is the recent wranglings 
between crix and playwrights as 
well as between part of the public 
and a director-producer on the 
other hand. Hassles are being car- 
ried on in the dailies with the re- 
sult that patronage interest has 
been aroused in some cases. 

First spat occurred when Roger 
Ferdinand, prexy of the Societe Des 
Auteurs Dramatiques, took a slap 
at drama critic Max Favelelli for 
not devoting enough space to a re- 
view, and being flippant rather than 
constructive. It was over Jean 
Guitton’s “Lady 213,” about which 
Favalelli said how relieved he was 
at not having to face the other 212 
ladies. Ferdinand took objection 
mainly over the lack of space 
rather than the content. 

Favalelli answered in a column 
in his paper, Paris-Presse, that all 
crix had unanimously panned this 
trite entry and he had complete 
liberty of his pen controlled only 
by his editors and his public. He 
also made the point that Ferdinand 
was exacting more copious pan- 
nings of bad plays. 

All this did not help “Lady 213” 
which got a solid drubbing, at 
greater length, by all crix. It is 
now closing to make way for a 
rushed-in jreprise of Marc Gilbert 
Sauvajon’s “Dear Charles.” 

Barrault Answers Audience 

Jcan-Louis Barrault answered the 
first night public, who had whistled 
and booed his production of Chris- 
topher Fry’s “Sleep of Prisoners” 
in the weekly, Les Arts. Barrault 
felt that the succeeding we/come of 
this piece by ordinary audiences 
was usually with rapt attention and 
appreciation. He felt that perhaps 
his pairing of the tragedy of 
Racine’s “Berenice” and “Sleep” 
on the same program was too rich 
a menu and perhaps led to the in- 
ability of some of the first nighters 
to concentrate. 

He stated that the English pass 
from humor to tragedy with more 
suppleness than the French. He 
said the English public is candid 
and believes first, and criticizes af- 
terward, while it is the opposite 
with the French. In summing up 
Barrault felt it was a good thing 
to have this intensity in reaction 
to plays for it signified a healthy 
theatrical status. 

In the Barrault case, his “Bere- 
nice” and “Sleep” combo rates as 
another hit in his varied rep. 


New Swank Mex City Nitery 

Mexico City, Feb. 1. 

Lati st nitery is the super swanky 
Club Reforma in the Hotel Re- 
forma, pioneer local ritzy hostelry, 
which opened good Jan. 27. 

First show featured Monica Boyar 
and Everett Hoagland orch. Latter 
was long bandmaster at the de- 
funct Ciro’s, also in the Reforma. 


With the end of the extreme 
cold spell and return of brighter 
weather. West End firstruns have 
take* on a healthy look. Most situ- 
ations did brisk biz during the past 
session. 

Among the newcomers there are 
three sturdy entries. “Rough Com- 
edy” made • boff start at the 
Odeon, Leicester Square, with a 
smash $12,500 likely in initial 
stanza. “Sitting Bull” looks fancy 
$8,500 opening week at London 
Pavilion. The British-made “Cold- 
litz Story” looks to finish its first 
round at the larger Gaumont with 
the same figure. 

“Carmen Jones” and “Seven 
ifrides for Seven Brothers” are 
leading holdover field, former 
heading in fourth frame at the 
Odeon, Marble Arch, for great 
$11,000. The latter held to fine 
$10,800 in its sixth Empire round. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Carlton (20th) (1,128; 55-$ 1.70)— 
“Women’s World” (20th >. (3d wk). 
Steady $7,000. Last week. $7,600. 

Casino (Indie) (1,337; 70-$2.15)— 
"Cinerama" (Robin) (17th wk). 
Fine at $13,500. Stays indef. 

Empire (M-G) (3,099; 55-$ 1.70)— 
“7 Brides for 7 Brothers” (M-G) 
(6th wk). Heading for solid $10,800 
in final frame after $10,900 last 
week. “Green Fingers”' (M-G) 
preems Feb. 3. 

Gaumont (CMA) (1,500; 50-$1.70) 
—“Coldlitz Story” (BLi. Opened to 
unanimous raves and likely to get 
hefty $8,500. Stays at least two 
more weeks. 

Leicester Square Theatre (CMA) 
(1,753; 50-$1.70> — “Simba” (GFD) 
(2d wk). Okay $6,000 after $6,700 
opening week. “Out of Clouds” 
(GFD) bows Feb. 10. 

London Pavilion (UA) (1.217; 50- 
$1.70) — "Sitting Bull” (UA) and 
“Little Fugitive” (UA) (1st wk). 
Opened strongly with over $8,500, 
fine. “Vera Cruz” (UA) opens 
Feb. 11. 

Odeon, Leicester Square (CMA) 
(2,200; 50-$1.70) — “Rough Com- 
pany” (Col). Prospects are for 
smash $12,500 opening round. 
Stays. 

Odeon. Marble Arch (20th) 
(2,200; 50-$1.70) — “Carmen Jones” 
(20th) (4th wk). Still big at $11,000 
or near. Previous frame topped 
$11,500. “Show Business” (20th) 
opens with Royal charity gala 
Feb. 3. 

Plaza (Par) (1,902; 70-$1.70) — 
“To Paris With Love" (GFD) (3d 
wk). Only fair $4,00Q or near. Last 
week, $4,900. 

Rialto (20th) (592; 50-$1.30) — 
“Carmen Jones” (20th). Okay 
$3,600. Continues. 

Ritz (M-G) (432; 50-$1.70)— “Ani- 
mal Farm” (AB-Pathe) (3d wk). 
Fair $3,400 after $3,600 in second 
week. Holds. 

Warner (WB) (1,735; 50-$1.70) — 
“Man Who Loved Redheads” <BL) 
(2d wk). Below hopes at fair $6,500 
First week was $7,300. "Young at 
Heart” (WB) opens Feb. 3. 


Hamp Stars in Stage, 
Screen and Tel Aviv 

Tel Aviv, Fek 8. 

Lionel Hampton’s swing through 
Israel is SRO all the way. Band, 
which is making its initial trek 
through Israel, is playing to sellout 
crowds in its 20 concert dates. 

Hampton is playing without fees 
and the money raised will be used 
to build a hospital in Jaffa. Moishe 
Dayon is promoting the band's 
Israeli tour. Before returning to 
the U. S., Hampton will play two 
weeks at the Olympia Theatre, 
Paris. 


C’Scope Preems in Korea 

Seoul, Feb. 1. 

Korea got its first look at Cine- 
mascope last week when the U. S. 
Eighth Army, which runs the Yong* 
san Theatre here, preemed the 
“King Richard and the Crusaders.” 
Other houses in Inchon, Taegu and 
Pusan will get C’Scope this week. 

Size of the Yongsan screen is 
only 11 by 25 feet, building limita- 
tions preventing anything larger. 
VistaVision preemed here Xmas 
week with “White Christmas.” 



16 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 



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18 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 



Precedents Litigation On Pensions 


Former Boothmen at Roxy, N. Y., Say Union Pact 
Aborted Their 20th Retirement Payoff 


Suit which may have repercus- Lee Sees Toll Sure 
sions in determining pension rights Minneapolis, Feb. 8. 

of fi.m employees came to light in in one 0 f th e first expres- 
N. Y. Supreme Court as a result sion on the subject to come 

of a motion entered by Local 306, from a member of the! Federal 
Projectionists Union, International Communications Commission, 
Alliance of Theatrical Stage Em- Commissioner Robert E. Lee 
ployccs. Boothmen’s union is seek- told the annual meet of the 

ing dismissal of an action against Minnesota Employers Assn, 

it by 20th-Fox as party to a suit here that sbscription-tv was in 

filed by three projectionists for- the cards. 


Exhib’s Civic Tap 

Denver, Feb. 8. 

Robert Lotito, manager of 
the Denham, has been named 
Denver’s "Young Man of the 
Year” by the Junior Chamber 
of Commerce. 

Presentation of the plaque 
was made by Mayor Quigg 
Newton, a former -winner of 
the honor. 



‘Selective’ Is Rule 


As Wariness Also 


merlv employed by the Roxy The- 
atre, N. Y. 

Suit, by Samuel Kravitz, Isadore 
Sherman, and Solomon Spielfogel, 
asks the court to declare that 
neither Local 306 nor the Roxy 
Theatre have the right to modify 
or alter the te rns and conditions 
of tlie employees’ retirement plan 
started by 20th in 1946. Plaintiffs 
charge that the Feb. 8, 1951, agree- 
ment between Local 306 and the 
Roxy was adopted and approved 
without their consent and, as a re- 
sult, are asking that it be declared 
null and void, and that the court 
enjoin enforcing of the 1951 deal. 

When 23th and the directors of 
the retirement fund were namod 
in the suit, the film company, which 
operated the Roxy until it was 
taken over by National Theatres in 
Sept., 1952, filed a complaint 
against Herman Gelber, prexy, and 
Abe Kessler, treasurer, of Lo'-'l 
306 s nee the agreement was made 
with the union officials. 

Under the 1951 agreement be- 
tween the union and 20th, the three 
projectionists claimed they vfere 
rot entitled to the pension rights 
they were to receive under the 20th 
retirement plan. The new agree- 
ment apparently shifted the projec- 
tionists from the 20th retirement 
plan to the union’s pension and 
welfare plan. 

The three boothmen made a writ- 
ten demand for the benefits under 
the 1946 20th plan when they 
sought to retire as employees of 
the Roxy. They were turned down, 
with 29th citing the new agreement 
with the union. In filing the third 
party complaint against the union, 
20th sought to establish that the 
projectionists’ beef was against Lo- 
cal 306 and not 20th. 

The union, in 1951, agreed on be- 
half of its members that any em- 
ployee who on Sept. 1, 1950, had 
not been in the employ of the Roxy 
for 15 years had no rights under 
the 20th retirement plan. The three 
boothmen claimed they had put in 
the necessary time and had reached 
the retirement age of 50. 

RISK UPS EXTRAS’ PAY 
TO $70 PER DIEM 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

A mob scene in Paramount’s 
'‘Vagabond King” was so “realistic 
and dangerous,” studio had to 
hike pay for 200 extras from $19.43 
each for the day to $70 each, under 
a joint ruling of Screen Actors 
Guild and Screen Extras Guild. It 
was the largest^ mass adjustment 
in the history of the guilds. 

Normally extras work for the 
$19.43 minimum, but the guilds af- 
ter investigating judged the scene 
was so realistic extras were actual- 
ly doing stunt work, hence the rul- 
ing extras were entitled to $70 
each, which is daily minimum for 
stuntmen. 

Cinerama Tourist on Road 
For K.C. Fashion House 

Kansas City, Feb. 8. 

Betty Marsh, the young house- 
wife featured in "Cinerama Holi- 
day,” is doing a stint as a fashion 
consultant for a coat and suit 
house here in connection with na- 
tional promotion of the picture. 
Stern-Slegman-Prins is sending 
her on a tour of eight cities ap- 
pearing at outlets which handle its 
Betty Rose line. 

Tour includes a kickoff here at 
the Kmcry-Bird-Thayer store Feb. 
23, and stops in Phoenix, Green 
Bay, Wis.; Appleton, Wis.; Sheboy- 
gan, Wis.; Milwaukee, Minneapolis 
and Louisvilje. Details are being 
handled by Paul Scott, vice presi- 
dent in charge of advertising for 
the fashion house, who made the 
contact with Cinerama. 

Basis for the tie-up is the angle 
of Paris fashions with which, Mrs. 
Marsh became familiar through 
the film. 


He said he saw "a promising 
. future for subscription-tv as 
another new development 
which will have to be given a 
chance to develop.” Lee saw 
toll-tv as a special events me- 
dium in which a fee of not 
more than $1 per event would 
be allowed. 



Quarterly Profit 
Of Warner Bros. 


At $1,203,000 

Warner Bros, has reported a net 
profit of $1,203,000 for the three 
months ending Nov. 25, 1954, after 
provisions of $1,300,000 for Fed- 
eral taxes and $175,000 for con- 
tingent liabilities. This is equiva- 
lent to 48c per share on 2.474,300 
shares outstanding. A 30c dividend 
was declared previously. 

For the same period a year ago, 
the net was $765,000, or 30c a 
share on 2,474,363 shares, after 
provision of $825,000 for Federal 
taxes and $75,000 for contingent 
liabilities. 

Film rentals, sales and other 
income amounted to $18,414,000 
for the period, as compared with 
$15,825,000 a year ago. 

At the second annual stockhold- 
ers’ meeting since the company re- 
organized, held last week in Wil- 
mington, Del., shareholders were 
told there is insufficient data 
available upon which to base an 
estimate for the results of opera- 
tions for the current quarter end- 
ing Feb. 25. However, it was not- 
ed, that based on operations for 
the months of December and 
January, it is anticipated that the 
operating results for the second 
quarter will not be as favorable as 
the first quarter. 

Over 80% of the outstanding 
stock was represented in person 
or by proxy at the meet, and 
stockholders amended the Certifi- 
cate of Incorporation to provide 
for two classes of directors, with 
the directors serving for two years 
and terms of each class expiring 
in alternate years. 

Waddill Catchings, Robert W. 
Perkins, Albert, Harry M., and 
Jack L. Warner were elected di- 
rectors for terms of two years. The 
remainder of the board consists of 
Samuel Carlisle, Stanleigh Fried- 
man, and Samuel Schneider, whose 
terms expire in 1956. 

Ring Lardner’s New Brief 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

Ring Lardner Jr. filed a brief 
last week replying to one by 20th- 
Fox in opposition to a U. S. Su- 
preme Court review of Lardner’s 
salary suit against the studio. 
Lardner, fired for defying the 
House Un-American Activities 
Committee in 1947, is suing for 
salary for the balance of his then 
contract. 

"The issue of whether petition- 
er’s offense was one of moral turpi- 
tude is ripe for decision on the 
present petition,” says the new 
Lardner brief. "If this court should 
reverse the Circuit Court on the 
issue, then the judgment based on 
the jury’s verdict in the District 
Court will stand, and determina- 
tion will be a final one. 

"Where jury trial exists as a 
matter of right, it is for the jury 
alone to decide whether conduct 
constitutes a breach of contract 
permitting discharge for an act in- 
volving moral turpitude.” 

Lardner won in the trial court 
blit was reversed by the 9th Circuit 
I Court. 


Hits Amusements 

By MIKE WEAR 

The stock market became more 
and more selective last week and 
so did shares in the Amusement 
Group. Wall Street saw decli- 
ning prices much of the five-day. 
period but managed to go into new 
high ground at the close. 

. Just how selective stocks be- 
came is shown by the new highs 
recorded by some film and cinema 
shares at the same time a long list 
of losses was being made. ABC- 
Paramount Theatres went to new 
high at 267s, up nearly two points 
for the week. Columbia Pictures 
also registered a fresh 1954-55 peak 
at 3974, but showed a loss on the 
week, ex-divvy. 

RCA made a new high at 42V4, 
and showed a gain of one point on 
the week. General Precision 
Equipment also moved into fresh 
ground but wound up with a loss of 
around a point. Stanley-Warner 
also edged to a new high as did 
Universal preferred. 

Losers on the week were Decca, 
both CBS stocks (both over 2 points 
each), Loew’s, National Theatres, 
20th-Fox, RKO Pix, Skiatron, WB, 
and Zenith, last-named being down 
374. 

Aside from the issues which 
made new peak?, typical of spe- 
cial situations attracting attention 
are Republic common, which 
equalled its old high; Allied 
Artists preferred (near its old high 
mark) and Technicolor. Last- 
named has been giving evidence 
of accumulation for several weeks. 
For three weeks in a row, it has 
wound up at 14%, and the fourth 
week it was 15. 

Technicolor Bright 

Always a moderate “mover” since 
split two-for-one about a year ago, 
Techni shareholders are looking 
forward to a particularly strong 
earnings statement, around Feb 18. 
It is expected to show $1.22 per 
share or better for the year (com- 
pany has no preferred issue). The 
^ock had earnings of 41c a share 
in the third quarter against 26c in 
1953 and probably will report close 
to 50c per in the final ’54 quarter 
compared to 12c a year ago. Final 
quarter of 1953 was when many 
theatres were not equipped for 
C’Scope. Now there are about 14 
times as many cinemas in the 
world equipped for C’Scope than 
at that time, or around 14,000 
houses. 

Corporation has expanded its 
printing facilities, with Paris, Rome 
and India expected to have Teehni 
plants operating this /ear. Print- 
ing work is obviously one of back- 
bones of its earnings. When a fea- 
ture picture requires a number o£ 
Techni prints or Technicolor print- 
ing this spells more work. It’s 
estimated that the number of prints 
made for "White Christmas” by 
the end of this month will reach 
close to an all-time high mark for 
a Paramount pic. 

Another forthcoming big job is 
on "Underwater,” new Jane Rus- 
sell starrer, with the company re- 
ported to have orders already for 
450 prints. This would make one 
of RKO’s the biggest color print 
jobs in years. The additional print 
work expected from the foreign 
market is regarded by Techni 
execs as just so much velvet. And 
the revenue can be transferred. 

Technicolor’s liberal dividend 
policy plus future developments 
has led some traders in Wall Street 
to class it as "behind the market." 
Reports and developments over the 
next few weeks should spell out its 
prospects for the immediate future. 

The special showing by Stanley- 
Warner last week appears pred- 
icated on the belief that "Cinerama 
Holiday” will be received as well 
by the public as the initial Cine- 
| rama production. 


Amusement Stock Quotations 


f/V.Y. Stock Exchange) 

For Week Ending Tuesday (8) 


1954- ’55 

Weekly Vol.Weekly Weekly 

Tnes. 

' Net 
Change 

High 

Low 

In 100s 

High 

Low 

Close 

for week 

26% 

14% 

Am Br-Par Th 

382 

26% 

25% 

25% 

— % 

94% 

41% 

CBS, “A” . . . 

35 

8974 

8f% 

86% 

—3% 

93% 

41% 

CBS, “B” . . . 

% 

8~% 

f 

F 

- —5% 

39(4 

19% 

Col. Pix 

102 

38% 

36% 

36% 

« — 2% 

18% 

974 

Decca 

171 

15% 

14% 

15 

— % 

74% . 

46% 

Eastman Kdk. 

1C8 

7C% 


63% 

—4% 

22 

1374 

Loew’s 

362 

20% 

1974 

19% 

. — 

1074 

6% 

'Nat. Thea. . . 

275 

10. 

9% 

9% 

— % 

40% 

26% 

Paramount . . 

60 

38% 

3r % 

38% 

— % 

39% 

28 

Philco 

100 

37% 

36/a 

367/a 

— % 

42% 

22% 

RCA 

421 

42 

40(4 

40^4 

—1% 

87k 

2% 

RKO Piets. . . 

98 

8 

7% 

734 

— % 

10% 

4% 

RKO Thea. . . 

218 

9 s 4 

9% 

9% 

-f % 

774 

3 

Republic . . . 

228 

7% 

6% 

6% 

+ 7k 

14% 

1074 

Rep., pfd. . . . 

7 

1474 

14% 

14% 

+ % 

2i% 

li% 

S’aul'v War. 

486 

21% 

20% 

21% 

+ 1 

31% 

18% 

20th-Fox 

183 

29% 

28% 

28% 

—1% 

3274 

18% 

Univ. Pix. . . . 

27 

30 

29% 

29% 

— 3-4 

91 

63% 

Univ., pfd. . . 

*990 

91 

8 . 

90 

+ 2 

2174 

13% 

Warner Bros.. 

65 

1974 

18% * 

18% 

— % 

96 

63% 

Zenith 

28 

91 

88% 

88% 

—2 


American Stock Exchange 


6 

3% 

Allied Artists 

94 

5% 

43^ 

5% 

+ 

% 

11% 

934 

Ail’d Art., pfd. 

23 

11% 

10% 

11% 

+ 

74 

16% 

9% 

Du Mont .... 

232 

15% 

1474 

15% 

+ 

% 

16% 

11 % 

Technicolor . 

308 

15% 

14% 

15% 

+ 

% 

4% 

234 

Trans-Lux . . . 

14 

4% 

3% 

3% 


34 


Over-the-Counter Securities 



Bid 

Ask 



Capitol Records 


17% 

— 


Chesapeake Industries 


4% 

— 

% 

Cinerama Inc 

2% 

3% 


% 

Cinerama Prod 

5% 

6 

+ 

% 

Official Films 

3% 

334 

4- 

% 

Skiatron 

4 

4% 


7k 

U. A. Theatres 1 

15% 

17% 

— 

1 

Walt Disney 

20% 

21% 

— 

1% 

( Quotations furnished 

bp Dreyfus & C 0.1 




* Actual volume. 


Latest CinemaScope Count: 11,032 

Majority of Houses Use Optical Sound Only — 
1,461 Drive-Ins Now Equipped for Widescreen 


Bets Down On 35m 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Motion pictures will con- 
tine to prosper via 35m pro- 
jection, according to Spyros P. 
Skouras, president of 20th- 
Fox. He does not see the fu- 
ture tied to such processes as 
Cinerama or Todd-AO, nor to 
home-toll television. 



WB-Knopf Appeal 
To High Court On 


‘Spade’ Vs. CBS 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

Warner Bros, and the publishing 
firm of Alfred Knopf have filed a 
joint appeal to the U. S. Supreme 
Court for reversal" of a copyright 
infringement decision by the U. S. 
Circuit Court of Appeals in Los 
Angeles. 

Original suit, entered by WB 
and Khopf, named CBS, William 
Spier, the Wildroot Co., BBD&O 
ad agency, and writer Dashiell 
Hammett and involved the use of 
Hammett’s fictional characters Sam 
Spade, Effie Perrine, and Police 
Lt. Dundy in the radio series “The 
Adventures of Sam Spade” from 
1946 to 1950. 

WB contends that when it bought 
the rights to Hammett’s novel, 
"The Maltese Falcon,” from Knopf 
it obtained the film and radio-tv 
to the book as well as to the char- 
acters therein. Warners acquired 
"Maltese” in 1930, subsequently 
made three pictures based on the 
book, the last being "The Maltese 
Falcon” in 1941. Hammett, who 
peddled the rights to Sam Spade 
and other characters to CBS, claims 
that WB does not have the radio- 
tv rights to the characters. 

WB and Knopf, in filing the ap- 
peal with the high court, point out 
there is a clash in the decision of 
the L. A. court as compared to 
similar cases recently before the 
U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 
N. Y. Latter Court ruled,, accord- 
ing to Warners, that the fictional 
characters as well as the book 
come under copyright protection. 


Latest 20th-Fox count of U. S. 
theatres equipped for Cinema- 
Scope shows a total of 11,032, the 
vast majority — 6,891 — featuring op- 
tical sound only. Of the 11,032, 
drive-ins account for 1,461, a sig- 
nificant increase within the past 
few months. 

Installations are still being made 
at ftie rate of between 200 and 300 
a week. Of the 11,032 total, less 
than one third — 3,461 — are 
equipped for stereophonic sound. 
There are 584 mixers installed 
and 96 houses have singletrack 
magnetic sound equipment. 

Total of indoor theatres equipped 
runs to 9,407. The Army has 157 
of its theatres set for C’Scope and 
there are seven non-theatrical in- 
stallations. Foreign C’Scope instal- 
lations run to over 3,000. 

RE-SHOOT TRAILERS; 
C’SCOPE AFTERMATH 

Chicago. Feb 8. 

Installation of CinemaScope and 
wide screen equipment in theatres 
here has caused trailer makers to 
duplicate their libraries of stock 
institutional trailers filmed for the 
standard screen ratio, in sizes suit- 
able for new, larger screen sizes. 

Accordingly, Filmack Trailer 
Company is re-shooting its entire 
line of institutional trailers for 
the wider screens. 

UA Insists ‘Romeo’ Go On ; 
Defer Jap ‘Gates’ Preeni 

San Francisco, Feb. 8. 

The new Japanese art film 
“Gates of Hell” which was sup- 
posed to open at the Stagedoor 
Feb. 16 has had to be postponed 
until March because of the insist- 
ence by United Artists that "Romeo 
and Juliet,” currently in its 7th 
week at the house and still gross- 
ing well, be held over until 
March 2. 

Change of plans forced Henry 
Pincus, manager of the Stagedoor, 
to cancel a sell-out $1,000 private 
prevue of the Jap film scheduled 
for Feb. 16 and contracted for by 
! the Japanese American League and 
| at which Japanese diplomatic dig- 
j nitaries were expected to he 
I present. 



Setting a roaring 
boxoffice pace 
everywhere! 


i ■ ' 


Cinemascope 


Color by DELUXE 


STARRING 


KIRK DOUGLAS BELLA DARVI GILBERT ROLAND 


also starring 


CESAR ROMERO • LEE J. COBB • KATY JORADO 


PRODUCED BY 


DIRECTED BY 


SCREEN PLAY BY 


JULIAN BLAUSTEIN • HENRY HATHWAY* CHARLES KAUFMAN 


and IT'LL BE A BIO WINNER FOR YOU I DATE IT NOW I 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


20 - 


PICTURES 


WnlnMay, February 9, 1955 


Frisco Port Officials Not liberal’ 


Importer Is Disgusted by Revelations of Narrow 
Views — One Exec Would Censor 75% of Films 

4 — 


San Francisco, Feb. 8. 

"The Case of the Corsican 
Cinema,” or ‘‘When is Nudity Ob- 
scene?” was thrown in the lap of 
the chief of the Customs Depart- 
ment in Washington. D. C., by 
Chester McPhee. Collector of the 
Port of San Francisco, who de- 
cided "Dominica.” an epic ol love 
in Corsica, was entirely too hot to 
handle. 

McPhee decided a couple of 
scenes in the picture were “im- 
proper” and “offensive” and that 
the higher echelon would support 
him in this so the print is now en 
route to Washington. 

Maury Schwartz, operator of the 
Bridge and Rio. art houses here, 
gave up and decided to let the 
authorities pass the buck. “You 
can’t fight city hall,” Schwartz 
says. "I’m disgusted. These guys 
are around asking for passes, but 
I’m not going to educate them. 

“They got nobody down there 
who has ever seen a foreign film 
and they’re prejudiced in the first 
place. I don’t think ’Pagliacci’ 
w Quid get through here. They 
would censor the contests because 
of this gal that cheats on her 
husband. 

“They’re simply not qualified. 
It’s like talking to a kid. I’m not 
trying to put anything over on 
them. They’re just not prepared. 
Why one of the big shots said to 
me 'If I had my way, I would cen- 
sor three quarters of the Holly- 
wood pictures.’ 

"This picture is a simple love 
story. It’s about this youth who 
comes to this island for his health 
and falls in love w ith this girl. 
In the end it shows she is married 
to someone else, that she was an 
unfaithful wife and that she was 
cheating on her husband. But 
the only shocker was the nude 
scene.” 

The "shocker” was described by 
McPhee as involving actress Odile 
Versois stepping onto the Corsican 
beach and peeling until there was 
"not a stitch on.” McPhee’s sec- 
ond objection involved around an 
"inference” in a bedroom scene in 
which the two lovers were covered 
only by a blanket. 

“It was generally agreed by 
everybody that these two scenes 
might be offensive,” McPhee said. 
Sgt. Frank Wilson, of the police 
juvenile squad who also viewed the 
film, said there were several scenes 
that might be construed as ob- 
jectionable. 

The picture, directed by Maurice 
Cloche and starring Odile Versois 
and Jean Pierre Kerrian, has been 
on ice at the Frisco customs house 
for a month and by this decision, 
Schwartz estimates, it will be hung 
up an additional month. 

"The net result is simply that 
no distributor in the U. S. w’ill try 
to bring in a picture through San 
Francisco any more. They’ll go to 
' L A. or New York. Why not? At 
least there they got people who 
have seen foreign films?” 


SUBSEQUENTS GRUMBLE 
ON LONG DATE WAITS 

Minneapolis, Feb. 8. 

Product situation will drive some 
of the more important local neigh- 
borhood houses to demand the 
privilege to bid competitively with 
downtown theatres for firstruns, 
it’s now indicated. 

Increasing number of downtown 
extended runs and the greater than 
ever lengths of such engagements 
are making things tougher than 
ever for the uptown subsequent 
runs, it’s pointed out. 

Worst sufferers, according to in- 
dustry leaders here, are such 
houses as the Volk Bros, subur- 
ban Terrace, a comparatively new 
theatre. Such theatres are finding 
themselves more frequently with 
no suitable attraction because 
nothing is “breaking” for them. 
The reduced number of downtown 
firstrun theatres also, of course, in 
itself limits the choice of bookings. 

As far as the Terrace is con- 
cerned, Federal Judge G. H. Nord- 
bye now has under advisement the 
Volk Bros.’ plea for a court order 
to compel distributors to give it 
an earlier run than the present 
28-day availability shared with 10 
other local nabe houses or to re- 
lease pictures to the Terrace one 
day after the ehd of their down- 
town firstruns in the initial theatre 
played and day and date with loop 
moreover houses. 


Reiscb Still Goads Hughes 

Los Angeles. Feb. 8. 

Bernard Reisch, Beverly Hills at- 
torney who has been pushing the 
minority stockholder suit against 
Howard Hughes and RKO for two 
ye#rs v was granted the right by the 
Ninth District U. S. Court of Ap- 
peals to appeal the judgment made 
in favor of Hughes by -Federal 
Judge Ben. Harrison last Septem- 
ber. 

Under the new ruling Reisch is 
permitted to have reviewed the 
charges of collusion and conspiracy 
that he made earlier in Judge Har- 
rison's court. 

Yugoslavs Pay 

$4,500-Per-Film 
If Deal Jells 

Preliminary difficulties notwith- 
standing, Motion Picture Export 
Assn, fully expects to close a deal 
with Yugoslavia Ftim In Belgrade 
for 50 American features — at a 
minimum $4,500 apiece. 

Talks will be initiated in N. Y. 
this week between B. Torbica, 
Yugoslavia Film manager, and 
MPEA execs. Latter are taking the 
position that they neither should 
nor would sell to the Yugoslav out- 
fit films for less than $4,500, which 
is the price Yugoslavia Film agreed 
to pay for 25 Metro features. 
M-G, Republic and United Artists 
are doing their own negotiating 
with Yugoslavia, the rest of the 
American distribs going through 
MPEA. 

While Torbica has used the 
Metro deal as a bargaining point 
with MPEA — he Wants to pay only 
$4,000 for the MPEA lineup — it’s 
understood that Metro’s arrange- 
ment with the Yugoslavs hasn’t had 
smooth sailing. Although the deal 
was made in May of 1954, Metro 
so far has shipped only 15 of the 
stipulated 25 pictures and a dis- 
agreement has developed over the 
selection of the M-G features for 
export. 

After preliminary bargaining, 
MPEA originally made a deal with 
Croatia Film. Later it turned out 
that Croatia couldn’t get the nec- 
essary exchange permits from the 
Yugoslav government and talks 
then reverted to Yugoslavia Film. 
Convertibility under any deal is 
guaranteed by Ihe U. -S. Informa 1 
tion Agency, giving the Yugoslav- 
ian party the advantage of the offi- 
cial exchange rate. 

There is speculation among the 
American companies that, should 
the Torbica mission prove a fail- 
ure, and should he return home 
with empty hands. Belgrade may 
well throw importation of pfx open 
to other Yugoslav distribs again. 
From the U. S. point of view’, such 
a de-concentration of import con- 
trol would be highly desirable. 


‘MR. HULOT’ BOFFOLA IN 
TWIN CITY ART SPOTS 

Minneapolis, Feb. 8. 

■' For the second time within re- 
cent months a foreign film, passed 
up by downtown houses, has gone 
into its sixth week at a local neigh- 
borhood fiiie arts theatre. 

It’s the French "Mr. Hulot’s 
Holiday” this time and at the West- 
gate for its Minneapolis exclusive 
firstrun. 

Playing day and date, picture 
also in its sixth w eek at the Grand- 
view, a St. Paul fine arts nabe 
house where the engagement like- 
wise is an exclusive firstrun for 
the town. 

This is the largest run ever 
achieved by any picture in Twin 
Cities neighborhood theatres’ his- 
tory. excepting for the Swedish 
“One Summer of Happiness,” 
which also recently ran six weeks 
at the Minneapolis nabe fine arts 
Suburban World, showing it on an 
exclusive firstrun. 

In addition to setting new highs 
for long nabe runs, both pictures 
broke the boxoffice Records in the 
theatres. 


ACTIVITIES OF 
VARIETY CLUBS 


David Arthur St. Loo Barker 

St. Louis. 

David G. Arthur, head of book- 
ing department for Fanchon & 
Marco-St. Louis Amus. Co. circuit, 
elected Chief Barker of Tent No. 
4 of the Variety Club, succeeding 
his brother, Edward B. Arthur, 
prez of that amusement company, 
who served as head mah of the 
club for the last two years. 

Other officers elected are first 
assistant barker A1 Poos, district 
manager for F&M-St. L. Amus. 
Co.; second assistant barker, Gor- 
don Hallaron, 2dth-Fox manager 
here; doughguy, Joseph Ansell, 
Ansell Bros. Theatres; property 
master, Jim Goldsmith, radio sta- 
tion KWK-TV. 

Canvasmen are Lester R. Kropp, 
Wehrenberg Theatres; Tommy 
James, owner of four indie houses; 
Harold Koplar, Chase Hotel; John 
Meinardi, district enanager for Fox 
Midwest Theatres; Tony Blust, pres 
of IATSE, Local No. 143 and 
James H. Arthur, general counsel 
for F&M here. 


Houston Installs Howard 

Houston. 

Mack Howard installed as Chief 
Barker of Houston Tent 34 of the 
International Variety Clubs. He 
was installed by George Hoover, 
Chief Barker fbr the organization, 
from Miami. Other officers in- 
stalled included Paul Boesch, first 
assistant; E. J. Miller, second as- 
sistant; Augie Schmitt, doughboy, 
and Bob Bailey, property master. 


Des Moines Installs Rubel 

Des Moines, Feb. 1. 

Des Moines Variety Tent No. 15 
held its annual banquet and ball 
at the Standard Club, Jan. 28, with 
Geo. C. Hoover, Miami, Fla., In- 
ternational Chief Barker, guest of 
honor and speaker. Frank Rubel, 
director of drive-in for Central 
States Theatres Corp., was installed 
as Chief Barker, succeeding Byron 
Shapiro. Other officers installed 
were Wm. Feld, first assistant 
barker; Chas. lies, second assistant 
barker; Lou Levy, doughguy, and 
Don West, property master. 


No. Calif. Tent Installs 

* San Francisco. 

The Northern California Variety 
Club installed new officers at a 
dinner dance at the Sheraton-Pal- 
ace. The new officers are George 
Mitchell, Republic branch mana- 
ger, chief barker; Marshall Naify, 
United California Theatres, first 
assistant barker; Henry Nasser. 
Nasser Brothers, second assistant 
barker; Stanley Leftcourt, local rep 
for Hawaiian Amus. Co., property 
master; J. Leslie Jacobs, realty 
broker, doughguy; Jack Marpole, 
National Screen Service, press guy. 


JACK M. HEADS WARNER 
UNIT SERVICING TV 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Latest major motion picture stu- 
dio to take the plunge into tele- 
vision film i$ Warners, where a 
new unit is being formed to pro- 
duce commercial tv-pix on the 
Burbank lot. Head of the unit is 
Jack M. Warner, son of Jack L. 
Warner, production chief. 

Television operation at Warners 
will be similar to that at Colum- 
bia, where Screen Gems is a sub- 
sidiary unit. Television films will 
be made only upon order from 
commercial sponsors. Understood 
there will be no rentals of Bur- 
{ bank studio space, as is the case at 
. Republic. 

Jack M. Warner has had wide 
experience in the motion picture 
industry, working his w*ay through 
every department of the film busi- 
ness, Including distribution as well 
as production. 

Still another major company 
considering entry into the produc- 
tion of tv-films is 29th-Fox, al- 
though the plans are not as far 
advanced as those at Warners. Un- 
derstood the Westwood lot is figur- 
ing on renting space to tv-film pro- 
ducers before going into produc- 
tion on its own. 

In this era of bigger but fewer i 
pictures, the huge Burbank studio 
\ has plenty of unused stage space. 
In addition to the profit to be de- 
rived from tv-film production, the 
J company is reported planning to 
use television as a training field 
for its actors, writers and directors 
1 in the making of theatrical prod- 
i uct. 


Inside Stuff-Pictures 

Columbia is picking up hefty sports page plugs for "The Long Gray 
Line.” the film biography based on Sgt. Marty Maher’s "Bringing Up 
the* Brass.” Sports writers and former West Point athletes, including 
several former All-American football stars, gathered at the Lambs 
Club. N.Y. last week to pay tribute to Maher, who spent over 50 years 
at West Point as trainer and general man-in-charge of <he Academy's 
gymnasium and athletes. Tyrone Power portrays Maher irr the picture. 

Among those recapturing memories with the sergeant were Generals 
Albert C. Wedemeyer and W. W. Crittenberg. The anecdotes and 
nostalgic reminiscing of West Point athletics made good copy for the 
sports pages. All the stories contained mentions of “The Long Gray 
Line.” . * f 


Actors Studio, the N. Y. study group for professional actys with 
which Elia Kazan is closely associated, stands to benefit from the 
preem of "East of Eden,” which Kazan oroduced and directed for 
Warner Bros. Take from the March 9 glamor opening at the Astor 
Theatre, N.~Y., scaled at a $50 top, will go toward the.bbilding fund 
of the Actors Studio. Among the studio’s "students” are Marlon 
Brando, Montgomery Clift, Shelley Winters, Tom Ewell and many 
others, including Julie Harris and James Dean who have important 
roles in the film version of John Steinbeck’s novel. 


Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis will mix more than the usual amount 
of singing and dancing in their upcoming Hal Wallis pic, “Artists and 
Models,” for Paramount release. Martin, who sings four solos, will also 
duet with Lewis and joins Lewis and Shirley MacLaine in a tune. 
Latter is Wallis’ Broadway musical-comedy discovery, making her film 
bow opposite the comic team. The songwriting team of Jack Brooks 
and Harry Warren, who penned "That’s Amore” for Martin and scored 
two others of his films, are currently composing an original score for 
"Models.” 


Film industry needs some sort of film festival which would serve 
the double purpose of selling both pix and the business itself to the 
public, according to Elmer Rhoden, National Theatres prez. Rhoden 
thought such a project would be a boon to the average theatre due 
to the fact that under the present system of merchandising the the- 
atres would have little chance to do any extensive preselling. 


U Studio Humming 

Hollywood. Feb. 8. 

This is a bu^y month at Uni- 
versal with four films scheduled 
to start, in addition to three hold- 
overs from last month; “The Spoil- 
ers,” “The Private War of Major 
Benson” and "All That Heaven 
Allows.” 

Starters are “The Rawhide 
Years,” starring Tony Curtis and 
Arthur Kennedy; "The Navy Gets 
Francis,” starring Donald O’Con- 
nor and the Mule; "There’s Always 
Tomorrow,” starring Barbara Stan- 
wyck, Joan Bennett and Fred Mac- 
Murray, and “The Second Greatest 
Sex,” with Jeanne Crain, George 
Nader, Keith Andes, Bert Lahr, 
Mamie Van Doren, Kitty Kallen 
and Paul Gilbert in top roles. 


GEORGE MURPHY SEES 
MORE ‘GET ’EM IN’ NEED 

I 

Within the next two to three 
years, the industry should devise 
plans for raising theatre attend- 
ance all over the nation, actor 
George Murphy told a luncheon 
meet of the Film Estimate Board 
of the National Organizations 
(General Federation of Women’s 
Clubs) in N. Y. Monday (7). 

Emphasizing the industry’s new 
direction, what with technical and 
other improvements, Murphy said 
Hollywood was concerned over the 
fact that it is still only reaching 
about 20% of the potential audi- 
ence. "We ought to find ways and 
means to raise that figure to 40% 
to 50%,” he declared. 

Murphy, who was introed by 
Ralph Hetzel, exec v.p. of the 
Motion Picture Assn, of America, 
said the industry depended on the 
twin factors of public acceptance 
and good will and enthusiasm at 
the production end. Both of these 
conditions are now being met, he 
held. 

He related exhibition’s efforts 
to keep pace with the moderniza- 
tion on the Coast and stressed the 
inter-relationship between the 
business element of the commu- 
nity and the motion picture thea- 
tre. Murphy, while declaring that 
the job being done by exhibs 
wasn’t really sufficiently appre- 
ciated, added that there were 
some who weren't really theatre- 
men at heart and who shouldn't 
be in the business. 

Product shortage yas being met 
as each studio was finding its own 
level, Murphy opined. He added 
that Hollywood had at long last 
learned the lesson that a. good film 
from one studio actually helped 
the entire industry. 

Full story of Hollywood wasn’t 
being told, Murphy charged. “The 
story of a few gets into the head- 
lines and distorts the overall pic- 
ture.” he said. He related to th£ 
femme delegates some of the posi- 
tive aspects of Hollywood and its 
activities. 


Par Lone Holdout 
Against Norway’s 
Film ‘Monopoly’ 

Warner Bros, having capitulated 
to Norwegian exhibitor demands. 
Paramount now’ remains the only 
American distributor to suffer from 
the Norwegian theatres’ boycott of 
all its pix. The boycott originally 
was in force against both WB and 
Par when they refused to yield on 
Norway’s term demands. 

Under the Norwegian agreement, 
each company was allowed to bring 
in two pix annually on which terms 
over and above the existing 40% 
rental ceiling were negotiable. 

When WB and Par informed the 
Norwegians of the pix they’d cho- 
sen. the Norwegian exhib org re- 
fused to accept the company’s 
choices. Whereupon both distrihs 
decided to withhold the films in 
question from the market. Since, 
under the Norway pact, the Amer- 
icans are supposed to bring in all 
of the releases put out in Sweden, 
the local theatremen decided to 
boycott all of the WB and Par pix. 

The WB films, on which the com- 
pany has now settled for a 40% 
rental, are "A Star Is Born” and 
"The High and the Mighty.” Par 
films involved are "Sabrina” and 
"White Christmas.” It’s expected 
that, before long, Paramount also 
will make its peace with the Nor- 
wegians by accepting their dictum. 

DOCTOR SEES HIMSEF 
DAMAGED IN THEM’ 

Warners was named defendant 
in a $200,000 damage suit brought 
in N. Y. Federal Court yesterday 
(Tues.) by Dr. John B. Grant. He 
asks $100,000 compensatory dam- 
ages and $100,000 punitive damages 
for alleged invasion of his right of 
privacy in the 1954 WB release of 
“Them.” Produced by David Weis- 
bart, the film starred James Whitt- 
more and Edmund Gwenn. 

A doctor of medicine on the 
staff of the Rockefeller Founda- 
tion, Grant charges that on April 
14, 1954, Warners maliciously held 
him up to public ridicule by sim- 
ulating a picture of him by name 
and in his professional capacity in 
“Them.” This "foolish and undig- 
nified portrayal,” he claims, dam- 
aged his reputation and invaded 
his privacy. 


Texas Drive-In Meet March 9 

Dallas, Feb. 8. 

The Texas Drive-In Theatre 
Owners Assn, will hold a three-day 
convention here at the Hotel 
Adolphus starting March 9. It will 
include a Metro- Ticket Selling 
Workshop. 

Jack Farr, prez of the group, has 
named Tim Ferguson. A1 Reynolds 
and Charles Weisenberg as the 
j convention committee. 


WetliMnday, February 9, 1935 


Cl 



IT SHAKES YOUR SIDES 
LIKE SEVEN BRIDES'! 


C,. 


\ 



M-G-M’s got a very funny comedy that’s started off with a bang in its 
New Haven Premiere and promises to do the same everywhere. It’s a 
big outdoor comedy filmed in CinemaScope and Color that you can 
sell to a fare-thee-well for the kind of bold, blushing laughs that paid off 
so well on ’’Seven Brides For Seven Brothers”! Here’s a great Cast, too! 

Starring 

ROBERT TAYLOR • ELEANOR PARKER 

(r 

ROARING, ROWDY AND RICH IN 

CINEMASCOPE 

and COLOR with 

VICTOR McLAGLEN • RUSS TAMBLYN • JEFF RICHARDS • JAMES ARNESS 

1 $cr*«n Play by HARRY BROWN and GUY TROSPER 

Based On a Story by Steve Fra zee • Photographed in EASTMAN COLOR 

Directed by ROY ROWLAND • Produced by JACK CUMMINGS 


(Available in Magnetic Stereophonic, Perspecta Stereophonic or 1-Channel Sound) 



22 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


mm 

If 

i 

I 


>JSIIHBIBB9J0SB9|VfQVHBB9B099BEB19BiBSH9BHPP» < 


Hollywood, Feb. 8. f Lippert release . . . Warners signed 
Republic signed Charles Lamont j Perry Lopes for a featured spot in 


to direct "Lay That Rifle Down.” 
starring Judy Canova with Sidney 
Picker as associate producer . . . 
Arthur Hunnicutt supplants Perry 
Kilbride as male lead opposite 
Marjorie Main in the next of Ul's 
’•Kettle” series, “The Kettles in 
the Tall Corn,” with Richard Wil- 
son producing and Charles Lamont 
directing ; . . Metro signed Chris- 
topher Isherwood to script “The 
Life of Gautama Buddha,” an Ed- 
win 11. Knopf production . . . Ray 
Huggins w ill produce "The First 
and Last.” a story of the Marine 
Corps, as orte of Columbia’s top 
Aims for 1955 . . . Ian Wolfe drew 
a featured role in Metro’s "The 
King’s Thief” . . . Gerd Oswald 
checked in at 20th-Fox under his 
new long-term director contract 
, . j "The Eternal Sea” is the new’ 
tag on "The Admiral Hoskins 
Story” at Republic. 

Paramount closed deals with 
Billy Wilder and William Wyler, 
each to produce one picture a year 
over a period of three years . . . 
Robert Carlisle and David DePatie 
formed Northdale Productions and 
purchased "Rimrock,” a uranium 
mining yarn, as the first produc- 
tion . . . L&B Productions signed 
John Agar, Wayne Morris, Margia 
Dean, Wallace Ford and Adele 
Jergens to topline "The Lonesome 
Trail.” for Lippert release . . . Co- 
lumbia Studio Employes Federal 
Credit Union voted a $41,000 divi- 
dend for the year 1954 . . . Colum- 
bia handed Jonie Taps the produc- 
tion reins on "Held’s Angels,” a 
musical based on the cartoons of 
John Held. Jr. 

Metro assigned Elizabeth Taylor 

to the name role in "Mary Anne,” 
a novel by Daphne du Maurier, to 
be produced by John Houseman 
. . . Glenn Ford’s third consecutive 
starrer for Metro will be “Trial,” a 
Charles Schnee production based 
on a prize novel by Don Mankie- 
wicz . . . Joseph and Irving Tushin- 
sky closed a deal to install Super- 
scope in a chain of theatres in Hol- 
land, founded by the Tushinsky 
family . . . Debbie Reynolds will 
star in Metro’s screen version of 
the legit drama. "The Tender 
Trap.” with Lawrence Weingarten 
producing . . . Next picture for 
Gregory Peck at 20th-Fox will be 
"The View from Pompey’s Head” 

. . . Nunnally Johnson signed Alice 
Pearce for- a comedy role in "How 
to Be Very. Very Popular” at 20th- 
Fox . . . Columbia will produce 
"The First and the Last,” based on 
a Marine Corps story by Laurence 
Stallings. 

Lindsley Parsons signed Timo- 
thy Carey for a featured role in 
"Dark Venture” at Allied Artists 
. . . Warners handed Jane Mans- 
field a seven-year player ticket . . 
Hugo Haas’ indie production, "Ten- 
der Hearts.” will be released as 
"King of the Streets” . . . Lvon 
and Bartlett Productions will film 
"Come Back. Mr. Mullens” in Eng- 
land, with Lyn Osborn pencilled 
In for a top role . . . Charles Co- 
burn drew one of the top roles in 
"How to Be Very, Very Popular" 
at 20th-Fox . . . "The Wayfarer” 
is the new tag on “The Life o' 


"The Jagged Edge” . . . Regina 
Gleason joined the "Las Vegas 
Shakedow’n” cast at Allied Artists. 
. . . Frank Tuttle will direct "The 
Darkest Hour,” to be produced by 
Alan Ladd’a Jaguar Productions 
for Warners release . . . Joe Pioski 
bicycling between “The Court 
Jester” and “The Vagabond King” 
at Paramount. 

Columbia’s jet-plane picture, 
"Flame-Out,” will be released as 
"Flight” . . . Emil Sitka drew a part 
in ‘‘The Spoilers” at UI . . . Edmund 
Grainger to Mexico to scout loca- 
tions for "The Treasure of Pancho 
Villa,” for RKO release . . . Frankie 
Laine purchased screen rights to 
"He Died Laughing,” for indie pro- 
duction . . . Than Wyenn cast for 
a featured role in Edward Small’s 
indie, "The Brass Ring” . . . Darryl 
F. Zanuck assigned Henry Ephron 
to produce the story, still untitled, 
based on the song writing team of 
Ruddy DeSylvia, Lew Brown and 
Ray Henderson . . . Republic picked 
up its director option on R. C. 
Springsteen for another year . . . 
Bryan Foy will produce "Franklin,” 
story of an aircraft carrier, for 
Columbia . . . U signed Merry 
Anders for a vital role in “All That 
Heaven Allows.” 

Sidney Sheldon set up an indie 
company. Forum Productions, to 
make a picture based on the work 
of a branch of the United Nations. 

. . . Samuel Goldwyn, whose releas- 
ing deal with RKO expires June 
r,0, is discussing a new distribution 
contract with James A. Mulvey . . . 
Republic signed Victor McLaglcn 
to star in "The Big Jackpot,” to be 
directed by William Witney with 
William J. O’Sullivan as associate 
producer . . . Rosita Puentas signed 
by King Bros, for a featured role 
in "The Boy and the Bull.” to be 
directed by Irving Rapper in 
Mexico . . . Rory Mallinson joined 
the cast of "Las Vegas Shakedown” 
at Allied Artists . . . Billy Curtis 
plays the leader of the midgets 
who rescue Danny Kaye in "The 
Court Jester” at Paramount. 

Sabre Productions, headed by 
Victor N. Orsatti, closed a deal to 
make six films for United Artists 
release, starting with "Flight from 
Hong Kong.” starring Anthony 
Quinn . . . U signed Forrest Lewis 
to appear in two pictures. "The 
Spoilers” and "All That Heaven 
Allows” . . . Jerry Hausner drew a 
featured role in Edward Small's 
“The Brass Ring” . . . Buzz Miller 
joined the "Anything Goes” cast 
at Paramount . . . Warners signed 
Gonzales Gonzales for “The Jagged 
Edee” . . . George Ford and Ethan 
Laidlaw added to the cast of "The 
Court Jester” at Paramount . . . 
?0th-Fox’s “House of Bamboo” 
won’t use that title in Japan, where 
it means a house that is not a 
home. 

First indie picture by Kirk 
Douglas' Bryna Productions for 
United Artists release will be "The 
Indian Fighter,” a yarn by John 
Loring depicting western adven- 
ture after the Civil War . . . Jayne 
Mansfield, new Warners contractee, 
will make her film bow in "Ille- 
gal.” to be produced by Frank P 


20th-Fox . . . RKO borrowed Gloria 
Gordon from 20th-Fox for a role 
in the forthcoming Mario Lanza 
musical . . . Earl McEvoy bought 
"Kiowa.” authored by Tom Cries, 
for indfe production . . . Crane 
Wilbur scripting Jules Verne’* 
"Mysterious Island” for indie pro- 
duction by Bryan Foy. 

Barbara Britton signed for a key 
role in U’s "The Spoilers.” a Ross 
Hunter production , . . Tom Gries 
directing “Hells Horizon” for 
Gravis Production* . , . William 
Dieterle returning from Europe to 
direct Columbia’s "Joseph and His 
Brethren,” starring Rita Hayworth, 
while Otto Preminger will devote 
his time to preparing ‘The Wheel" 
for the same studio . . . Hal Wallis 
bought "Gunfight at the OK Cor- 
ral,” authored by George Scullin, 
as a starrer for Burt Lancaster. 

J. Carrol Naish will co-star with 
Ralph Meeker and Marla English in 
Bel-Air's "Desert Sands" . . . 
Laurie Mitchell drew a featured 
role in "Dark Venture” at Allied 
Artists ... UI set Douglas Sirk to 
direct ‘There’s Always Tomorrow,” 
with Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Ben- 
nett ,and Fred MacMurray as top- 
liners. 

Mamie Van Doren snagged fi 
featured role in U’s 'The Second 
Greatest Sex," under George 
Marshall’s direction . . . B. C. 
Wylie signed as comptroller of 
William F. Broidy Pictures Cor- 
poration . . . "Dial Red O” is the 
new' tag on the Bill Elliott starrer 
at Allied Artists, formerly known 
as "Code 3” and "Dial 116” . . . 
Columbia bought "The Chain,” 
written by Paul W'ellman, and 
turned it over to William J. Fadi- 
man for production . . . Warners 
assigned Stanley Fleischer as art 
director on "Illegal” . . . Arthur 
Hunnicutt obtained release from 
his RKO pact, leaving the lot with 
only three players, Ursula Thiess, 
Barbara Darrow and Michael St. 
Angel, under exclusive contract. 


Hollywood Production Pulse 


ALLIED ARTISTS 

Starts, This Year 4 

This Date, Last Year 0 


"DARK VENTURE" 

Pr*d. — Lindsley Parsons 
Dir. — Harold Schuster 
Frank Love joy. Forrest Tucker, Peffi* 
Castle. Marjorie Garetson 
(Started Jan. 21) 

'LAS VICAS SHAKEDOWN" 

Prod.— William F. Broidy 
Dir. — Sidney Salkow 
Dennis O’Keefe. Coleen Gray, Charles 
Winninger, Mary Beth Hughes, James 
Millican. Thomas Gomes 
(Started Jan. 24) 

'SPY CHASERS" 

Prod. — Ben Schwalb 

Dir. — Edward Bemds 

Leo Gorcey, Hunts Hall, Lisa Davis 

(Started Jan. 27) 


Sanction Loew’s 


Continued from page S 


COLUMBIA 

Starts, This Year 3 

This Date, Last Year 3 


"CALICO PONY" 

' Prod. — Ted Richmond 
Dir.— George Sherman 
Van Heflin. Joan Woodward. Phil Carey. 
Raymond Burr. Allison Hayes. Rich- 
ard Webb. Jean Willes. Steve Raines, 
Nancy Kulp. Myron Healey, Juney 
Ellis, Jimmy Hawkins 
(Started Jan. 18) 


METRO 

Starts, This Year. . . . 
This Date, Last Year. 


0 

0 


"IT'S ALWAYS PAIR WEATHER" 

Prod. — Arthur Freed 
Dir. — Gene Kelly. Stanley Donen 
Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse. Dan Dailey, 
Michael Kidd. Dolores Gray 
(Started Oct. 13) 

'LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME" 

Prod. — Joe Pasternak 
Dir. — Charles Vidor 
Doris Day, James Cagney, Cameron 
Mitchell, Robert Keith, Harry Bel- 
laver, Tom Tully, Robert Dix, James 
Drury 

(Started Deo. 6) 

"KING'S THIEF" 

Prod. — Edwin H. Knopf 
Dir. — Robert C. Leonard 
Ann Blyth. Edmund Purdom, David 
Niven, George Sanders. Roger Moore, 
John Dehner. lsobel Elsom, Tudor 
Owen, Owen McGiveney 
(Started Dec. 27) 


PARAMOUNT 

Starts, This Year 

This Date, Last Year . . . . 


the number of theatres required by 
the consent decree. With this ob- 
stacle out of the way, they have 
turned their attention to the boom- 
ing outdoor market. The giant the- 
atre companies have been seeking 
permission from the Dept, of 
Justice to acquire drive-ins. The 
permission granted Loew’s by 
Judge Noonan is the first instance 

where such a request has been 

met. Presumably the Dept, of Jus- j ,. TME TEN commandments" 
lice and the courts may approve j (Shooting in Egypt) 
the bids of other circuits for sim- 
ilar arrangements 

Independent theatre groups have 
not looked with favor the attempt 
by the major chains to move into 
the ozoner fields. Just before the 
decision on the Loew’s request U'as 
handed down, the Southern Cali- 
fornia Theatre Owners Assn. 

^dopted a resolution requesting 
ft he D. of J. “to view with the 
greatest consideration any requests 
from the former producer-theatre- 
owning companies for permission 
to move once more in the direction 
ol monopolistic control,” 


0 

I 


Gautama Buddha,” to be produced | Rosenberg . . . Columbia assigned 

« _ * _ _ _ _ _ n w *■ . m a . _ _* .JjL. * _ _ 


St Metro by Edwin H. Knopf 
Glynis Johns set for “Murder Mis- 
taken” in London when she com- 

J letes her part in “The Court 
ester” at Paramount . . . Ruth 
Donnelly returning to the screen 
for a featured role in “The Spoil- 
ers” at U 

Glenn Ford, Edward G. Robinson 
and George Raft will co-star in 
“Phenix City,” to be produced by 
Samuel Bischoff for Allied Artists. 
, . . Rhys Williams and Andrew 
Tombes set for roles in “How to 
Be Very. Very Popular” at 20th- 
Fox . . . National Legion of Decen- 


Brian Keith to co-star with Joan 
Crawford in “The Queen Bee.” 
starting March 15 with Ranald 
M acDougall directing . . . Metro 
producer Pandro S. Berman left 
for London to prepare for the film- 
ing of “Quentin Durward” and 
“Bhowani Junction” . . . Glenn 
Ford closed a deal to make 12 pic- 
tures in the next five years at 
Metro, in addition to his one-Der- 
year pact with Columbia . . . First 
role for Gia Scala under her new 
U contract will be in “All That 
Heaven Allows.” 

Sam Katzman’s next production 


cy handed ”B” ratings to three for Columbia will be “The Hous- 


films: Republic’s “Hell’s Outpost,’ 
Hecht-Lamaster’s “Vera Cruz” and 
U’s “Six Bridges to Cross” . . . 
Republic picked up Ben Cooper’s 
player option for another year . . . 
Columbia bought “The Hated 
Man,” a novel by H. Vernon Dixon, 
and turned it over to William 
Fadiman for production . . . Her- 
man HofTman will direct “The Bar 
Sinister” at Metro, with Henry 


ton Story.” replacing “Ten Nights 
in a Harem” on his shooting sched- 
ule Marjorie Garetson signed 
for a pianist role in Lindsley Par- 
fons’ “Dark Venture” at Allied 
Artists . Director Jacques Tour- 
neur completed location snooting 
on Allied Artists’ “Wichita” and 
ret m ned to the studio for interiors 
Kitty Kallen joined Jeanne 
Crain, George Nader, Paul Gilbert 


Levy Sees 

Continued from page 5 

time on the basis of that free 
grant.” 

TOA’s legal eagle pointed out 
that some 34.000,000 families in 
the U. S. had bought tv sets “with 
the implied understanding . . . that 
they would not have to pay a 
charge for the programs they were 
to see on their television seis. The 
bulk of these tv sets were pur- 
chased by families in the low in- 
come brackets.” He asked why 
these set owners should suddenly 
be told that their tv entertainment 
is no longer free. Levy held that, 
if toll-tv comes, "public relations 
offices, advertising agencies and 
telecasters will be bound to suffer.” 


Berman holding production reins, and Bert Lahr in Ul’s "The Sec- 
. . . Total of 500 prints of "Para- ond Greatest Sex.” 
mount Presents Television” will be j Dennis Lee Hopper’s minor con- 
put into circulation throughout the tract with Warners up for L A. 
country by mid-March. ! Superior Court approval . . . W’il- 

Edward Small signed Peter liam and Edward Nassour signed 
Graces for romantic male lead in Carlos Rivas for a featured role in 
“The Brass Ring.” for United Art- their indie, "The Beast of Hollow 
ists release . . . "Music By Duchin” i Mountain” . . . Tony Rock plays a 
is now tag on "The Duchin Story” ‘ Federal agent in "Dark Venture” 
at Columbia . . . James Whitfield at Allied Artists . . . Five films are 
Ellison drew "Held’s Angels" as the in work at Paramount, including 
first assignment under his new "The Girl Rush,” ‘‘The Court Jcs- 
wnter contract at Columbia ... ter.” "The Vagabond King.” "The 
Douglas Fowley plays a key role Desperate Hours” and "Anything 
in I he Lonesome Trail,” to be Goes” . . . Robert Quarry drew a 
produced by Lyon-Bartlett for , key role in "House of Bamboo” at 


TV Showcase 


Continued from page 1 


j Columbia Pictures Story,’* but the 
agreement with ABC-TV is entire- 
ly different. 

Idea is to build up stars via the 
type of multiple exposure that 
television can give but pictures 
can’t, at the same time getting 
credit for Columbia and its films 
each time a star is used. Also, it’s 
an extension of the "where do the 
youngsters get experience?” think- 
ing, with television viewed as the 
ideal means for them to pick up 
some thesping fine points plus lots 
of work at their trade. 


Prod. -Dir. — Cecil B. DeMille 
Asst. — Henry Wilcoxon 
Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne 
Baxter, Yvonne De Carlo, Debra 
Paget. Nina Foch. Edward G. Robin 
son, Sir Cedric llardwicke. Vincent 
Price. John Carradine. John Derek. 
Olive Deering 
(Started Oct. 14) 

"THE COURT JESTER" 

(Dena Productions) 

Prod-Dir.— Norman Panama, Melvin 
Frank 

Danny Kaye. Glynis Johns, Angela Lang 
bury, Basil Rathbone, Cecil Parker, 
Mildred Natwick. Edward Ashley. Mi- 
chael Pate. Allan Napier, Patrick 
Aherne, Lewis Martin. Noel Drayton 
Robert Middleton, Richard Kean. Rus- 
sell Gaige. Leo Britt, Larry Pennell 
(Started Nov. 22) 

"THE GIRL RUSH" 

Prod. — Frederick Brisson 
Dir. — Robert Pirosh 

Rosalind Russell, Fernando Lamas. Ed- 
die Albert, Gloria De Haven, Jimmy 
Gleason, Marion Lome, Robert Fortier. 
Douglas Fowley, Jesse White, Darlene 
Fields, Dorothy Gordon 
(Started Dec. 6) 

"THE VAGABOND KING" 

Prod. — Pat Duggan 
Dir. — Michael Curtiz 
Kathryn Grayson. Oreste Kirkop. Sir 
Cecil Hardwicke. Walter Hampden. 
Rita Moreno. Phyllis Newman. Jack 
Lord. David Niilo. Sam Schwartz. Les- 
lie Nielsen. Frances Lansing, Richard 
Tone. Albie Caye, Florence Sundstrom 
(Started Dee. 27) 


RKO 

Starts, This Year 0 

This Date, Last Year 0 


REPUBLIC 

Starts, This Year 

This Date, Last Year.. 


2 

0 


"REBEL ISLAND" 

'Shooting in Nassau. Bahama Islands) 
Assoc. Prod. -Dir. — Edward Ludwig 
Yvonne de Carlo, Howard Duff. Zachary 
Scott. Kurt Kasznar, Barbara O’Neill, 
Frieda Inescourt 
(Started Jan. 26) 


20th CENTURY-FOX 

Starts, This Year I 

This Date, Lest Year 0 


"HOUSE OF BAMBOO" 

(Shooting in Tokyo) 
Prod. — Buddy Adler 
Dir. — Samuef Fuller 
Robert Ryan, Robert 
Yamaguchi 
(Started Feb. 3) 


Stack. Shirley 


UNIVERSAL 


Starts, This Year. . . , 
This Date, Last Year. 


3 

3 


'ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS" 

Prod. — Ross Hunter 
Dir. — Douglas Sirk 

Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Agnes 
Moorehead. Conrad Nagel, WllLiam 
Reynolds. Leigh Snowden. Virginia 
Grey, David Janssen. Gloria Talbot. 
Charles Drake. Jacqueline de Wit, 
Alex Gerry 
(Started Jan. 7) 

"THE PRIVATE WAR OF MAJOR 
BENSON" 

Prod. — Howard Pine 
Dir. — Jerry Hopper 

Charlton Heston.' Julie Adams. William 
Demarest, Sal Mineo. Tim Considine, 
Donald Keeler, Nana Bryant, Mary 
Field. Tim Hovey 
(Started Jan. 24) 

"THE SPOILERS" 

Prod. — Ross Hunter 
Dir^— Jesse Hibbs 

Anne Baxter, Jeff Chandler. Rory Cal- 
houn. Ray Danton. John Mclntire, 
Benton Reid, Wallace Ford, Ruth 
Donnelly. Barbara Britton 
(Started Jan. 31). 


WARNER BROS. 

Starts, This Year # 2 

This Date, Last Year 0 


I DIED A THOUSANO TIMES" 

Prod. — David Weisbart 
Dir. — Walter Doniger 
Perry Lopez, Walter Abel, Beverly Gar- 
land, Ted De Coraia. Ken Tobey, 
Gregory Walcott. Allison Hayes • 
(Started Jan. S) 

BLOOD ALLEY" 

Prod. — Batjac Productions 
Dir. — William A. Wellman 
John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Paul Fix, 
Anita Ekberg 
(Started Jan. 10) 


INDEPENDENT 


"THE BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN" 
<U A. Release) 

(Nassour Studios) 

(Locationing in Mexico) 

Prod. — William St Edward Nassour 
Dir. — Edward Nassour 
Guy Madison. Patricia Medina. Eduardo 
Norriega. Carlos Rivas. Julio Villar- 
real. Paseual Garcia Pena. Lupe Car- 
riles. Manuel Arvide. Jose Chavez, 
Margarito Luna, Roberto Contreras. 
» Loba Negro, Jorge Trevino, Armando 
Gutierrez 
(Started Jan. 10) 

"BRASS RING" 

Prod. — Edward Small 
Dir. — Maxwell Shane 
Farley Granger, Anthony Quinn, Anns 
Bancroft. Peter Graves 
(Started Feb. 2) 


RETURN OF GARRETT KING 


Writer Sets Low-Budget ‘Sicilian 
Bandit’ qs First Pix 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Garrett King, former Hollywood 
writer, is back after seven years in 
Europe to form own indie unit to 
produce four pix. 

Initialer, "Sicilian Bandit,” is 
budgeted at $210,000. followed by 
"Strange Door,” "The Poem,” 
"Treetop High.” 


Krasna’s 2 for UA 

Norman Krasna and United 
Artists prexy Arthur B. Krim have 
closed a deal under which Krasna 
will write, produce, and direct two 
pictures for UA release. 

Krasna tees off with "The Am- 
bassador’s Daughter,” which will 
be filmed on location in Paris. He 
follows with "Red Roses.” Both 
will be original screenplays. From 
1950 to 1952, Krasna was asso- 
ciated with Jerry Wald in Wald- 1 
Krasna Productions. 


1 BOOTHMEN FAIL TO 
GET NEW CONTRACT 

Minneapolis, Feb. 8. 

As a result of a continued dead- 
lock over terms for a new three- 
year contract covering all local 
downtown and neighboring inde- 
pendent theatres, the AFL booth- 
men are awaiting the word from 
their union committee and William 
Donnelly, IATSE national repre- 
sentative, to walk out. 

The operators have been work- 
ing since Nov. 30 without any con- 
tract. A strike notice was served 
on the independents several weeks 
ago and last week the union voted 
unanimously to strike. However, 
before deserting their posts the 
operators empowered Donnelly 
and their committee to try again 
to seek an agreement with the 
North Central Allied committee 
representing the independents. 


N. Y. University is staging a 
"Stanley Kramer Film Festival 
the week of Feb. 14 with five of 
Kramer’s pix to be shown, one each 
I day. 




Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


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West Point's entire Corps of Cadets is coming to town! And when they do, 

New York's millions are going to get the thrill of their lives as the great- 

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est marching group in the world parades down Broadway on Feb. 13 
to the Capitol Theatre for a special showing of rto&AmbUtb 


BALLYHOO! 






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Cinemascope 


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Color by 


TECHNICOLOR 1 


Co starring 


ROBERT DONALD WARD DEIST PHIL 

FRANCIS • CRISP- BOND • PALMER • CAREY 

Scraan Ploy by EDWARD HOPE • Basad upon “Bringing Up tha Brass", by Marty Mahar and 
Nardi Read* Campion • Producad by ROBERT ARTHUR • Diractad by l(")UM CnDTJ 
A COLUMBIA PICTURE JUnll lUJM/ 


ROUTE OF PARADE 


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CENTRAL PARK 7 / P **; 


51st Strati 


TELEVISION! 




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24 


PICTURES 


Wfdnemlay, February 9, 1955 


'Keep Boxoffice Out of Home’ 


Continued from page 1 


petent authority and that its juris- 
diction will not be seriously ques- 
tioned by Congressional commit- 
tees that hive shown undoubted 
interest in the broad questions 
posed by fee-tv. 

Importance that theatremen are 
according the whole subject of a 
boxoffice in the home, and by in- 
ference the threat they feel it 
poses to their business, is reflected 
in subscription-tv suddenly evolv- 
ing as one of the fiiain issues con- 
fronting the film industry. 

The Allied States’ Assn, annual 
report devoted six full pages to it 
and two major speeches dealt with 
toll-tv at the Allied Drive-In con- 
vention in St. Louis this week by 
Trueman Rembusch, Allied board 
member and cochairman of the 
Joint Committee on Toll-tv, and 
Harold Wolff, the exhibs’ new pub- 
lic relations counsel on fee-tv. 

Also, Herman Levy, general 
counsel of Theatre Owners of 
America, in Hartford, yesterday 
(Tues.) spoke extensively on the 
topic, having been preceded be- 
fore the same group last week by 
Millard C. Faught, a PR spokes- 
man for Zenith. 

Crescendo Coming 
There is every reason to sus- 
pect that, once the FCC stops jug- 
gling the hot potato and decides 
to take action, the campaign from 
both the pro and anti-toll-tv fac- 
tions will reach its crescendo. The 
inevitable outcome, qualified ob- 
servers believe, will be a tendency 
to delay any final determination of 
pay-as-you-see. 

Even as the exhibs continue to 
rant against toll-tv, downbeating 
the method as much as they're be- 
rating the government for what 
they regard as Federal assistance 
in creating a communications mo- 
nopoly, subscription-tv proponents 
maintain that the theatres’ argu- 
ments are ineffective due to the 
transparency of their motivations. 

On the other hand. it‘s felt that 
the home toll-tv forces frequently 
overlook the rather massive — but 
not yet vocal — opposition that ex- 
ists and may eventually make itself 
heard. Advertisers tie. sponso.-s) 
are one part of that group and 
the networks themselves are an- 
other. Webs’ position in fighting 
fee-lv hasn't been stated dearly, 
but it’s a frequent observation on 
the part of toll-tv supporters that 
the nets aren’t in too good a posi- 
tion to oppose the livingroom pay- 
box. 

In his recent letter to Harold E. 
Fellows, prexy of the National 
Assn, of Radio & TV Broadcasters, 
Eugene McDonald. Zenith topper, 
made it clear he thought the net- 
works’ position was substantially 
that of the theatres, i.e. to nix any- 
thing that might create 
tion. 

Exhibs are primarily worried 
that the FCC may act without a 
full and open airing of the issues 
Involved in toll-tv authorizaton. It’s 
for that reason that they’ve cen- 
tered their fire on Zenith, which 
has petitioned the Commission for 
Immediate okay of fee-tv, without 
hearings. Theatremen are con- 
cerned. too. over indications that 
the pay-as-you-see public relations 
campaign has taken hold and that 
the whole idea lias begun to in- 
trigue the public. They’re now 
busy trying to explode what they 
see arc some 1 of the home-toll 
“myths.” 

This note was struck at some 
length in the Allied report which 
devoted six pages to tee-tv. Exhibs, 
it read, “must bo prepared to re- 
fute the charge made by the toll-tv 
interests that the exhibitors are ' 
dogs in the manger, unwilling to 
let anyone else in on their private 
monopoly of the films. They must 
aid in beating down the malicious , 
slander that they are animated 
solely by “selfish commercial in- ! 
te.est” and, therefore, do not de- i 
serve to be heard on an issue that | 
threatens to destroy their property 
and business. 

“They must be prepared to re- 
fute the false inlpression created 
by Commander McDonald 'Zenith' 
that exhibitors are just a bunch 
of boycotting monopolists who 
would deprive the people of the 
incomparable joys of jukebox tele- 
vision merely to protect themselves 
against a legitimate competitor.” 

The Joint Committee on Toll- 
TV is currently collecting $150,000 
from exhibs as a fund to fight fee- 
tv. Exhibs’ position has been that 
pay-as-you-M e is unfair competi- 
tion if handed the “free” air by 


the government to transmit pro- 
grams. Instead, say the theatres, 
why not limit toll-tv to the same 
necessities as theatre-tv, i.e. re- 
strict it to closed-circuit operations. 

The Allied report observed that 
toll-tv “resembles door-to-door 
shipments” rather than broadcast- 
ing and held that it “does not 
constitute ’broadcasting’ within the 
intendment of the Communications 
Act." Implied here again was the 
thought that the Commission may 
not be a competent agency to de- 
termine whether or not pay-as-you- 
see should come about. 

“Even if the Commission should 
finally conclude that it has power 
under the Act to approve toll-tv, 
it still would have to comply with 
the statutory requirement that it 
determine whether such service 
would be in the public interest. 
Such a determination would in- 
volve the resolution of the ques- 
tion whether toll-tv is feasible 
from an engineering standpoint,” 
the report read. 

It observed further that it 
wouldn’t be proper to determine, 
by questionnaire, the broader as- 
pects of W’hether or not toll-tv is 
in the public interest. “The obliga- 
tion of the Commission to hold 
open hearings is manifest,” it said. 


Elite Ladies of Memphis 
Think Censors Erred On 
Ban of ‘Bamboo Prison’ 

By MATTY BRESCIA 

Memphis, Feb. 8. 
An apparently serious move, per- 
haps the first in 30 years, to-oppose 
municipal censorship of films has 
taken preliminary steps against the 
official board headed by Lloyd T. 
Binford. Triggering the at-long- 
last reaction of private citizens via 
the Better Films Council of Mem- 
phis was the recent banning of Co- 
lumbia’s "Bamboo Prison.” 

This film had some troubles in 
other localities when attacked by 
a syndicated Catholic critic, al- 
though its producer, Bryan Foy, is 
a Catholic and strongly protested 
to Church-affiliated groups and was 
given full clearance. 

Some 17 members of the Better 
Films Council, headed by Mrs. 
William Smith, a respected com- 
munity leader, view’ed the feature 
at the request of Norman Colqu- 
houn, Columbia's Memphis man- 
ager. Resultantly a delegation will 
wait on Mayor Tobey. The mayor 
has not heretofore displayed any 
heart for fighting Binford or cen- 
sorship. 


G. Sidney 

Continued from pare * 


ing the people, recording the ac- 
cents." 

Sidney is of the opinion that a 


ALLIED OF MICHIGAN 
HOST TO M-G WORKSHOP 


Metro Ticket Selling Workshop 
j conducted by Marion L. (Mike) 
Simons, director of customer re- 
lations. 

Final day will be devoted to dis- 
cussion of toll tv and election of 
officers. 


BINFORD BIOGRAPHY 


FCC Viewpoints 

Washington, Feb. 8. 
FCC commissioners appear to be 
split on whether public hearings 
should be held following submis- 
sion of comments. Comr. Robert 
E. Lee, who would “like to see 
something get started” on the toll 
tv front, said he would want to ex- 
amine the comments before de- 
ciding whether hearings are neces- 
sary. 

Elaborating on remarks he made 
in a speech in Minneapolis last 
week before the Minnesota Em- 
ployers Assn., Lee told Variety the 
pay-tv development is “something 
we can’t ignore.” While recogniz- 
ing the problems involved in a com- 
mercial service, he does not regard 
them as insurmountable. 

Lee said he would want certain 
limits placed on toll tv. For one 
thing, he would require that the 
viewer always have a choice of a 
free program, although he realizes 
this would be a problem in a one- 
station market. 

The commissioner also feels 
there should be standardization on 
the type of attachment used with 
receivers lor toll tv. This would 
be desirable to protect the set own- 
er, he thinks. 

If hearings are not held, rule- 
making proceedings on toll tv 
might be completed in 60 to 90 
days. If the agency then agrees 
to authorize the service it would 
competl- ! probably do so. at least in the be- 
ginning, on a limited scale. Lee 
is disposed to try it out first in 
one market. 

j Meanwhile, it appeared likely 
that the Senate Interstate Com- 
' merce Committee would include 
. toll tv in its further studies of 
; ultra high tv problems. The Sen- 
ate voted the Committee $200,000 
last week for various investigations. 
At least half this amount. Commit- 
tee sources said, will be used for 
video inquiries. 

Committee Chairman Warren E. 
Magnuson, in releasing the Plotkin 
report on the relationship of net- 
work regulations to UHF problems, 
said the Committee would look into 
toll tv if the $200,000 it needed 
for studies would be forthcoming. 

The Senate Judiciary Commit- 
tee has indicated it also is planning 
to look into toll tv from an anti- 
trust angle. The Committee is 
charting a broad investigation into 
monopoly aspects of tv, including 
newspaper ownership of tv, net- 
work ownership of stations and 
radiotv broadcasting-manufactur- 
ing combines. 


‘Memphis’ Censor Gives 
Color on Himself 


Some 


Memphis, Feb. 8. 

Lloyd T. Binford, Memphis’ 88- 
year-old censor czar, was spotlight- 
ed here last week in a weekly tv 
series. This produced some bio- 
graphical slants. 

“We aren’t looking for good 
movies, we are looking for bad 
ones,” Binford bluntly told his tv 
viewers. He also explained why he 
has been labeled as “The Sporting 
Deacon’’ because he is a Baptist 
Church deacon from Duck Hill, 
Miss., where he was born. 

“1 owned race horses at one 
time and drove in sulky races for 
the sport,” he said. 

Binford also revealed why he 
doesn't like films about Jesse 
James, because he was once robbed 
when he was a mail clerk at Duck 
Hill by a then notorious robber. 
Rube Burrows. He also said that 
there’s a “white school and Negro 
Methodist Church named after me 
in Duck Hill.” 

“And what’s more,” he conclud- 
ed, “there’s also a cemetery named 
after me there.” 


Olivier 


Continued from pace 1 


Anthony Quayle. Festival opens 
April 12 with “Twelfth Night.” 

A second company, led by John 
Gielgud and Peggy Ashcroft, will 
visit the Continent, London and 
other British towns during a sev- 
en-month tour with “Much Ado 
About Nothing” and “King Lear.” 
It will include George Devine, Den- 
holm Elliott and Anthony Ireland. 

Gielgud. Noel Willman. Glen 
Byam Shaw and Peter Brook will 
stage the various shows. 


Robert Chen to Formosa 

Robert Chen. Warner Bros, film 
salesman in Santiago, Chile, has 
been named manager of the com- 
pany’s Formosa branch at Taipeh. 
He replaces William Blarney who 
resigned. Change becomes effec- 
tive Feb. 6. 

Chen will operate 
rect supervision of 
who in addition to 
Warner manager in 
will direct activities 
mosa and Indo China 


Detroit, Feb. 8. 

Allied Theatres of Michigan, 

Inc., will hold its convention Feb! 

. ■ t , nill j u 0 ,, n 4i, _ Ar . ;22 23 at the Statler Hotel. First 

good Picture s weeks ' da >’ s program will consist of the 

portumty to run 20 oi 40 weeks it | w c-i 

there is public demand. He feels 

the exhibitors’ demand for more 

pictures is unjustified. “The trouble 

is, ” he said, “that this country is 
new T model crazy. And exhibitors 
are no exception. A picture is no 
sooner placed in a theatre when 
they’re already advertising next 
week’s attraction. If it drops un- 
der a certain quota, they don't give 
it a chance — bing!— they bring the 
next one in.” 

Attempting to penetrate the pub- 
lic attitude’s toward films. Sidney 
compared pictures with the New 
York stage. "When a guy pays $12 
for a pair of seats to a legitimate 
show,”he said, “he has to enjoy 

it. He doesn’t want to feel fool- 
ish when he’s paying those prices. 

However, when he pays 50c to $1 
for a movie, he feels free to criti- 
cize. It’s easy for him to say it’s 
terrible. A simple set on a stage 
receives applause. But an elab- 
orate screen set that probably cost 
thousands more is hardly noticed. 

It’s taken for granted.” 

Following his loanout assign- 
ment for Columbia. Sidney returns 
to Metro, his home studio, for “St. 

Louis Woman,” which gets under 
way in July. It’ll star Ava Gard- 
ner, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy 
Davis Jr. Pearl Bailey is also be- 
ing sought for a top role. 


Edgar Goth’s SW Post 

Edgar Goth has been named di- 
rector of publicity and advertising 
j for Stanley Warner Theatres in 
New Jersey. He succeeds Robert 
R. Deitch who has resigned, effec- 
tive Feb. 14, to join former SW 
zone manager Frank Damis and his 
associates in the Eastern Drive-In 
Corp. 

Both Goth and Deitch are veter- 
an industryites, Goth having a rec- 
ord of 25 years and Deitch 20 
years. Goth moves over to the SW 
post from Fabian Theatres where 
he was advertising chief. Prior to 
his Newark zone executive spots, 
Deitch has served in publicity and 
managerial positions for Warner 
Bros. Theatres. 

AIKed’s Villain 


Continued from page 5 


Code Less 


Continued from pace 3 


specifically disallows its use when 
“relating to prostitution.” In "East 
of Eden,” it's obvious that the 
character is referring to that kind 
of “madam.” • 

There was also some eyebrow’ 
lifting over some of the scenes in 
"Battle Cry,” Warner Bros, screen 
version- of Leon Uris’ novel of 
World War II marines. . 

The Production Code clearly 
states that “adultery and illicit sex. 
sometimes necessary plot material, 


video was “one of the most success- 
ful public relations campaigns we 
! have ever seen — well conceived, 
j heavily financed and skillfully exc- 
j cuted.” He said the effects of this 
i propaganda had been such that, 

! should a decision have to be made 
today, “it undoubtedly would be in 
favor of toll-tv.” 

“By glib generalization, by carp- 
ing criticism, by shrewd manipula- 
tion of words and half-truths, the 
j notion has been sold to a large seg- 
ment of the American people that 
toll-tv is in the public interest, - ’ 
Wolff declared. 

Never doubting for a moment 
! that the toll proponents wer» play- 
ing for very high stakes, or that 
they’d been able to recruit some 
rather prominent converts, Woiff 
declared that “those who control 


must not be explicitly treated or 
justified, or presented attractively.” the .pipeline Into the living room 
Obviously, this restriction is a will assume total and totalitarian 
matter of interpretation in the case control involving everything from 
of “Battle Cry.” } Marilyn Monroe to the Metropoli- 

1. A marine has an affair with a tan Opera and major league base- 
married woman, a USO worker. He ! ball to the piping of newscasts into 
returns to marry his hometown , 50 million U. S. homes.’’ 


Cinerama’s New Treasurer 

Irving N. Margolin has been 
elected treasurer of Cinerama Pro- 
ductions Corp., effective immedi- 
ately. He succeeds Ira S. Stevens 
who resigned ' to become general 
manager of National Film Service 
Inc. 

Stevens will remain with Ciner- 
ama Productions as a consultant 
and member of the board of direc- 
tors. Margolin has been with 
them since Feb., 1953. at which 
time he joined as auditor. 

Stevens’ new duties include 
complete administrative supervi- 
sion of NFS's homeoffiee activities 
as well as sales and liaison with 
distributors. His appointment com- 
pletes- the realignment of NFS’s 
officers, which has resulted in the 
reelection of James P. Clark as 
prexy and treasurer and Clint 
Weyer as secretary. 


girl and the USO girl apparently 
goes back to her husband. 

2. The Illicit romance of another 
marine and an Australian widow 
results in her pregnancy. They do, 
however, marry before the birth of 
the child. 

Both affairs are “explicitly treat- 
ed” and whether they are “justi- 
fied or presented attractively” is a 
matter of personal interpretation. 
There are other examples of things 
that may not have passed previous- 
ly— an obscene gesture^ a marine 
placing his hand on a femme’s rear, 
a silent but obvious from the lip 
movements) use of a profane ex- 
pression. 


McCarthy 

j , Continued from page 4 


under the di- 
Richard Ma. 
his duties as 
Hong Kong, 
in hot lx For- 


Info Agency Names Dingwall 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

Herbert A. Dingwall, New York 
publishing executive, has been ap- 
pointed chief of the U. S. Informa- 
tion Agency's office of private co- 
operation. The office seeks partic- 
ipation by labor, business firms, 
civic groups, etc., in activities 
which further international under- 
standing. 

- Press and radio exchanges, tour- 
! 1st orientation and community mu- 
sical salutes are among the inter- 
national projects promoted. 


summated, McCarthy would have 
to move in as prexy of IFE’s Amer- 
ican setup. 

Lourau and McCarthy both feel 
that it’s only in that position that 
McCarthy could exercise tlj£ kind 
of “supervision” they deem nec- 
f essary for their film. Implication 
' all along has been that, if Lourau 
chose the IFE release channel, 
other French producers also might 
add their product to the IFE line- 
up. Statutes of the IFE org in 
Rome have been changed so as to 
1 permit the. IFE setup in the U. S. 

! to take on French releases if it so 
chose. 

I According to all indications, the 
IFE board in Rome so far has re- 
fused to consider McCarthy’s in- 
stallation in the presidency. How- 
ever, it’s understood that the board 
might go as far as to elect McCar- 
thy a director of IFE. It appears 
unlikely that Lourau and his rep 


Furthermore, crystallballed 
Wolff, “take away the freedom of 
the air and hand that over to a few 
people.* Take away competition in 
entertainment and communica- 
tions and hand that over to a few 
people, and government regula- 
tion will come to pass inevitably. 
Freedom and competition are nec- 
essary for our economy and when 
they disappear, then you have 
monopoly.” 

The exhibs’ p.r. specialist said 
the toll-tv Interests, in the name 
of progress and competition, want 
to “take over the free air waves 
and convert them into a commod- 
ity that th?y and they alone can 
sell to the public. All they want 
to do is weld the communications 
and entertainment industry of this 
country into a giant monolithic 
and monopolistic structure that 
would make Samuel Insult's em- 
pire look simple by comparison .'* 

Outlining the fee-tv propaganda 
line. Wolff said it was ingenious 
because “it promises everything to 
everyone, and special things to 
special people.” But, he declared 
“we are entitled to more than a 
pig in a poke. If the promoters of 
toll-tv want to sell this idea to the 
American people, let them toll tl e 
people specifically what their 
scheme is and how they propose 
I to operate if they get the author- 
. ity they are asking for ” 

Wolff outlined the various aigu* 
ments against pay - as - you - see, 
highlighting such aspects as the 
! price of thie decoder units, whin) 

I he said ranges anyw’here from S75 
to $150. (It’s also been quoted as 
low as $12); the “chicken and the 
egg” problem of initial program- 
ming with limited installations; 
the effects on "free” tv. and such 
problems as the arrangement 
with the Musicians’ Union, etc. He 


would accent that kind of com 

promise at tuis juncture, what with | also underscored the public’s stake 
"Wages of Fear” bowing at the in free and fair competition ana 


Y. Feb. 16 and 
doing his own 


Paris Theatre, N. 

McCarthy so far 
handling. 

According to reliable sources. 
' neither side has closed the door 
on any proposals and the Zorgniat- 
ti-McCarthy talks will be carried 
, on in this spirit. 


in the "free” air. 

“If they (the tollcasters) receive 
permission. . to move the box 
office to the living room, the chaos 
, that will ensue throughout the en- 
tertainment world is horrible 1(1 
! contemplate,” Wolff warned ex- 
j bibs. 



Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


T 


PICTURES 


25 


Picture Grosses 

, % * • 


CLEVELAND 

(Continued from page 8) 

000. Last week, “French Line” 
IRKO), $11,500. 

Hipp (Telera't) (8,700; 60-90) — 
"Violent Men” (Col) (2d wk». Nice 
$10,000. Last week, $14,000. 

Lower Mall (Community) (585; 
gO-90) — "Le Plaiair” (Indie) (2d 
wk). Oke $2,300 following $2,900 
last week. 

Ohio (Loew's) (1,200; 75-$1.25>— 
“Aida” (IFE) (3d wk). Fair $5,000 ; 
after $5,200 last folio. 

Palace (RKO) (3,287; 60-90)— 
“6 Bridges to Cross” (U). Lusty 
$15,000. and may hold. Last week, 
"So This is Paris” (U), $9,000. 

State (Loew’s) (3,500; 60-90) — 
“Bridges at Toko-ri (Par) (2d wk). 
Big $18,000. Last week, $22,000. 

Stillman (Loew’s) (2,700; 60-90) 
— ‘ Battle Taxi” (UA). Light $7,- 
000. Last week, “Black Tuesday” 
(UA), ditto. 

‘Toko-ri’ Wham $22,000, 
Port; ‘Rivers’ Lush 10G 

Portland, Ore., Feb. 8. 

Town is loaded with new, strong 
product. “Vera Cruz” is the only 
holdover but still doing smash biz 
at Liberty. “Toko-ri” is heading 
for wow session at Paramount, with 
$1.25 top. "Prince of Players” is 
another newcomer but very luke- 
warm at the Fox despite an excel- 
lent advance campaign. “Bread. 
Love, Dreams” is in for a rousing 
week at Guild. “Many Rivers To 
Cross” looks tall at the Broadway. 

Estimates for This Week 

Broadway (Parker) (1,890; SI- 
SI. 25 > — “Manv Rivers To Cross” 
CVI-G) and “El Alamein” (Col). Tall 
$10,000 or a bit more. Last week. 
“Silver Chalice” (WB). $10,500. 

Fox (Evergreen) (1,536; $1-$1.25» 
— "Prince of Players” (20th). Small 
S4.000 in 3 days and pulled. “Black 
Tuesday” (UA) replaces. Last 
week. "Carmen Jones” (20th) (2d 
wk'. $9,200. 

Guild (Indie) (400; $D— “Bread. 
Love. Dreams” (IFE). Lusty $3- 
500. Last week. “Detective” (Col) ' 
(3d wk). $2 900. 

Liberty (Hamrick) (1,875; $1- 

$1.25)— “Vera Cruz” (UA) and “Re- 
turn Treasure Island” (UA) (2d 
wk». Stout $9,000. Last week. $18,- 

800. 

Orpheum (Evergreen) (1.600: 65- 
90' — “Masterson of Kansas” (Col) 
and “Women’s Prison” <Col>. Mod- 
est $5 500. Last week. “Violent 
Men” (CoD and “Bamboo Prison” 
(Col). $7,000. 

Paramount (Port-Par) (3.400; $1- 
$1.25) — ‘ Bridges At Toko-ri” (Par). 
Torrid $22,000. Last week. “Amer- 
icano” (RKO) and “This Is Love” 
(RKOA, $6,400. 


‘BEAU’ BRISK $11,000, 
PITT; ‘CRUZ’ 13G, 3D 


Pittsburgh, Feb. 8. 

Only two new pix downtown, 
“Beau BrummeU’’ at Harris and 
“Prince of Players’’ at Fulton, with 
“Beau" doing okiy but “Prince” 
dying. “Vera Cruz” is still strong 
in third stanza at Penn. “20,000 
Leagues Under Sea” in same stage 
of run is tapering off at the Stan- 
ley. “Hulot’s Holiday” is very big 
at Squirrel Hill for second round. 

Estimates for This Week 


Fulton (Shea) (1.700; 65-$l) — 
“Prince of Players” (20th). They 
aren’t buying this one; be lucky to 
get even $6,000, poorest yet around 
here for a big C’Scope pic. Last 
week, “Sign of Pagan” (U) '3d wk), 
$7,000. 

Harris (Harris) (2,165; 65-$l) — 
“Beau Brummell" (M-G). Long 
been skedded for Penn, pic put 
in here when latter house became 
loaded on product. Off to good 
start and may hit $11,000, fancy. 
Last week, “Violent Men” (Col), 
$9,500 in 9 days. 

Guild (Green) (500; 65-$l) — 
“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (7th 
wk >. Fair $1,300. Last week, 

$1,800. 

Penn (UA) (3,300; 6$-$1.25> — 
“Vera Cruz” (UA) (3d wk). Week- 
end almost as big as the second 
one and looks stout $13,000; pos- 
sibly stays another week. Last 

week, $15,000. 

Squirrel HU1 (SW) (900; 65-$l)— 
“Hulot’s Holiday" (GBD) (2d wk). 
Sailing along to big $4,000 or over. 
Stays on. Last week, $5,000. 

Stanley (SW) (3,800; 75-$1.25>— 
“Leagues Under Sea” (BV) (3d 
wk). Okay $10,000, Last week, 

$16,000. 

Warner (SW) (1,365; $1 25-$2.65> 
— “Cinerama” (Indie) (62d wk). 
Final stanza and extra shows being 
added to take care of upsurge. Big 
$16,000 or better. Last week, $15.- 
000. “Cinerama Holiday” opens 
Feb. 16. 


“Toko-H’ Bright 10G, 

L’ville; ‘Sea’ 16G, 2d 

Louisville, Feb. 8. 

Solid biz is the rule here this 
week, and seemingly helped by 
practically two days of rainfall over 
weekend. “Bridge at Toko-ri” at 
the Kentucky is smash. State, with 
“Bad Day at Black Rock.” is not 
doTfcg as good trade as expected. 
Holdover of “20.000 Leagues Un- 
der Sea” at Rialto looms big. 


Estimates for This Week 


Kentucky (Switow) (1,000; 50-75) 
— “Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par). Great 
$10,000. and sure to hold. Last 
week, “3-Ring Circus” (Par) (2d 
w'k>, $7,000. 


PHILADELPHIA 

(Continued from page 8) 

$17,000. Last week, “Black Tues- 
day” (UA) (2d wk), $15,000. 

Mastbaum (SW) (4,370; 75-$1.30> 
— “Bad Dav at Black Rock” (M-G) 
(2d wk). Dull $11,500. Last week, 
$24 000. 

Midtown (Goldman) (1,000; 74- 
$1.49; — “Country Girl” (Par). Sen- i 
sational $36,000. Last week, “Sign ! 
of Pagan” (U) (4th wk), $7,000. I 

Randoloh (Goldman) (2,500: 75- 
$140'— “Bridges At Toko-ri” (Par) 
(3d wk). Stout $19,000. Last week, 
$27 500 

Stanley (SW) (2,900; 74-$1.40)— 
*‘6 Bridges to Cross” (U) (2d wk). 
Sturdy $18,000. Last week. $24,000. 

Stanton (SW) (1,473; 50-99) — 
“Women’s Prison” (Col) and “Bam- 
boo Prison” (Col). Smash $14.- 
500. Last week, “Theodora” (IFE) 
and “Rocket Man” (U>, $7,000. 

Trans-Lux (T-L) (500; 99-SI. 50> 
— ”CamiMe“ (M-G) (reissue). Great 
$7,500. Last week, “Sabrina” (Par) 
(5th wk). $3,000. 

Viking (Sley) (1.000; 74-$1.50) — 
“I/'st Time Saw Paris” (M-G) (8th 
wk). Steady $9,000. Last week, 
$12 500. 

Trans-Lux Wor’d (T-L) (604; 99- 
$1.50)— “Aida” (IFE) (7th wk). 
Okav $2,500 in final. Last week, ; 

S2.900. 


New York Theatre 


. _ Kioto cm antic «m__ i 

, Rockefeller Center 

; “THE BRIDGES AT T0K0-RT : 

\ m color by TECHNtCOlOJI tlorrii* 

< . WU.LIAM HOLDEN • GRACE KELLY 
‘ FREOOC MARCH • MICKEY ROONEY 

A Paramount Picture 

j tPCCTicsui am rtuaunaa 


Mary Anderson (People’s) (1.000: 
50 - 75 ) — “Saratoga Trunk” (WB) 
and “Big Sleep” (WB) (reissues). 
Slow $4,500. Last week. "Silver 
Chalice” (WB) (2d wk), $5,000. 

Rialto (Fourth Avenue) <3.000: 
75-$l) — “20.000 Leagues Under 
Sea” (BV) (2d wk). Big $16,000 
after first week’s $21,000. 

State (United Artists) (3,000; 50- 
75' — “Bad Day at Black Rock” 
(M-G) and “Operation Manhunt” 
(UA). Light $7,500. Last week, 
“Violent Men” (Col), neat $11,000. 


SAN FRANCISCO 

(Continued from page 9) 

Paris” (UA) and “Dangerous Car- 
go” (Indie), $13,300. 

. Fox (FWC) (4.651; $1.25-$1.50>— 
"Racers" <20tlW and “Sleeping 
Tiger” (Indie'. Fair $20,000. Last 
week, “Prince of Players” (20th) 
and “Flight White Heron” (20th), 
$11,000 in 9 days. 

Warfield (Loew’s) (2.656; 65-90> 
—"Bad Day Black Rock” (M-G) (2d 
wk). Fancy $12,000. Last week. 
$16,500. 

Paramount (Par) (2,646; 90-SI)- — 
“Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) (3d wk'. 
Big $14,000. Last week. $21,000. 

St. Francis (Par) < 1.400; S1-S1.25) 
— "Violent Men” (Col) and “Wom- 
en’s Prison” (Col) (3d wk). Okc 
$8,500. Last week, $10,000 

Orpheum (Cinerama Theatre) 
(1,458; $1.75-$2.65) — “Cinerama” 
(Indie i (58th wk). Hotsy $20,000 
Last week. $21,500. 

United Artists (No. Coast) <1.207: 
70-$l) — “Vera Cruz” (UA) <7th wk). 
Big $7,500. Stays. Last week, $8,- 
200 . 

Larkin (Rosener) (400; $1) — “Hu- 
lot’s Holiday” (GBD) (7th wk). Big 
$2,200. Last week. $2,500. 

Vogue <S. F. Theatres) (377:$1» 
— “Pickwick Papers” (Indie). Fast 
$3,000. Last week, “Ugetsu” (Indie) 
(11th wk), $1,800. 


‘Bridges’ TaU $11,000, 
Seattle; ‘Tnes.’ Trim 9G 

Seattle, Feb. 8. 

“Six Bridges To Cross” looms 
standout here this stanza, with a 
big total at the Orpheum. “Green 
Fire’’ is rated good at Music Hall 
while “Black Tuesday” is trim at 
Coliseum. “Vera Cruz” shapes 
lusty at Paramount in third round. 
Estimate* for This Week 

Blue Mouse (Hamrick) (800; 90- 
$1.25) — “Smoke Signal” (U) and 
“Jungle Wilderness” (Rep). Good 
$4,500. Last week, “Romeo and 
Juliet” (UA), $2,200. 

Coliseum (Evergreen) (1,829; 75- 
$1) — “Black Tuesday” (UA) and 
“Jesse James Women” (UA). Trim 
$9,000 or over. Last w'eek, “Wom- 
en’s Prison” (Col) and “Masterson 
Kansas” (Col), $10,200. 

Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) (2,500; 
$1-$1.25) — “Prince of Players” 
«20th) and “Plight of White Heron” 
• 20th). Dim $3,000 in three days. 
Last week, “Carmen Jones” (20th) 
and “Port of Hell” (AA) (2d wk), 
$8,200 at $1.25 top. 

Music Box < Hamrick) (850; 90- 
$1.25)— “Trouble in Glen” (Rep) 
and "Big Gamble” (Rep). Lean 
$2,500. Last week, “Tonight’s 
Night” (AA), $4,500 in 9 days. 

Music Hall (Hamrick) (2,300; 90- 
$1.25)— “Green Fire” (M-G) and 
"Atomic Kid” (Rep). Good $9,000 
in 8 days. Last week, “Silver 
Chalice” (WB). $8,200. 

Orpheum (Hamrick) (2,700;. 75- 
$11— “6 Bridges to Cross” (U>. Big 
$11,000 or close. Last week. 
“Destry” (U) and "Race for Life” 
(Lip), $5,800. 

Paramount (Evergreen) (3.039; 
$1-$1.25) — “Vera Cruz” (UA>. (3d 
wk). Lusty $9,500. Last week, 
$ 12 , 000 . 


DETROIT 

(Continued, from page 9) 

“Young at Heart” (WB) and 
“Crossed Swordff" (UA), $17,000. 

Palms <UD) (2.961; 95-$1.25)— 
“Sign of Pagan” (U) (3d wk). Good 
$9,000 in 5 days. Last week, 
$15,000. 

Madison (UD> (1,900; 95-$1.25'— 
“Leagues Under the Sea” (BV) (7th 
wk). Big $10,000. Last week, $12,- 
000 . 

Broadway-Capitol (UD) (3.500; 
80-$l) — “6 Bridges to Cross’’ (U> 
and “Bowery to Bagdad” (AA) (2d 
wk). Trim $11,000. Last week, $18,- 
500. 

United Artists (UA) (1.938; $1- 
$1.25) — “Prince of Players” <20tn). 
Poor $5,000. Last week, “Green 
Fire” (M-G) (2d wk), $8,800. 

Adams (Balabant (1,700; 80-$l) — 
“So This Is Paris” (U>. Average 
$8 L 000. Last week, “Bad Dav at 
Black Rock" (M-G) (2d wk). $7,200. 

Music Hall (Cinerama Produc- 
tions) (1,194; $1.40-$2.65)— “Cine- 
rama” (Indie) (100th wk*. Happy 
ending with $28,000. Last week. 
$27,200. 


BALTIMORE 

(Continued from page 8) 

Ebbing to mild $6,500 after $9,000 
in second. 

Playhouse (Schwaber) (320; 50- 
$1)— “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday” (GBD) 
<4th wk). Fancy $3,800 after $4,200 
in third. 

Stanley (WB) <3,200; 35-$l)— 
“Battle Cry” (WB). Second round 
starts today (Tues. >. Opener 
racked up a giant $29,000 or near, 
best here in years. 

Town (Rappaport) (1,600; 50-$l) 
— “White Feather” (20th). Starts 
today (Tues.). Second round of 
“Green Fire” (M-G) was slow at 
$6,600 after $8,500 opener. 


Sch&ry in Cedars Drive 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Top film executives were ap- 
pointed by chairman Dore Schary 
to serve on the Motion Picture Di- 
vision committee in the campaign 
to raise $125,000 for the Cedars 
of Lebanon Hospital’s expansion 
fund. Total goal of the drive is 
$750,000 to meet the costs of the 
hospital’s new 100-bed addition. 

Committee members are Eugene 
Arnstein. Steve Broidy, J. .T. Co- 
hen, D. A. Doren, William Goetz, 
Samuel Goldwyn, Don Hartman, 
Fred S. Meyer, Edward Muhl, Sid 
Rogell, Benjamin Thau, Jack L. 
Warner, M. W. Weiner and Law- 
rence Weingarten. 


Bergman ITOO Speaker 

Columbus. Feb. 8. 

Maurice Bergman, eastern repre- 
sentative for Universal, has been 
booked as a speaker at the conven- 
tion of the Independent Theatre 
Owners of Ohio at the Deshler Hil- 
ton here Feb. 28-March 1. 

Bergman will explain to exhibi- 
tors how' the studio develops new 
talent and how exhibs can capital- 
ize on it. 


Films Out Of 
World Touch 

Foreign market personnel of 
some of the companies is beefing 
that production isn’t doing all it 
can to cater to the entertainment 
tastes of the international audience. 

Problem has been discussed at 
some length among execs In N. Y. 
where the importance of foreign 
revenue is fully recognized and ap- 
preciated. Companies now derive 
anywhere up to 45% of their in- 
come from abroad. 

Complaints originate both in the 
field and from among the foreign 
sales force in N. Y. itself. Argu- 
ment is that Hollywood at times 
tends to ignore the b.o. ingredients 
that drive a film to the top abroad. 
Specific instance cited is the 
musicals which just don’t go over 
in quite a few parts of the w'orld. 

Problems with the tuners are 
manifold. Many of them lack a 
clearcut plot, so it’s difficult to put 
together a good trailer. Dubbing 
is a problem, too. And in some 
areas abroad, the basic appeal just 
isn’t there. 

One exec in N. Y. opined that, 
with tv sweeping the U. S., the 
gulf between this country and the 
rest of the world was widening 
in terms of screen taste. "They 
like action abroad.” he said, “but 
there is no need to compete with 
the small home screen. They’re 
not quite as eager for those wide 
ratios and the entertainment 
slanted to them.”- 

One of the sales toppers con- 
firmed that the topic of the for- 
eign market had been the subject 
of extended talks with the result 
that pix now coming out were 
more clearly aimed at the interna- 
tional b.o. “We know, for in- 
stance, that brutality isn’t boxofflee 
abroad.” he declared. “We have 
adjusted accordingly.” 

Indications are that the com- 
panies may go increasingly for 
dual versions as part of the new 
foreign market orientation. This 
practice allows certain footage to 
go into the U. S. release that isn’t 
included in foreign market prints, 
and vice versa. 

Foreign market execs maintain 
they’re continually reminding the 
studios to keep their territories in 
mind and that their production 
chiefs are fully cognizant of the 
problem. However, they v admit, 
there is a tendency in story selec- 
tion to think primarily in terms 
of the domestic appeal. 

Alhambra, Cal., Houses 
Settle Out-of-Court 

Los Angeles, Feb. 8. 

Two theatres in Alhambra, Cal., 
accepted an out-of-court settlement 
of an antitrust suit against 13 film 
companies and distributors for a 
"substantial” sum. Action, filed in 
1951 by the Alhambra and Garfield 
theatres in Federal court, asked 
$4,370,653 and $1,921,065 respec- 
tively. 

Complaint alleged that the plain- 
tiffs could not get bookings for 
pictures until after they were 
shown in nearby communities 
where Fox West Coast operated 
theatres 


UFA WINS ITS POINT 


May Bargain With Union Via 
Animated Producers’ Assn. 


Washington, Feb. 8. 

National Labor Relations Board 
last week upheld the recommenda- 
tion of its hearing examiner that 
United Productions of America be 
permitted to use the Animated 
Film Producers’ Assn, as its bar- 
gaining agent in labor matters. 

The Screen Cartoonists Guild 
wanted UPA to bargain independ- 
ently for contracts. NLRB found 
the Cartoonists Guild wrong in 
claiming that UPA’s labor-manage- 
ment committee proved UPA “con- 
tinued to bargain for itself even af- 
ter it had joined the Association.” 


Chicago Tax Figures 

Chicago, Feb. 8. 

Theatre tax collections here dur- 
ing January totalled $91,451.00 as 
compared with a total of $89,- 
489.00 collected for tb* same pe- 
riod last year. 

Amusement taxes added up to 
$160,836.00, while for the same 
month in 1954, $148,507.00 was 
collected. 


-A POST EX&LUSIV© 



Ethel Merman— "the girl 
who was born with a 
trumpet in her throat"— 
tells her bold and 
brassy story! 

“Yak, yak, yak,” says Ethel 
Merman. “For months I’ve 
been yakking into that port- 
able recording machine of Pete 
Martin's. You can take it from 
me that little Ethel is abso- 
lutely fascinating— even more 
than I thought I was. As my 
current 20th Century - Fox 
movie and my Decca records 
say, There’s no business like 
show business!’ ” 

Here’s the year’s biggest 
story from the entertainment 
world. It’s told in Merman’s 
own words, and it’s full of in- 
timate glimpses of show-biz 
headliners. Ethel lets her hair 
down as she tells why she’s 
never been afraid of an audi- 
ence, gives her secret for belt- 
ing a song across the footlights, 
reveals just what she thinks 
of top stars — like Jimmy Du- 
rante, Bob Hope and Mary 
Martin — and tells why she’ll 
never return to Broadway. 

The Merman story is bound 
to be one of the best-read and 
most-talked-about articles of 
the year. So get your copy of 
the Post and begin reading it 
today! 


Thaf a the lord 
oPdame I am 

bn 

ETHEL MERMAN 

os told to Peto Martin 1 
Feb. 12 issue — Out Feb. t 


The Saturday Faming 

POST 

I c l> r w a i \ 1 2 . 1 f ).7 » ♦ /•» ‘ 


A CURTIS MACAU N« 



26 


RADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


‘TV Playhouse’ Preps New Writing 
Stable; Paddy Doing a TV Spec; 
Other Hour Shows in Trouble 


Build a better mousetrap for* 
one house and someone else is sure 
to grab you for more money. Mean- 
ing that the Philco-Goodyear “Tel- 
evision Playhouse” on NBC-TV is 
understood grooming a new stable 
of writers after running up the 
best score in the tv scripting corps. 
With their names getting around, 
whether it’s for the Sunday night 
dramatics in the strategic 9 to 10 
period or other showcasers, the 
video playwrights can command 
higher fees and hence are inclined 
to seek greener pastures for their 
postures. 

One of the foremost of such vi- 
dramatists. Paddy Chayefsky. is 
currently engaged in a 90-minute 
work for Fred Coe’s Monday night 
“Producers Showcase” on NBC. 
Chayefsky’s rise — and with it the 
opportunity to expand beyond tv, 
as reflected in the film dramatiza- 
tion of his own “Marty” on the 
Philco series — came under the 
“Phil-Coe" banner. But Coe moved 
out of the Sunday show some time 
ago. along with divorcing himself 
from Talent Associates, which is 
in charge of that and other shows 
on the web. though retaining his 
vested interest in “Mister Peep- 
ers." Chayefsky’s play for Coe’s 
cvery-fourth-Monday skein is head- 
ed for a May exposure, with the 
full script to be delivered in a 
couple of weeks. <The story is 
pegged on an actor and his activi- 
ties during the traditional five-day 
probation period under Equity and 
management contractual relations, 
with the thespian’s parents keyed 
to the action!) 

£ince NBC pactee Coe left 
Philco. first as story' consultant on 
“Lux Video Theatre” < a post he's 
exited), the Philco dramatics have 
bee in the hands of a Talent As- 
sociates unit headed by producer 
Gordon Duff and playwright Rob- 
ert Alan Aurthur. associates pro- 
ducer and script editor, both “Coe 
boys.” The writing stable is still 
the largest and with a couple of 
additions. But meanwhile General 
(Continued ori page 73) 


‘GE Theatre’ In 
Major Star Binge 

By the middle of April “General 
Electric Theatre" will have expand- 
ed by at least four its number of 
“firsts” in further pursuit of the 
right-star-right-story formula that 
has paid off handsomely in ratings 
during the Sundav-at-9 CBS-TV an- 
chorage. Big coup by GE agency 
BBD&O is pencilling of James 
Stewart for an April 17 exposure. 
Between now’ and then other video 
strangers are Cornell Wilde and 
Myrna Loy — and Fred MacMurray, 
doing his first drama on tv. 

All will be seen via vidfilm. with 
MacMurray in the first outing Feb. 
20. Wilde and Miss Loy go on 
March 6 and 20, respectively. Key 
man on deal out of the BBD&O 
campside is factotum Charles New’- 
ton. 

“GE Theatre” scheme to bring 
“firsts” to video <for purposes of 

f tublicity as much as for dramatic 
mpact * started with a bang and 
then a fizzle last fall before matters 
got on an even keel. Show was to 
start its policy with Gene Tierney’s 
tv preem. Femme had to back out, 
however. But then, beginning Oct. 
3. Joseph Cotton, Alan Ladd and 
Jane Wyman did tv stints. And 
warbler Johnny Ray went tv actor 
for the first time. too. So did Jack 
Benny earlier, with a dramatic tv 
entry. 


NBC-TV DICKERS FOR 
ANN SOTHERN SHOW 

Hollywood. Feb. 8. 

NBC is bidding for "Private Sec- 
retary." Ann Sothern starrer on 
CBS-TV. Show alternates weekly 
with Jack Benny but latter, it’s re- 
ported. may go weekly next season. 

Producer Jack Chertok is cur- 
rently renegotiating a new deal 
with Lucky Strike, . which bank- 
rolls "Secretary.” 


Public Service 

WNYC, the New York 
municipally - owned station 
w hich as a non-commercial out- 
let bears a fulltime public 
service stamp, found itself do- 
ing some extra-curricular 
work in that firfd last week. 
Station is headquartered in the 
Municipal Bldg., next to City 
Hall, and when freelance tele- 
vision producer John Alexan- 
der realized he didn’t have a 
witness for his wedding at City 
Hall, he called upon the sta- 
tion for help. 

Although Alexander didn’t 
know anyone there, the station 
responded gallantly, with pro- 
gram director- Bernie Buck 
coming down to the Hall to 
double as witness and best 
man. 

Vallee s Hour CBS 
Radio Show; Takes 
Bergen’s Sun. Spot 

Edgar Bergen’s radio time be- 
comes Rudy Vallee’s in a history- 
repeats-itself switch. Bergen is 
moving out of the Sunday night 9 
to 10 CBS slot as of the Feb. 20 
finale and the “your time is my 
time” veteran inherits the period 
on the 27th, just after winding up 
a cafe fling at the Jung in New 
Orleans. The Kraft cheese out- 
fit stays with the time via the 
J. Walter Thompson agency. Need 
for breaking in new dummy char- 
acters for tv (in addition to main- 
stay Charlie McCarthy) is advanced 
as the reason for Bergen’s exit. 

It was Vallee who put the ven- 
triloquist on the road to plenty 
by way of the old Fleischman’s 
Yeast Hour, with the Stein song- 
ster embodying the format prin- 
ciples that became radio’s initial 
bigtime variety show after Val- 
lee's forerunner had begun to dip. 
It became one of the most listened- 
to of the era, but eventually it was 
Bergen who inherited the slot he 
shot into money over a long term, 
with Vallee expanding into film- 
making and crosscountry treks. 

With Vallee at the Sunday helm, 
show shapes as an updating of the 
variety pitch, embracing jabber- 
jockeying, guests and chatter. It 
will originate in New York. 

Shep Fields to Settle 
In Texas as Disk Jock 
In Radio-TV Entry 

Shep Fields after some 20 years 
on the road as a top bandleader, 
is settling down in Houston, where 
he’s set to start a cross-the-board 
two-hour afternoon disk jockey 
show on indie KBLS. Aside from 
the daily radio show’, he’s also 
planning a teenage radio-tv entry 
for Saturday afternoons for next 
Tall, plus local band excursions in 
the Houston-Dallas area tied in 
merchandising-wise with his radio- 
television clients. 

KBLS pirer, which starts April 4, 
will be a 1-3 p.m. entertainment, 
music, commentary and disk show. 
Aside from the regular sponsorship 
setup. Fields is also planning a 
"test market” operation under 
which national sponsors who are 
seeking a test market for new’ 
products can use his show on a 
test basis, which is to say at less 
coin than the going rate for th£ 
test period. He’s working out the 
details on this and on merchandis- 
ing phases of the show with the 
Kamln agency of Houston. 

Fields has been on the road for 
some 20 years, and feels he wants 
to settle down. He’s got real estate 
and other interests in Houston, and 
is moving into the radio spot via 
: an offer from the station. The teen- 
age band show would also air on 
KBLS. with a television version on 
one of the Houston outlets still to 
I be set. 


Gottlieb’s ’Now I’m 21' 

Editor, Variety: 

Thank you for calling attention 
to the fact that I will produce the 
Feb. 16 “Arthur Godfrey and His 
Friends” tv show when Arthur 
takes a week's vacation. 

However, for the record I would 
like to make a minor correction. 

This is not my first try at adding 
sight to sound. 

Eight-inch tv set viewers may re- 
call a little frolic called “Sing It 
Again” which prospered briefly de- 
spite a production budget of ap- 
proximately $150 a week, which 
also included cost of coffee and 
cake for the crew. 

Ten-inch aet owners may dimly 
recall another television show I 
had a modest hand in called "The 
Show Goes On" which gave Robert 
Q. Lewis his first important night- 
time exposure. 

I believe, however, that on Feb. 
16 it will be my premiere on 21 
inch sets. 

Lester Gottlieb, 

. Program V.P., CBS Radio. 


Saroyan as NBC 
Radio ‘Evaluator’ 


Ted Cott, operating v.p. of NBC 
Radio, has tapped William Saroyan 
as an “evaluator.” The playwright 
is in on a shorttermer that calls 
for him to write — and perhaps also 
voice — a series of appraisals of 
tangible and intangible characters 
as part of the web's regular Sun- 
day night “big specials” of hour- 
long range. 

First two programs, slotted at 7 
p m., will be a discussion of Carl 
Sandburg and Bernard Shaw. A 
third entry will be a psychological 
"dissection” of “the actor” — any 
actor, but with particular refer- 
ence to such pretenders as 
Laurence Olivier, John Barrymore 
and others of international stature. 
Legit authors and directors will be 
included in such sizeups. Fourth 
in the “auralacular” packages will 
be on N. Y. Giants manager Leo 
Durocher. 

Last Sunday's (12) special was 
on Serge Rubinstein, the slain 
“dames and dollars” wizard. 


Sen. Wiley Urges TV 
Train Its Program Guns 
On Juve Delinquency 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

Television was urged to turn 
some of its programming efforts 
into the fight on juvenile delin- 
quency, in a statement placed in 
the Congressional Record last week 
by Alexander Wiley (R., Wise.). 
Wiley is co-sponsor of legislation to 
cope with the delinquency prob- 
lem. 

“The responsible television in- 
dustry,” said Wiley, “is increasing- 
ly demonstrating its awareness of 
the significance of getting across 
the right type of programs for 
youngsters, and avoiding the wrong 
type. 

“One might wish, however, that 
a fraction of the theatrical genius, 
the time and the money which 
have been poured into some of the 
great tv entertainment shows of 
recent months could be put into a 
show combatting juvenile., delin- 
quency — an interesting, factual, 
faithful representation of this hu- 
man problem. I am sure that the 
television industry has more than 
enough talent and am equally sure 
that there are ample public-spirited 
sponsors who would underwrite 
this type of network project. Tele- 
vision has not, as yet. made a frac- 
tion of the potential constructive 
contribution which this great me- 
dium can indeed ultimately make 
toward coping with this problem.” 

.The Senator expressed the hope 
for a continuing program series on 
juvenile delinquency and not mere- 
ly for a one-shot splash. 


Brokenshire Client 

New York’s WRCA-TV has 
snagged the initial sponsor for 
Norman Brokenshire's upcoming 
cross-the-board daytime variety 
skein, with Cunningham & Walsh 
putting in for L&M Filters once- 
weekly starting Feb. 21. Latter is 
the show's teeoff date. 

Surrounding “Go for Broke” will 
be singers Bill Hayes and Jet Mc- 
| Donald in the 1:05 to 1:30 slot. 


Weaver’s Got a Radio Plan 

* . • „ # 

Strictly on the hush-hush agenda at NBC Is a “blueprint for net- 
work radio” which proxy Pat Weaver is currently in the process 
of evolving. It’s reported to be a radical departure in network 
operation as it exists today, though Just w hat precisely it embodies 
is kept under strict wraps. 

Since Weaver departs next week for a month of skiing in the 
Alps, nothing will be done about it pending his return, at which time, 
it's understood, he’ll sit down with board chairman David Samoff 
and kick around the whole radio-of-the-future project. 

‘Oh for the Good Old Live Days’ 

Vidpix Pattern Isn’t Everything It's Cracked Up 

To Be Say A&C 


‘Midnight’ Now 11:30 

“Captain Midnight,” half-hour 
vidpix series, under rotating spon- 
sorship of General Mills and Wan- 
der on CBS-TV at 11 a. m. Satur- 
day, will move into the 11:30 slot 
starting next month. Latter time 
is being vacated by the “Abbott & 
Costello” film package in cancella- 
tion by Campbell Soups. # 

A local version of the “A&C” 
series was grabbed by Chunky 
Candy a few' months ago for the 
6 p. m. Saturday spot on WRCA- 
TV, N. Y. 


Chi TV Hot For 
Gab-In-Hie-Nite, 
Lotsa Sponsors 

Chicago, Feb. 8. 

Newest fad on the Windy City 
tele scene is the late-evening inter- 
view stanza t usually patterned 
along deejay lines. Revamping its 
midnight to 1 a. m. block. WGN-TV 
is blossoming out w’ith three 
"voices in the night” in a d.J. par- 
lay featuring Jack Eigen, Ron Ter- 
ry and Ted Travers. 

All four Chi stations now have 
their respective gab roundelays for 
the stay-up-laters. Only one not 
having its own local nocturnal 
spokesman is WNBQ which, how- 
ever, cuts up a big slice of the bed- 
time clientele with Steve Allen’s 
NBC-TV “Tonight.” WBBM-TV pot- 
shots the late Friday night audience 
with How ard Miller's two-hour disk, 
patter and guest spread. It was 
the success of Miller’s Friday 
nighter that first* heralded the tv 
future of the platter jockey format. 
Show bowed first on WGN-TV, 
switched to WNBQ for a couple of 
seasons before moving to the CBS- 
TV outlet last fall. It’s been con- 
sistently sold out. 

WBKB’s longstanding entry in the 
gab-in-the-night sweepstakes “ has 
been Tom Duggan’s nightly chin 
sessions from 11:10 to midnight. 
Strictly a talk show with guests, 
Duggan bypasses the recordings. 
Strip likewise remains steadily 
SRO. Duggan is currently recu- 
perating from surgery this month 
in Florida with Jack Drees pinch- 
hitting. 

The ABC-TV station also has a 
couple of latenight weekenders. 
Tom Pickering helms the “Splat- 
ter Party” remote from the Town 
Club swimming pool Saturday 
nights under the Polk Bros.’ aus- 
pices and studs Terkel has the Sun- 
day night at 11 half hour with his 
"Briefcase” for Leader Cleaners. 

WGN-TV’s new midnight lineup 
has Eigen bowing next Monday 
night (14) with a remote from the 
Chez Paree lounge. Terry has taken 
over the Wednesday night slot and 
Travers moves in Friday nights 
Feb. 25. Dirk Courtney, who has 
been pioneering the station’s late 
invasion, was to have continued on 
Thursday nights. But he and his 
show got the axe last week after 
he accidentally spouted a bit of pro- 
fanity into a live mike during a 
technical mixup. 


Abbott & Costello, after having 
made 52 films for Campbell soups, 
now want to return to live shows. 
Eddie Sherman, manager for the 
team, is now casting about for a 
live series for the comedians. Ac- 
cording to Sherman, a comic is at 
his best when working live and 
with an audience. 

Sherman said that an audience 
quickens the pace of the show, pro- 
vides a key to how their efforts are 
going, enables a comedian to im- 
part spontaneity to the proceedings 
and give a generally better per- 
formance. In contrast, according 
to^herman, a comic when acting 
in a filmed show, must stick to 
the lines given him by w’riters. 
There’s little room for creativeness, 
and it can act only as a showcase 
for the writers. He admitted there 
are some good filmed comedy 
shows. In the case of -Lucille Ball, 
it's pointed out, there’s no gauge 
of how good she could be if she 
were playing Lucy live. 

Sherman also pointed out that 
films may not be the bonanza some 
anticipate. The proposition will 
be getting increasingly expensive, 
now that performers, directors, 
writers, etc., get rerun fees. He 
said that some contracts he nego- 
tiated call for the full fee on the 
first rerun, 50% on the second and 
25% on the original stipend on 
every other showing. 

Sherman left for the Coast last 
week after working on various 
deals. 


TeleP Names Blair 


Jimmy Blair has been appointed 
Assistant National Sales Manager 
of TeleProinpTer National Sales 
Corp. 

Blair was director at WBAL-TV, 
Baltimore, production manager of 
WTOP-TV. Washington, tv director 
of Lamb & Keen. Philadelphia ad 
agency, and exec producer of 
| WPTZ, Philadelphia. 


BBC-TV Snitching 
^Claimed On Shows 


London. Feb. 8. 

Allegations of plagiarism against 
BBC-TV, accompanied by a threat 
of legal action and an application 
for a^n injunction, have been made 
to sir George Barnes, the televi- 
sion topper, by C. F. Monty Bailey- 
Watson, director of Hector Rose 
Radio Productions. He charges the 
state web with having used ideas 
which originated in American ra- 
dio and tv* productions which his 
company has imported from the 
States. 

In a letter to Sir George. Bailey- 
Watson says they’ve noticed an in- 
creasing tendency to “appropriate 
ideas which are an integral part of 
two radio and television properties, 
‘People are Funny’ and ’Shilling a 
Second,’ ” the rights of which are 
held by his company and which are 
regularly broadcast from Radio 
Luxembourg. 

Accepting that it is difficult to 
avoid duplication of ideas, the Hec- 
tor Ross exec says it is common 
knowledge the BBC did not see fit 
to agree the type of audience par- 
ticipation material provided in 
“People” and “Shilling” when 
these shows were first introduced 
to this country, “but in view’ of 
their undoubted success it would 
appear the Corporation has now 
modified its ideas.” 

After claiming that material 
from both shows was “borrowed” 
by Wilfrid Pickles and Frances 
Day, Bailey-Watson opines that the 
point has been reached at which 
reasonable latitude is being abused. 
He also specifically charges that 
the Richard Afton program, “Crazy 
Neighbors,” will “far too closely” 
resemble “People.” 


BASIL FLATTER TO FORMOSA 

Basil Heatter, son of Gabriel, 
leaves today (Wed.) for Formosa 
to cover action on the 7th Fleet. 

Angle is that he will not only 
feed his own Saturday Mutual 
stanza but will supply the older 
Heatter with material too. 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


It AMO • VIDEO • TV FILMS 


27 


‘OPERATION 20TH CENTURY’ 

► ♦ — ■ ■ — 

McAvity Helms TV Network In 
NBC s 'Bigger Than Both of Us’ Reorg 


NBC-Westinghouse Wedding 

Tiie NBC and Westinghouse wedding and “switcheroo of the 
year” is just about all wrapped up and it’s been learned that 
everything’s in the bag except the final signaturing. This in- 
volves the longtime-in-the-works transfer whereby the Westing- 
house brace of stations in Philly— WPTZ (TV) and KYW (AM) — 
the two present NBC affiliates, will become NBC o&o properties. 

In exchange, NBC will divest itself of its radio and tv properties 
in Cleveland (WNBK and WTAM ) , with Westinghouse becoming 
the new owners. 

KDKA-TV (the ex-DuMont WDTV property in Pittsburgh), 
which Westinghouse acquired recently for a record $9,750,000, gets 
the coveted NBC affiliation nod. 

Wedding of the Westinghouse-NBC-RCA dynasties, it’s! assumed, 
resolves all the intramural problems affecting the two organiza- 
tions (patents, etc.) that reached such a point of dissension a 
couple years back that there was even talk of taking the Westing- 
house elevators out of the RCA building. 

Frying Pan Makes Good 

Those Sunbeam Tint Commercials Sometimes Top 

Show on Notices 


IC-TV'S NO. 1 
SECRET PROJECT 


A mere frying pan is winning 
critics' plaudits as a color tv vi- 
gnette amid the ups and downs of 
the show to which it*s attached. No 
matter how Max Liebman’s Sunday 
night NBC-TV spectaculars fare 
with the boys and girls who calLthe 
shots for their newspapers, a good 
many of them have taken time to 
embody the commercial pitches of 
the Sunbeam Frypan in their re- 
views. Perrin-Paus, the Sunbeam 
agency < with a half-stake in the 
show, the other being Hazel 
Bishop), has been particularly 
clicko with the ‘‘Bacon & Eggs” 
mouthwatering version in tint, 
probably doing as much for the 
hog and chicken industry as for its 
square-shaped pan. 

The realistic treatment, created 
by the agency’s Elliot Saunders and 
Tye Robinson, has had the effect of 
bringing inquiries from other 
clients on how they can do a ‘‘me, 
too” in colorvision next season. 


Oops! 

A performer was signed for 
six tv dates in behalf of the 
Ruppert Beer outfit, but when 
the prexy of the latter saw the 
performer’s name he blew his 
top and cancelled him out: 

The name: Carl Ballantfae. 


Robinson To 

Coke Up TV? 

Appointment of Robinson-Han- 
nagan Associates board chairman 

W illiam E. Robinson to the presi- 
dency of the Coca-Cola Co. has 
stirred trade speculation in a 
couple of varying directions. One 
is whether Robinson will remain 
on the RCA board of directors, to 
which he was elected a couple of 
years ago while he was still pub- 
lisher of the New York Herald 
Tribune. Another is whether, as 
a television insider, he’ll spread 
more of Coke’s ad billings into tele- 
vision, adding to its only current 
entry, the Eddie Fisher show on 
NBC-TV. 

Meanwhile, his moveover to Coke 
leaves Robinson-Hannagan Asso- 
ciates without a head man, with 
his successor reportedly to be 
named shortly. He moved over to 
the flackery from the Trib early 
last year, following the death of 
Steve Hannagan. He’s a frequent 
golfing companion of President 
Eisenhower. 

It’s presumed that, like his 
predecessors. Robinson will be 
berthed in Atlanta, home of the 
Coke operation. 


NBC Spreads Out 
'Red Carpet Plan’ 
As AM Coin Lure 


If there’s any radio money un- 
der the rug, NBC will use a ‘‘See- 
ing Eye” vacuum to bring it to the 
surface, although the actual equip- 
ment to thaw the coin travels un- 
der the nom de broadloom of “Red 
Carpet Plan.” This latest Ted 
Cott lure — he’s operating v.p. of 
the aural network — mates the par- 
ticipation gimmick to the sales and 
merchandising services of McKes- 
son & Robbins, the giant whole- 
sale drug outfit. It works like this: 

Drug manufacturers are enabled 
to co-op with McKesson in latching 
on to a pair of cross-the-board 
shows, “Doctor’s W’ife” in the ayem 
and “Great Gildersleeve” at night. 

(Continued on page 73) 


By GEORGE ROSEN 

NBC-TV is undertaking what is 
perhaps the piost ambitious and 
far-reaching series of programs yet 
attempted in television. It’s so 
massive in scope and so all-encom- 
passing in content — since it’s de- 
signed as a complete examination 
of the 20th Century in all its as- 
pects — that it will be done as “a 
series of series” spanning several 
years, each to be done in telemen- 
tary form of 60-minute, 90-minute 
and even two-hour length. Like 
“Victory at Sea.” this “Operation 
20th Century” will represent a com- 
pilation and editing of footage from 
millions of film clips gathered from 
all parts of the world. However, 
wherever necessary or pertinent, 
live sequences will also be used. 

The collective brainchild of NBC 
prexy Pat Weaver, administrative 
veepee Robert W. Sarnoff; public 
affairs veepee Davidson Taylor and 
Henry Salomon, the web’s tele- 
mentary chieftain (who produced 
the “Victory at Sea" series and the 
more recent “Three-Two-One Zero” 
atom bomb show), “Operation 20th 
Century” (actually the working 
blueprint goes under the title of 
“Project 20”) is the No. 1 “secret 
project” on the network’s tv 
agenda. Salomon has already des- 
ignated key staffers who worked on 
the “Victory” series to ditto on 
the forthcoming shows, among 
them Isaac Kleincrman as editor 
(reprising his "Victory" job); Dick 
Hansel* as researcher and co-au- 
thor with Salomon; Donald Hyatt 
as production supervisor, and Rus- 
sell Bennett to write the music. 

The tv review of the present cen- 
tury will be approached from (1) 
the political aspects (which will 
serve as a series in themselves); 
(2) the advances in science (an- 
other series); (3) the social and 
historical (still another series) and 
the march forward of business and 
industry. 

Actual work has already started, 
with Salomon’s recent trip to Eu- 
rope yielding an abundance of film 
material which will be used on the 
first show. This will be an exami- 
nation of international Communism 
(Salomon has footage on the Rus- 
sian Revolution which, even at this 
late date, has never yet been 
shown). Practically the entire pro- 
gram, incidentally, will be made 
(Continued on page 48) 


New Patterns 

J. Walter Thompson may 
find itself in the motion picture 
production field, if the word of 
one of its execs is to be be- 
lieved. Agency foray into a 
hitherto unexplored (and un- 
thought-of, in agency circles) 
field revolves about the now- 
celebrated Rod Serling tele- 
play, “Patterns,” which gets a 
repeat performance tonight 
(Wed.) on JWT’s “Kraft The- 
atre." 

Asked about bids for the 
property by majnr motion pic- 
ture outfits, the JWT facto- 
tum said. “If anyone makes a 
picture version of it, it’ll be 
us.” m 


CBS RADIO CANCELS 
MAHAL1A JACKSON 

CBS has thrown in the towel on 
Mahalia Jackson's Sunday night 
radio show. The Lou Cowan- 
fronted gospel singer was launched 
on the web last fell with lotsa fan- 
fare but failed to make the sponsor 
grade. She was originally in a 25- 
minute program that was chopped 
to 10 several weeks ago. 

Network will slot “Face the Na- 
tion” at 10:05-10:30 and Jojin 
Derr’s sportcast and “UN Report” 
in the quarter-hours rounding out 
the Sunday night schedule to the 
P m. mark. 


NBC prexy Pat Weaver is back 
on a memorandum kick. His No.l 
directive for 1955 treats on the sub- 
ject of “Enlightenment.” The text 
follows: 

Three years ago, we started a 
practical means for television to 
achieve its full potential as the 
most vital force for cultural good 
since speech itself. This was in the 
memorandum of Jan. 17, 1952, to 
producers and directors. 

The memorandum pointed out 
that we always would, of course, 
t do separate public affairs, news, 
and informational programs, but 
that the chance to enlighten, il- 
luminate, inform the maximum 
number of people exists in the 
schedule of the shows that reach 
all families and all members of 
all families. So. the instruction 
was for the insertion and. conscious 
integration of informational and 
cultural matter in existing shows. 
This was intended to enable us to 
do what radio broadcasting has 
never done — to air inspiring kinds 
of segment programming at all 
times of the day and night, all 
over the schedule (including prime 
nighttime periods), and to larger 
numbers of people than ever 
reached by any medium in history. 

This campaign has been increas- 
ingly successful. The inserts and 
the full shows that have grown out 
of this ideal have resulted in sev- 
eral hundred hours of time. The 


. 


effort has brought us little credit 
from the public and the informed 
criticis. But for us at NBC. the 
campaign has been a source of per- 
sonal pride in the medium. 

The campaign has had remark- 
able range: the imaginative use of 
ballet in the big extravaganzas, the 
guest spotting in comedy shows of 
world famous artists like Lily Pons, 
Horowitz. Alicia Markova. Andre 
Segovia, Rise Stevens, and many 
others, and the daily inclusion of 
informational material on “Today.” 
“Home” and “Tonight.” There 
have been the weekly specials of 
Betty White and Howdy Doody; 
and the development of many com- 
mercial series — all the way from 
“Ding Dong School” to “Medic.” 
Also, many scripts have been 
chosen not only for dramatic inter- 
est but for what they could tell 
viewers of the behavior of human 
beings under today’s tensions and 
in perplexing situations. In drama 
the achievement has been gener- 
ally superb. So many television 
plays have enlarged the horizons 
of the world we all live in. 

The purpose of this memoran- 
dum is to reaffirm the campaign’s 
essential importance, and to focus 
fresh attention on the system of 
monthly reports of accomplish- 
ment by each producer. 

It is not enough that the 
American people shall be su- 
perbly entertained. They must 
be kept informed. This is not 


Weaver’s Gospel: 
Let There Be 
Enlightenment’ 

NBC prexy Pat Weaver has just 
prepared a new memorandum (see 
below) directed at all the network 
producers, directors and other key 
program functionaries which, in 
essence, reaffirms the web’s obli- 
gation henceforth to enlighten its 
audiences in all the cultural areas. 
The key word is “enlightenment" 

and Weaver passes along the word 
that from here on in the network 
will be on an “enlightenment” 
kick in which the various cultural 
facets (music, painting, ballet, 
opera, etc.), will be integrated into 
all the program schedules and will 
influence the web’s program think- 
ing. 

Already blueprinted are some 
“enlightenment” features for kid 
shows, among them the Pinky Lee 
and the “Howdy Doody” cross-the- 
board stanzas. On “Howdy,” for 
example, a Heifetz or a Rubinstein 
making an appearance to “enlight- 
en” the moppets on some elemen- 
tary music appreciation is en- 
j visioned; another time it’ll be 
I (Continued on page 48) 

A Pat Weaver Memorandum : 


Tom McAvity, NBC-TV’s pro- 
gramming veepee, has been named 
head of the television network in a 
top-level administrative reorganiza- 
tion. Move is cued to NBC’s con- 
viction that tv is growing by such 
leaps and bounds that the Pat 
Weaver-Bob Sarnoff top command 
should be relieved of the ever 
growing heavy administrative bur- 
dens. 

Four other tv executives are 
moved up in the sharp reorganiza- 
tion that accents the meteoric rise 
ol the medium. Dick Pinkham, 
v.p., inherits McAvity’^ program 
niche, up from director of partici- 
pating shows, with latter berth go- 
ing to Mort Werner, who’s been 
riding herd on the THT threesome 
of “Today” - “Home" - “Tonight" 
catchalls. 

Earl Rettig, v.p., becomes chief 
of network services involved in the 
business and production side (he’s 
^-production and business affairs 
topper). William V. Sargent is 
posted as director of network busi- 
ness, up from manager of business 
affairs. 

As the chain of command works 
out. the tv network’s move puts 
McAvity in the top spot under 
which the “reporting to” corps 
consists of Pinkham, Rettig, sales 
veep George Frey and Fred Wile, 
v.p. of network programs of the 
Pacific division. Under Pinkham 
are public affairs v.p. Davidson 
Taylor, program development di- 
rector Leonard E. Hole, national 
program manager Sam Fuller, pro- 
gram sales director Mike Dann, 
and Werner. 

Reporting to Rettig will be Gus- 
tav E. Margraf, v.p. over talent; 
Anthopy B. Hennig, director of pro- 
duction, and Sargent. 


someone else’s job. It is yours. 

Responsibility must be kept 
alive — and I knoio you hare 
the individual conscience and 
the wish to meet the obliga- 
tion. 

Each producer is on his own. 
of course, to create the plot, the 
atmosphere inserts that can enter- 
tain while enlightening his particu- 
lar audiences . . . within the scope 
of present show formats or beyond, 
with new techniques. 

The reporting system has 
not always kept pace with our 
programs. This is a pity, 
where true, because much of 
what you are accomplishing is 
going unknown — and uttered- 
ited to you and NBC. 

For new producers and directors 
I want to point out that, in order 
for us to know what each of you 
is doing w ith -his own shows on the 
air in living up to the responsibility 
concept, we have a procedure 
known as the “Responsibility Re- 
port.” Mimi Hoffmeir gets it out 
and each report covers one month. 

The only way Miss Hoffmeir can 
report what we are doing in the 
responsibility line is if you send 
her a report. You should send her 
one on the first of each month cov- 
ering what you have done in the 
month that is just past; and I 
would like to have a copy. 

If you have done nothing, you 
should report that, too, and then 
we ought to get together. Thanks. 


NBC-TV’s Still Got 

Hour of Anxiety 

Now that the morning roster has 
been fairly well resolved, with 
both the “Today" and “Home" 
shows as the major components of 
the pre-noon slottings. NBC-TV it 
turning its attention to the weak 
afternoon segments. The network 
is primarily concerned over the 3 
to 4 p.m. area, currently tenanted 
by such soap-slanted 15-minute 
items as “Greatest Gift,” “Golden 
Windows,” “One Man’s Family" 
and “Concerning Miss Marlowe." 
(After 4 p.m. the shows and bill- 
ings perk up.) 

Just what will go into the per- 
iods as replacement shows hasn't 
yet been determined, with the net- 
work program boys currently go- 
ing through the auditioning stages. 
There’s a strong likelihood that the 
soaper formula will be scrapped. 


Finalize Kagran Shift 
To NBC; Stones Enter 
Pact With Gleason 

With the deal under which NBC 
gets controlling interest of the 
Kagran Corp. now* consummated, 
prexy - board chairman Martin 
Stone and his brother, v.p. Allan 
Stone, have exited the firm and 
formed Stone Associates, a new 
programming-merchandising outfit 
whose first client is Jackie Gleason. 
Stones will handle all phases of a 
merchandising campaign’ to be 
built around Gleason, covering ap- 
parel, games, food, etc. Joining 
the Stones in the new firm will be 
Eddie Kean, script and music writ- 
er of the “Howdy Doody” show 
since its inception in 1947. 

NBC acquires Kagran. along 
with “Howdy” under a deal buying 
out the assets oU the corporation 
from the Lehman Bros, banking 
interests and from the Stones. Kag- 
ran will be maintained by the web 
as a corporate and operating sub- 
sidiary. but the network hasn’t yet 
decided under whose province the 
subsid will fall, nor has it tapped 
operating execs to fill the slots va- ji 
cated by the Stones andean. M 


28 


RADIO- VIDEO -TV FILMS 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Plotkin Report May Have a Great 
Bearing on DuMont s Future Status 


After the sale of WDTV, Pitts- 4 
burgh, nearly two months ago and J 
the more recent personnel and co- , 
axial cable lopoffs, DuMont net- j 
work slipped into the backseat of 
industry attention. It’s obvious, j 
though, that all the changes have . 
not been made. They may not be 
in the form of another sale or fur- 
ther retrenchment in some other 
way, but it’s generally understood , 
that the DuMont Television Net- ! 
work is "in stages of experimenta- j 
tion.” The whole of this "where 
do we go from here” kick may soon 
shift course, however, in light of 
the Plotkin report (asking an in- 
vestigation on telenet monopolies* j 
last week. 

It’s noted that many of the ree- ' 
ommendations embraced by the con- j 
troversial report out of Washington 
are very like those made by Dr 
Allen DuMont, network majority 
owner, first in general appraisals 
for the FCC and the trade re the 
UHF problem and then to the Sen- 
ate committee investigating the 
role of the networks in tv. Beyond 
the refinements made by the com- ( 
mittee, there are some obvious Du- 
Mont inflections. For example, Du- 
Mont was one of those who, as one 
tradester recalls, originally asked 
for investigation on the reasonable- j 
ness of coaxial cable charges. An- 
other more striking fact broached 
by DuMont was the business of de- 
intermixture. The Doc wanted U’s 
and V’s separated a long time ago. 

DuMont was toying — and still is 
— with the idea of a "film network,” 
although the actual facts of the 
plan escape many of the network 
U’s execs. Another area for “ex- 
perimentation” was the battle being 
waged by the network for the third 
V channel in Boston. (Though 
WDTV was sold. DuMont paradoxi- ! 
cally didn’t seem to have lessened j 
its desire for the Beantown grant, 
but with these new developments 
there’s no telling what Dumont’s 
got up its sleeve.) 

‘Regional Network* • 

Though few realize it, DuMont 
is now operating as a "regional tele- 
vision network.” The few (some 
20) tele stations remaining in its 
live fold are located geographic* ! 
ally from around the upper middle J 
west through the upper eastern |, 
coastal regions, making DuMont 
practically a "northeastern” net. ; 
Idea was put forth by an ob- 
server that Dr. DuMont may 
also be of the idea that if radio 
regionais could operate successful- j 
ly perhaps there’s room for a video 
regional too. This "small” network 
idea shapes as a favorite in the 
"what to do with DuMont” schemes. 

In passing, one of the inconsist- j 
encies connected with the “film 
web” plan is that though a few 
key network execs seem to be fully 
aware of the deal’s electronic as- 
pects and feel that success of a 
like-video-film camera is imminent ! 
(and are only sitting on them until 
the doc says okay), none, from a 
casual survey made, are aware of 
how DuMont will instrument this 
network, or even — if it is done — 
w hether it would be fair to describe 1 
it as a network. There doesn't ap- | 
pear to be a need for the coaxial 
by such an arrangement, but the 
question was asked whether this 
will be a local tv station also in- 
volved in the film syndication biz 
(Continued on page 73) 


JOAN DAVIS ANKLES, 

GE DROPS ‘JOAN’ 

Joan Davis and General Electric 
are calling it quits after three years 
of "I Married Joan.” The comedi- 
enne has asked for and been 
granted by NBC and GE a release 
from her contract, and at the same 
time GE has indicated that it’s ; 
dropping the show at the end of 
the season. 


DuM’s Lone Salesman 

DuMont is the only network 
with just one regular sales- 
man. Top biller Harry Pertka 
will remain alone after Friday 
ill) when the tele net lays off 
another batch of upper echelon 
personnel. Other departments 
affected besides sales will be 
research and sales service so 
far as can be determined now. 

Instead of a regular sales 
staff DuMont intends utilizing 
net general manager Jack Bas- 
henf (who’s always been in 
support of the pitchmen) and 
sales chief Gerry Martin as 
well as eastern sales chief Bill 
Koblenzer. Scheduled to exit 
sales are Howard Kiser (who 
just joined Mutual radio web), 
Dick Hubbell and Marge Kerr, 
both of latter having joined 
DuMont less than a year ago. 

All, but perhajfc; one, of the 
research department are oust- 
ed. Ed Eadah and at least two 
of his departmental aides leave 
on Friday. In addition to thevi. 
three or four are reported 
leaving sales service. 

Samsonite Exits 

'DA* in 39 Cities 

Samsonite Luggage has dropped 
its alternate-week sponsorship of 
Ziv’s "Mr. District Attorney” in 
the 39 markets it held during the 
past year, marking one of the big 
telepix cancellations of the year. 
Samsonite sponsored jointly with 
Carter Products in the 39 major 
cities for a straight 52 weeks, 
thereby giving Ziv a quick payoff 
on the property almost from the 
start. 

Decision by the luggage outfit 
lo drop the show has spurred a 
unique situation which finds an 
agency pitching the show along 
with the syndicator at not only its 
own but other clients. Agency is 
Sullivan, Stauffer, Colwell & 
Bayles, which reps Carter. Latter 
has renewed for another year, 
thereby enabling Ziv to begin pro- 
duction on a new cycle of 39. 
SSC&B is now’ scouting for some- , 
one to pick up the tab on the al- 
ternate w’eeks. Surprising factor in 
the Samsonite cancellation is the 
show's average Nielsen, which 
pulled down a 23.4 in the 39 mar- 
kets involved. 

Adv. Federation Sets 
Key Gabbers, ‘Tonight’ 
Showcase for Powwow 

Dayton. Feb. 8. 

Important speakers and Steve 
Allens NBC-TV "Tonight” show 
are being spotlighted for the ad- 
vertising Federation of America 
district three-dav convention open- 
ing here Thursday GO). 

More than 500 advertisers from 
areas including Cleveland. Cincin- 
nati, Columbus, Akron and In- 
dianapolis will attend. Addressing 
them will be Air Force Secretary 
Harold Talbot, J. L. Von Volken- 
burg, CBS-TV prexy and National 
Advertising Week chairman; Robert 
E. Dunville, president, Crosley j 
Broadcasting Corp.; Edward Mc- 
Aullisse, vice president. J. Walter 
Thompson; James Sherman, v.p., 
McCann-Erickson, and |Keen John- 
son, veepee, Reynolds' Metals and 
former Kentucky governor. 

Allen's show will be fed to NBC- 
TV Friday ill) night by Crosley’s 
WLW-D. The show will originate 
in the National Cash Register Co.’s 
2,400-seat auditorium. 


Miss Davis claimed fatigue in 
making her request, claiming the ; 
strain of producing 98 telepix has ! 
proved too much. On the sponsor j 
side, GE hasn’t been happy with 
the telepix series this year in the 
face of the heating it’s taken from 
ABC's "Disneyland” an the rating 
front. Last year, it had begun to 
creep up on Arthur Godfrey on 
CBS, but with the entry of Disney 
this season, those hopes were shat- 
tered. SUll to be decided by GE is 
whether it’s going to hold onto 
the Wednesday at 8 time. 


T-H-T’ Biz Perks 

Chicago, Feb. 8. 
NBC-TV's "Today-Home-Tonight” 
trilogy continues to snag those 
"bread and butter” participating 
accounts. Inked in last week by ; 
the Chi sales crew were a bundle 
of 13 insertions on each of the 
"TUT” strips for the Pfaff sewing 
machine firm and a new 13-week 
cycle of blurbs on "Tonight” for 
the Westclox division of General 

m : 


‘Stork Club’ Exiting 

ABC-TV is dropping "Stork 
Club” after some six months in 
its Saturday night spot, having 
failed to. sell the show to more 
than one participating sponsor. 
Latter was Gemex Watchbands, 
which took 10 minutes a week at 
first, then reverted to 10 minutes 
on alternate weeks, and finally is 
letting its contract lapse. With no 
bankroller left and none in sight, 
the network is cutting the show 
loose. Last segment is March 5. 

Web will go dark at 10 p m. 
following its "Ozark Jubilee” hill- 
billy segment. 

Stan Freberg ’s Radio 
Ribbing of Used-Car 
Blurbs Via Min. Spots 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Stan Freberg, Capitol recording 
star, who bitingly satirized radio 

and teevee programming on such 
Cap releases as "John and Mary” 
and "Dragnet,” is now penning 
transcribed radio spot announce- 
ments. He’s ridiculing the average 
used-car dealer pitches via one- 
minute blurbs he writes and de- 
livers for Enoch Chevrolet Co., 
local L. A. car dealer. The Freberg 
spots savagely and wittily lampoon 
the "promises” made in average 
used-car commercial pitches. 

Story line on the spots revolves 
around a mythical school for used- 
car salesmen which Freberg calls 
"Shifty Tech.” 

When Enoch first approached 
Freberg on the idea, he told the 
dealer, "I haven't sunk that low” 
as to do spots. "When they of- 
fered me $500 per spot, for writing 
and performance,” he said, "I took 
’em up. For $500, I can sink pret- 
ty low.” 

Freberg completed three that 
are currently riding high on local 
radio stations’ disk jock shows. 
Although Freberg is satirizing 
standard used-car sales techniques, 
Enoch must be selling cars, be- 
cause they patted Freberg to pen 
three more. 


HENRY WHITE EXITS 
BIOW; INTO TELEPIX 

Henry White, manager of Biow- 
Biern-Toigo’s radio-television de- 
partment, is the latest broadcast- 
ing vet to move into the telepix 
ranks. He’s resigned from the 
agency to take over the advertis- 
ing-promotion setup at Screen 
Gems, the Columbia Pictures vid- 
pix subsid. White’s entry into the 
operation is cuing a reshuffling, 
with Eli Harris, whom he’s replac- 
ing, slotted for another exec post 
at the telepixery, and Frank 
Young, who previously reported to 
Harris, now named director of 
press and reporting directly to 
v.p.-general manager Ralph Cohn. 

White’s been with the agency for 
the past two years, moving over 
from CBS. Prior to joining the net- 
work in 1950. he w r as prexy of 
World Video, one of the original 
tv packaging houses. 

Agnes Moorehead Set 
For New McKnight Series 

Hollywood. Feb. 8. 

Producer Tom McKnight has 
signed Agnes Moorehead and Paul 
Kelly as leads in his new vidfilm 
series based on the "Hildegrade 
Withers” yarns written by Stuart 
Palmer. 

NBC is bankrolling the pilot 
which rolls Feb. 21 with Abby Ber- 
lin directing. Harry Clork scripted 
pilot, shooting at the Hal Roach 
lot. McKnight owns the property. 


Religioso Circuit 

A new and growing religioso tv 
circuit is on the way. “Give Us 
This Day,” which at 6:55 a m. kicks 
off the day’s operations on WCBS- 
TV, N. Y., and leads into the CBS- 
TV "Morning Show” opener, is be- 
ing kinnie-repeated by a couple of 
the web's outlets. First in was 
KNXT, Hollywood, and second 
one to fall in line is WXIX, Mil- 
waukee, the web’s latest acquisi- 
tion. 

The TVR's are sent gratis via 
the Gotham station's* public affairs 
sector, with the seven-a-week 
waker-upper covering the three 
major faiths pp. a rotating basis.. . 


Vidpix’s Femme Producers 

• 

Presence of femme producers in live television is viewed these 
days as commonplace; in telepix they’re something of a rarity; 
and in foreign producing companies they’re almost non-existent. 
Not completely, however. There are two fejnmes turning out vid- 
pix in Europe for the American market. One is an indie filmmaker, 
Hannah Weinstein, who, operating out of Britain, has turned out 
the "Colonel March” series for Official Films and is prepping 
"Robin Hood” for the same distrib. The other, though not at the 
head of her own company, has achieved equally enviable status 
via her producer’s post at Sheldon Reynolds Productions, and can 
claim the distinction of being the only femme producer on the 
Continent. 

She’s Nicole Millinaire, a longtime member of the Reynolds 
organization, who with the "Sherlock Holmes” series achieved 
that enviable producer status. Mme. Millinaire (she’s the mother 
of four children, currently in the U S. on a television-viewing 
vacation (she had two rooms at the Plaza in N.Y., the second for 
video-viewing where the reception was better), has been Reynolds’ 
gal Friday for the past four years, but only reached her producer 
post when Reynolds started filming "Holmes.” After getting the 
series underway, he turned the remainder of the production over 
to her (she had on occasion taken charge of some of the “Foreign 
Intrigue” segments, but only sporadically). Of working with the 
European technicians, Mme. Millinaire says there are no problems, 
particularly in France. It was the American directors w’hom 
Reynolds uses who took some time to get used to the idea of work- 
ing under a lady producer, she said, but it all worked out fine. 


O’Neil Set to Bust Out in 2-Way 


Features After 

V 


Zsa Zsa & Eva Shows 

Tele activity is looking up for 
the Gabor Sisters. Cy Howard is 
prepping a pilot film f >r Zsa Zsa 
on the Coast, while ABC-TV is 
looking into the possibilities of 
starring Eva in a televersion of 
"Cafe Istanbul.” 

“Istanbul” in a radio version 
couple years ago, starred Marlene 
Dietrich. 

AFTRA, Chi Radio 
Indies Set To Sign 

— Chicago, Feb. 8. 

Precedent - establishing pension 
and welfare clause is being writ- 
ten into the new American Fed- 
eration of Radio-Television Artist 
contracts with the non-netwosk 
indie radio stations here. Basic 
agreement has been reached with 
five of the seven indies over which 
AFTRA has bargaining rights, 
with the actual signing due this 
week. 

Under the new two-year pacts, 
stations will pay into AFTRA’s new 
national p&w setup 5 % of the staff 
announcers’ base scale. Gabbers 
will also get a 5% pay hike. As 
with the recently signed contracts 
with the network stations, union 
grants a cut in the fee schedules 
for singers and actors of which 
very few are used by the indies 
with their almost exclusive disk- 
jockey formats. 

•Negotiations with the quintet 
were wrapped up in a single after- 
noon session by AFIRA exec secre- 
tary Ray Jones. The management 
reps were Ralph Atlass and Les 
Atlass Jr., for WIND;- Fred Harms 
for WJJD; Tom Davis of WAAF; 
John T. Dyer for WGES. and 
Robert Miller for WAIT. WHFC 
and WSBC reps were unable to at- 
tend the joint meeting per custom, 
but are expected to go along with 
the formula worked out by their 
colleagues. 

Admiral Taking Slice 
Of TV’s ‘Who Said That?’ 

Admiral Corp. is reportedly 
ready to sign in on ABC-TV for 
the first time with an alternate- 
week buy of "Who Said That?”, 
the Wednesday-at-9:30 paneller 
which preemed last w’eek under 
sponsorship o£ Sheaffer Pens. Ad- 
miral buy would solve a ticklish sit- 
uation for the Russel M. Seeds 
agency in Chicago. Agency had 
ordered the show on an every-week 
basis, with Sheaffer pencilled in as 
an alternateweeker. But when it 
couldn’t come up with a second 
bankroller, Sheaffer took on the 
every-week load, presumably on 
the basis that the agency would 
continue its search for a second 
sponsor. 

Apparently the agency finally 
talked Admiral, one of its regular 
clients, into taking a slice of the 




‘Gangbusters’ Click 

Since General Teleradio has 
none of the reservations of the 
long-extant motion pic companies 
regarding use of its theatrical fea- 
tures for tv a$ well, it foresees 
heavy coin rewards. Just a few 
weeks ago GT started in the theat- 
rical distrib biz with "Gangbusters’* 
No. 1 (three or so tv film pix strung 
together to make a full-lengther), 
which already has had strong re- 
turns in the northeast. Now GT 
is seriously contemplating a "Gang- 
busters” No. 2, and is reported 
dickering now for a feature-length 
pic already produced but that 
hasn’t had domestic sales yet. The 
latter (if deal is firmed), after a 
couple of years via the b.o. route, 
will go into tv distribution too. 

On the strictly tv film side, GT 
is also understood to be negotiating 
for a package of about a dozen fea- 
tures to supplement the 30 Bank of 
America films. The B. of A. pix 
have been so successful in their 
own right on video (and have also 
had "extra benefits” in that they 
were instrumental in bringing GT- 
owned WOR-TV, N. Y.. out of the 
red and into the black for the first 
time in the station's operation) that 
O’Neil appears to be sold on fur- 
ther involvements in the feature 
film line. 

As far as further production of 
telefilm skeds, there is no definite 
word, except for an unverified re- 
port that GT is already lensing a 
new half-hour series on the Coast. 
A GT exec figures that should boss 
Tom O’Neil find one of the Phillips 
Lord radio properties ( bought 
sometime ago along with "Gang- 
busters”) show itself to be of fea- 
ture length mettle, then it’ll prob- 
ably be added to the collection as 

well. 

1 


OF, WM. MORRIS IN 
‘INTRIGUE’ DICKERS 

Official Films is dickering with 
the William Morris agency to take 
over the 117 “Foreign Intrigue’* 
films that the agency is distributing 
for Sheldon Reynolds. Latter set 
up his own distribution firm earlier 
this year to handle the pix, which 
represents his first three years of 
production (he's currently in hi* 
fourth), but had Morris personnel 
actually out doing the selling, re- 
portedly on a 15% distribution fee. 

Reynolds and Morris, however, 
reportedly want out on the distri- 
bution chores, the former because 
he feels he's in the production 
end and doesn’t want to be ham- 
pered by distribution, the latter 
because while it’s very much in 
the package and representation 
ranks in tele, it still isn’t ready for 
film distribution in a big way. 
Agency and Official have been talk- 
ing a deal, but it’s not firm yet. 
Total of 117 would represent re- 
runs, but would be firstrun in some 
markets, with the rerun title being 
"Dateline Europe.” 

Deal being discussed doesn’t in- 
clude current production ' Ballan- 
tine Beer buys the series direct for 
some dozen markets, Morris sells 
the others), but that isn’t being 
ppt J.y<^j>ib;lity, 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


29 


■ ■ — ■ ■ ■ " 1 ■■ ■ 1 — 

22nd ANNUAL 

SURVEY OF 

RADIO-TELEVISION 

v 



It's SHOWMANAGEMENT Time. 


For the 22nd Year, VARIETY is conducting its 
annual survey, seeking the outstanding lead- 
ers and station operations who have made the 
most notable contributions in broadcasting. 
VARIETY wants to single out the imaginative 
leaders in TV who have played dominant roles 
in helping the medium achieve its present stat- 
ure; those who have helped parlay video into 
one of the major forces on the American scene. 
VARIETY recognizes that, for all its progress 
and profound effect on living habits, TV still re- 
mains a pioneering medium, always on the 
prowl for new techniques, new patterns, new 
formulas in entertainment. It still doesn't know 
all the answers. Thus in appraising the con- 
tributions of the TV entrepreneurs and creators, 
VARIETY wants to single out those who are 
helping to chart new paths of progress for the 
medium and are applying the highest profes- 
sional standards. 


Similarly VARIETY wants to re-appraise the 
radio scene; to recognize the leaders and sta- 
tions helping to perpetuate AM as big box- 


office; to ferret out those radio broadcasters, 
stations and personalities who during the past 
year contributed the most toward re-patteming 
the medium to a new era and who demonstrat- 
’ ed that radio is still an effective and potent force 
in entertainment, education and sales. We 
want to know about thpse shrewd and realistic 
showmen and businessmen who refused to 
write off their own great medium, but applied 
ingenuity and resourcefulness in retooling for 
the future. 


As usual, VARIETY has set no categories for 
awards. They may range from recognition for 
programming, promotion, public service, to 
sales effectiveness, technical advances and all- 
round managerial skill. Above all, showman- 
ship will be the predominant factor in keynot- 
ing the '54-'55 appraisals. 


We will also reprise our Phi Beta 'Variety' 
key awards .for outstanding personalities in 
both radio and TV. So tune up. The overture is 
March 1. Don't make a fuss over orchestrating 
your contribution. Keep it short and concise. 
How it sounds is more important than how it 
looks. 


Address Reports to 

RADIO-TV EDITOR 



154 West 46th Street 
New York 36, N. Y. 


Deadline for Entries is March 1 



so 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 








31 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Now that America is listening to radio in 26 million automobiles, advertisers have 
become increasingly interested in the amount of attention these sets command. 

Here's what a pilot study recently showed : 

y 

75 per cent of all motorists not only know the sponsors of the programs they* re 
hearing— they can **play hack** substantial parts of the commercials .* 

Actually it's not too surprising. With cars so easy to drive these days, there's not much 
to do but steer. And when the motorist's eye is fixed on the road, his ear hasn’t 
much else to do. Except to take in the most popular programs. And news of the 
products they sell ... on The CBS Radio Network 


*On two successive Sundays 
earlier this winter, Adver- 
test Research conducted in- 
terviews with a total of 
motorists traveling the 
New Jersey Turnpike. Ad- 
vertest found 77 per cent 
of the cars equipped with 
radio. In these cars, the two 
programs whose commer- 
cials were being tested 
( Jack Benny and Amos V 
Andy) had an average rat- 
ing of 28.1. A booklet giv- 
ing details of this survey 
is available from the CBS 
Radio Network on request. 



Wednesday, February 9, 1955 



NABETs Balloting on Offers 
From NBC & ABC Re Wage Hikes 


Hollywood, Feb. 8. ♦ 

Balloting by mail is under way 
to determine whether members of 
NABET will accept or tur/i down 
new contract offers made by the 
NBC and ABC networks. Ballots, 
when turned in by members, will 
be sent to the U. of San Fran- 
cisco, to be tabulated by Father 
Boss, head of the school’s labor 
relations section. 

Contract offered by NBC and 
ABC calls for a 10% wage increase 
over a period of three years. Em- 
ployees would draw 8% of the 
hike for the first 18 months and 
the other 2% during the remain- 
ing 18 months. The ABC contract 
has no pension provision. RCA has 
a pension system which covers 
NBC workers, although it is not 
entirely to NABET’s liking. 

Understood there is a feeling 
locally that the membership is 
against accepting the NBC offer, 
which takes film jurisdiction from 
the union. Until this time, NABET 
has had jurisdiction over all net- 
work filming. On the other hand, 
it has been pointed out that the 
union will have jurisdiction over 
tape, which could conceivably have 
more importance than film rights 
in the future. 

Meanwhile meetings of NABET 
members have been held through- 
out the country to decide whether 
to ratify the contract. 


Ciba Scrams 


Ciba Pharmaceuticals, which 
made its bow as a network televi- 
sion advertiser with ‘'Horizons/' 
the post-Walter Winchell Sunday- 
at-9:15 medical documentary, is 
scramming the medium. It’s drop- 
ping the show effective March 6, 
after a 13-week run. 

Cancellation gives the web the 
problem of filling 45 minutes on 
Sunday night after March 6. “Pan- 
tomime Quiz," already axed by 
Revlon, exists its 9:30 spot that 
date, leaving open the period from 
9:15 to 10, when the web is com- 
mercial again with Dodge and 
“Break the Bank." 


Set Vigilante 
Group on Abuses 

Attempts to “find a way out" on 
"switch" advertising and other 
malpractices have become more 
aggressive. At a meeting Monday 
t7> “virtually all” of N. Y.’s 22 
radio and tele stations decided to 
set up a seven or eight man ifrom 
their ranks) investigating commit- 
tee headed by Hugh Jackfcon, local 
Better Business Bureau boss. Group 
also hopes to bring in NARTB at 
the next powwow. 

Some insiders figure NARTB 
step a “must" in combating ad 
practices cited by Brooklyn D. A. 
Edward Silver a few weeks back. 


TOP BRASS AT CBS 
PLAYS GAB CIRCUIT 

CBS top brass are on a speech- 
making kick following the leads of 
NBC’s Pat Weaver, Bob Sarnoff, 
et a!., in their “Color A Coin" 
themes. J. L. Van Volkenburg, 
CBS-TV prexy, will take the ros- 
trum Friday <11) at a dinner 
meeting of the Dayton <0. ) Ad- 
Club and following Monday (14) 
will take his stance at Pbilly’s 
Poor Richard Club feed to ex- 
pound on advertising as "the ig- 
nition key to an expanding econ- 
omy." 

John Karol, sales v.p. of the ra- 
dio side of the web, has been 
stumping around the country. On 
Monday (7) he spoke at the Holly- 
wood Ad Club on the Coast to 
punch hard with the aural statis- 
tics. 

In the personality sector, it's Ed- 
ward R. Murrow, toastmaster at 
Feb 17 Hotel Biltmore dinner of 
the Supply Corps Assn, of Great- 
er New York to touch off the 160th 
anni of its founding. Add newsman- 
narrator Walter Cronkite, at Co- 
lumbia Industrial Assn, fete in 
Lancaster, Pa.. March 3 « under au- 
spices of WGAL-TV) and guest 
speaker at Ohio Highschool Forum 
in Cincy March 5. 


Geraldine’s ‘No Time 




For Layoffs’; Into ‘Omni’ 

Didn’t take long for Geraldine 
Page to renew acquaintances with 
tv. Legit actress has been having 
a Broadway run in “The Rain- 
maker” <an elongation of the tele 
original) which closes Saturday 
<12). Meantime, Miss Page has 
been rehearsing for the femme lead 
in the next day's “Omnibus" dra- 
matics on CBS TV. Il’ll be a 45- 
minute version of “Turn on the 
* Screw ." 

Other major component of “Om- 
nibus" will be a John Buller-chor- 
eographed and Perry Wolfe-script- 
ed “Romance of Playing Cards." 
running 2$ minuter. Fillout will be 
• tiling oil. 


Newsreel Cameramen 
Come Into Own Via 
WBZ Hub Operation 

Boston, Feb. 8. 

Dinner given last night (Mon.) 
by WBZ-TV honoring its 35 news- 
reel cameramen pinpoints a unique 
news operation that’s been garner- 
ing heavy payoff for the station in 
terms of awards and general good- 
will throughout New England. “Op- 
eration Stringer,” the outlet’s con- 
centration on pictorialized local 
news, employs one fulltime camera- 
man and 34 correspondents or 
stringers, stationed throughout 
New England, and has earned for 
the outlet kudos in local and re- 
gional coverage. 

Heavy emphasis on newsreel cov- 
erage stems from the outlet’s con- 
viction that local news is import- 
ant, that it must be television 
news rather than static announcing, 
and that the local coverage be con- 
structive. Under this setup, within 
which news takes up some 14% of 
the station’s air time, WBZ-TV has 
34 stringers on 24-hour call lo- 
cated within 30 minutes traveling 
time of nearly any potential news 
break within range of the station’s 
signal. 

Cameramen are culled from vari- 
ous sources, including a radio an- 
nouncer, a mountain guide, a ski 
resort official, a Maine U. professor, 
a Boston U. student, a boys’ club 
worker and two fish and game in- 
spectors. Eight of them are con- 
centrated in Boston, the others 
throughout Massachusetts and 
other New England states. Cover- 
age ranges from routine but con- 
structive — Rotary, Kiwanis, and 
Chamber of Commerce dinners and 
veterans’ meetings — to the red hot, 
like the recent Mass. State Prison 
siege, the Leyte explosion, and the 
crash of a Northeast Airlines plane 
in New Hampshire last November. 
Documentary, “The Story of Hurri- 
cane Carol and Edna," compiled 
from footage shot by the stringers 
during the storms, won the 1954 
Radio & Television News Directors 
Assn, trophy. 

Dinner, according to general man- 
ager W. C. (Bill) Swartley, was to 
“give full recognition to a group 
of men who are representative of a 
truly new profession, television 
news photography." 

LUX TV SNARES 20TH 
STUDIO; ‘ADANO’ SET 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

“Lux Video Theatre,” which has 
already made deals for televersions 
of pix from Paramount, Columbia, 
Warner Bros, and UA, has finalized 
arrangements to bring 20th-Fox 
into the fold. 

First 20th vehicle to be seen on 
the NBC-TV show is “A Bell for 
Adano," due Feb. 10, with Edmond 
O’Brien starring in role played in 
the film by John Hodiak. Richard 
Goode directs. 

Cornwell Jackson, head of J. 
Walter Thompson office here, 
made deal with 20th. 


‘Design for Sportscasts’ 


CBSports director John Derr is 
testing a long-held theory on his 
Sunday night radiocast. Informa- 
tionally, he’s trying to adjust the 
show into two lines, and he makes 
these observations: “One, assum- 
ing that a sports listener and 
sports reader have somewhat simi- 
lar desires, I am trying to headline 
the sports stories — departmental^ 
to some degree — so that a listener 
can have a readymade selectivity 
in listening. I don’t believe any- 
one waits with ‘baited’ breath to 
hear every single word of a 15-min- 
ute or even a 10-minute sports 
show. Some items w'ill interest 
him or her, but others won’t, any- 
more thjm every new'sypaper read- 
er reads every single story on the 
sports page each day. You select 
the items you w ant to read by the 
head on the story. 

“Secondly, also like a newspaper 
headline, if the head can indicate 
the sport, the general subject cov- 
ered. but be at the same time 
provocative enough to arouse more 
than casual interest, then you have 
set up a pattern to make as much 
of the show as possible of interest 
to the maximum number of lis- 
teners.” 


Strike Voted By 
NABET in Canada 


Ottawa, Feb. 4. 

More than 84% of the members 
of the National Assn, of Broadcast 
Employees and Technicians (CIO- 
Can. Congress of Labor) author- 
ized NABET to call a strike in the 
Canadian Broadcasting Corp. radio 
and television stations. Strike dead- 
line was set at Feb. 15. 

NABET will call the strike, un- 
less some agreement is reached be- 
fore Feb. 15, to back demands for 
salary increases rejected by a con- 
ciliation board on grounds they 
would not be justified on the basis 
of living costs and in comparison 
with rates in private stations and 
United States webs. Present sal- 
aries range from a starting $44.23 a 
week for trainees to top $96.40 for 
senior personnel. NABET wants 
boosts from $53.77 for beginners to 
$161.54 at the top. 

Officially, CBC claims it could 
maintain a minimum service on 
both radio and tv but some CBC of- 
ficials are skeptical. Union offi- 
cials claim the strike would black- 
out 'the seven video and 22 radio 
stations operated by CBC, as well 
as deprive privately-owned stations 
of CBC web service. 


‘FATHER’ REOPTIONED, 
CBS STILL HOPEFUL 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

The “Life With Father" series, 
starring Leon Ames and Lurene 
Tuttle, has been reoptioned by 
CBS-TV for 13 more weeks, even 
though the series has been spon- 
sorless since Jan. 4 w hen Pet, Milk 
and Johnson Wax switched over to 
the Red Skelton Show on the same 
web. Network apparently is sure 
another bankroller w ill come along 
to pick up “Father’s" tab. 

Meanwhile, B. G. Norman, one 
of the regular cast members of 
“Father," has asked for and re- 
ceived his release from the series, 
so that he may fill other commit- 
ments. 

Fletcher Markle produces-directs 
series, now being done on film. 


ROLUNSON TO QUALITY 

It. II. (Reg) Rollinson, for the 
past two years the No. 2 man at 
the Station Reps Assn, under Tom 
Flanagan, has joined the Quality 
Radio Group as eastern sales chief. 
He’ll report to exec v.p. Bill Ryan. 

Rollinson headed up the “Cru- 
sade for Spot Radio" during his 
stint at SRA. 


Balto’s ‘Key to Ages’ 

Set for ABC-TV Ride 

That “get out of town" trend in 
network television originations 
has found a mild proponent in 
ABC-TV’s news & special events 
department, which has tapped Bal- 
timore’s WAAM-TV for an educa- 
tional stanza titled “Key to the 
Ages." Segment, which has aired 
locally for some time, goes on the 
network in the Sunday at 8 period 
starting Feb. 27 (it won’t be aired 
in New York, where the time is 
sold on a local basis, however). 

Show originates from the Wal- 
ters Art Gallery and is done by 
the museum in conjunction with 
the Enoch Pratt Free Library. Dr. 
Theodore Low, of the Gallery 
staff, handles the lecture chores, 
commenting on various phases of 
history and letters through the use 
of art. Kickoff show is on “Tale 
of Two Cities." 


From the Production Centres 

IN NEW YORK CITY ... 

Guy Della-Cioppa, CBS-Hollywood program v.p., In town on biz, and 
off to the Coast for huddles is Henry Howard, director of business 
affairs . . . Jazzbo Collins* collection of weird pets growing, latest to 
come in to the WRCA deejay being a five-foot stuffed flamingo from 
Florida . . . Sue Oakland back from two-week Las Vegas vacation, 
part of her loot for nabbing the “Junior Jinx" title . . . WCBSinger 
Lanny Ross to Philly Feb. 19 to emcee at Women’s Ad Club . . . Births 
Dept.: Bud Rorers (WSAZ-TV, Huntington. W. Va.) wires. "Announcing 
arrival Feb. 1. Natalie Titus Rorers. Fourth girl out of five. Wife 
Suzanne comments, ’Well, there you are. Can’t hardly get them boys 
no more.’ Pop recovering.” Mary Osborne, instrumentalist with Jack 
Sterling’s WCBS early morn quintet, gave birth to a son Feb. 1 in 
Amityville. L.I. Hubby Ralph Scaffidi is a musician. Mia. Jack Sterling 
(Barbara) is between third base and home . . . NBC o&o*s cooperating 
with Free Milk Fund for Babies’ 28th anni via “Great Moments in 
Opera" special starring Robert Merrill, Licia Albanese and Giuseppe 
Campora Feb. 27 . . . Orrie Hancock directing CBS-“Hilltop House" 
while regular Jack Rubin romps in the Caribbean for three weeks. 
Network’s talks director. Helen Sioussat, plaqued by Columbia U. for 
special work on the school’s bicentennial . . . WRCA roving reporter 
Gabe Pressman was sole radio sleuth who showed up at Mayor Wagner- 
Commissioner Cavanagh confab on town’s kerosene burner situation, 
with stoiy on air at 6 that night . . . Allan Jackson’s CBS newscasts 
in longterm Met Life Insurance renewal. Web’s Don Miller named 
director of special presentations of spot sales nromotion . . . Toni Dar- 
nay has joined cast of “Helen Trent” . . . Alfred Shirley and Frank 
Thomas Jr. new to "Backstage Wife” . . . Bret Morrison added to 
“Young Widder Brown" . . . Frank Ryan, proprietor of radio indie 
station CFRA in Ottawa, convalescing in New' York from injuries 
received in a head-on car-truck collision near his Ottawa home last 
week. Ryan is w.k. in eastern Canada as radio rural commentator. 

From the CBS writing pit: Josephine Lyons has departed to free- 
lance. Johanna Johnston has sold a children’s book to Knopf for next 
fall, Paul Affelder, staff musicologist, is doing a disk column for Cos- 
mopolitan magazine. Bill Workman, Paul Levitan and Charles S. Monroe 
are collabing on Feb. 17 telecast of New York Junior League Ball . . . 
Ted Herbert, formerly with ABC, appointed v.p.-general manager of 
WNRC, New Rochelle. 

Radio Ad Bureau’s “best salesman of the month" went for the first 
time in brief contest history to a New Yorker. Bob Alden. of WOR . . . 
WAAT-WATV gabbers Paul Brenner, Don Larkin, Lyle Seed, Bill Cook, 
Joe Pica, pins singers Cece Blake, Sandy Evans and Ida Lynn to appear 
at affair in support of the Jersey City Boys’ Clubs on Friday (11) . . . 
NBC gave Morton Gould’s “Cinerama Holiday Suite” its first air en- 
gagement last Monday (7) to coincide with the Louis deRochemont 
theatrical feature. Music went via “Best of All" stanza, with Lowell 
Thomas. Gould and deRochemont on hand . . . WMCA's Sabbath “Mu- 
sicland” into 11th year past outing (6) . . . Paul Talbot, Fremantle 
Radio prexy. to Latin America for tour of firm’s offices. Stops: Mexico, 
Panama, Columbia, Venezuela and P.R. 

IN CHICAGO . . . 

Bill Thompson signed on with the NBC network radio sales force 
after a four-year hitch with Mutual . . . D’Arcv agency’s Michigan 
Ave. headquarters badly singed 4 by fire last week with damage esti- 
mated at $50,000 . . . Alan Lee new radio-tv production supervisor 
at Russel M. Seeds . . . ABC veep Charles Avres in for huddles with 
Chi AM chief Don Roberts . . . WMAQ-WNBQ program manager 
George Heinemann elected a veep of the Navy League’s Chi Council 
. . . WBBM gabber Fahey Flynn and family sunning in Florida . . . 
WLS farm news director Dix Harper featured speaker at the Monlana 
farm institute last w'eek . .*. Addition of 13 new affiliates brings Key- 
stone Broadcasting’s hookup to 797 outlets . . . A. G. (Jeff) Wade named 
prexy of the newly-formed Wade agency in Hollywood . . . Dolores 
Martel and Bill Lawrence auditioning vocalists on ABC’s “Breakfast 
Club” this week . . . Dick Hollow’ay new national sales manager for 
WSBT and WSBT-TV. South Bend, replacing Bob Elrod who has joined 
Chi NBC . . . Cinerama has purchased Sam Lesner and Neal Bruce’s 
26 taped shcfws tagged “From Silents to Cinerama" for use in other 
cities . . . WBBM announcer Bob Grant off to the Coast for a two- 
weeker . . . Lulu Belle & Scotty of the WLS National Barn Dance 
roster guest on NBC-TV’s “Tonight” when it visits Dayton next week 
. . . Voice A Vision has taken over a 60-minute slice of WMAQ’s Sat- 
urday afternoon “House of Music" hosted by Tom Mercein, 

IN WASHINGTON . . . 

Hazel Market, co-producer of Theoder Granik’s “American Forum’* 
and “Youth Wants to Know," and recent addition to the “Three Star 
Extra" newscast, has mounted a figurative telecycle with addition of 
a three-times-per-week tv society report, “R.S.V.P." with different 
sponsor for each five-minute telecast . . . CBS newsman Eric Sevareid 
received the Minnesota Achievement Award for distinguished service 
in the radio-tv field from his alma mater, U. of Minnesota . . . Fulton 
Lewis Jr. back in tv circulation via his new weekly DuMont show . . . 
Norman Brokenshire helping Voice of America recruit clerical help 
for its world-wide offices via a series of cuffo radio spot announce- 
ments . . . Voice of America, incidentally, doing complete radio and 
pix coverage of Vice President Nixon’s current goodwill tour of the 
Caribbean and Central American countries for its world-wide radio-tv 
series . . . Gene Archer, WRC-NBC vet baritone and emcee, debutting 
a new “McKee’s Musical Motorama" radio show originating from show 
room of sponsor, McKee Pontiac. 

1JV PITTSBURGH . . . 

Robert Saudek comes back to the old home town today (Wed.) to 
address the Radio and Television Club at its semi-monthly luncheon 
. . . Gloria Okon has resigned as the distaff voice of the Duquesne 
Brewing Co.’s radio and tv commercials. Her two home-making shows 
a week on WJAS are being replaced by Dave Murray’s “Pulse of the 
Press" and Murray will also do the sales pitches on sponsor’s “Time 
Out" strip on that station. Murray is personnel director of WENS, 
UHF channel 16, and a former newscaster on WDTV . . , Paul Williams, 
just out of the army, has been added to the WCAE sales staff. He 
replaces Ernest Brown, who resigned to become associate manager of 
the Greater Erie Chamber of Commerce . . . Pat La Peccerrella is 
back at her KQV desk after being off three weeks following an ap- 
pendectomy . . . A1 Nobel, of the Wilkens Jewelry tv shows, and his 
wife, Vera, celebrated their 10th wedding anni. 

IN MINNEAPOLIS ... * 

Minnesota “Blue Ox" chapter of American Women in Radio and 
TV elected as new slate of officers Robin Lord, Reeves Adv. Agency, 
president; Judy Bryson, KEYD-TV, vice president; Men* Kingbay, 
WCCO, secretary-treasurer, and Bee Baxter and Sharlene Argeter. 
KSTP, and Ken McKenzie, General Mills, directors . . . WCCO-TV to 
offer prevue showing Feb. 20 of documentary film produced here by 
CBS-TV for its network “The Search" series. Firm depicts activilici 

(Continued on page 48) 


Wednesday, February 9, 1935 


RADIO -VIDEO- TV FILMS 


33 ' 


D. C. JITTERS GRIP INDUSTRY 


Ima Weeps for the Weepers 

Nearing her 25th anniversary as queen and pioneeress of the 
snapopera scripters, Ima Phillips is about to carve out a new niche 
vis-a-vis the daytime weepers. The “Guiding Light” (et. al.) 
writer is convince;! that the tv sudsers (her own included) are 
merely a carryover from radio both as to the length of periods and 
the manner in which they’re played. She rejects the traditional 
quarter-hour heartbeaters as virtually impossible to put over 
videowise when it comes to delivering the story, since that means 
only 10 or 11 minutes of narrative. She feels that the same amount 
of time has long since established itself as effective and reasonable 
in the sound medium, since the “ear” values ride parallel with 
the imagination-and-illusion facets to provide a substance in terms 
of time that television must perforce miss out on. 

Under this thinking, interpreted freely from her observations 
in New York last week at the Waldorf where she was readying to 
return to her long-loved Chicago base of operations. Miss Phillips 
is fronting the half-hour detergent drama for tv with MCA’s Herb 
Rosenthal repping her for a push into the new scheme of things 
that ’tis hoped will revolutionize the soapopera concept in that 
medium. It's based on giving the daydreamers that nighttime 
30-minute aura, with the extended time sparking such development. 

The veteran serialist, whose silver anni in her field will occur 
in May, has written eight separate skeins, with four of them going 
simultaneously and several of them as two-ply radio-tv exposures. 
She was loath to comment on the overall theme of her new 30- 
minuter, but said the working title is “Journey’s End.” Her co- 
writer is Agnes Eckhardt who’s contributed to a number of night- 
time hour and half-hour drama series, and producer-director is 
Ted Corday, with a hatful of sound-and-sight as well as legit credits 
over many years. 


Replacing Burned-Out TV Tubes 
An $80,900,000 Business in 1954 


Washington, Feb. 8. - 

With several million tv sets 
burning out their picture tubes 
every year, the business of produc- 
ing cathode ray tubes for the re- 
placement market has reached 
giant proportions. Production data 
compiled by the Radio-Electronics- 
TV Manufacturers Assn, indicates 
that it won’t be long before the re- 
placement market alone will be 
able to keep a good part of the 
tube-making industry busy. 

Last year, about 20% of the 
nearly 10,000,000 picture tubes 
turned out by manufacturers went 
to dealers, distributors and service 
shops for use as replacements. On 
the basis of the average factory 
price of $20 per tube, this would 
mean that the manufacturers’ gross 
on replacement tubes was around 
$40,000,000. 

Adding the usual markups by 
dealers and repair services, it is 
probable that tv set owners paid 
out $80,000,000 in 1954 to replace 
burned-out tubes with new tubes. 
IIow' much was spent for replace- 
ment with rebuilt tubes (made by 
rebuilders from old tubes) is not 
known. RETMA has no figures on 
this business but believes it is sub- 
stantial. 

Production of tubes for replace- 
ment has followed the increase in 
sets in circulation. It appears from 
the RETMA data that from 5% to 
10% of sets in use burn out picture 
tubes each year. So far, nearly 
7.000.000 of the 33,000.000 receiv- 
ers in use have required replace- 
ment tubes. 

How long does a picture tube 
last? It was originally estimated 
that the life of a tube is 1,000 
hours. However, this estimate has 
proved to be a minimum rather 
than a maximum. Some set owners 
have used their sets for five years 
with the same tube, operating 
1,000 hours a year or more. 

With the increase in the number 
of stations and a greater choice of 
programs, it would be expected 
that in many areas of the country 
sets are operating more hours now 
than ever. In cities like Boston, 
St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Portland, 
Ore., Indianapolis, Miami, Norfolk 
and Richmond, new VHF stations 
to be built will doubtless result in 
greater viewing activity, v This 
should mean greater business in 
tube replacement sales. 


DODGE RIDES MUTUAL 

For at least the next five weeks 
or so Mutual is benefitting from a 
seasonal advertising push by the 
Dodge Division of Chrysler. 

Automaker has inked into the 
radio web’s 8 to 8:30 p.fn. “multi- 
message” strip. 


' Deserted ‘Streets’ 

_ General Mills, an in-and-outer 
in ABC Radio’s morning schemes, 
is on the out side again. Cereal 
outfit is dropping its three-a-week 
sponsorship of “Whispering 
Streets.” the early a.m. soaper, on 
Feb. 28, reportedly to move some 
of its ad budget over to tv and 
ABC-TV’s “Mickey Mouse Club” in 
the fall. 

Seeman Bros., which bankrolls 
the Tuesday and Thursday seg- 
ments of “Streets,” remains. 

Keynote Award 
For Ethridge 

Louisville, Feb. 8. 

Mark F. Ethridge, publisher of 
the Courier-Journal and Louisville 
Times, will receive the 1955 Key- 
note Award of the National Assn, 
of Radio and Television Broadcast- 
ers. Vice-prez of WHAS, Inc., Eth- 
ridge will be the third man to re- 
ceive the award, one of the top ci- 
tations in the.radio-tv industry. The 
two previous recipients have been 
David Sarnoff, and William S. 
Paley. Selection of the Louisville 
publisher was announced by Clair 
R. McCullough, chairman of the 
NARTB television board, and 
Henry B. Clay, chairman of the 
group’s radio board. 

Ethridge’s award is in recogni- 
tion of his work in reorganizing the 
old NAB during an internal crisis 
in 1938, which resulted from labor 
problems and a dispute with 
ASCAP over the airing of music. 
Ethridge assisted in organizing 
BMI. music organization which still 
services stations as a source for 
music material. Ethridge served 
as NAB prez for several months 
until succeeded by former Louis- 
ville Mayor Neville Miller. 

- Keynote Award will be presented 
in Washington May 24 when Eth- 
ridge addresses the NARTB con- 
vention. 


Travers’ New Post 

Boston, Feb. 8. 

Linus Travers, who until his 
resignation last fall served 10 
years as executive veepee and gen- 
eral manager of the Yankee Net- 
work, has joined the advertising 
staff of John C. Dowds, Inc., of 
Boston and Dowd. Redfield & John- 
stone, Inc., of New York. 

A vet of 27 years in radio and 
tv, Travers started his career as 
an announcer on WNAC and has 
served as v.p. of General Teleradio 
and a member of the board of the 
Mutual Broadcasting System. 


How’ya Gonna Service 
My Old Kentucky Home 

■ ■ ■ By BILL LADD ______ 

(Radio TV Editor, Louis villa Courier-Journal) 


DHL STANDS BY 
. AS PROBE PENDS 

Washington. Feb. 8. 

Fortified with $200,000 voted it 
last week to carry on its ^various 
investigations, the Senate Inter- 
state Commerce Committee is 
planning to hire a new staff soon 
to follow through with hearings 
on the Plotkin report on network 
regulation. 

The committee will have the as- 
sistance of Former Sen. Clarence 
C. Dill, of Washington, when and 
if it decides that legislation is nec- 
essary to implement the Plotkin 
Report calling for greater regula- 
tion of the networks by the FCC. 
Committee Chairman Warren Mag- 
nuson (D.-Wash.) has asked Dill to 
make himself available to the com- 
mittee in a consulting capacity in 
two or three months. Dill has 
promised to arrange his affairs to 
handle the assignment. 

Scope of the inquiry was indi- 
cated when Magnuson said, in re- 
leasing the Plotkin recommenda- 
tions, that the “entire field” of 
broadcasting will be “fully ex- 
plored” by the committee before 
it reaches final conclusions regard- 
ing tv problems. 

Magnuson emphasized that the 
Plotkin report, which directs the 
FCC to exert greater regulatory 
powers over the networks, particu- 
larly in the affiliation field, has 
not been taken up by the full 
committee and therefore cannot be 
regarded as having its sanction. 

Stanton’s Blast 

The report, insofar as it concerns 
network tv, drew a hot blast from 
CBS prexy Frank Stanton, who has 
already called a meeting of his af- 
ftlites tomorrow (Wed.) in N. Y. 
Many of the proposals, said Stan- 
ton, are “mistaken, impractical and 
unwise.” ^ 

“Television networking,” said 
Stanton, “is precisely the kind of 
business where blind and unrealis- 
tic tampering with some of the 
parts can destroy the whole. It is, 
therefore, of the utmost importance 
that those who would consider re- 
strictions on network broadcasting 
operations should be fully in- 
formed as to the workings of the 
industry and come to understand 
how it has been able to provide 
the American public with the- best 
radio and tv service in the world.” 

If the Senate or the FCC “is in- 
clined to give th^se proposals any 
weight,” said Stanton, CBS and 
the other nets want to be heard. 
“We ask this right not only for 
ourselves,” he asserted. “While our 
stake is large, the stake of the . 
■public is even larger. There are a j 

(Continued on page 4G) 


Louisville, Feb. 8. 

Television must surely be the 
only industry in history which has 
outstripped its own publicity de- 
partment! The tradition has been 
that the tub thumpers were pi- 
oneers. In television they are back 
with the calliope. 

I can’t help but wonder whether 
my problems are universal, if so 
what others think might solve 
them. 

Let us look at television and its 
delation to the newspapers of to- 
day. I can recall a time when 
Variety, like other trade papers, 
explored the defects in newspaper 
coverage of what was regarded as 
a competing medium. W’e got a 
lot of abuse from radio and its pun- 
dits because we paid little or no 
attention to tv and radio. That 
time seems to have passed. 

Now more and more papers are 
giving more and more space to tv. 
Many have found that their tv sec- 
tions or pages are among the best 
read pages they publish. Many 
papers are using weekly listings, 
weekly highlights. Many are beg- 
ging for usable features, story lay- 
outs and special material. 

Let us look at the tv editor in an 
inland town. He is budgetbound. 
He is many miles from New York 
or Hollywood. His paper will not 
send him to either coast more than 
once, or in the best places, twice 
a year for perhaps a week. 

He is expected to provide his 
readers with readable material 
once, twice a week or daily. He has 
competition. He can’t use material 
from the general service bundles 
put out by networks or agencies 
because he cannot defend his boss 
using the same material his compe- 
titor uses or has used. If he doesn’t 
have another paper in town he has 
an afternoon or a morning sister 
sheet. Management does not com- 
pete — but the working stilt does. 
He must have special stuff. 

If he does not have competition 
in town but has a wide circulation 
he cannot follow the papers in 
nearby towns. 

His needs are more and more 
specialized. He needs features and 
GOOD pictures to liven up his 
more open space. He can’t devote 
three pages to story lines for up- 
coming episodes in series. He must 
have interviews, offbeat features. 
He needs magazine type stuff be- 
cause he is, after all, running a 
magazine, even if his material is 
in a newspaper. It usually is in 
a feature secion. 

Of course this is for his benefit 
and that of his paper. But is it of 


value to the network, the agency 
and the star? To listen to them it 
is. 

Then how does he get his ma- 
terial? 

He can use a wire service fea- 
ture. But many shows are not uni- 
versally carried. He cannot de- 
fend to his boss a story on “Hit 
I Parade” if it is not seen in his lo- 
cality. Also he has a kine prob- 
lem. Top rated shows in one city 
are low rated shows in his because 
they are carried kine, opposite 
tough competition at late hours. 
His wire service can’t be special- 
ized. 

He could buy a national feature. 
He finds the same problem. They 
go in for reviews of shows his 
people haven’t seen yet. They do 
features on shows his people have 
never seen. 

So in desperation, he turns to 
the agencies and the networks. He 
writes all this to them. He gets 
wonderful replies. That, they tell 
him. is why they exist. Just ask 
and it sha*l be given you. 

His paper can’t send him to New 
York often enough. When he is 
there he gets perhaps a dozen in- 
terviews in a week’s time. Some 
are outdated before he ever gets 
them in the paper. A certain per- 
centage are duds and not worth 
using. The network and the agency 
can’t produce the people he really 
wants to see. 

Those Canned Obits 

So he gets an idea. He asks 
help. As a case in point, three 
weeks ago I wired a network I 
would like a feature on a certain 
star. I would like a picture of him 
sft a chorus boy, as a vaudeville ac- 
tor, in his present tv status and 
some of his plans for a new ven- 
ture he has in mind. This morn- 
ing I got the results. Three pic- 
tures, none identified as to time of 
life, and the canned obit which I 
already had. 

Another case. Two weeks ago I 
wrote an agency asking if I could 
have a feature on how a certain 
phase of an unusual show was han- 
dled. With pictures. The reply 
was “certainly.” It was, they said, 
an interesting idea. It has never 
been done. That is the last I have 
heard of that. 

Or, a more interesting case, an 
Idea I outlined to an agency some 
months ago. They appeared ex- 
cited. but never get the thing set 
up. Every time I asked they put 
me off another week. The star was 
busy. They had been unable to 
get the layout done to their satis- 
faction. Last month the idea, with 
the pictures and with my questions 
answered, appeared in a national 
magazine. Obviously my idea was 
too good! 

Meanwhile one or two agencies 
keep firing in the stuff he wants 
and asks for. Hejcnows he can de- 
pend on these boys and girls. He 
goes overboard on their shows. If 
he wants a special feature on a star 
he gets it. 

When he asks an agency or a 
network for a certain type story 
on a certain star he often gets the 
same treatment on some other star. 
They can’t provide the guy he 
asked for. But they DO get it on 
some little stinker that is in dan- 
ger of being cancelled. They use 
their wiles to get him to carry 
stuff on shows in which interest 
lags by the simple method of not 
giving him what he wants on the 
stars which are in the public eye. 
These stories the editor cannot de- 
fend to his boss. 

Obviously there is an answer. 
The paper should establish a tv 
bureau in New York and Holly- 
wood to get the stuff they want. 
It is just as obvious that few are 
going to do that. 

My own recent suggestion to 
networks and agencies was that 
they set up a specialized service. 
Within reason a reporter and a 
photographer would try to provide 
for me the specialized stuff I want- 
ed. Then after I had had a couple 
weeks’ protection the material 

(Continued on page 46) 


CBS’ $40,000,000 Lead in ’54 

CBS pulled away to some $40,000,000 in excess of NBC during 
1954 in the combined radio-tv Publishers Information Bureau 
billings sweepstakes. Whereas CBS-TV wound up 1953 only less 
than $1,000,000 ahead of NBC, its total billings of $146,222,660 
in 1954 were more than $20,000,000 ahead of National’s. In radio, 
it was a matter of who lost less ground, but while CBS in 1953 
was some $17,000,000 ahead of NBC. last year it was $20,000,000 
ahead, reflecting a 13.1% decrease in billings compared with NBC’s 
24.7% drop. • 

Overall, total tv billings were a record $320,154,274, a 40.7% . 
jump over 1953, with the largest single increase that of ABC, 
whose 64.4% jump pushed its billings close to the $35,000,000 markt. 
Accounting for the CBS lead was a 50% billings increase. In radio, 
the picture was dark, what with an overall 14.3% billings decline 
to $137,641,169. Largest drop was NBC’s, smallest was ABC with 
a 2.6% decrease. 


Tabulated billings follow': 


ABC 

CBS 

MBS 

NBC 

RADIO 

1954 

$ 29,051,784 

54,229,997 

20,345,032 

34,014,356 

1953 

$ 29,826,123 
62.381.207 
23.176,137 
45,151,077 

U Change 

— 2.6 
— 13.1 
— 12 2 
— 27.4 

Totals 

$137,641,169 

$160,534,544 

—14.3 


TELEVISION 



1954 

1953 

% Change 

ABC 

$ 34.713,098 

$ 21,110.680 

+ 64.4 

CBS 

146.222.660 

97,466.809 

+ 50.0 

DuMont .... 

13,143.919 

12.374.360 

+ 6.2 

NBC ' 

126,074,597 

96,633,807 

+ 30.5 

Totals 

$320,154,274 

$227,585,656 

4 40.7 



WSJf:±JL 


„ the hapP'-' 

sh o* on rad.o 




Wednesday, Feliniiry 9, 1955 




i .••*. ■ 


7 

K 1 


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ft 1 

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Ki^l 

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^ » 


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Wednesday, February 9* 1955 


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36 


TELEVISION REVIEWS 


WfdneMlay, February 9, 1953 


ALDO ALDI SHOW 
With Joe Allegro, A1 Marsilio and 
guests 

Producer: Aldl 

Director: Don Luftig 

45 Mins., Mon.-thru-Fri., 11:15 a.m.; 

30 Mins., Sat., 11:30 a.m. 
Participating 
WATV, Newark, N. J. 

N. Y.’s never had any extensive 
live Italo video programming be- 
fore. Just a few weeks ago, how- 
ever, WATV, Newark, cracked a 
bottle of native port against the 


Tele Follow-Up Comment 


ayem bu'kheads 
whole block of 
tongue, and one 
in that tongue. 


and launched a 
stanzas in that 
at least partially 
The only one 
Variety felt qualified to review 
without reservations then was the 
in-part program, Aldo Aldi’s, in 
which he jabbers in both English 
and Italian. A rambling-type affair 
in which Aldi’s personality gets 
across v^ry well, the show' runs 
as a 45-minute weekday strip and 
as a Saturday half-hour. 

WATV Italo programmers evi- 
dently feel that their audience digs 
the same video hokum as any 
American viewer because Aldi’s 
program is arranged in that same 
loose-jointed fill-the-time fashion 
as many low-budgeted morning 
shows for Anglo housemarms. He 
wanders through horseplay with 
would-be clown Al Marsilio, makes 
a telephone call or two to some 
lucky spaghetti eaters, interviews 
some musical guest and his home 
makes the whole of a seemingly 
large set. It’s a variety show of 
sorts and. in portions viewed, 
showed no predeliction for that 
“household hint” type format, 
though there’s no reason why 
Italian housewives shouldn’t have 
some of that on WATV too. 

The Aldi-Marsilio vis-a-vis came 
off okay when seen, but when 
Marsilio sidled up to a commercial 
for one of the Italo sponsors with 
a long, artificial ameche confab 
with said sponsor, in an attempt 
to be funny, he fell way short of 
the mark. He had the attributes 
of a par stooge but his solo antics 
were merely juvenile. Charming, 
however, was singer Joe Allegro. 
He integrated neatly with Aldi, 
both as an aid in interviewing 
guests and as solo artist. 

Since Aldi is pitching part of 
his spiel in English it is assumed 
that he also wants to reach Italians 
land others) who aren’t sharp in 
that tongue. Yet in introing both 
guests of last Friday <4) he failed 
to say in English land maybe in 
Italian too) who they were. In 
one instance, with a femme, he 
assumed because she had been on 
the program before people would 
know who she was. 

Mostly out of an academic in- 
terest. a portion of the preceding 
“Musical Moments.” from 11 to 
11:15 ayem, was surveyed. Though 
it was supposed to be all in Italian, 
emcee Edoardo Vergara and regu- 
lar tenor Nino Aurelio slipped 
this once <4* at any rate into Eng- 
lish to accommodate a guest per- 
former who didn't speak much 
Italian. Nature of chatter and the 
living room setting had a pleasant 
intimacy. On the whole, the show 
was better regimented than Aldi’s. 
Aurelio has a schmaltzy operatic 
quality and did “O Sole Mio” and 
another of that genre to appeal 
to first generation Italian-Ameri- 
can homebodies. Art. 


Robert Montgomery took a crack 
at Charles Jackson’s “The Lost 
Weekend’’ on his NBC-TV “Pre- 
sents” Monday »7) with mixed re- 
sults. Inevitable comparison must 
be made with the film (from best- 
selling book) that brought Ray 
Milland his fattest role as the al- 
coholic. No 60-minute edition of 
the powerful celluloider can be ex- 
pected to do more than offer a sur- 
face replica of the personal AA 
saga, though the Adrian Spies 
adaptation caught most of the 
touching moments and Montgom- 
ery played the lead with telling 
effect in gravitating between so- 
briety and the staggers. 

Handpicked cast carried through 
with impact in Lcora Dana as the 
distraught girlfriend, Edward An. 
drews as the brother and Walter 
Matthau as the bartender. All the 
well remembered highlight ingre- 
dients were there — the whiskey 
bottle suspended from the window 
and another hidden in the ceiling 
fixture, the pitiable scenes at the 
bar. the frantic attempt at ped- 
dling the “one-book novelist’s” 
typewriter, the money in the sugar- 
bowd intended for the maid, the 
weekend in the country that didn’t 
come off. and most degrading of 
all. the AA’s bounceout from the 
caf^ after owning up to the theft 
of a woman’s purse. 

With Montgomery back in action 
as an actor, he .and cast gave evi- 
dence that, with sufficient time to 
exploit the story, they could have 
come across more effectively, 
since everything else fell into 
position. Trau. 


and drive home the point. Bliss- 
fully married for 30 years and re- 
cently widowed, she’s represented 
on the hallucination route as re- 
ceiving a phone call from her 
deceased spouse every Sunday-at-6, 
throwing family and suitor into 
[-varying degrees of consternation 
and alarm as the illusion takes joy- 
ful hold of the widow. 

To play out the romantic antics, 
serioso in intent but with pungent, 
inherent comedy situations built 
in, Segal surrounded his star with 
an extra-special cast of knowing 
troupers. Foremost of these, in the 
fattest part, was David Opatoshu, 
perhaps the slickest of Jewish- 
American interpreters trodding the 
tv boards. He was the suitor, long- 
time friend-partner of the <jead 
husband, and winner of the lady’s 
hand at the finale. In the other 
niches, Janet Fox as spinster sister 
of the widow, Gloria Stroock as 
her daughter-in-law and Michael 
Wager, the former’s husband, 
played major roles in their differ- 
ing approaches to the phone-happy 
problem. Robert Ellenstein sup- 
plied a skillful pair of scenes as 
the “old friend” psychiatrist 
brought in to treat the widow. 
Even the off-screen voice of vet- 
eran Louis Sorin as the telephonic 
beyonder seemed vividly present. 
Fine show in every department, 
including the technical credits. 

Trau. 


Leave it to Gertrude Berg — that 
Molly dolly — to give thought and 
substance to a characterization in 
the Bronx-type groove. Leave it 
also to Alex Segal, who is never 
in such rare form as when he’s 
reining a script that’s to his taste, 
as distinct from what’s thrust at 
him as a matter of routine by the 
Theatre Guild’s “U S. Steel Hour” 
on ABC-TV. 

Last Tuesday’s <1) imaginative 
“Six O’clock Call,” authored by 
James Yaffe. showed Mrs. Berg in 
a true light as an actress who can 
underplay with the best of them 


New Telepix Shows 


5:30 p.m. 


TV TEEN TIME 
With Ron Drake, emcee 
Producer: Ron Drake 
Director: Ray Schwarz 
30 Mins.. Mon.-thru-Fri. 

WIIP-TV, Harrisburg. 

Producer and host. Ron Drake, 
introduces this showcase for 
young talent as “The Greatest 
Teenage Show on Television.” 
Show got off to a fast start with 
a better than average tap routine 
by Alice Williams and was follow- 
ed by a marimba solo by Joanne 
Davis. Gal had everything, person- 
ality plus, technical know-how’, 
etc. Patty Shuff. vocalist, was next, 
with socko rendition of "Mr. Sand- 
man.” Male vocalist. Bruce Brown, 
was impressive with his version of 
“Loveliest Night of the Year.” 

Another dancer. Wanda Hilde- 
brand. was fine with a rhythm tap, 
followed by a “Teentime Tiny 
Tot." seven-year-old Patty Shoyer, 
doing a terrif job on "I Can’t Give 
You Anything But Love.” Final 
act was a real rhythin-rouser, 
Gene Oyler and a Johnnie Rav 
styling of “Orange Colored Sky.” 
Guy had punch galore and dis- 
played some real showmianship. 

Talent rotates on this cross-the- 
board show, with different acts 
every day from high schools in the 
Harrisburg area. Host Ron Drake 
interviews each act from desk and 
the ad lib byplay sparks the show 
and sets the tempo for the whole 
delightful revue. As a special fea- 
ture from time to time, Drake pre- 
sents High School Bands. Choirs 
and Dance Bands. Kudoes go to 
director Ray Schwarz for his ex- 
cellent staging, lighting and cam- 
era work. 


PASSPORT TO DANGER 
With Cesar Romero, Lita Milan, 
William Thing, Dan Seymour, 
Lyle Talbot, Maria Palmer, 
others 

Producer: llal Roach Jr. 

Directors: Sobey Martin, Erie Ken- 
ton, Roy Kellino, others 
Writers: Robert C. Dennis. Donald 
S. Sanford, William Tunberg, 
others 

39 half-hours 

Distrib: ABC Film Syndication 

“Passport to Danger,” which be- 
fore ABC Syndication picked it up 

was peddled by Hal Roach Jr. un- 
der the title “Diplomatic Courier,” 
is another adventure series that 
goes off the beaten track only in 
the designation of its central char- 
acter, who works as a diplomatic 
courier for the U. S. Job is a 
springboard from which Cesar Ro- 
mero. as the courier, walks into 
various spy and intrigue situations. 
Aside from this slight twist, how- 
ever, “Passport to Danger” falls 
into the familiar mold with little 
in the way of tight writing or di- 
rection to distinguish it from the 
rest. 

Of the two episodes caught, one 
was set in Paris, the other in Bel- 
grade. In the former, Romero 
clears a friend of a charge he sold 
confidential papers to the French; 
in the latter, he helps out a girl 
whose life is threatened and foils 
a plot to assassinate key govern- 
ment leaders. Neither of the 
stories were particularly convinc- 
ing, nor were they suspenseful. 

One of the key assets of the 
show’ is Romero himself, who’s im- 
posing as the courier and who is 
also warm and natural in the part. 
Casts are all American (though a 
smattering of the foreign lan- 
guages is included in the sound- 
track*, another advantage over the 
made-in-Europe variety. Stock 
footage is fairly well integrated for 
those foreign effects, though the 
overall editing is on the choppy 
side. In the episodes caught, sup- 
porting casts are good, with such 
regulars as William Citing and 
Lyle Talbot among less familiar 
faces like Lita Milan and Maria 
Palmer. 

_ .. i isnt Roing to produce any 

kfuu. i world-shaking results with this 


Despite a good lineup of names. 
"Colgate Comedy Hour” wound up 
as only mediocre entertainment on 
last Sunday’s (6) NBC-TV stanza. 
One of the basic flaws of this ses- 
sion was its formlessness. While 
tight^continuity is not an essential 
to a vaudeo layout, some routining 
is necessary. This show, which 
originated from several cities, had 
a grab-bag crudity that permeated 
the whole production. 

Spike Jones’ troupe teed off the 
show with its usual type of musi- 
cal mayhem. The group’s circus 
antics, raucous noises and zany 
garb, including trick drooping 
trousers on one of the sidemen, 
has some slapstick appeal, although 
the comedy seemed to be applied 
with a mechanical zest on this 
show’. Jones’ act, in any case, is 


one, but neither is it likely to take 
a beating. It’s a par-for-the-course 
outing, with the fact that it’s bet- 
ter produced than the made-in- 
Europe variety standing most in its 
favor. Chan. 


: 
4 
4 
4 

MMiMi n nmni M MH 

tailored for a juve audience. All 
the more surprising, therefore, 
that the vocalist with the troupe, 
Helen Grayco (Mrs. Spike Jones), 
decided to do two sexy blues num- 
bers which might even be in ques- 
tionable taste at a far later hour 
in the evening. The tunes were 
“Don’t Freeze on Me” and “Teach 
Me Tonight,” both of which were 
delivered with clear implications. 
Miss Grayco registered as a solid 
performer with considerable vocal 
savvy. 

In the comedy department, Paul 
Gilbert was fair in a long gab-and- 
song patter about an automatic 
clothes washer. The material did 
not justify the length of this rou- 
tine, particularly since Gilbert de- 
livered it with a one-note repeti- 
tiveness. 

The show had several high spots 
in Nat (King) Cole's songalog, 
Bobby Van’s hoofing and Senor 
Wences sock ventro-juggling par- 
lay. Even this talent suffered from 
the show’s hop. skip and jump 
quality. Another interesting fea- 
ture on the show was a pickup 
from a jai alai match in Tijuana. 
Enough was shown to indicate the 
terrific speed of the game which, 
however is not particularly well 
adapted for the video cameras. 

Gordon Jenkins batoned the 
studio orch competently. Henn. 


GUY LOMBARDO SHOW 
With Lombardo and orch; Carmen 

Lombardo, Liebert Lombardo, 

Kenny Gardner, Bill Flannigan, 

Toni Arden 

Produced by: Guy Lombardo Films 
Prod.-Dir.: Herbert Sussan 
30 Mins. 

Distributed by: MCA-TV 

Sweetest music this side of 
heaven are the residuals this 
series will pour into the coffers 
by Guy Lombardo over the years. 
Timeless in their general appeal, 
these films will be playing the tv 
time long after he has put away 
his baton. 

For more than a quarter cen- 
tury Lombardo, his three brothers 
and the rest of the Royal Canadians 
have been regaling nite clubbers, 
leg shakers, jukers and assorted 
devotees of his type of sweet mu- 
sic and if their popularity has 
waned it isn't noticeable. In this 
footage of celluloid and thousands 
of more to come, the Lombardos 
will dish up what has been avidly 
devoured since the first toot from 
the sax section. No tricks or fancy 
licks, just solid sending that falls 
easily on the ears and jogs the 
urge to let the leather fly. 

The oldies will be coming 
around, the likes of “Little Girl” 
and "My Gal Sal,” but the Lom- 
bardo style makes them nostalgi- 
cally pleasant. To vary the pattern 
of straight musicianship, Lombar- 
do brought on Toni Arden as 
guestar, chatted with her about 
music and then put her in front 
of the band to sing an old favorite 
of hers, "Sorrento.” She banged 
it across in great style. There was 
also the inevitable medley of bal- ! 
lets written by Carmen. Camera 
shots of the band were panned ' 
mostly to the saxes, the outfit’s 
cornerstone. 

Much of the filming, it was ap- 
parent. was shot in the Roosevelt 
Hotel in N. Y„ where the Lom- 
bardos have been a fixture. 

Helm. 

• ' ' i J . » i , I t ■ . 


Ed Sullivan got around to a trib- 
ute to Columbia pix on Sunday’s 
i6» rendition on CBS-TV. Sullivan 
made it evident that this pic firm 
has a long and distinguished his- 
tory in films, and with Sullivan’s 
frequent mentions of Harry Cohn, 
it made the studio look like a one- 
man enterprise. 

Most of the films show ; n by Sul- 
livan during the session are fondly 
remembered by the customers who 
have been around long enough. 
There were brief glimpses of Clark 
Gable and Claudette Colbert in 
“It Happened One Night.” Gary 
Cooper and Jean Arthur in “Mr. 
Deeds Goes to Town,” Rita Hay- 
worth in “Gilda.” “From Here to 
Eternity,” “Born Yesterday,” "Caine 
Mutiny” and “Waterfront” and 
some excellent publicity on Col’s 
forthcoming “Long Gray. Line” 
with live trailerizing by Maureen 
O’Hara. Most of the oldies are 
remembered fondly, but to the new’ 
generation of filmgoers the seg- 
ment meant very little. With no 
background as to plot and the in- 
completeness of the segment, many 
of the youngsters must have won- 
dered what it’s all about. In “Mu- 
tiny” and "Waterfront” there were 
shown peak moments, but without 
extensive background, they carried 
little force. 

The live sections had an inter- 
setup with Eddie Fisher, 
& Gower Champion and 
Brewer topping the roster, 
made a deep impression 
with his medley of Jolsoniana. and 
a rendition of “Man Chases Girl” 
with Debbie Reynolds on the back- 
ground voice. 

Miss Brewer doing a couple of 
standards from the still unreleased 
"Three for the Show” also stirred 
up a lot of applause. The most 
picturesque segment was Marge 
& Gower Champion in excellent 
terping with handsome production 
background. Jose. 


esting 

Marge 

Teresa 

Fisher 


It was interesting to watch Dr. 
Lyman Bryson and his guest on 
last *Sunday's (6) “Lamp Unto My 
Feet,” Dr. Liston Pope expand so 
greatly on Clair Roskam's playlet 
“As The Twig Is Bent.” The 10- 
minute drama, following the usual 
format restrictions of the CBS-TV 
pubserv stanza, painted three 
often implausible, shadeless char- 
acters. However, their actions 
seemed designed only to convey 
.symbolically the nature of bigotry. 


and as such the playlet had loads 
of dramatic zing. 

John Beale played an upper- 
middle class father who turned 
away from his door on the day of 
his daughter’s birthday party a 
small boy. Whether it was for 
color of skin, religion or for so- 
cial-economic inferiority was care- 
fully never told, rather than re- 
strict the bigotry to a type. View- 
er got the feeling it was an abom- 
ination no matter what kind of 
prejudice. After turning out Willy 
•whose back only is seen*. Beale 
lied to his daughter and his wife. 
When he was discovered, he chose 
to rationalize his actions; when 
that clicked like the Nautilus 
without the atom, he told his 
daughter, Bonnie Sawyer, that she 
was wrong, that she was guilty be- 
cause she had invijed Willy. Final- 
! ly, he bought her off with the 
i promise of a new bicycle. Beale’s 
real wife, Helen Craig, played the 

t i • k 


BOB & KAY WITH EDDIE DOU- 
CETTE 

With Bob Murphy, Kay Westfall. 
Art Van Damme Quintet, Joe 
Gallicchio orch 

Exec Producers: George Heine- 
man, Dick Johnson 
Producer-Director: Dave Waters 
75 Minutes: Mon.-thru-Fri., 12:45 
p.m. 

Participating 
WNBQ, Chicago 

Taking its cue from the parent 
w'eb’s daytime magazine formula, 
NBC-TV’s WNBQ has merged a 
couple of long-standing strips 
into a souped-up departmentalized 
femme-slanted display that could 
well be tagged “Noon.” Revamped 
format is a combination of Bob 
Murphy and Kay Westfall’s long- 
running interview clambake and 
chef Eddie Doucette’s culinary lec- 
tures. with the Art Van Damme 
Quintet and Joseph Gallicchio and 
the house band thrown in for 
added spice. It’s a nicely tooled 
video grabbag that should find fa- 
vor with the women folk. 

As before, Murphy and Miss 
Westfall make with the chatter and 
conduct the guest interviews. Visi- 
tors on show viewed (1), a traffic 
expert with an intriguing mockup 
of a model city and a beekeeper 
complete with a buzzing hive, were 
about par for the daytime course. 
Fitting new gadgets include a 
news report by Murphy and a 
weather roundup by the distaffer. 
Doucette’s cooking demonstration 
is an in-and-out routine woven 
through the 75 minutes, hardly the 
best way to get the “lesson” across. 

Between times the studio orch 
and the Van Damme group take 
over for the musical pacechangers. 
Musical additions and the fancy 
new’ set make this a lush local 
outing. Dave. 


BELFAST POP TIME 

With Don Sherwood, Patsy Speer, 

guests 

Producer: Bill Anderson 
Director: Tom Weatherwax 
30 Mins., Sat. 5:50 p.m. 

BELFAST ROOT BEER 
KGO-TV, San Francisco 

Latest bid for teenage attention, 
and one of the few’ live tv shows 
to begin here in some months, Pop 
Time offered Doh Sherwood, who 
does various daytime disk jockey 
stints for KSFO, as a soda jerk 
host behind the counter of a soda 
fountain in which a jukebox plays 
records and guests sit at the count- 
er and a teenage audience sips 
sodas 'or root beer) in the back- 
ground. 

Guests on the opening show 
were singer Mel Torme. disk jockey 
Russ Coglin and a youngster from 
San Francisco State College. Jack 
Perrera. Sherwood played three 
disks and called for comments 
from the guests. Patsy Speer, who 
acts as Sherw'ood’s girl Friday on 
the Saturday show’, did a baton 
twirling bit to Perry Como’s “Ko 
Ko Mo” and Torme mouthed the 
words and pantomimed the vocal 
to his own Coral disk of “All of 
You.” 

As a personality showcase for 
Sherwood, this show will develop 
into a pretty solid half-hour once 
the initial loose ends are tied to- 
gether. As a pop music show it is 
a complete misnomer. 

The camera work was badly co- 
ordinated with the camera fre- 
quently on the wrong person. 

A show which does not play rec- 
ords all the way through is in a 
weak position to make a bid for 
importance in the pop music field 
which this package is attempting 
to do here. There should be a de- 
vice worked out for inclusion of 
more disks if this effort is to con- 
tinue and if Sherwood is to be 
built up as a poft d.j., some care 
should be taken that he should not 
be topped by a guest with superior 
knowledge in the pop field as Cog- 
lin did twice to him on the open- 
ing show. 

On the plus side, Sherwood is a 
casual, ^asy going m.c. Rafc. 

part of an angered but actionless 
mate. 

Dr. Pope, Dean of Yale Divinity 
School, and Bryson thereafter dis- 
sected "Twig,” from it punching 
home facts re bigotry. Building 
their case intelligently, although 
soifietimes seeming to read things 
into the capsule drama that 
weren’t there, they logically 
traced the cause of prejudice to 
the pocketbook. They decided that 
now the child was “infected by 
poison,” that the problem wasx’t 
felt by the child as it was by the 
parents yet the sensations of the 
father’s ire and the mother’s com- 
placency were finally transmitted • 
to the juve. 

This session had impact and fol- 
lowed a highly rewarding pattern 
of publio service programming at 
CBS-TV. which rarely falls short 
of its goal in that regard. Art. 

I k } • i 


Wednesday, February 1$55 


TKI.EVISIOX REVIEWS 


37 


STAR TONIGHT 

With Jacqueline Holt, Kerin Mc- 
Carthy, Fred Stewart, Joanna 

Roos, John Connell, others 
Producer: Harry Herrmann 
Director: Alan Anderson 
Writer: Chester Hadley 
30 Mins., Thurs., 9 -p.m. 

BRILLO MFG. CO. 

ABC-TV, from New York 

(J. Walter Thompson) 

“Star Tonight” is one of those 
laudable ideas — the spotlighting of 
an unknown thesp in his (or her! 
first starring role backed up by 
better-known players. ' The tend- 
ency on the part of the producers 
(in this case the J. Walter Thomp- 
son staff* is naturally toward 
spotlighting the talent with sec- 
ondary attention on the vehicle it- 
self. But if the kickoff play in 
the series proved anything, it de- 
monstrated that a starlet without 
the proper vehicle isn’t going to 
bowl over anyone, in fact can be 
made to look bad without a good 
script. 

Jacqueline Holt was the young- 
ster starred in this one, and she 
gave an extremely competent per- 
formance. Yet. the entire effect 
was wishy-washy, the fault lying in 
a soap-operaish story by Chester 
Hadley. To be sure, Miss Holt’s 
competence was more mechanical 
than emotional — she handled her 
lines easily and delivered a diffi- 
cult part smoothly, but that was as 
far as her performance went. 
There was little characterization, 
little in the way of conviction. 
Perhaps she might have done bet- 
ter with another script, pethaps 
not. But this points up the fact 
that without good vehicles, the ef- 
forts of the aspirants will pretty 
much go to naught. 

Miss Holt was cast as the bride 
of Kevin McCarthy, an alcoholic 
who’s been on the wagon for six 
months but bounces off it when 
they visit her parents. From that 
point on, it’s all frenetic, as he 
shocks her staid parents, beats up 
her old boyfriend and gets himself 
arrested, while she, stands by him 
all the way. Ending was a case of 
plain telegraphy, as* he stages an- 
other drunk scene but she discov- 
ers he hasn’t even opened the bot- 
tle but did it for her sake. Mc- 
Carthy got in a couple of good 
drunk scenes, while Fred Stewart 
and Joanna Roos were the properly 
shocked parents and John Connell 
was good in a briefie as the boy- | 
friend. 

Production, staging and direction 
values were par for the JWT staff 
throughout. That dressing room 
shot introing the star to a back- 
ground of lush violins could be 
cut. though. Brillo commercials 
were excellent. Chan. 


TV AUCTION 

With Jack Thayer, Jack Nowicki 

Combo. “Col.” Irving Lewis, Bet- 
ty Thornes, Iris Lindfors 
Producer: Bill Weatherford 
Director: Bob Farnacci 
90 Mins.: Sun., 1 p.m. 

Participating 
WTCN-TV, Minneapolis 

Offering a new offbeat and novel 
tv selling wrinkle for this area, “TV 
Auction” undoubtedly stacks up as 
an inexpensive and remunerative 
onee-a-week 90 minutes’ air show 
for WTCN-TV. It possesses little 
or no entertainment or educative 
value, yet is likely capable of en- 
listing not only many sponsors, but 
also a large audience of bargain 
seekers. In the aforegoing respect 
it’s somewhat similar to tv bingo 
on which three Twin Cities’ video 
stations now are cashing in. For 
a tv station it’s akin to a newspa- 
per’s advertisements which may 
not afford any enlightenment, but 
which have a large reader fol- 
lowing. 

Licensed exclusively in the Twin 
Cities to WTCN-TV by its owners, 
the show ostensibly auctions off 
over the air and visibly various 
merchandise. Gimmick is for lo- 
cal merchants to become members 
of the “TV Auction Club” for a fee. 
These members’ merchandise is 
put up to viewers for sale. The 
viewers desiring to buy send in 
their bids by postal card, with the 
highest bid supposedly taking the 
item. 

In order to be an eligible bidder, 
however, the tv prospective buyeY 
must have made a purchase at a 
participating store where for each 
dollar spent he received an equal 
amount of “tv bucks” that may be 
V se d to help defray the cost of any 
item. Non-member stores, manu- 
facturers and distributors also may 
have their goods sold on the show', 
but they have no “tv bucks.” 

Jack Thayer, one of WTCN-TV’s 
afp ^staffers, conducts the “auc- 
lion. He’s a personable young 
than, glib with the tongue and he 
makes good spiels m displaying, de- 
scribing the merchandise on sale 
and telling about its merits and its 
legu 3 r sales price and the price at 

hich the bidding will start. Two 
models help display the 
goods before the camera and give 
(I1 ,e proceedings some decorative 
qualities. Rees. 


WHO SAID THAT? 

With John Daly, emcee: Bob Con- 

sidine, James C. Hagerty, Pat ( 

Carroll, Wally Cox; Durward 

Kirby, announcer 
Producer: Ann Gillis 
Director: Eddie Nugent 
30 Mins.: Wed., 9:30 p.m. 

W. A. SHEAFFER PEN CO. 
ABC-TV, from New York 
(Russell M. Seeds) 

Simplicity has its virtues, especi- 
ally in panel shows, but it also has 
its drawbacks, one of which is that 
it breeds repetitiveness. With 
“Who Said That?” it’s the draw- ( 
back that’s most apparent. Pro- 
gram. comprising merely a string 
of questions with nothing to tie 
them together except that they 
concern quotes made during the 
past week, suffers from an extreme 
case of repetitiveness that’s likely 
to break down into monotony at 
any given moment. 

It's to producer Ann Gillis’ cred- 
it, then, that the first show re- 
mained for the most part lively 
and entertaining — to her credit 
through her choice of panelists. 
Bob Considine’s the permanent 
member of the panel, and for the 
kickoff, the rest consisted of 
comedienne Pat Carroll, Presiden- 
tial press secretary Jim Hagerty 
and comic Wally Cox. But Miss 
Gillis may not always be so for- 
tunate, and where-lhe basis for a 
show’s success rests more on the 
charms of its guests than on its 
own merit, then it’s treading dan- 
gerous ground. 

Even so skilled a moderator as 
John Daly had trouble keeping 
things moving on the kickoff. In 
his attempt to liven things up, he 
strained a bit at the leash. So did 
Miss Carroll, who was warm and 
personable when she didn’t try to 
insert bits of business, and Cox, 
who though he completely broke 
up the show af times, was evident- 
ly trying too hard. As to the ques- 
tions. they were toughies, and the 
panel, especially Considine, did 
pretty well. There were some 
planted items relating to quotes by 
the President, his visitors and 
Government officials, that were 
! were duck soup to Hagerty, and a 
couple that concerned Considine 
directly. Though obviously plant- 
ed by design, their presence didn’t 
seem quite cricket. 

Slotting of the show into the 
Wednesday-at-9:30 period by ABC 
and Sheaffer, incidentally, marks a 
further degeneracy of the high 
hopes the web held for Wednes- 
days. After “Disneyland,” on which 
the web placed hopes that it might 
build a solid program structure, 
it’s one situation comedy (Stu 
Erwin, which has a weaker rating 
picture this year than in its old 
Friday-at-7:30 period), another 
paneller (“Masquerade Party”) and 
"Who Said That?” Web may have 
its full quota of bankrollers, but 
the shows are hardly of the cali- 
bre to retain that “Disneyland” 

audience all night long. Chan. 

% 


LIVE AND LEARN 

With Dr. Herman Finer 

Exec Producer: George Heinemann 

Producer: Charles Hunter 

Director: David Barnhizer 

30 Mins.; Sun., 10 a.m. 

Sustaining 
WNBQ, Chicago 

If WTTW, city’s upcoming edu- 
cational station, can come up with 
a lecturer with the tv finesse of 
Dr. Herman Finer who’s conduct- 
ing this WNBQ course, its future 
should be rosy. It’s a big challenge 
to expect the Sunday morning dial- 
ers to set aside the Sunday comics 
to pay heed to a talk series with 
the hifaluting title of “Govern- 
ments and Human Relations.” But 
this, glib Chicago U. political sci- 
ence prof seemingly has just the 
right unstuffv approach and dry 
wit to carry off the assignment. 

Project is undiluted college- 
level material with no attempts to 
sugarcoat it with “entertainment” 
values. That possibility is -preclud- 
ed by the fact that it’s an actual 
formal course through which the 
enrolled viewers can earn a half 
credit from the university. 

Discourse viewed (16) dealt with 
the British parliamentary system 
and it was an interest-holding 
wrapup. Aside from his intimate 
knowledge of the subject. Finer 
has the bigleague professorial 
knack of spicing the lectures with 
those anecdotal tidbits that keep j 
attention alive. Even more impor- 
tantly, he knows how to reduce 
the abstract to the personnal 1 
level. 

Scholarly venture won’t knock ( 
off any heapbig ratings but it’ll 
likely make a tv celebrity out of! 
Professor Finer and it will ccr- j 
tainly add to the laurels of Chi 
NBC-TV educational director Ju- 
dith Waller and WNBQ program 
chief George Heinemann in whose 
shops the idea was spawned. 

Dave. I 


THE SHOW OFF 
(Beal of Broadway) 

With Jackie Gleason, Thelma Rit- 
ter, CarSetoa Carpenter, Cathy 
O’Donnell, Alice Ghostley, Rus- 
sell Collins 

Producer: Martin Manulis 
Director: Sidney Lumet 
Adaptor: Ronald Alexander 
69 Mins., Wed. (2), 10 p.m. 
WESTINGHOUSE 
CBS-TV, from New York (color) 

( McCann-Eriekson ) 

The years have worn thin George 
Kelly’s saga of the^Jorth Philadel- 
phia blowhard which, under the 
title of ‘The Show Off.” convulsed 
Broadway audiences back in the 
late ’20s. Revived by CBS-TV last 
Wednesday (2) as a Westinghouse- 
sponsored “Best of Broadway” tint 
special, with Jackie Gleason in the 
lead roue, it was pretty feeble 
stuff. Without Gleason to liven 
things up. it would have been a 
trying experience, indeed. 

Perhaps basically the fault Kes 
in the fact that, since the initial 
emergence of the Kelly comedy, 
the idea has been improved upon 
and given so much more meaning- 
ful nuances in variations on the 
same theme over the past 20 years. 
By contrast, the Kelly version of 
the blustering showoff is shallow 
and superficial. Gleason himself 
tried to vest the role — and to 
some extent succeeded — with all 
the proper shadings, but it wasn’t 
enough to show up the “Show Off” 
for what it really is today. 

All of which pinpoints anew the 
wisdom of investing the kind of 
coin Westinghouse is splurging in 
this one-a-month series for reviv- 
ing such outmoded material. True, 
last month’s “Arsenic and Old 
Lace” came off with singular suc- 
cess, but on the whole these “Best 
of Broadway” reincarnations reveal 
themselves as lame material in an 
era when the present crop of tv 
dramatists generally have been 
making notable strides and spark- 
ing the spectrum with fresh, alive 
and pungent contributions fre- 
quently on a part and even su- 
perior to Broadway legit entries. 

Thelma Ritter, in the role of 
Gleason’s mother-in-law, demon- 
strated anew her fine capabilities 
(somehow she can’t give a bad per- 
formance) but it was a tough strug- 
gle — and the uneven direction 
didn’t help matters much. In other 
major roles Cathy O’Donnell, Alice 
Ghostley and Carleton Carpenter 
tries valiantly to bring their char- 
acterizations into sharp focus. 

The livingroom setting, circa 
1929, which captured the period 
with remarkable fidelity, was one 
of the show’s more meritorious 
achievements. Rose. 


MAN OF THE YEAR 

With Richard Heffner; Dr. Irwin 

Guernsey, Lillian Ashe, Ben- 
jamin Fine, guests 
Producer-writer: Heffner 
Director: James Elson 
30 Mins., Sat., 1 p.m. 

Sustaining 

WRCA-TV, New York* 

“Man of the Year,” originally a 
one-shot annual event on NBC-TV, 
has been turned into a weekly pub- 
lic service series on the web’s flag- 
ship. WRCA-TV, by the simple ex- 
pedient of naming a “man of the 
year” for a particular year in the 
American past As evolved by 
Richard Heffner, the show’s pro- 
ducer - writer - host - lecturer, the 
selection is keyed to the present 
via his past influences, and follow- 
ing a biographical lecture on the 
man and his times by Heffner, a 
panel takes over his contributions 
and influences on contemporary 
times. 

Such, for example was the case 
last week for the “Man of the 
Year” for 1837, educator Horace 
Mann, whose contributions to the 
principle of “education for all” 
was lucidly detailed by Heffner 
with a look at his success in terms 
of today's educational facilities 
and needs. Then the panel, com- 
prising Dr. Irwin Guernsey (a 
teacher at De Witt Clinton High in 
the Bronx and one of Heffner’s old 
instructors). United Parents Assn, 
prexy Lillian Ashe and New' York 
Times education editor Benjamin 
Fine took it from then? on a per- 
sonal and collective pitch for oet- 
ter schools, more of them, more 
teachers and more pay. 

On the basis of the show caught, 
the series shapes as an okay pub- 
service entry. Heffner’s biograph- 
ical-historical analyses are excel- 
lent, though visually they could be 
built somewhat through the freer 
use of film or even stills of the art 
of the time he’s discussing. When 
it comes to the panel, it becomes 
a matter of people with an axe to 
grind, and unfortunately, the same 
axe. A little diversity of opinion 
here might liven things up a bit 
and possibly present some inter- 
esting if not provocative angles to 
the discussion. As it stands, it’s 
a “for virtue and against sin” prop- 
osition which while it may please 
some people, won’t keep very 
much of an audience, Chan. 


THE WOMEN 

(ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST) 

Comedy-drama in three acts (12 scenes* 
by Clare Boothe presented by Max Gor- 
don at Eihel Barrymore Theatre. N.Y., 
Dec. 26. ’36; staged by Robert Sinclair; 
sets by Jo Mielziner; 93.30 top. 

Jane Anne Teeman 

Sylvia (Mrs. Howard Fowler) Ilka Chase 
Nancy Blake ... Jane Seymour 

Peggy »Mrs. John Day) Adrienne Marden 

Edith (Mrs. Phelps Potter) Phyllis Povah 
Mary (Mrs. Stephen Haines) 

Margalo Gilmore 

Mrs. Wagstaff Ethel Jackson 

Olga . Ruth Hammond 

First Hairdresser Mary Stuart 

Second Hairdresser Jane Moore 

Pedicurist Ann Watson 

Euphie E’oise D*nnett 

Miss Fordyee ICileen Burns 

Little Mary Charita Bauer 

Mrs. Morehead Jessie Busley 

First Saleswoman Doris Day 

Second Saleswoman Jean Rodney 

Hend Saleswoman Lucille Fenton 

First Model Beryl Wallace 

Third Saleswoman Martina Thomis 

Crystal Allen Betty Lawford 

A Fitter Joy Hathaway 

Second Model Beatrice Cole 

Princess Tamara Arlene Francis 

Exercise Instructress Anne Hunter 

Maggie . Mary Cecil 

Miss Watts . Virgilia Chew 

Miss Trimmerback Mary Murray 

A Nurse Lucilie Fenton 

Lucy .... Marjorie Main 

Countess de Lage Margaret Douglass 

Miriam Aarons Audrey Christie 

Helene Arlene Francis 

Sadie .. Marjorie Wood 

Cigaret Girl Lillian Norton 

— 

THE WORLD WE WANT 

With Helen Hiett Waller, others 

Producers: Mrs. Waller, Richard 

Tobin 

Director: Ralph Giffen 
30 Mins., Thurs., 7 p.m. 

WOR-TV, N.Y. 

This is the third season for “The 
World We Want” and it continues 
as an okay educational effort. 
Show is presented in co-operation 
with the N.Y. Herald Tribune 
School Forum, which brings foreign 
studes to this country for an o.o. 
of the U.S. Four of the studes 
are then brought to the tv panel 
for a gabfest on their impressions 
moderated by Helen Hiett Waller. 
The theme of the series, Rodgers 
Sc Hammerstein’s “Getting To 
Know You,” excellently sums up 
its purpose. Incidentally, pro- 
ducers ought to get a new disking 
of the tune. On the show caught 
Thursday (3), the platter seemed 
out of kilter. 

Topic on the Feb. 3 stanza was 
“Do American Children Have Too 
Much Freedom?” Panelists were 
students from Pakistan (girl), 
Nigeria (girl>, Korea (boy> and Fin- 
land < girl ». It wasn’t much of a 
debate but it gave a good insight 
to what youngsters from ab r oad 
think of the American way of life, j 
For example, the gal from Pakis- 
tan, who dominated the sesh. went 
all out for “arranged marriages" as 
against “love marriages.” It’s 
doubtful if- she made any friends 
among the femme teenage viewers 
with that crack but it was her view 
and she stuck to it. 

Mrs. Waller did an okay job in 
keeping the youngsters’ tongues 
wagging. Gros. 


PLAY MARKO 
With Bob Russell 
60 Mins., Sat. 8 p.m. 

FOOD FAIR, INC. 

WFIL-Tt, Philadelphia 

Chain store sponsor familiar 
with the lure of the coupon and 
the free sample is banking on loot 
to win out over entertainment.. 
“Play Marko," bingo variant, is in 
the local 8 p.m. Saturday slot to 
do battle against Jackie Gleason. 
Game is played on cards obtained 
at Food Fair stores. Rules printed 
on the back are retold by Bob 
Russell. A numbered ping pong is 
propelled by a blower out of a 
chute from what looks like a pop- 
corn machine. Russell calls the 
numbers and letters and then 
hands them to a “Miss Marko” who 
makes it official by repeating and 
transcribing them on a typical 
bingo board. When the viewer 
playing at home has the numbers 
which fill a straight or diagonal 
line he calls the studio. 

Russell, who emcees the “Miss 
America Pageant” with such 
aplomb, is seemingly overwelmed 
at the thought of a “Marko” winner 
as he answers the wall telephone, 
lie exudes a kind of unconvincing 
“Oh Boy]” excitement at the mere 
ringing of the bell. His replies are 
marked with such homey collo- 
quials as “Why bless your heart!” 
Maybe Russell is familiar with the 
Food Fair clientele, and is pitching 1 
directly to them. “Play Marko” is j 
nothing, ^however, for those who 
have no cards. 

The winner of the previous week 
was interviewed and the audience 
witnessed a one-sided phone con- 
versation with the current lucky | 
player. A few' games are reserved 
for residents of the faubourgs, 
during which time the Philly 
aficianados can sharpen their pen- 
cils and dream of prizes ranging 
from gas stoves and driers to 
luggage and wardrobes. Chain 
seems to have a good deal with 
brand name products being worked 
in for extra plugs. Gagh. 


I THE WOMEN 
I (Producers Showcase) 

With Shelley Winters. Paulette 
Goddard, Ruth Hussey, Mary 
Astor, Nancy Olson, Mary Bo- 
land, Valerie Bettis, Cathleen 
Nesbitt, Bibi Osterwald, Pat Car- 
roll, Nita Talbot, Paula Laurence, 
Jada Rowland. Mary Michael, * 
Nan MacFarland, Sybil Baker, 
Pau'a Bauersmith, Helen Ray- 
mond, Jeanne Murray, Sara 
Mead, Agnes Doyle, Lennie 
Dunne, Brett Somers. Frances 
Woodbury, Sandra Church 
Producer: Fred Coe 
Guest Producer: Max Gordon 
Director: V’incent Donehue 
Adaptation (of Clare Booth Luce 
play): Sumner Locke Elliott 
Musical Score: Harry Sosnik 
90 Mins.; Mon., 8 p.m. 

RCA. FORD 

NBC-TV, from N.Y. (color) 

( Kenyon & Eckhardt ) 

As star-studded a femme contin- 
gent as tv has ever boasted, aided 
and abetted by a miniature Ft. 
Knox production bankroll to insure 
all the technical perfections and 
staging refinements couldn’t pre- 
vent Monday night’s (7> “Producers 
Showcase” 90-minute presentation 
of “The Women” from scoring s 
missout. 

It’s been 18 years since Max 
Gordon initially introduced Clare 
Booth Luce's so-called “sociologi- 
cal satire on the female of the 
species” to Broadway audiences, 
where it enjoyed a two-year run, 
with a subsequent film career. It’s 
difficult to believe that standards 
could change so swiftly, yet in 
viewing this 1955 video adaptation 
by Sumner Locke Elliott, there 
seemed little psychological merit 
or entertainment value in watching 
the high-voltage entourage of brit- 
tle, fel;ne and* utterly worthless 
femmes spout platitudes and sac- 
charine-coated viciousness. 

Even in terms of spectaculars, a 
casting parlay comprising Shelley 
Winters, Paulette Goddard, Ruth 
Hussey. Mary Astor, Nancy Olson, 
Mary Boland and Valerie Bettis 
(not to mention such other showr 
biz stalwarts as Cathleen Nesbitt, 
Bibi Osterwald, Pat Carroll, Paula 
Laurence! is super-charged with 
video marquee value. Thus it’s all 
the more surprising that among 
this vast assemblage of able per- 
formers not one seemed capable of 
bringing to life a single character, 
or creating any sympathy, under- 
standing or feeling for these super- 
ficial gold-diggers. 

Beautiful clothes horses, all, 
lavishly bedecked, amid stunning 
surroundings as they played the 
N.Y.-to-Reno circuit, but all per- 
forming as well-trained puppets. 
Not that the fault lay entirely with 
the cast, for it may well be that 
the characters were too cold for 
them to penetrate and the satire 
too broad for them to get a hold on. 

Perhaps within the confines of 
a more sophisticated Broadway 
audience, Miss Luce’s comedy 
eou!d still be played for laughs, or 
even pull a tear of two in its occa- 
sional emotional moments. But as 
video fare all was lost amongst 
the splendor of the trappings. 
Jewels and gowns and the utterly 
fantastic- bathroom scene — with 
Miss Shelley taking her bubble 
bath while bedecked in her bau- 
bles — seemed to get top production 
attention and dulled all other crea- 
tive effort. Dressed up in NBC- 
RCA compatible color, this became 
even more glaring. 

Miss Winters in the role of Crys- 
tal Allen, who led the gold-digging, 
husband-stealing pack, gave at best 
a stock performance of— a stereo- 
type. Paulette Goddard as the most 
vicious of the scandal-mongers was 
adequate but appeared miscast. 
Mary Astor was the standard 
career woman, with Mary Boland 
(repeating her film role) overdoing 
the asinine character of the rich 
in-and-out-of-marriage aging coun- 
tess. Nancy Olson was a normal, 
cute silly of the younger-married 
set. Ruth Hussey played the im- 
portant role of the true wife who 
divorces her husband because of 
pride and is eventually egged on 
to fight for him. Hers, at least, was 
a more believable character. 

Tint has certainly been seen to 
better advantage on previous 
specs, for the lighting on some of 
the sets seemed to wash out the 
color from the j^owns and faces 
unless the principals were front 
center. 

“Producers Showcase" continues 
to present an interesting contrast 
in commercials. The visual Ford 
displays and the attending gab are 
a miniature refreshing production 
in themselves; they’re spright and 
gay without losing any of the sales 
impact. On the other hand, the 
RCA plugs built around Vaughn 
Monroe and a bevy of teenagers 
(RCA seems to think the kids have 
the final okay) are stilted and 
studied. Rose. 


S8 


k 





Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


89 


So There You Are 

And there he is, right where he belongs, in the TOP TEN 
and getting bigger every week. 

The George Gobel Show on the evening of January 8 was 
seen in 13,184,000 homes, according to the latest Nielsen 
Reports. 

• ... * 

You can’t very well call him Lonesome George, either — 
he’s surrounded by friends from NBC. Of the ten evening 
programs that drew the greatest audiences, NBC has 
six — twice as many as the second network. One of them 
was the Max Liebman Spectacula* “Good Times,” which 
reached 12,596,000 homes to maintain the consistent 
Top Ten ratings that -the NBC 90-minute color shows 

are achieving. 

% 

* 

And the highest rated show of all during the two week 
period was an NBC Special Event — the Rose Bowl 
Game. This New Year’s Day feature won a rating of 55.5 
and was seen in 17,072,000 homes— the largest audi- 
ence ever to witness a sports event. 

In the daytime the pattern was the same . . . impressive 
new achievements by NBC shows. Pinky Lee's latest rat- 
ing is 15.6, highest in its history; World of Mr. Sweeney 
scored 11.3, in its first Nielsen rating; Modern Romances 
reached 10.9, another peak mark. In all, 6 NBC daytime 
programs vaulted to new highs. 

And “Tonight" wrapped up each broadcast day by 
delivering advertisers an average of more than a million 
homes for each half-hour segment. 

So There You Are! 

Exciting Things Are Happening On 


NBC Shows In the Top Ten 

Croucho Marx -You Bet Your Life 14,262,000 homes 
The Buick-Berle Show 13,248,000 homes. 

Dragnet 13,188,000 homes 
The George Gobel Show 13,184,000 homes 

1955 Variety Show 13,165,000 homes 

Max Liebman Presents "Good Times’* 12,596,000 homes 

An NBC Special 

Rosebowl Game 17,072,000 homes 

Source: Nielsen first January report, 1955 . 
All data verified by A. C. Nielsen Co* 



a service of 



RADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


Wednesday* FeWnary 9, 1955 



J4&3EH - ARB City-By-Cily Syndicated and National Spot Film Chart 


VARIETY’S weekly chart of city-by-city ratings of syndicated and na- 
tional spot film covers 40 to 60 cities reported by American Research Bureau 
on a monthly basis. Cities will be rotated each week, with the 10 top-rated 
film shows listed in each case , and their competition shown opposite. All 
ratings are furnished by ARB t based on the latest reports. 

This VARIETY chart represents a gathering of all pertinent informa- 
tion about film in each market , which can he used by distributors , agencies , 
stations and clients as an aid in determining the effectiveness of a filmed 
show in the specific market . Attention should he paid to time — day and 

TOP 10 PROGRAMS DAY AND 

AND TYPE STATION DISTRIB. TIME 


lime factors, since sets-in-use and audience composition vary according to 
time slot , a Saturday afternoon children’s show, with a low rating, may 

have a large share and an audience composed largely of children, with cor* 
responding results for the sponsor aiming at the children s market. Abbre • 
vial ions and symbols -are as follows: (Adv.), adventure ; ( Ch ), children’s; 
(Co), comedy; (Dr), drama; (Doc), documentary; (Mus), musical; 
(My st), mystery; (Q), quiz; (Sp), sports; ( W ), western; (Worn), 
women’s. Numbered symbols next to station call letters represent the sta- 
tion’s channel; all channels above 13 are IJHF. Those ad agencies listed as 
distributors rep the national spot sponsor for whom tne film is aired. 


DECEMBER SHARE SITS IN TOP COMPETING PROGRAM 

RATING 1%) USE PROGRAM STA. RATING 


NEW YORK 


A ' * A AAA WCBS (2), WRCA (4), WARD (5), WABC (7), 

Annrox. Set Count— 4,175,000 Stations — WOR (9), WPIX (11),WATV (13) 


1. D. Fairbanks Presents (Dr) ... WRCA 

2. Superman (Adv) . . . 

3. Guy Lombardo (Mus) 

4. City Detective (Myst) 

Abbott and Costello (" • l). . . . WRCA 

6. Ranee Rider (W) . . . 

7. Wild Bill Hickok (W) 

Flash Gordon (Adv). . . 

9. Kit Carson (W) 

Waterfront (Adv) W’ABD MCA 


Wed. 10:30-11:00 ... 

20.0 

43 

Mon. 6:00-6:30 

18.0 

53 

Fri. 7:00-7:30 

* 1 1 1 15<B •#»•*»»«* 

48 

. Sun. 9:30-10:00 .... 

• • a • 13.5 ••••••••• 

24 

Sat. 6:00-6:30 

. . . . 13.5 

53 

Sat. 6:30-7:00 

12.2 

52 

Wed. 6:00-6:30 

....no 

38 

Fri. 6:00-6:30 

...,11,0 '. ... 

40 

Tues. 6:00-6:30 

. . . . It). 7 

37 

Tues. 7:30-8:00 

10.7 

22 


47.0 

Blue Ribbon Bouts 

...WCBS ... 

...186 


Bouts: Sports Spot.... 

...WCBS ... 

.. .14.5 

33.7 

6 O’clock Report 

...WCBS ... 

... 5 2 


Early Show 

...WCBS ... 

... 7.8 

32.7 

Early Show 

. . . WCBS . . . 

...10,1 


Early Show; Rain or Shine WCBS . . . 

. . .10.4 

57.3 

Television Playhouse . . . 

. . . WRCA . . . 

...237 

25.4 

6 O’clock Report 

. . . WCBS . . . 

... 4 1 


Saturday Show 

... WPIX ... 

... 3.8 

23.3 

Ramar of the Jungle . . 

. . . WCBS . . . 

... 2.9 

29.0 

6 O'clock Report 

. . . WCBS . . . 

... 6.7 


Early Show 

. . . WCBS . . . 

... 9.9 

27.4 

6 O’Clock Report 

. . . WCBS . . . 

... 3 8 

1 

Early Show 

. . . WCBS . . . 

... 8.7 

28.6 

6 O’Clock Report 

. . . WCBS . . . 

... 6.1 

1 

Early Show’ 

. . . WCBS . . . 

... 9 6 

48.0 , 

Dinah Shore 

. . . WRCA . . . 

...148 

1 

News Caravan 

. . . WRCA . . . 

...11.3 


ABC 

WRCA Flamingo 

WRCA MCA 

WPIX MCA 

MCA 

WRCA CBS 

WRCA *. . . Flamingo 

WRCA UM&M. . . 

WRCA MCA 


LOS ANGELES 

Approx 

. Set Count — 1,850,000 


Stations — 

KNXT (2), KRCA (4). KTLA (5), KABC 
KHJ (9), KTTV (11), KCOP (13) 

(7), 

1. Badge 714 (Myst) 

. KTTV 

NBC 

Sat. 7:30-8:00 *. . . . 

29.3 . . . 

52 

. . . 56.6 

Hometown Jamboree 

. KTLA 

.10.5 

2. Waterfront (Adv) 

. KTTV 

MCA 

.Tues. 7:30-8:00 

24.1 .. . 

45 

... 53.2 

See It Now 

. KNXT 

..11.3 

3. Annie Oakley (W) 

. KTTV 

CBS 

Tues. 7:00-7:30 

.19.2 . . 

38 

. .. 50.7 

Lift With Father 

. KNXT 

mu 

4. Mr. District Attorney (Hyst). 

. KNXT 

Ziv 

.Mon. 10:00-10:30 

.18.5... 

37 

. . . 50.3 

Robt. Montgomery 

. KRCA 


5. Superman (Adv) 

.KTTV 

Flamingo 

Sat. 7:00-7:30 

18.1 . . . 

38 

. . . 47.5 

Hometown Jamboree 

. KTLA 

..124 

6. Death Valley Days (W) 

. KNXT 

McCann-Erickson . 

Thurs. 7:00-7:30 

.17.7. . . 

40 

. . . 44.8 

Kraft TV Theatre 

. KABC 

. . 9.9 

7. Life of Riley (Com) 

.KTTV 

NBC 

‘••at. 8:00-8:30 

.17.3. . . 

29 

. . . 59.2 

Jackie Gleason 

. KNXT 


8. I Led Three Lives (Dr) 

. KTTV 

Ziv 

Sat. 8:30-9:00 

.16.2. . . 

27 

. . . 60.9 

Jackie Gleason 

. KNXT 

.15.6 

9. Cisco Kid (W) 

. KTTV 

Ziv 

Sat. 6:30-7:00 

.16.1 .. . 

44 

. .. 36.3 

Sat. Night Fights 

. KABC 

.11.1 








Beat the Clock 

. KNXT 

.10.1 

10. Amos V Andy (Com) 

. KNXT 

CBS 

Fri. 7:00-7:30 

14.4... 

27 

. . . 52.4 

Cavalcade of Sports 

. KRCA 

.19.5 

DETROIT 

Approx. Set Count — 1,290,000 



WJBK (2), WWJ (4), WXYZ (7), 
Stations CKLW (9). Windsor, OrH-r’o 

1. Superman (Adv) 

. WXYZ 

Flamingo *. . 

. Wed. 6:30-7:00 

.30.6. . . 

77 

. . . 40.0 

Telenews Ace 

.WJBK 

. 3.9 








Looking at Sports 

.WWJ 

. 4.6 

2. Wild Bill Hickok (W) 

. WXYZ 

Flamingo 

. Mon. 6:30-7:00 

.26.5.. . 

74 

. . . 36.0 

Showcase of Stars 

.WWJ 

. 6.1 

3. Badge 714 (Myst) 

. WWJ 

NBC 

Sun. 7:00-7:30 

.25.2... 

47 

... 53.1 

You Asked for It 

.WXYZ .... 

.21.5 

4. Cisco Kid (W) 

WXYZ 

Ziv 

Thurs. 6:30-7:00 

.24.5. . . 

56 

. . . 43.4 

Liberace 

.WWJ 

.15.9 

5. Amos ’n’ Andy (Com) 

. WWJ 

CBS 

Wed. 7:00-7:30 

.19.3. . . 

44 

. . . 44.2 

Kukla, Fran and Ollie 

.WXYZ 

.10.4 








• City Detective 

. CKLW 

. 8 6 

Annie Oakley (W) 

WXYZ 

CBS 

Sun. 4:30-5:00 

.193... 

65 

. . . 29.9 

200 Parade 

. WWJ 

. 6 1 

7. Mr. District Attorney (Myst) 

WWJ 

Ziv 

Wed. 10:30-11:00 

.18.9.. . 

44 

. . . 42.6 

Blue Ribbon Bouts 

. WJBK 

.14.6 








Bouts; Chuck Davey 

. WJBK 

. 9 6 

8. Abbott and Costello (Com). . 

CKI.W 

MCA 

.Thurs. 7:00-7:30 

.18.3 .. . 

41 

. . . 44.2 

Michigan Outdoors 

. WWJ 

.15.7 

9. I Led Three Lives (Dr) 

. WJBK 

Ziv 

Fri. 10:30-11:00 

.16.1... 

42 

... 38.8 

Cavalcade of Sports 

. WWJ 

.13 6 



Guild 





Sherlock Holmes 

. WXYZ 

. 8 9 

10. Liberace (Mus) 

. WWJ 

. Thurs. 6:30-7:00 

.15.9... 

37 

... 43.4 

Cisco Kid 

. WXYZ 

.24.5 


CINCINNATI Approx. Set Count — 525,000 


Stations — WL W -T (5), WCPO (9), WKRC (12) 


1. I Led Three Lives (Dr) 

WLW-T 


Thurs. 8:30-9:00 . . 

38.2 

... 62 

.. 61.3 

Climax 

. WKRC . . 

. . .17.0 

2. Cisco Kid (W) 

WCPO 

Ziv 

Sun. 6:00-6:30 

28.1 

... 62 

. . 45.2 

Meet the Press 

. WLW-T . . 

... 9.3 

3. The Whistler (Adv) 

.WKRC 

CBS 

Wed. 9:00-9:30 .. 

22.1 

... 33 

. .. 67.9 

Kraft TV Theatre 

. WLW-T .. 


4. Mr. District Attorney (Myst) 

WLW-T 

Ziv \ 

Tues. 10:30-11:00 . 

19.4 

... 46 

. . 42.5 

Stop the Music 

. WCPO . . . 

...179 

5. Liberace (Mus) 

.WCPO . 

Guild 

Fri. 7:30-8:00 

16.4 

... 41 

. .. 40.0 

Coke Time 

.WLW-T .. 

...13.3 








News Caravan 

. WLW-T . . 

...14.5 

6. Superman (Adv) 

.WLW-T 


Mon. 6:00-6:30 . . . 

16.3 

... 66 

.. 24.8 

Early Home Theatre 

.WKRC ... 

... 4.9 

7. Annie Oakley (W) 

WI^W-T 

CBS 

Wed. 6:00-6:30 ... 

14.6 

... 52 

. . 28.0 

Early Home Theatre 

. WKRC . . . 

... 6.9 

8. Favorite Story (Dr) 

WCPO 


Tues. 7:30-8.00 ... 

14.1 

... 31 

. .. 45.4 

Dinah Shore 

. WLW-T . . 

HKZl&j 








News Caravan 

. WLW-T . . 

. . .24.2 

9. Badge 714 (Myst) 

WLW-T 

NBC 

Sun. 7:00-7:30 .... 

13.9 

... 26 

. . 53.9 

You Asked for It 

. WCPO . . . 


10. Wild Bill liickok (W) 

WLW-T 


Sat. 6:00-6:30 

. . . . .. .12.9 

... 49 

. .. 26.3 

Pro-Football 

. WCPO . . . 

.. .10.8 

ATLANTA 


V 

Approx. Set Count — 420,000 


Stations- 

-WSB (2), WAGA (5), 

WLW-A (11) 

1. Superman (Adv) 

. WSB . . 


.Wed. 7:00-7:30 . 

36.5 

. 77 , 

47 7 


WAGA 

9 2 

2. Racket Squad (Adv) 

. WSB . 

ABC 

Sun. 7:00-7:30 

27.7 

... 53 

. . 52.4 

You Asked for It 

. WLW-A . . 

. . .17.7 

3. Kit Carson (W) 

. WLW-A 

MCA 

. Sun. 6:00-6:30 . . 

24 5 

... 51 . . 

48 2 


W<sR 

17 2 

4. Favorite Story (Dr) 

.WAGA 


.Tues. 7:00-7:30 ... 

24.4 

... 79 . . 

31 0 

Ppt Timo 

(l/CD 

6 0 








Grid Classics 

• YV oO • • • • 

. WSB ... 

... 2 7 

Mr. District Attorney (Myst). 

WSB . 


Fri. 7:00-7:30 

24.4 

... 83 

.. 29.5 

Dodo on the Spot 

. WLW-A . . 

... 3.2 

6. Liberace (Mus) 

.WLW-A 

Guild! 

Mon. 8:00-8:30 . . . 

23.0 

. . 36 

. . 64.0 

Burns and Allen 

. WAGA 

.. .25.3 

7. Annie Oakley (W) 

.WSB 

CBS 

Sat. 6:00-6:30 .... 

20.4 

. . . 71 . . 

28 9 


WT W A 

5 0 

8. Wild Bill liickok (W) 

. WLW-A 


.Thurs. 7:30-8:00 .. 

18.7 

. . . 39 

48 2 

Dinah Shnra 

• VY Lr? "A . . 
U/CR 

21 7 








News Caravan 

• VY OD .... 

. WSB 

; ;; 2 o.o 

9. Cisco Kid (W) 

WAGA 

Ziv 

Mon. 7:00-7:30 . . . 

17.5 

. .. 44 

.. 40.0 

Big Town 

WSB 

. . .17.5 

10. Stories of the Century (W) . . 

. WSB . . 


14.9 

.. 61 

. . 24.4 

Texas Rasslin* 

' WLW-A . . 

... 8.2 

l’EORIA 


Approx. Set Count — 150,000 



Stations — WTVH (19) 

, WEEK (43) 


1. Racket Squad (Adv) WEEK 

2. Cisco Kid (W) WEEK. 

3. I Led Three Lives (D > WEEK. 

4. Life With Elizabeth (t . \) WEEK. 

5. Badge 714 (Myst) WEEK 

6. Janet Dean. RN (Dr) WEEK 

7. Meet Corliss Archer C’~ 'i) . . . WTVH 

8. llopalong Cassidy (W) WEEK 

9. Abbott and Costello (Com) WEEK. 

10. Ellery Queen (Myst) WEEK. 


ABC. 
Ziv. . 


Ziv. . 
Guild 


NBC 


UM&M 
Ziv .. . 
NBC... 
MCA.. 
TPA. . . 


Fri. 7:30-8:00 


... 87 ... . 

61.2 

Rav Rnlt»pp 

WTVH 

Thurs. 7:30-8:00 

. . .53.0 

... 74.... 

71.9 

T-Men in Action 

. . . WTVH 

Thurs. 8:30-9:00 

...52,7 

... 75 

70 0 

Kraft TV Thnafro 

WTVH 

Fri. 8:30-9:00 

...481 

... 81 ... . 

59.4 

The Beardsmcn 

. . . WTVH 

Sun. 10:00-10:30 . 

.. .45.1 

... 79 

57 2 

Mpwq RmmHiin 

WTVH 





Weather; Sports 

. . . WTVH 

Sun. 9:00-9:30 

. . .33.8 

... 50.... 

67.0 

Father Knows Best 

. . . WTVH 

Mon. 8:30-9:00 

.. 31.7 

... 44.... 

71.2 

Robt. Montgomery Presents. WEEK 

Wed. 5:30-6.00 

. . .30.9 

... 66. . . . 

46.6 

Kartoon Korner 

. . . WTVH 

Sat. 10:30-11:00 

. . .30.6 

.. 100.... 

30.6 



Wed. 9:30-10:00 .... 

. . 30.2 

... 47. . . . 

64.7 

Blue Ribbon Bouts 

. . . WTVH 





Bouts; Off the Glove., 

...WTVH 


7.2 
18 5 
162 
10.9 
14 0 
9.4 
33.2 

38.7 

15.7 

400 

29.1 



Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


RADIO -VIDEO -TV FILMS 


41 


AFFILIATE CHAPS CHIP AWAY 


... And Too Many Bosses 

Those independent syndicators who look with envy on the status 
of the network film subsidiaries might find the toppers at the 
network subsid willing to change places with them these days. 
Being attached to a network, although it has advantages like the 
availability of properties and low-interest financing, has some 
hindrances that the toppers privately admit they’d like to shed. 
Though they won’t speak on the record, these are some of the 
competitive behind-the-eight-balls which they’ve got to put up 
with as part of a network operation. 

1. No direct sales to clients. What with the agencies as a "must” 
factor in network sales, the webs won’t permit any ruffling of 
percentary fellings. On the other hand, the independents are 
more and more selling directly to clients and bypassing the 
agencies. 

2. No chipping away at network option time at the affiliates. 
While the independent syndicators are opening urging key net- 
work affiliates to open up prime evening time and shed the "30c 
dollar” by turning down network shows and inserting locally-or 
regionally-sponsored syndicated stuff, the network subsids must 
maintain a consistent "perish the thought” attitude. 

3. Too many bosses. The network execs won’t admit this or 
put it in that type of verbiage, but the fact is that they’ve got to 
get approval from the network brass for every new project, 
especially where production or financing money is concerned. Not 
only is it a time-consuming operation that more often than not 
can kill a good deal that requires quick approval, but it means 
fighting a battle with brass who know network operations but 
don’t know the conditions and requirements of the syndicated 
field. The money is good when the network subsid toppers get it, 
but at times it’s like pulling teeth to convince the brass. Con- 
trawise, the indies are their own bosses, can call the shots as 
they see them. 

No Sense Making More Than 78 
Before Recouping, Say Telepixers 



Hollywood, Feb. 8. ♦ 

Regardless of success of a vidfilm 
series, producers in syndication 
have become increasingly shy about 
making more than 78 telepix in a 
series. Prevalent feeling here is 
that the production coin on a se- 
ries must first be recouped if the 
producer’s to wind up with any 
sizable profit. 

One producer said that like most 
others, he has bank financing. 
"When the money comes in from 
the first 39 pictures the bank 
wants to take that and apply it to 
the second 39. and so on. But this 
conceivably could go on for year 
after year, without the producer 
actually netting much out of the 
operation. It’s a vicious circle, and 
I think the only way to come out 
ahead is to make no more than 78 
in a series, recoup your investment 
and make a profit on it through its 
various reruns, then go on to an 
entirely different series.” 

It's known in some instances the 
sponsors are perturbed because 
w hile they want to 'continue bank- 
rolling a successful series,' the pro- 
ducer is hesitant, figuring he’s 
working for the banks and bank- 
roller. but keeping very little for 
himself. 

Problem isn’t necessarily con- 
fined to the syndication producers. 
For example, a year or so ago Hal 
Roach Jr. quit producing "Racket 
Squad” even though he had a web 
sponsor. Roach had 98 vidfilms in 
the can, and wanted to sell those as 
reruns rather than go on making 
first runs indefinitely. 

More recently, Roland Reed Pro- 
ductions is considering a shutdown 
of its "Waterfront” series after 
reaching 78. It’s understood Reed 
feels any producer who makes more 
more than 78 telepictures in any 
single series is sticking his finan- 

(Continued on page 46) 


DuM’s GG Sale Sign 

DuMont has the "for sale” sign 
up on the Golden Gloves fights 
this year. In a deal with Arch 
Ward, scribbler for the Chi Trib- 
une and one of the GG originators, 
the tele net has options on two 
nights, March 10 and 31. 

Show wasn’t on last year, but 
Admiral bankrolled the fisticuffs 
two seasons ago. 


Distribs Again 
Nix Standard 
Contract Form 


$3,300,000 Tab 
On 4-Star Telepix 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Four Star Productions, Inc., 
partnered by Dick Powell. David 
Niven, Charles Boyer and Don W. 
Sharpe, will spend $3,300,000 dur- 
ing 1955 on 110 half-hour telepix, 
according td the board of directors. 
Program will be divided into three 
furies, “Four Star Playhouse,” 
I be Star and the Story” and 
Stage 7.” 

Company, formed three years 
ago. now has 70 on its permanent 
staff. New director pacts have 
Just been inked with Roy Kellino 
and Robert Florey. 


Question of a standard contract 
form for syndicated film has been 
brought before the distributors 
again by NARTB vicepresident 
Thad Brown, but for the most part 

has met once again with a cold 
shoulder. Feeling on the part of 
the distribs is that the contract 
gives all the protection to the sta- 
tions while leaving the distribs 
wide open to increased respon- 
sibility for prints, fees, litigation 
and higher costs. 

It’s the second time that Brown 
and the NARTB have tried to put 
across the standard contract idea. 

I First was last spring, when Brown 
and the NARTB film committee 
j worked out a standard contract 
i based in part on that of ABC Film 
Syndication’s contract form. Idea 
then was to get the distribs to form 
a committee which would ratify the 
standard contract, and then, in- 
cidentally, appoint one of their 
members to represent them in all 
dealings with NARTB. Idea then 
fell through because the distribs 
couldn’t get together. 

New' attempt presumably is an 
entirely different one, employing 
a newly drawn contract form. Dis- 
tribs appear to oppose it because it 
places the responsibility for all 
litigation on the distrib and be- 
cause, according to one distrib. it 
leaves the distrib no way of assur- 
ing the prompt and safe return of 
his prints. 

A second point made by some 
distribs is that at the way selling 
methods have developed, it’s im- 
possible to work off a standard con- 
tract. Films are sold to stations in 
many* ways, and it’s virtually im- 
possible to standardize terms where 
a station may buy anywhere from 
(Continued on page 46) 


SLOTS FOR m 


By BOB CHANDLER 

While the major networks have 
slowly been moving into station 
time (as NBC with "Lux Video 
Theatre” and in the late hours 
"Norby” in the early evening), key 
affiliates of the webs have been 
staging their own raids on prime 
network segments. A survey of 
programming by key network af- 
filiates reveals that the stations 
have been chipping away at key 
nighttime periods, inserting syndi- 
cated film in place of network 
feeds. 

Stations aren’t violating their 
network contracts (any more than 
the webs are violating their side 
by moving it to station time), since 
they’re carrying their monthly 
quota of free hours as before and 
observing their minimum quotas of 

web time. But they're apparently 
exercising their right of program 
refusal more freely now, with the 
result that local and regional bank- 
rollers are moving into previously 
inaccessible nighttime slots. Fact 
of the matter is that the stations 
are coming out on top coinwise, 
since they split the network dollar 
on web invasions into Class B and 
C time, while they’re collecting the 
100% dollar in Class A time from 
the local and regional bankrollers 
they’ve installed in the prime slots. 

Survey of several markets shows 
that NBC and CBS affiliates aren’t 
j particularly shy about moving 
right in on network time, in many 
cases substituting syndicated film in 
place of network "weakies” (and 
incidentally, doing quite well 
against the strong network oppo- 
sition). In Minneapolis, for ex- 
ample, KSTP has "Badge 714” 
going at 7:30 Friday <8:30 New 
i York time), while WCCO slots 
"Ellery Queen” at 9:30 Saturday 
("Willy” time on CBS). 

In Cincinnati, WLW-T. the NBC 
basic, slots "I Led Three Lives” on 
Thursday at 8:30 and "Passport to 
Adventure” Tuesdays at 10, while 
WKRC has "The Whistler” on at 
9 on Wednesday. In Columbus, 
WBNS slots “Waterfront” at 7 on 
Friday, with "Three Lives” at 9:30 
Tuesday, while WLW-C has 
"Badge” 714” on Sunday. In San 
Francisco, KPIX uses "Badge 
714” at 9 on Wednesday. "Libe- 
race” at 9:30 Sunday and "Star & 
the Story” Saturday at 10. In Den- 
ver. it’s KLZ Sundays at 7 with 
"Badge” and KOA Saturdays at 
9:30 with "Boston Blaekie.” 

Dallas’ KRLD slots "Three 
Lives” at 8:30 Tuesdays, while Ft. 
Worth’s WBAP has "Badge” Wad- 
nesdays at 8:30 and "Death Valley 
Days” Friday at 9. In Omaha, 
WOW has "Cisco Kid” at 7:30 
Thursdays, while KMTV has 
"Badge” Tuesdays at 8 and "Libe- 
race” preceding it at 7:30. In 
Rochester. WHAM ride s with 
"Liberace” at 9:30 Tuesdays and 
"Eversharp Theatre” Sundays at 6. 
Atlanta’s WLW-A has "Liberace” 
Mondays at 8. "Wild Bill Hickok” 
Thursdays at 7:30 and "Badge” 
Wednesdays at 9:30. In San An- 
1 tonio, WOAI carries "Badge” Fri- 
days at 8:30, while RGBS has 
“Liberace” Tuesdays at 7. 

"Liberace” is the intruder in 
Milwaukee, too, showing up on 
WTMJ Fridays at 8. In Buffalo. 
WBEN has "Three Lives” Mondays 
at 9:30. In Memphis, "Favorite 
Story” and "Racket Squad” have 
prime slots on WMCT at Wednes- 
day at 7:30 and Tuesday at 8:30, 
while WHBQ sports a pair in 
“Liberace” and "Inner Sanctum,” 
Mondays at 8:30 and Wednesdays 
at 8. So the list goes, in some 
85% of the markets, with at least 
one, sometimes as many as four 
prime nighttime slots occupied by 
syndicated film. Nor is it a ques- 
tion of the outlet not being ordered 
by the network sponsor, for the 
list covers major as well as minor 
markets. Station motto quietly ac- 
quired seems to have evolved to "a 
slot for a slot.” 


ABC-TV’s Full Speed Ahead’ On 
Syndication; Set Flock of Shows 


Too Good 

Detroit, Feb. 8. 

An actor who portrays traf- 
fic law- violators, or plays the 
role of a court clerk, in Traf- 
fic Judge John D. Watt’s "Traf- 
fic Court” program over WWJ- 
TV was identified by a viewer 
as the man who had held him 
up recently. 

The holdup victim told po- 
lice: "When I saw that face on 
the television screen. I knew 
immediately he was the man. 
I got so excited I spilled my 
beer.” 

The actor failed to clear him- 
self in lie-detector tests and is 
being held by police. Judge 
Watts commented: "I thought 
he was a good actor; now' it 
looks as though he may be a 
bad actor.” 


Reub Conscience’ 
Cues a Turnabout 
On Liberace Sale 


Guild Films has done a turn- 
about and pulled Us "Liberace” : 
show out of the national sales | 
arena. Series, which Guild has of- . 
fered nationally for the past two ■ 
months, will definitely slay in syn- 
dication. according to proxy Reub 
Kaufman, and not for want of any | 
takers on the national level. 

Decision to keep the show', one 
of the hottest in tv, in the syndi- 
cated marts “was one of con- 
science,” Kaufman said. Show has , 
some 180-odd different sponsors in 
its 217 markets, many of whom 
have been with the show from its 
beginning and nearly all of whom 
have already gone through renewal 
periods. Putting up the show for j 
national sponsorship via the Vita- 
pix chain would have entailed de- [ 
priving about 70 of the show’s old- 
est sponsors in major markets of 
the segment, a move w hich Kauf- ! 
man said he couldn’t "in all con- 
science make.” 

Although the show will remain 
in syndication, this won’t affect the 
production plans for the series, 
which call for 39 new films at tw'ice 
the present budget for delivery 1 
on Sept. 1 of this year and anotherj 
39 at the same doubled cost for 
delivery Sept. 1 of 1956. This 
would bring the total number of ; 
Liberace segments filmed to 156, 
since 78 have been completed al- 
ready. Guild’s original deal was 
for 117. Doubling of the budget on j 
the new shows won’t affect the 
format, but will call for better sets, 
more shooting time, better arrange- ; 
ments, an expanded orch and more 

(Continued on page 46) 


BRITANNICA FILMS 
IN WRCA-TV DEAL 

Footage amounting to 500 hours 
of program content is turned over 
on a lease basis to WRCA-TV, the 
New York key of NBC, under cata- 
log a deal with Encyclopedia Bri- 1 
tannica Films. Some of the reel- 
age comes in odd lengths, lending 
itself to integration in kid shows 
in particular as well as general pro- j 
gram fare. Embraced in the lot 
are educational, subteen and teen- 
age stories, fairy tales and straight 
adult product. _ 

Station will start off the "Brit. 
Jr.” phase of the package as a 
Sunday morning hour's slotting in 
the moppet lineup. “Adult educa- 
tion” phase will be covered in a 
quarter-hour strip at 1 a. m., segue- 
ing from Steve Allen's network 
show'. Another plan would be for 
a summer kid-slanted series mixing 
film and live under the station’s 
"Lemonade Lectures” fixture. The 
Britannica deal costs the outlet 
$75,000. 


With a greenlight from the 
American Broadcasting-Paramount 
Theatres brass to the effect that it’s 

time for a full-speed-ahead expan- 
sion on the syndication end of the 
network operations, ABC Film Syn- 
dication prexy George Shupert has 
better than doubled the subsid’s 
catalog of properties by the sign- 
ing of two half-hour series, a quar- 
ter-hour soap opera strip and ne- 
gotiating-stage agreements on three 
more half-hour packages. 

Subsid has taken over distribu- 
tion of the "Douglas Fairbanks Pre- 
sents” series in a deal with Eliot 
Hyman. Interstate TV and Dougfair 
Productions and concurrently with 
that signed Don Sharpe’s "Sheena, 
Queen of the Jungle” package. 
Sharpe’s exec producer and agent 
on the Dougfair series and is also 
packager of "Sheena." Latter goes 
into production soon with Irish 
McCalla as star, following an Afri- 
can trip for background footage. 
Deal for the Fairbanks pix involves 
the current cycle- of 39 plus the 
new cycle just hitting the air. 78 
films in all. Interstate previously 
repped the pix, Hyman took them 
over earlier this year and now 
ABC’s got. ’em. 

Soaper, on which only a pilot 
strip of five quarter-hours will be 
produced at first, is "Life Can Be 
Beautiful,” the vet radio stanza 
which is owned by Trans-American 
("Greatest Story Ever Told,” 
"Plaindothesman,” etc.). John 
Clark of the packaging outfit will 
film the pilot strip in New York 
within 60 days, after which it will 
be put up for nationl or regional 
sale before a regular shooting 
schedule commences. A reedited 
half-hoqr version of the five quar- 
ter-hours will also be made. 

Three other packages represent 
in-the-works deals with Hal ‘Roach 
Jr. and John Gibbs Roach, who’s 
partnered with ABC in Rabco Pro- 
ductions, has shot several pilots for 
Ihc web ("White Collar Girl,” 
"Tales of a Wayward Inn,” "Guns 
ol Destiny”) and also has two pack- 
ages already distributed by ABC 
Syndication ("Racket Squad” and 
"Passport to Danger”). It’s likely 
that the two new shows Shupert 
will take will come out of the bun- 
dle of pilots Roach shot originally 
for network sale. Gibbs is repre- 
sented by "The Playhouse,” the re- 
runs of "Schiltz Playhouse” which 
ABC distribs. He and Shupert are 
working on a new half-hour pack- 
age, as yet undisclosed. 

All the deals, when consum- 
mated, will give ABC Syndication 
a total of 10 shows, contrasted to 
only four at present. Quartet com- 
prise two rerun series, "Racket 
Squad” and "Playhouse,” along 
with "Passport” and the quarter- 
hour "John Kieran’s Kaleidoscope.” 

‘Blast Club’ on TV 
Calling It Quits 

ABC-TV is calling it quits on the 
televersion of "Breakfast Club” 
come Feb. 25. with the net going 
out of daytime service on that date. 
It’s over a year and a half since the 
web started simulcasting the Chi- 
cago-originated Don McNeill star- 
ter, and although it met with okay 
sponsor reaction at first, it’s be- 
come an increasingly tougher sell 
since. Radio version, which is SRO, 
continues, of course. 

Axing takes the network com- 
pletely out of daytime program- 
ming, this situation to continue 
until fall, when it goes into late 
afternoons with Walt Disney’s 
“Mickey Mouse Club.” 
however. WABC-TV is 
Joe Franklin in an hour-long ver- 
sion of his "Memory Lane,” which 
currently occupies a half-hour aft- 
ernoon slot. Franklin will expand 
the show to include "morning head- 
lines” of the past, old silent five- 
reelers run at a reel per day, car- 
toons for the kiddies, etc. 


Locally, 

installing 






WedneMUr, February 9, 1953 






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y -Ti 


RUKE, Inc. 

^ ™ * ||l * 

* WL 


16. THAT BRENNAN GIRL 

James Dunn, Mona Freeman, William Marshall, 

June Duprez 

1 7. CAMPUS HONEYMOON 

Lee & Lynn Wilde, Adele Mara, Richard Crane, 
Stephanie Bachelor 

18. JOAN OF OZARK 

Judy Canova, Joe E. Brown, Jerome Cowan, 

Anne Jeffreys, Donald Curtis 

19. I’LL REACH FOR A STAR 

Frances Langford, Phil Reagan, Louise Henry, 

Duke Ellington and Eddie Duchin Orchestras 

20. OH, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE 

Frank Albertson, Irene Ryan, Tom Kennedy, Roy Acuff 

21. SLEEPY LAGOON 

Judy Canova, Dennis Day, Ernest Truex, Douglas Fowley, 
Will Wright, Joe Sawyer 


22. IN OLD SACRAMENTO 

William Elliott, Constance Moore 

23. CHATTERBOX 

Judy Canova, Joe E. Brown, Rosemary Lane, 
John Hubbard, Anne Jeffreys 


24. NIGHT TRAIN TO MEMPHIS 

Roy Acuff, Allan Lane, Adele Mara, Roy Acuff and his 
Smoky Mountain Boys 

25. CALENDAR GIRL 

Jane Fra zee, William Marshall, Gail Patrick, Victor McLaglen, 
Kenny Baker, Irene Rich, James Ellison 

26. PUDDIN’ HEAD 

Judy Canova, Frances Lederer, Raymond Walburn, 

Chick Chandler, Paul Harvey 


A Specialty Attraction 

HOLLYWOOD TELEVISION SERVICE is proud to present 
one of the world's great entertainment film subjects 
KEN MURRAY'S GREAT 

“BILL AND COO” 


MIMPHI 

m i 

Mil 

! 131 

■mm 

















Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


CAT MAN STILES 
With Danny StUes 
120 Mins.. Son., 2:30 p.m. 

WNJR, Newark 

The rock and roll beat is mush- 
rooming along the New York-New 
Jersey axis. Latest deejay drum- 
beater to hop on the rhythm & 
blues bandwagon is Danny (Cat 
Man) Stiles, WNJR’s answer to 
WINS’ Allan Freed. Stiles is much 
more subdued than Freed in the 
disk-spieling department but the 
platters that hit his turntable are 
cut from the same piece of shellac. 

However, Stiles gets a lot of 
bounce into his airer and his wild 
fillip of “meowing” over the driv- 
ing wax beat will probably win 
him sonic renown among the hep 
teenagers. 

The turntaoie repertoire is 
pegged strictly for the fanatic r&b 
devotee. All the disks are hard- 
hitting items and there’s no letup. 
It takes an acquired taste to stick 
with the show' all the way. 

Station undoubtedly has a good 
thing in Stiles as far as billings go. 
On show caught Sunday afternoon 
(6), the first half-hour segment 
was loaded with commercials. Ra- 
tio was about two commercjals to 
one disk. This could bring the 
r&b addicts down a peg but Stiles 
manages to read off the plugs at a 
fast pace to get back to the busi- 
ness at hand. 

He’s slolt^i with an hour show 
every night of the week (begin- 
ning at midnight) in addition to 
the Sunday afternoon outing. The 
raucus rhythm is better suited to 
late-hour listening. Gros. 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRITZ 

KREISLER 

With Kreisler, Abram Chasins 
55 Mins.: Sun., 7:05 p.m. 

WQXR, N. Y. 

Highlights in the long career of 
Fritz Kreisler were reprised in a 
fine 55-minute transcribed “birth- 
day program” which WQXR, N. Y„ 
arranged in honor of the violinist’s 
80th milestone. Airer was beamed 
last Wednesday (2) to coincide with 
the musician’s birthday and was 
rebroadcast Sunday <o» by request. 

After a round of personal con- 
gratulations to Kreisler from such 
colleagues as Mischa Elman, Yehu- 
di Menuhin, Joseph Szigeti, Jascha 
Heifetz and Efrem Zimbalist, 
WQXR music director Abram 
Chasins took the listener on a de- 
lightful excursion through Kreis- 
ler’s professional life via a studio 
interview with the famed instru- 
mentalist. 

In quizzing Kreisler, Chasins 
wisely was unobtrusive in posing 
his questions and let the violinist 
speak for himself sans interrup- 
tions. His reminiscences ranged 
from his youth in Vienna, when he 
knew Brahms, to recalling the cir- 
cumstances when he wrote “Apple 
Blossoms,” a Broadway hit of yes- 
teryear. Throughout the program 
the listener was impressed with 
Kreisler’s modesty and retiring 
disposition. 

In the course of the interview 
Chasins occasionally inserted a re- 
cording of a Kreisler performance, 
the better to illustrate portions of 
the conversation. Kreisler said 
that he himself never achieved per- 
fection with either his compositions 
or performances, but regarded his 
playing of the third movement of 
the Brahms concerto as one of his 
better performances. “I like it,” 
he said, “because it was close to 
my childhood.” 

Withal, the Kreisler birthday 
program rates as another achieve- 
ment for WQXR to enhance its 
prestige in the field of good »misic. 


New entry into the field of television award-making will be the 
Fund for the Republic, an offshoot of the Ford Foundation headed by 
ex-Chicago U. prexy Robert M. Hutchins. Fund will announce plans 
for the competition for tv awards at a luncheon at the Waldorf in 
N.Y. ne::t Tuesday (15). 

Fund recently broke into the video trade press via Its distribution 
to schools and colleges of the uncut version of. Ed Murrow’s “See It 
Now” interview with atomic physicist and Institute for Advanced Study 
director Robert Oppenheimer. 


Martin Block’s "Make Believe 
Ballroom” didn’t need the qualify- 
ing tag last Thursday (3). It was 
the real McCoy. Switching from 
its regular ABC studio outlet, pro- 
gram originated from New York’s 
spacious Manhattan Center. ’ with 
in-the-fiesh recording artists sub- 
stituting for the usual wax product. 

Running from 2:35-10 p. m., show 
marked Block’s 20th anni with the 
“Ballroom,” which he originated 
over WNEW in 1935. Segments of 
the seven-and-a-half-hour bash were 
carried over radio and tv. Video 
pickup, over WABC-TV, ran 2:35- 
4:30 p. m. and from 8-8:30 p. m. 
ABC gave the show' network spot- 
ting from 2:35-6 p. m. and from 
8-10 p. m., with WABC carrying 
the session an additional 45 min- 
utes through 6:45 p. m. 

An impressive array of disk tal- 
ent turned out to salute Block, ren- 
dering their current disclicks and 
giving the Center crowd a rare op- 
portunity to view their fave platter 
performers. The afternoon tv seg- 
ment made for entertaining view- 
ing, with Paul Whiteman, Lou 
Monte, Jill Corey, Harry Bela- 
fonte, Hugo Winterhalter, Tony 
Bennett, Guy Lombardo, Jaye P. 
Morgan and Joni James included 
in the talent roster. 

On radio, diskers such as Doris 
Day. Harry James, Kitty Kallen, 
Connie Haines, Lawrence Welk, 
Jerry Southern, Margaret Whiting 
and Jo Stafford were picked up 
from the Coast. Show also served 
as a March of Dimes fund-raisor. 

Block, incidentally, brought the 
“Ballroom” into the Center last De- 
cember as a special treat for New 
York’s Police Athletic League. At 
that time, segments of the program 
were only picked up by radio. 

Jess. 


DuMont Labs, representing their network operation, has slapped a 
$14,114 suit against Rockhill Productions in New York Supreme Court. 
DuMont claims Rockhill owes the web that amount for services ren- 
dered, work, materials and facilities provided in May of 1954 for 
Rockhill’s “Tom Corbett, Space Cadet,” which the packaging house 
produced over DuMont until this summer. DuMont claims the original 
bill was $17,215, of which Rockhill’s paid some $3,101, 

Rockhill ran into some financial difficulty a couple of months ago 
when officials of the packaging outfit claimed they’d been swindled 
by a gent who walked in and took over offices, expense money and 
contracts with nobody’s objecting. 


New dress rentals firm, JV Fashion Service* has been set up in 
New York to supply dresses and gowns to femme performers sans 
benefit of on-the-air plugs. Service operates on a straight rental basis 
at rates comparable to regular costume services, and Its stock in- 
cludes high fashion items from the Dior. Oleg Cassini et. al., drawing- 
boards. Firm feel£ it’s got a good thing in that more and more spon- 
sors and producers are beefing about trade deals in dresses — they’d 
rather not have to hand out the plug in return for a gown. 


Indicative of the upbeat in New York production of telepix is the 
almost-unheard-of situation (for a Gotham studio) at Easten Film 
Studios on Manhattan’s east side, where no less than three telepix 
programs are in production simultaneously. Easten’s shooting the 
Carl Brisson series for North American Television Productions, the 
"Angels Auditions” series for Broadway Angels, and a pilot on a new 
Al Capp series. Studio just wound eight weeks on a Government 
film for Trident Films, shot while a couple of the others were in 
production. 


Danny Thomas Wows 
Ike, D.C/s Top Brass 
At Radio-TV Shindig 


A new form of insurance which blankets stations and sponsors against 
claims that may arise from showings of syndicated films or features 
has been acquired by Associated Artists Productions. Policy is unique 
not only in its coverage for stations and sponsors but in*that it is a 
blanket policy covering all AAP shows. In the past, the only television 
insurance paralleling this has been "producers indemnity,” which pro- 
ducers could get to cover claims arising from an individual show. 

Policy covers claims such as infringement, invasion of privacy, defa- 
mation, slander, libel and violation of copyright, not only for the films 
and soundtracks but for advertising and merchandising material is- 
sued in connection with the films. Policy runs for a year and covers 
claims up to $250,000. Policy was issued through the Lumley, Dennant 
& Co. agency. 


Washington, Feb. 8. 

Danny Thomas sold his patter 
and jokes for explosive bursts of 
laughter Saturday night (5) at the 
11th annual dinner of the Radio 
and Television Correspondents 
Assn, to the President of the 
United States. 

As usual, it was all-star enter- 
tainment provided by the networks, 
with Eddie Fisher, Roberta Peters, 
the Rockets and 


MUSIC WITH ARTHUR LOESSER 
Director: Charles Hoover, 

60 Mins.; Sunday 3 p.m. 

IRVING & CO. 

WTAM, Cleveland 

Concert pianist Arthur Loesser 
proves an hour longhair disk stint 
can be relaxing, entertaining as 
well as educational. During his 
Sunday afternoon presentation, he 
covers a wide range of selections, 
including such feature air novelties 
as the Sonatine Sportive by 
Teherepnine, Andres de Segovia’s 
offering of the third movement for 
the guitar by Mario Castelhovo- 
Tedesco, along with other classics 
including the first movement of 
Mozart’s concerto for the bassoon 
played by Leonard Sharrow and 
the NBC Orchestra. 

What gives this stanza a most 
acceptable avenue is Loesser’s very 
short but highly educational in- 
troductions to the dozen or so 
selections picked. An international 
music authority, author and music 
columnist for the Cleveland Press, 
Loesser wisely refrains from mak- 
ing his remarks pedantic, thus 
appealing to a much wider audi- 
ence. Furthermore, because of his 
extensive background, he is able 
to discuss many of the contempo- 
rary works and their authors on 
a first-person plane. Mark. 


PARTY-TIME 

With Tedd Lawrence 

55 Mins., Mon-Fri., 10:05 p.m.; 115 

Mins., Sat., 9:05 p.m. 
Participating 
WMCA, N. Y. 

“Party-Time” is a six-day dee- 
jay airer confined solely to dance- 
band recordings. It’s a pleasant 
switch from the routine platter 
shows, which are usually repeti- 
tious in their choice of current 
bestsellers, new releases, trade 
mag picks, etc. Music played on 
this new WMCA entry is ear-ap- 
pealing, terp-inducing and in keep- 
ing with show’s title as it's good 
party material. 

With Tedd Lawrence doing an 
amiable job as turntable host, 
show' caught last week included 
disks by Ray Anthony, Woody Her- 
man, Artie Shaw, Will Bradley, 
Tom Dorsey and Benny Goodman. 
Program, which preemed Jan. 31, 
runs 55 minutes Monday-thru-Fri- 
day, beginning at 9:05 p.m. and 
155 minutes Saturday eve, start- 
ing at 9:05 p.m. Program is pack- 
aged by Media - Merchandising, 
with Coca-Cola as major sponsor. 

Jess. 


the Chordettes 
the Virginia Military Institute Glee 
Club in the lineup. 

But it ran overlong and was 
somewhat lopsidedly weighted With 
vocal music. It was Thomas, the old 
pro, who pulled it together and 
held it. together to the delight of 
President Eisenhower and an audi- 
ence of more than 600, including 
Vice President Richard Nixon, 
members of the Supreme Court and 
Cabinet, sundry U. S. Senators, 
Representatives and Federal offi- 
cials; a large outpouring of top 
level brass from radio and tv net- 
works and stations, and corre- 
spondents in ' the broadcasting 
field. 

Thomas kept the evening rolling 
with what he called the “Christian 
blockbuster” of uproarous stories, 
schmalzy talk to the audience 
whom he congratulated on being 
“very relaxed and not nervous like 
most audiences,” with his offbeat 
version of "South Pacific” and his 
kidding of tv commercials. 

Roberta Peters, down from New 
York's Met, was boff with one op- 
eratic number and several pop 
standards, backed up by a chorus 
of four men and three girls. Color- 
atura received a solid reception. 

Also hitting strongly were the 
four Chordettes. Their babershop 
version of "Wait ’Till the Sun 
Shines, Nellie” was a highlight of 
the evening, bringing even bettor 
returns than their popular “Mr. 
Sandman.” 

Eddie Fisher, billed as the star 
of tne evening, had one of those 
nights. He appeared nervous, in- 
dicated he was having trouble with 
the orchestra, and generally failed 
to hold the audience. He sang 
the same group of numbers he had 
presented here to Variety Club 
last November but didn’t seem to 
handle them as well as on the earl- 
ier occasion. Debbie Reynolds was 
with him and he called on her to 
take a bow. Screen actress re- 
ceived a nice hand. 

The Rockets, male sepia dance 
trio, registered well with fast pre- 
cision terping, opening the bill 
and the returning later with some 
of their best numbers. 

The V.M.I. Glee Club was a spe- 
cial surprise for the President. 
This is a college level institution, 
of almost West Point stature in 
the military department and very 
nearly as strong with the vocals. 
Group so pleased Mr. Eisenhower, 
especially with a services medley, 
that he personally congratulated 
each of the young men after the 
show. 

i Windup was a production num- 


Playing an important part in the 160th anni celebration dinner 
Feb. 17 of the Supply Corps. Assn, of Greater N. Y. will be key radio 
people. CBS’ Edward R, Murrow will join Secretary of the Navy 
Charles S. Thomas and Manhattan boro prexy Hulan Jack as a guest 
of honor. Dinner will be co-chaired by Frank M. Folsom, RCA prexy, 
and Seymour Siegel, director of radio communications for WNYC, N. Y. 

Murrow r will be toastmaster. Incidentally, Siegel, who is veep ot the 
Assn., is a commander in the Supply Corps of the Naval Reserve. 


Georg Olden, CBS-TV graphic arts director, is supervising a special 
telop getup for general station distribution in connection with the 
N. Y. City Cancer Committee drive. Campaign’s public relations and 
educational end is spearheaded by George Wolf, radio-tv topper of 
Ruthrauff Sc Ryan agency. 


Guild Films will increase its capitalization by some $600,000 by 
April 30, it’s been learned, through the sale of 150.000 shares of its 
common stock to directors of the Vitapix Corp. at the original market 
price of $4 a share. It’s now known that on the consummation of the 
agreement with Vitapix last fall, Guild extended options to 150,000 
shares of Guild common at $4 a share to be exercised within six 
months. The current market price of Guild is about 7 3 4 ($7.75), 
which represents a profit of nearly 100 % for the Vitapix directors 
exercising a profit of nearly 100% for the Vitapix directors exercising 
their options. Setup -would boost Guild’s capital stock to 850,000 
shares. 

Meanwhile, Vitapix has slated a general stockholder meeting for all 
of its station stockholders for tomorrow (Thurs.) at the Ambassador 
Hotel in N. Y. Some 50 station chieftains are scheduled to attend the 
meeting, primary purpose of which is to go over joint Guild-Vitapix 
plans and to admit new members. It’s the first general stockholder 
meeting since the agreement between Guild and Vitapix. 


p^dbphia 


ber with emphasis on Lincoln’s 
Birthday and patriotism, the whole 
cast taking part. A WOR musical 
unit, beefed up by local musicians, 
and the U. S. Marine Corps band 
completed the bill. Show was ar- 
ranged by Mutual Network. 

Richard Harkness, commentator 
for NBC, presided and wound up 
his year of office by turning over 
his gavel to William Costello, 
CBS newsman. Lowe. 


SUPER 

POWER 

316,000 WATTS 

mdel-tv 


|2 


WCAU-TV Tint Clinic 


Philadelphia, Feb. 8. 

More than 100 advertisers at- 
tended three-day color clinic at 
WCAU-TV (Feb. 1-3) which gave 
prospective sponsors opportunity 
to bring products to studio for an 
actual demonstration of their pack- 
ages in color. 

First day of clinic offered tele- 
cast of "Valentine’s Day,’.’ with 
Jack Valentine playing host to 
comedian Joey Faye and Henry 
Clifford, curator of paintings at 
the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 
Following show advertisers placed 
products before cameras to exam- 
ine their appearance in color tv, 
with technicians present to demon- 
strate all possible effects. 


Opening February 17 

RIVERSIDE 

Reno, Nevada 
CORAL Records 

Dir.: WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 


WILMINGTON 

PHILADELPHIA OFFICE 

1500 Walnut Street, Si 
Telephone Kingsley C 


BROOKS 

COSTUMES 


R#pr« t*nt*d by 

MEEKER TV, INC. 

New York Chicago lot Angelei San Francisco 



Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Aflfe/g Ty 


R ADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


45 



CALLS THE TV TURNS? 


D.C. Needs a Star & A Script 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

Rep. Leo O’Brien (D-N. Y.), the only member of Congress who 
is a radio-tv commentator, is strongly opposed to opening House 
committee hearings to tv. He told the House last week: “I wonder, 
if television is admitted to these hearings, how many sessions of 
the Ways and Means Committee will be covered. Very few, I 
think. They are important but dull. Perhaps the members of such 
committees . . . might appoint as counsel some of the luminaries 
of the stage and screen. Lucille Ball might find herself in the 
role of consultant to (the) Judiciary (committee) or Rules (com- 
mittee). 

"Many committees meet in the mornings now, freeing themselves 
for the House sessions starting at noon. They might discover that 
morning time is not so good. With the committee sessions attract- 
ing the public attention, the House itself . . . might decide to 
meet in the morning, quitting in time for the rendezvous of the 
committees with the housewives who have an hour or two of free 
time in the afternoon. 

"Or, perhaps all committee hearings will be conducted at night. 
That is when the real audience is available, if we can produce a 
show spectacular enough to compete with ‘Dragnet,’ or ‘I Love 
Lucy,’ or Ed Sullivan.” 

Disney, Murrow Laurels 


NABFRAT Makes Annual Presentations for Top 

Shows of Year 


GODFREY SHIFTS 



Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

National Assn, for Better Radio 
A: Television (NABFRAT) handed 
out its third annual awards today 
(Tues.) naming ABC-TV’s “Disney- 
land” and CBS Radio’s “Man’s 

Right to Knowledge” the pro- 
grams-of-the-year. “Disneyland” 
took the children’s tv award, while 
"Knowledge” copped the radio in- 
formation-education category. Most- 
named person in the awards was Ed 
Murrow, who copped three prizes, 
for his "See It Now,” "Person to 
Person” and radio news. 

Television awards were: drama, 
"U. S. Steel Hour” and "Elgin 
Hour,” ABC; family situation, 
"Father Knows Best,” CBS; educa- 
tion and information, “Now 
Then,” CBS; comedy, "Halls of 
Ivy,” CBS; news interpretation, 
"See It Now,” CBS; interviews, 
"Person to Person,” CBS; pop mu- 
sic, “Your Hit Parade,” NBC; clas- 
sical music, "Voice of Firestone.” 
ABC; quiz, "What’s My Line?” 
CBS; public service, "The 
Search,” CBS; children’s, "Disney- 
land.” ABC; daytime show, "World 
of Mr. Sweeney,” NBC. 

In radio: drama. "Hallmark Hall 
of Fame,” NBC; family situation, 
"Ozzie & Harriet,” ABC; comedy, 
"Jack Benny Show,” CBS; news, 
Edward R. Murrow, CBS; education 
and information, "Man’s Right to 
Knowledge,” CBS; pop music, "Di- 
nah Shore Show,” NBC; classical 
music, "Voice of Firestone.” ABC; 
literature and/or philosophy, “In- 
vitation to Learning,” CBS; chil- 
dren’s "Carnival of Books,” NBC; 
teenagers, "Youth Wants to Know,” 
NBC; agricultural, "National Farm 
& Home Hour,” NBC; public serv- 
ice, "The Search That Never Ends,” 
Mutual; daytime, Mary Margaret 
McBride (her 30-minute daytimer 
on ABC which she exited last 
spring). 


Sues Martha Rountree 
On ‘Meet Press’ Sale 

Attorney Thomas Turner Cook 
has filed suit against producer 
Martha Rountree in New York 
Supreme Court, asking $9,500 for 
services rendered in July and 
August in 1953 in connection with 
sale of her interests in "Meet the 
Press.” Cook claims his fee was 
$10,000 and that Miss Rountree 

paid only $500. 

Miss Rountree has asked a dis- 
missal of the action, admitting 
however that she owes Cook 

$2,000 which says she’s willing to 
pay. She maintains the fee w>as 
$2,500 and agrees she’s paid only 
$500. She wants the suit for 
$9,500 thrown out of court, how- 
ever. 


It’s reported that Arthur God- 
frey, looking toward a revitaliza- 
tion of his major stake in televi- 
sion. is planning to move his "Tal- 
ent Scouts” show out of its pres- 
ent Monday night 8:30 to 9 period 
on CBS-TV and install it in the 
Wednesday 8 to 9 time i as the suc- 
cessor show to "Godfrey & 
Friends"), with “Scouts” being ex- 
panded to the full hour. At the 
same time, goes the report. God- 
frey is packaging his own half-hour 
show to occupy the Monday seg- 
ment as replacement for “Scouts.” 

The report (thus far nobody 
wants to confirm it) throws into 
sharp focus what is probably the 
most significant trend of the tv 
season — the willingness of net- 
works to permit the talent to con- 
trol programming and call the 
turns on w ho and what goes where. 
It’s a trend that got its first major 
shot in the arm when CBS-TV, in 
negotiating its new contract with 
Jackie Gleason whereby the latter 
trims his show to a half-hour next 
season for Buick sponsorship, fell 
in with the plan to install the Dor- 
seys Show (a Jackie Gleason En- 
terprise package) in the Satur- 
day 8 to 8:30 p. m. period being 
vacated by Gleason. On top of 
that came reports that Sid Caesar 
was packaging his own summer 
replacement show for his Monday 
night 8 to 9 slotting on NBC-TV. 

The Wednesday "Godfrey & 
Friends” has been having rating 
trouble for some time. Last season 
it took it on the chin from NBC- 
TV’s brace of Joan Davis and "Mv 
Little Margie,” but this season’s ad- 
vent of “Disneyland” on ABC-TV 
(which competes w'ith the first 
half-hour of Godfrey) proved the 
decisive blow to AG. Apparently 
“Scouts” is regarded as the strong- 
er of the two entries, with the re- 
ported shift to Wednesday under 
an expanded format deemed the 
(Continued on page 48) 


ABC-TV Envisions $13,000,009 Gross 
With Disneys Daytime ‘Mickey Mouse’ 


TV’s ‘War & Peace/ Too, 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Television is getting into that 
"War and Peace” act now. 
While Mike Todd. David O. 
Sedznick and Ponti-De Lauren- 
tiis are battling it out over 
their respective picture ver- 
sions, CBS-TV Coast veep 
Harry Ackerman has given the 
greenlight on a dramatic se- 
ries based on the Tolstoy 
novel. 

CBS staff producers Cecil 
Barker and Bill Brennan have 
been asigned to the series, with 
Tom Hubbard and Fred Eggers 
readying a pilot script for 
shooting within 30 days. 


MacRae Colgate 
Pact; Firm’s TV 
Plans Up In Air 

A change in the tele tactics of 
Colgate is seen with their pacting 
of Gordon MacRae to a term deal 
which calls for his use on either 
full-hour, half-hour or quarter-hour 
shows. Company’s video plans for 
’55-’56 aren’t formulated as yet, and 
likelihood is that a new policy of 
not putting all their video into one 
package is coming into being at 
both Colgate and the Ted Bates 
agency which is handling the 
account. 

Use of MacRae w ith greater fre- 
quency on the Sunday Colgate 
"Comedy Hour” could be viewed 
as a prevue for the singer for the 
plan to have a steady conferencier 
for a vaudeo setup on that period. 
However, with the alternative of 
(Continued on page 73) 


Meet The (Hostile-To-TV) Press 


You Gotta Look Far 
Ahead in Vidpix These 
Days, Like Ames Bros. 

Thinking far off, it’s been de- 
cided by MCA-TV Film Division 
that it will handle the syndication 
of the Ames Bros.’ 15-minute once- 
a-week vidpix skein after it runs 
its course for Nehi Corp. (Royal 
Crown Cola) in 195 national spot 
markets. Deal resembles in many 
respects the Guy Lombardo vidfilm 
setup, which is being handled 
through MCA. 

Also set for the Nehi April 1 
start is the production arrange- 
ment. Revue (MCA production 
subsid) will supervise with Repub- 
lic 1 acilities being used for actual 
loosing. MCA-TV will syndicate, 
i( s explained, after Nehi uses all 
28 films called for in the original 
near- 1,000. 000 contract, allowance 
having been made also for a "cer- 
tain number ox repeats” for the fizz 
sponsor. 


Three weeks ago when Presi- 
dent Eisenhower opened the first 
press conference covered by the 
video camera, he said, "I hope it 
doesn’t prove to be a disturbing 
influence.” If he weren’t speaking 
of unfamiliar tv gear, the remark 
would have been prophetic, be- 
cause the televised press meet has 
caused a disturbance of greater 
import than rattling equipment. 
Pressure has been brought against 
the President, his press secretary 
and even the Republican party as 
a threat to an infant custom. 

A shout w'ent up after the second 
such all-media press confab last 
Wednesday. Hagerty was accused 
of trying to make the President 
look good for political reasons 
w hen he censored limited segments 
of Ike’s q.&a. period. He was even 
called “a partisan political pi^ss 
agent” by one newspaper., 

The story surrounding the two 
television broadcasts from the 
White House has been described 
as different things by different 
pcxfple. One group chooses to call 
the present deal an insidiously in- 
spired “tempest in a teapot,” handi- 
w’ork of print media which intense- 
ly fear that tv will lake the spot- 
light away from them to even a 
greater degree newswise than be- 
fore. 

The N. Y. Times byliner Arthur 
Krock anticipated it on Jan. 23 
as Democratic propagandizing. On 
the other hand, the Democratic- 
inclined N. Y. Post, through its 
editor, James Weensler, has said 
that Hagerty "shouldn’t act as a net- 
work editor,” and also has main- 
tained political expediency is in- 
volved — that Hagerty only pulls 
out those parts of the press confab 
that mi^ht make Eisenhower less 
attractive in another election per- 
haps. 

Regardless of who’s right in his 
appraisal of the situation a wedge 
between the video industry and the 


President’s office has been made by 
some newspapers which are 
capitalizing on it. It must be re- 
membered that tv itself has not 
yet, or is it expected to (by in- 
dustryites who feel that by being 
admitted the press room at the 
White House they have made great 
advances), object to this “censor- 
ing.” The President himself took 
note of that in answering questions j 
at the last press powwow directed 1 
at him by staffers from the N. Y. 
P6st regarding stifling freedom of 
the press <i.e., tv). The chief exec 
said to William V. Shannon of the 
Post that "No head of any broad- 
casting company has yet protested | 
to me, and I can’t very well make 
any answer until I get their pro- 
tests and their reasons for it.” Yet 
the capper came in a David Law- 
rence byliner (in the N. Y. Herald 
Tribune on Feb. 3); In it the writer 
said that "it was most unfortunate 
that any of the cameramen (which 
could only mean tv reps, who had 
been absolutely mute in the entire 
matter) were spreading the idea 
that some kind of censorship was 
being introduced.” At that trade- 
sters let off steam, claiming imme- 
diately that now the papers were 
accusing video of perpetrating 
something they themselves had 
started. And it was later laugh- 


They Say . . . 

Regarding newspapers’* fear 
of tv inroads, N. Y. Times 
helmsman Turner Catledge 
commented to Variety that 
his paper isn’t fighting the 
presence of the camera at the 
White House meets. "We’re not 
worried; we have a fuller ac- 
count of it than they do.” 

From a World-Telegram 
spokesman: "What difference 
does it make if I’m against tv 
coverage? I can’t stop it, can 




ingly commented that if the Trib 
weren’t Republican and the Post 
weren’t Democratic the sequence 
of events might be construed as 
steps in a master plan of insidi- 
ousness. 

Krock of the Times said a few 
days before these events were 
brought into focus by the press 
generally that "if the Democratic 
opposition can find any supporting 
material, however flimsy, for bom- 
bardment of the new publicity de- 
vice as designed principally for 
political and personal propaganda, 
they will keep up a steady barrage | 
and hope to persuade the people to 
think of it as such.” 

Whatever side is taken — that of 
the Post and its slams against "par- 
tisan” Hagerty, or that of the 
Times and its views on political 
expediency or that of the tv trade- 
sters and their "it’s just plain old 
newspaper economics” — the situa- 
tion spells a lot of trouble for tv, 
unless some effective countermeas* j 
ures can be taken. 

Lawrence Inside Stuff 

Quotation from the Lawrence ar- 
ticle, it was pointed out by an 
observer, mighf prove interesting 
to the trade, for in it there are , 
believed some accurate comments I 
on Presidential press censorship 
generally and also some items that 
might prove highly provocative. 

First off, Lawrence started with: 
“Maybe President Eisenhower will 
have to give consideration soon to 
the idea of two separate press con- 
ferences — one for the television 
cameras and one for the newspaper 
men who are not interested in dra- 
matic effects but solely in news.” 

He went on "With characteristic 
good nature and sense of fairness, I 
the President . . . arxanged to have 
certain sections of his regular 
press conference released for the 
films. So unfamiliar are the cam- 
eramen with the customs and tra- 


ABC-TV is shooting for an an- 
nual time & talent gross of at least 
$11,000,000 and as high as $15,000,- 
000 with the upcoming "Mickey 
Mouse Club,” Walt Disney’s all-film 
daytimer which takes over the net- 
work 5-6 p. m. slot come Oct. 3. 
Computed on a 52-week basis .the 
time & program charge per quar- 
ter-hour is tentatively set at $790,- 
000, with frequency discounts bring- 
ing the total down to $5,450,000 for s 
a bankroller purchasing five half- 
hours a week. 

Thus, with two bankrollers buy- 
ing the entire show (and this pos- 
sibility has already gone by the 
boards), the minimum annual gross 
would be $10,900,000. And on the 
basis of single bankrollers for each 
quarter-hour (of which then* are 
20 per week), the maximum attain- 
able gross would come to $15,800,- 
000. Probability is, however, that 
the total will end up somewhere 
about $13,000,00, since General 
Mills is in for six quarter-hours and 
Borden’s in for Jwo, with others 
reportedly in the house being 
Campbell Soups, Colgate and Der- 
by Foods. 

Fact that the show is already 
mftre than half-sold inside a selling 
period of three weeks points to the 
certainty that it will be a sellout by 
fall, thus alone swelling the net’s 
annual billings for ’55 to a pro- 
jected $50,000,000. That a sellout 
is viewed as a sure thing is re- 
flected in the rating success of the 
nighttime "Disneyland,” which hit 
10th place in the Nielsen’s in its 
first exposure and is currently up 
to fourth, with only “I Love Lucy” 
(two episodes) and the Rose Bowl 
ahead of it. As one net exec put 
it, "If we can’t sell Disney, what 
can we sell?” 

These and sundry details will be 
put before the regular board meet- 
ing today (Wed.) of American 
Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, 
after which the web is expected to 
take the “top secret” tag off the 
entire project, including questions 
of clients and format. Web has 
been keeping the setup under 
wraps since prexy Bob Kintner 
wrapped up details on the Coast 
early last month and set the web 
sales force to work on the scries. 
At that time, he gave the sales staff 
a 30-day deadline to get the web off 
the hook on the show, with that 30- 
day period due to expire this week- 
end. 


DuMont Finds You Can 
Retrench Just So Far 
On Coaxial Cable Use 

There’s such a thing as too much 
retrenchment, as DuMont has 
learned. On Jan. 1 the video web 
eliminated the greatest share of its 
AT&T line charges by cutting back 
on the use of the coaxial to as little 
as 10 % of what it was a month 
earlier. But it was discovered last 
week that it was cheaper to reen- 
gage the coaxial permanently for 
at least four northern cities, includ- 
ing Toledo and Indianapolis, rather 
than to pay separately each time 
a DuMont show was fed to one of 
those markets. 

DuMont found that 30 or 35 
rentals on an individual basis 
would equal or exceed the cost of 
permanent rental in those markets 
w here enough web shows are in de- 
mand. Now the network has about 
20 interconnected cities. (Rest are 
on kine feed.) The 20-city lineup 
is purportedly 40%, or slightly 
more, of what it was last year at 
this time, after the normal cutback 
from the large cable buy necessi- 
tated by the extensive pro football 
coverage. 


(Continued on page 48) 


CLEVE. PRESS TRIMS LOG 

Cleveland, Feb. 2. 

First newspaper cutback in radio 
log space was announced this week 
by Stan Anderson, radio-tv edi- 
tor of the Cleveland Press. 

Paper now lists log by individual 
stations rather than by time seg- 
ments, thus eliminating ditto 
mark space and saving one column. ^ 


46 


H AMO- VIDRO- TV FILMS 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Ladd’s 'My Old Kentucky Home’ 


Continued from pace 33 


would be used in their regular! 
service. The advantages, I claimed, 
would be great. 

In each' specially served town 
they would get a better coverage, 
bigger display and individual treat- 
ment. And it would give all editors 
the benefit of the thinking and the 
ideas of every other editor. 

In this way pedestrian para- 
g aph.s would become three-picture 
layouts and top heads. Instead ofj 
being included in the roundup of 
notes and alleged news they would 
lead the section. 

This works with a few agencies. 

TV editors are becoming more 
numerous. Most of them are guys 
who arc grabbed off the copy desk 
and suddenly told they should pro- 
vide light, bright, interesting fea- 
tures about people they have never , 
seen. 

Is it worth it to the nets and 
agencies to help these guys? 

How many of us have this prob- 
lem? Is it universal? How many j 
papers have greatly expanded their j 
tv coverage and what are their j 
needs? What do tv editors think 
would help them? If the agencies 
and networks are budget-bound, 
too. is there a way the money they 
now spend could be used more 
effectively? 

Lord knows another meeting 
would be for the birds. But labor 
editors and farm editors and Sun- 
day magazine editors go to con- 
ventions. If nothing else they go 
to national conventions which deal 
with their particular field. If the 
farm editor goes to a farm meet- i 
ing they talk farm. This helps him 
in his wo.k. He gets ideas about 
which his readers care. 

If a tv editor goes to an NARTB , 
session he gets drowned in busi- 
ness practices, rale cutting, spot j 
vs live network, Congressional 
bans and monopoly hearings. His 
readers are interested in the peo- 
ple who appear on the end of their 
picture tubes. He won’t find them 
at NARTB meetings. And durn 
little about programs. 

If he goes to an educational ses- 
sion he gets education in large 
doses. Other tv editors are not 
there to talk problems with. Stars 
and directors and producers are 
not there to interview. The dis- 
cussion is about good shows, no 
doubt, but not shows with huge 
audiences. And he must deal with 
huge audiences or lie loses his 
readers. 

He can go on a junket occasion- 
ally. Usually promoted by an agen- 
cy or a network he is more or less 
under the thumb of that one out- 
fit and comes back with one story, 
maybe two. 

How many tv editors could con 
their papers into sending them to 
some meeting, their own or some 
other agency, where they could get 
some material to write and at the 


same time have a few talks of 
their own on their problems and 
how to solve them? If a reasonable 
number could and would, could 
nets and agencies provide the peo- 
ple to make the trip worthwhile to 
editors? Would it be worthwhile to 
nets and agencies? Could we set 
up our trips at the same time for 
better iesults? 

Do other editors have my prob- 
lems? 

I’m just asking. 


ftaub ‘Conscience’ 


— Continued from page 41 


dancers and other talent. Shooting 
time will be expanded to three 
days per show instead of the pres- 
ent day and one-half, and Kaufman 
said the new shows will include 
“music never before pictorialized 
on film.” 

Original thoughts of selling the 
show nationally brought down beefs 
f om sponsors and stations. Kauf- 
man admits. Sponsor b.efs have 
been placated by the decision to 
stay in syndication, but station out- 
cries will undoubtedly continue, 
since the show- will switch over to 
Vitapix member stations in every 
market where Vitapix is repre- 
sented. First big switch came about 
in Bowman Biscuit’s renewal on 
the show in 12 markets, with the 
series switching outlets in several 
of them. Remaining Vitapix sta- 
tions ought to have the show by 
Sept. 1 “within the limitations of 
existing contracts,” which means 
that in a few cases the show will 
stay on non-Vitapix outlets until 
their contracts lapse, then switch- 
ing over. Switchover to Vitapix is 
in line with Guild’s agreement 
with the station outfit that its mem- 
bers will get first crack at Guild 
product, new and old. 


again the thinking is “get that pro- 
duction money back, then think In 
discuss the possibility of resuming 
the scries." 

One of the more dramatic ex- 
amples of a successful show which 
quit production because of the fi- 
nancial migraines attached to it is 
“Dangerous Assignment," the Brian 
Donlevy starrer. Donlevy made 39 
vidfilms in conjunction with NBC 
film syndication a couple of years 
ago, invested $50,000 of his own 
coin. But although series was suc- 
cessful and grossed over $1,500,- 
000. Donlevy said recently he 
hadn’t yet gotten his investment 
back. Distribution costs, plus a lot 
of items he didn’t understand, he 
confessed, apparently were keeping 
the overall nut so high it just didn’t 
pay to keep going with the scries, 
as far as he was concerned. 

Consequently many producers in 
Hollywood today are wondering 
just how far they should go with a 
series regardless of its success. 
Even the toprated network film 
show producers are uneasy about 
their situations, aware that what 
with many intangible factors such 
as “will popularity of the show 
hold up?” their canned merchan- 
dise is perishable. 


McDonnell in rome 

TO MEG ‘MUSKETEERS’ 

Coast director Frank McDonnell, 
who’s turned out several “Four 
Star Playhouse” and “Wild Bill 
Hiekok” pictures, is in Rome meg- 
ging several more “Three Mus- 
keteers” half-hour costumers for 
Thetis Productions. McDonnell 
planed to Italy following final 
wrapup of the Thetis distribution 
deal with Official Films for the 
series. 

Present plans are for Official to 
start selling in the spring, after 13 
pix are in the can. There are 10 
already completed, with Thetis 
scheduled to wrap up three more 
before laying off until late spring, 
when the second cycle of 13 re- 
sumes. Official is planning a Sep- 
tember air date for the series. 


78 Pix Then Recoup 


Continued from page 41 


cial neck out. He wants to get his 
investment back first, via reruns. 
Preston Foster stars in “Water- 
front.” and if the series is dis- 
continued, it’s likely Reed would 
launch a new series, also with Fos- 
ter. Point is “Waterfront” would 
be reaping its rerun coin mean- 
while. 

It’s also doubtful if “Star and 
Story” will continue, after canning 
39. “Four Star Playhouse” makes 
syndicated series, and one of its 
owners, Dick Powell, said recently 
he feels it should be dropped while 
company gets its coin back via the 
rerun route. 

At Gross-Krasne, there’s consid 
era hie doubt the “Lone Wolf” se- 
ries will be continued, although 
company has finished only 39. Here 


WHERE THERE’S 



And you get lots of action when 
you let this three-way combination 
carry your sales message into the 
hig-enrning, free-spending homes of 
America’s Industrial heart. It’s 
express train service to results. 
Make your reservation now! 



REPRESENTED 
NATIONALLY BY 

The KATZ 


Grable’s Gam Jammed, 
Won’t Hoof on TV’er 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Betty Grable hurt her gam and 
won’t be dancing on the “Shower 
of Stars” on CBS-TV Feb. 17. 

Actress notified the web she’d 
torn a ligament in her foot and 
couldn’t terp, but would be on the 
show if t hey still wanted her. Web 
t.v. Harry Ackerman said she’d 
be on. but changes would probably 
be made in lineup of the revue, 
“That’s Life.” with someone else 
probably being called in for the 
footwork. 


WMUR-TV a Hub Cap 

Manchester, N. H., Feb. 8. 

ABC-TV is getting some extra ex- 
posure in the Boston coverage area 
via its affiliation with WMUR-TV 
here, headed by Norman A. Gittle- 
son, who joined the outlet as exec 
v.p. -general manager recently. Op- 
erating on Channel 9, the station is 
giving Boston its first look at a 
non-delayed “Disneyland,” as well 
as ‘ Kukla, Fran & Ollie,” an ABC 
co-op offering. Due to start today 
<Tues. ) is “Elgin Hour,” alternat- 
ing with “U. S. Steel Hour.” 

Outlet has also put two syndi- 
cated entries into the black-ink col- 
umns, “Liberace” and “Meet Cor- 
liss Archer.” 


C. Paley Sues Ken Murray 

Los Angeles, Feb. 8. 

Charles Paley, producer, filed 
suit against Ken Murray for $100,- 
000 in Superior Court, claiming his 
television show idea, “We Made the 
News,” was used by Murray in the 
program, “Where Were You?" 

Other defendants, in additiori to 
Murray, are Bing Crosby Enter- 
prises, United Television Programs, 
Inc., MCA-TV, Ltd., and Station 
KTTV. 


Columbus — Changes last wee 
at the Taft stations here includ 
the upping of Mrs. Sue Sternberi 
wife of former director of the Pai 
Dixon Show, to publicity and prt 
motion director of WTVN-TV n 
placing Bea Caldron, resigned; a( 
dition of Fred “Cfirly” Morrisoi 
Cleveland Browns fullback to th 
sales staff of WTVN Radio; th 
promotion of Paul Frank, news d 
rector, to assistant to WTVN R; 
dio’s general manager Byron Taj 
gart, with Bert Stille stepping ini 
the news chief's post. 


D. G. Jitters 

Continued from p**» 33 

number of important ways in which 
its enormous investment can be 
depreciated. In the recommenda- 
tions of the Plotkin memoranum, 
one such road is clearly blue- 
printed.” 

Other Webs Silent 

No other network commented on 
the report. NBC, which was at- 
tacked with CBS for dominating 
the network industry and squeez- 
ing the UHF stations on choice of 
programs, was conspicuously silent. 
Nor did ABC or DuMont, which 
might be expected to applaud the 
recommendations, offer comment. 

What weight the FCC will give 
the Plotkin recommendations is 
now the big question. The report 
directs the Commission to advise 
the Committee within six months 
what steps it has taken to comply 
with the recommendations and to 
submit a preliminary report within 
30 days, with interim reports at 60- 
day intervals. 

At least three of the seven mem- 
bers of the FCC have expressed 
themselves strongly as opposed to 
greater regulation of the broad- 
casting industry. It would not 
seem, therefore, that a majority 
of the members would be disposed 
to carry out the recommendations 
at this time. Should the report 
however, be given the full Com- 
mittee’s blessing, the Commission 
might act differently. 

There is one consideration in 
connection with the report which 
may cause the commissioners to 
think twice. The agency will soon 
have to go before Congress for its 
annual operating expenses. Two 
members of the Senate Appropria- 
tions Committtee are also members 
of the Interstate Commerce Com- 
mittee. They are Magnuson and 
Charles E. Potter <R-Mich.) who 
has indicated great interest in the 
UHF problem. 

Dill served in the Senate from 
1923 to 1935 and was author of the 
Communications Act of 1934 under 
which the FCC was created. 

Meanwhile, Magnuson is consid- 
ering candidates for the post of 
Chief Counsel of the network in- 
quiry and hopes to announce his 
appointment within 10 days. It is 
expected that hearings will begin 
in six to eight weeks. 

Harry Plotkin resigned last week 
as majority counsel for the com- 
mittee, having completed his as- 
signment with completion of his 
report. The former FCC assistant 
general counsel returned to .the 
law firm of Arnold, Fortas & 
Porter. 

Former FCC Comr. Robert Jones 
also resigned as minority counsel 
to return to his practice with 
Jones, Scharfeld & Barron. Jones’ 
report is to be issued next week. 
The document, it’s understood, car- 
ries no specific recommendations 
but charts a course for further in- 
vestigation. 


Standard Form 

i mmm ^ Continued from page 41 

one to 10 runs for periods cover- 
ing two weeks to two years. With 
all the variations possible within 
those limits, it’s too tough to pin 
them down to a standard form, it’s 
claimed. 

Brown had approached key dis- 
tribs over the past three weeks, 
asking them to agree to the con- 
tract by last week so he could 
come back to the NARTB directors 
meeting in Florida with a number 
of signatures on the dotted line. 
Apparently, his project will have 
to be postponed, with the prob- 
ability that it will be up next at 
the NARTB convention in Wash- 
ington in late spring. 

TrB Pacts 122 Stations 
In Charter Member Drive 

By late last week when Tele- 
vision Bureau of Advertising closed 
the rolls on charter membership, 
122 video stations had signed on. 
Ollie Treyz, TvB prexy, said that 
the membership brought the pro- 
motion agency “very close” to the 
originally-set budget of $400,000. 

Actually, Treyz & Co. were in a 
flurry of activity on Friday (4> at 
the charter lineup deadline. Prior 
to that day there were about 90 
signed on. Membership includes 
CBS-TV’s o&o outlets and those 
of Storer, General Teleradio group, 
etc. ' 


CREW IN TEXAS TO 
SHOOT TOAST COM'LS 

San Antonio, Feb. 8. 

A tv crew from Van Praag Pro- 
duction of New York is here to 
shoot outdoor Lincoln-Mercury 
commercials for the Ed Sullivan 
“Toast of the Town” show. Group 
will probably be here three weeks. 
With Sullivan expected here some- 
time during that period to appear 
in the films. 

Gilbert M. Williams is head of 
the crew, which consists of Dan 
Karsoff, A1 Taffet and Sid Zucker. 

Blue Cross Sponsor 
Coin for Bill Leonard 

Already on the dotted line to 
take over as producer-ringmaster 
of “An Eye On New York” Sun- 
days at 11 a. m. under WCBS-TV, 
N. Y., Bill Leonard got another lift, 
but this time in sponsor coin. Start- 
ing next Monday (14), his feature 
news capsule segment of “Six 
O’Clock Report” will be backed 
cross-the-board by Associated Hos- 
pital Service of N. Y. (Blue Cross) 
and its corporate sif«?r unit, United 
Medical Service (Blue Shield). 
Sponsors formerly had H. V. Kal- 
tenborn on WRCA-TV, with that 
Wednesday at 7 p. m. slot opened 
up for Eastman Kodak’s “Norby” 
colorpix series on the NBC net- 
work. “Report” will be the medi- 
cal outfit’s sole representation on 
tv in Gotham, and is via J. Walter 
Thompson. 

Bengay, which sponsored “Re- 
port” three-a-week, closes out on 
Friday (11) under the double-Blue 
move-in. 


Tripp’s Lincoln Reprise 

Paul Tripp is reviving his net- 
work play on Abe Lincoln Satur- 
day (12) for his “On the Carousel” 
show on WCBS-TV, the N. Y. flag- 
ship of CBS. Tripp, who heads up 
the smallfry educational “Carou- 
sel” as star and producer, original- 
ly presented the work in the web’s 
late “Mr. I. Magination” and 
this week’s reprise will have the 
same cast in Tripp, Ruth Enders 
(Mrs. Tripp) and Ted Tiller. 

Role of the boy who wished he 
could be Abe will be played by 
Stevie Harris, 12, brother of Don- 
nie, who did the part when the 
show was first given on Tripp’s 
“Magination” series several years 
ago. 


Joe Derby to Y&R 

Joe Derby has quit as trade press 
editor of NBC to hook up with 
Young & Rubicam. _ He’ll work un- 
der Dick Connelly, who left the 
web a few months ago as its press 
chief under v.p. Syd Eiges to re- 
turn to the ad agency. Connelly’s 
successor at web, Ellis Moore, had 
originally brought Derby into the 
fold less than a year ago. Moore 
held the trade post for little more 
than a year before being upped. 

Bill Anderson of WRCA and 
WRCA-TV, N. Y., may get the nod. 


Austin — Charles L. Brooks, has 
been named sales promotion mana- 
ger for KTBC and KTBC-TV here. 
He was formerly veepee in charge 
of the San Antonio and local of- 
fice of Kamin Advertising. 



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Other shows using songs and music. 

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Steve Schickel 


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48 


RADIO -VIDEO -TV FILMS 


Wednegilay, February 9, 1955 


Television Chatter 


New York 

Mike Dann, NBC program exec, 
to Hollywood to plan Coast-origi- 
nating specs . . . Casting: Treva 
Frazec into ABC-TV’s “Star To- 
night” tomorrow (Thurs.). Karl 
Lukas on same web’s “U. S. Steel 
Hour” Feb. 15 in “Freighter." 
Peter Fernandez in “The Breaking 
Point" on NBC-TV’s “Robt. Mont- 
gomery Presents” Feb. 14. Corydon 

Erickson, 10. making 35th pro ap- 
pearance, as Jackie in "Greatest 
Gift” daytimer over NBC-TV . . . 
Jack Raymond has been signed 
as scripter for the Orson Bean kin- 
nies . . . Betty Sue Albert plugging 
Toni on Arthur Godfrey show and 
Claudia Crawford the Esquire com- 
mercials on “Masquerade Party" 

. . . Bud Palmer calling the canines 
from Madison Sq. Garden’s Feb. 
1IM4 Westminster dog show via 
WPIX . . . Eight films completed 
on Phil Silvers series. “You'll 
Never Get Rich.” but still no time 
or preem date set on CBS . . .John 
Gart. batonist of “Chance of a Life- 
time” on DuMont, handled the 
stick afront 30-piece orch at radio- 
tv correspondents association shin- 
dig in D. C. last Saturday 15). 

Magico Kajar spotted in his 
specialty with a role on CBS-TV 
“Mama" Friday (11) that will cue 
the commercial. He’s an old hand 
at such program-plus-plugs tricks. 

, . . Richard Heffner, host-narrator 
of WRCA-TV’s “Man of the Year,” 
and guests Adam Clayton Powell 
and David Donald to pay tribute 
to Harriet Bcechen Stowe on Satur- 
day (12) show . . . Murry Karmiller, 
ex-WCBS Radio, to WCBS-TV as 
on-the-air promotion writer . . . 
Kenneth Banghart starts Nassau 
vacation Feb. 18 ... A girl born 
to the Joe Friedmans (he’s with 
CBS-TV sales service) in Manhas- 
set . . . Margaret McManus, wife 
of sportscaster-moderator Jim Mc- 
Kay, writing Sunday tv column for 
Bell Syndicate covering personali- 
ties . . . Phil & Ruth Alampi to 
return with their WRCA-TV “Home 
Gardner and Handyman” Feb. 19. 
Swift’s Switning cancels 10-10:15 
a m. Thursday seg of Garry Moore 
show on CBS-TV with Bristol- 
Myers stepping in for six weeks 
in addition to B-M’s Monday at 10.. 
Masland latches on to the Thurs- 
day time starting April 14 . . . 
Marie Suchan of WRCA-TV sales 
to become Mrs. Thomas Weiss 
Feb. 19 . . . Doris Storm has 
blacked out on Con Edison. She’s 
been six-a-weeking the New York 
utility outfit’s commercials on 
WPIX’s “Telepix News" since 
August, 1953, but left the show 
last week to await the birth in 
April of her third child. She’s the 
wife of Frank Jacoby, tv producer- 
director, and they have two other 
children in their camp, both boys. 

Tri-Visional TV Commercials has 
set up shop in N. Y. to produce tv 
commercials via a composite plate 
photography process which is said 
to give depth to the films . . . 
Transfilm, the commercial-indus- 
trial filmmaking outfit, offering 
free reprints of an article by prexy i 


William Miegsegaes on the use of 
business films titled “Sweet 16 
Millimeter” . . . Russ Ford, former- 
ly with Ted Bates, joined Dar.cer- 
Fitzgerald-Sample as a tv com- 
mercials producer . . . Lynn Marks 
Alper moved over from Screen 
Gems to Atlas Television to head j 
> p publicity and promotion for the 
latter . . . NBC Film Division added 
Howard M. Lloyd, onetime man- 
ager of Alvino Rey and the Kin^ j 
Sisters, and Thomas A. Beemcr, 
formerly with Ziv, to its western 
sales force . . . Walter Slezak will 
handle the emcee chores at the 
WCBS-TV telecast of the annual 
Junior League of N.Y. Mardi Gras 
Ball Feb. 17 . . . ABC-TV veep 
over talent-programs, Bob \Yeit- 
man, back this week after program 
huddles on the Coast and a talent 
o.o. in Las Vegas . . . Carol Haney 
makes another “Toast of the Town” 
appearance Feb. 20, teamed with 
Peter Genero. 

David Moore and Bob Sammon, 
CBS-TV “Person to Person” edi- 
torial-director team, to Chi yester- 
day (Tucs.) to handle Ed Murrow’s 
remote visit (Feb. 18) with Warden 
Joseph E. Regan of Illinois State 
Penitentiary, with Moore then 
proceeding to the Coast with direc- 
tor Chuck Hill for the Esther Wil- 
liams segment this Friday (11) 
coupling the pic star with New 
York’s Toots Shor, the restau- 
rateur . . . Television Factbook 
(Spring, ’55 edition) just off the 
presses. ($4). It’s the most com- 
prehensive job yet, with updated 
map of tv cities and network 
routes. 

Florence Anglin into “Modern 
Romances” next week . . . Robert 
Goodier into the “Omnibus” pres- 
entation of “The Turn of the 
Screw” Sunday (13) . . . Loretta 
Leversee on “Justice" opposite [ 
Jackie Cooper tomorrow (Thurs.). I 
. . . Lee Richardson has the lead 
on “Big Story” ^Friday (11) . . . 
June Walker into the “Pond's The- J 
atre” cast tomorrow (Thurs.) . . . | 
Norman Brokenshire shooting a 
commercial for Chesterfields . . . 
Katherine Meskill dittoing for Vel. 

. . . Jan Murray back from 12 davs 
in Florida to start his Friday night 
doubleheader ("Jan Murray Show” 
and “Dollar a Second”) this week 
(11) . . . Laurel Hurley thrushed 
on DuMont’s “Opera Cameos” past 
Sabbath (8) . . . Dione Lucas pre- 
sented with her own WPIX “cook- 
on-tel” stanza, and Brooklyn Union 
Gas Co. is bankrolling three times ; 
weekly in the old Shari Lewis spot 
for juves. Now Miss Lewis is 
limited to a Saturday night casing. 

. . . Michael Drury (femme) has ! 
scribbled a two-part study of the j 
Jackie Gleason tele show for Col- 
lier’s . . ..Martin Pollins to WOR- 
TV sales 


‘20th Century’ 

— Continued from page 27 

out of Russian film. Actually the 
first show will span the period from 
the coronation of Czar Nicholas II 
in 1896 to the death of Stalin. 
Second show will be a report on 



NEW YORK 
CHICAGO 
LOS ANGELES 
WASHINGTON 


RAYMOND HAGEN 
177 North Stato St. 

GEORGE KANI 

61 SI Santa Monica Blvd. 

FRED BARTON 
1346 Connocticot Avo. 


S W. CALDWELL, LTD. 
447 Jarvis St. 


TORONTO 

-and other principal cities in the U. S. and Canada 


India <as the pivotal spot in the 
"free world vs. slave world"). Net- 
work has already dispatched Bob 
Graf to India to work on the assign- 
ment. The network has enlisted 
the support of Chester Bowles, ex- 
ambassador to India, in serving in 
an advisory capacity. 

Major mission of Salomon in Eu- 
rope was to research archives, labo- 
ratories, equipment and key per- 
sonalities in establishing a liaison 
chain that can be pressed into serv- 
ice in the various capitals for the 
various series. 

The show on Russia is slated for 
spring presentation. Like all the 
others, it will go into prime night 
time segments that will be pre- 
empted for these special one-shots. 
They will be available for institu- 
tional sponsorship. 


Who Calls Turns? 

Continued from page 45 ___ 

strategic move to counter “Dis- 
neyland.” 

But it’s the reported move-in by 
Godfrey with the new owned-and- 
operated Monday package, particu- 
larly in the wake of the Gleason 
maneuver with the Dorseys, that ac- 
centuates growing alarms as to 
“where does a network begin and 
talent end," and vice versa. 

A similar situation a few years 
back provided something of an ill- 
fated “sneak preview” of what can 
happen under such circumstances. 
That was the case of Red Skelton 
when he had a hold on the Sunday 
at 7 slot on NBC-TV, and practical- 
ly dictated the slotting (via his 
identity with the Russel Seeds 
agency) of an Eddie Mayehoff 
show. The program lasted a few 
weeks and was knocked off. It not 
only affected relations between 
NBC and Skelton (who is now a 
CBS property) but provoked a lot 
of intra-trade bitterness. 


Press Vs. TV 

— . Continued from page 45 

ditions of newspaper men that im- 
mediately a hue and cry was set 
up that the White House was ‘cen- 
soring’ the news. On Capitol Hill 
it was even whispered that the 
President was releasing only the 
stuff that would make good politi- 
cal propaganda." Lawrence said 
then that censorship meant “sup- 
pression" but that Hagerty’s cuts 
really didn’t mean what Ike had 
said was being withheld. “All the 
newsmen . . . and the commenta- 
tors on tv or radio were still per- 
mitted to write everything they 
heard but not, of course, in first 
person quotations. ... It was most 
unfortunate that any of the cam- 
eramen spread the idea that some 
kind of censorship had been in- 
troduced. He later added some- 
thing the tv men heartily concur 
to: that it’s been a custom for 
years for the President to cut cer- 
tain statements, and, “after all, it 
would not be possible to have the 
tv cameras carry on their networks 
any quotations that were denied to 
the news writers.” 

A tv newsman said that video 
was not even secretly awaiting 
“more security,” as it's been ac- 
cused of doing, before asking for 
rights for uncut coverage of the 
confabs, because, like newspapers, 
its commentators could fill the cen- 
sored parts with the President’s 
exact words, provided they are of- 
fered without direct quotations 
marks. That, he felt, was enough. 


Webs Do Own Scissoring 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

The tv webs gave their own an- 
swers to charges of “censorship” 
brought up by newsmen at Presi- 
dent Eisenhower’s second televised 
press conference past week by do- 
ing their own scissoring on run- 
throughs of the film. The Presi- 
dent had indignantly Brushed off 
such suggestions when several re- 
porters questioned him on viola- 
tions of “freedom of the press” 
principle because the film report 
of the weekly powwow was given 
White house editing before being 
released for public tv consumption. 

In sharp contract to the initial 
televised Presidential huddle with 
the press Jan. 19, when the webs 
used the entire 28-minute version 
okayed by the White House, last 
week’s version was dished out to 
the public in small doses averag- 
ing five minutes. Actually, it 
seemed to be largely a matter of 
program appeal, rather than time, 
which prompted the abbreviated 
treatment. Initial telecast was 
highlighted by Ike’s survey and 


From The Production Centres 

Continued from page 32 

of Twin Cities’ “Last Man’s Club” comprising business and professional 
men between 45 and 55 years of age who for the past five years have 
been volunteering as U. of Minnesota “human guinea pigs" for physical 
tests and examinations to aid in accumulation of data in study of 
adults’ heart disorders. Station will precede film with a 30-minute 
Minnesota Heart Association program . . . John Ford, former WTCN-TV 
ace staffer and now in the advertising game, back on video after a 
long absence, appearing each Sunday with KSTP-TV’s “Victory at Sea” 
series . . . Highest rated WMNS radio show now is the disk jockey 
program of Bill Diehl, who’s also the St Paul Pioneer Press-Dispatch 
movie editor-critic. It’s on 9 p.m. to midnight Sunday nights. 

/iV DETROIT ... 

• 

WJBK-TV auditioned for a “Miss Fair Weather” to give the late- 
evening, cross-th e-board weather report and immediately had to hoist 
the storm signals. So many attractive young ladies showed up that 
it was decided to give most of them a chance. The Misses “Fair 
Weather” for the first week will be Millee Kelley and Connie Marvis 
. . . This is how a show biz pipe organ got religion: Years ago the 
organ, built for the Senate Theatre, was purchased by WXYZ and 
used regularly. Now moving into new studios, station didn’t have room 
for the organ. WXYZ-TV technical director Melvin Morehouse wanted 
it for his church and Prexy Jimmy Riddle donated it . . . “Pirate Pete,” 
portrayed by Guy Bowman, who has been absent from the WJBK-TV 
program several months, is returnirg to lead viewers once again on 
imaginary voyages over the bounding* main. “Roy, the Cabin Boy,” 
played by Dale Young who has been serving as captain, is leaving for 
military service . . . Dick Osgood, WXYZ; Ross Mulholland, WWJ; 
Austin Grant, CKLW-TV; Larry Gentile, VVJBK, and Toby David and 
Eddie Chase of CKLW, all are going to conduct lobby celeb interviews 
at preem of “Cinerama Holiday” — should be quite crowded. 

IN CLEVELAND . . . 

Glenn Rowell started a new Sunday “Funny Funnies” WNBK film 
stint . . . Standard Brewing reported exiting WERE Indian broadcasts 
. . . WSRS news reporter Milo Townes in a losing battle to get council 
passage of anti-baby chick coloring ordinance . . . Annual AFTRA 
Awards luncheon skedded for March 3 . . . WHK disker Bill Gordon 
back from Florida hiatus . . City authorities forced WSRS’ Sam 

Sampson proposed Rhythm and Blues dance at Arena into musicale 
on grounds disker lacked proper dance license . . . Tom Arend, NBC 
Chi, in town for visit . . . WNBK started hour-long high-school dance 
show with music by Norman Knuth and Bill Mayer as emcee rotating 
with Henry Levine’s Dixielanders, songstress Jackie Lynn and Johnny 
Andrews as emcee. 

IN PHILADELPHIA . . . 

Cleffer Bix Reichner (Papa Loves Mambo) to be honored on KYW’s 
“They Wrote the Songs,” Thursday . . . Benedict Gimbel Jr., WIP 
president, appointed radio chairman of Southeastern Chapter. Red 
Cross . . . Warren Hull in town to receive Distinguished Humanitarian 
Service Award from B’nai B’rith, for work among unfortunates . . . 
WCAU-TV televising “Home Highlights” as second show done in color. 
Jean Corbett, the “Aunt Molly” of stanza, does network commercial 
on “Portia Faces Life” . . . Gordon Davis, KYW program manager, 
named chairman of the Radio-TV committee for the Junior Chamber 
of Commerce campaign on horror comics . . . “Champions of Small 
Business” is new feature on KYW, Fridays, 11:15 p.m. Fred Harper 
conducts session . . . Fred Walker has been named publicity director 
at WPTZ, replacing Robert Klaus, who resigned. Walker was formerly 
at WTTM, Trenton, N.J. 


appraisal of his first two years in 
office. Last week’s was more than 
normally dull, with many ques- 
tions confined to purely local is- 
sues. 

Presidential press secretary 
James Hagerty followed up his 
boss’ denial of censorship by point- 
ing out that the expanded* circula- 
tion of Ike’s press conference had 
actually widened freedom of the 
press. Until the innovation, re- 
porters could directly quote the 
President only by special permis- 
sion and on rare occasions. All 
news media, he stated, have profit- 
ed by the presence of cameras in 
the conference room, since direct 
quotes are open to everybody. 


Weaver’s Gospel 

Continued from page 27 

newsreels or travelogs of an edu- 
cational nature. 

Similarly for Pinky Lee adher- 
ents. it’s suggested spotlighting 
the kid ensemble organized by the 
Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra, 
for example, to explain the various 
instruments. A “Prodigy Series” 
to interest ihe kids in good music 
teed off on the Pinky Lee stanza 
last week. 

Primarily Weaver’s intention is 
to infuse the entire programming 
schedules with such integrated 
“enlightenment” features. In 
other words, inject culture with- 
out losing ratings. 

0 

Chas. Andrews Whips Up 
Caesar’s Summer Package 

Charles Andrews, former writer- 
producer for Dave Garroway, has 
negotiated a deal with Sid Caesar 
to work on a summer package 
which will be installed in Caesar’s 
Monday night 8 to 9 NBC-TV pe- 
riod. 

Caesar is putting his own show 
into the segment during the sum- 
mer months and is currently nego- 
tiating for a replacement comic to 
head up the show. 


‘Belafonte Performs’ 

Set as Telepix Series 

Harry Belafonte has got the tele- 
pix urge too. He’s prepping a pilot 
film for a quarter-hour series titled 
“Belafonte Performs,” in which 
he’ll sing folk music of various 
countries in native costume, accom- 
panied by a small string orch and 
employing occasional offbeat guests. 
Pilot will be produced and written 
by Jay Richard Kennedy, Bela- 
fonte’s manager and author of the 
novel, “Prince Bart.” 


Charleston, W. Va. — Frank An- 
nand has been upped from the an- 
nouncing staff of WCHS radio t® 
production manager of WCHS-TV, 
CBS affil here. 



TEXACO STAR THEATRE 

SATURDAY NIGHT— N.B.C. 

Mst.t William Morris Agoncy 


WANTED . 

TV. AND COMMERCIAL SHORT 
FILMS ’ 


BRITISH NEWS-REELS LIMITED 
147 Wardour Si., London, Eng. 



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VfdMlJlft February 9, 1955 


- 


49 



(V . . . one of those inspired moments that make the theatre the wonder that it is..,” 


The New York Times , January 18, 1955 


Just four weeks ago, 

the Kraft Television Theatre presented “Patterns.” 
The response from critics and public alike was 
overwhelming? Acting on their suggestion, Kraft 
has assembled the .same cast, and tonight will 
present another live performance of this great 
drama. If you missed it once, don’t miss it again. 
This is your last chance! Here is just a small sample 
of what the critics wrote about “Patterns.” 

r ‘ Creative Triumph . . Jack Gould, New York Times 

"In writing, acting, and direction, 'Patterns’ will stand as one of the 
high points in the TV medium's evolution . . . For sheer power of narra- 
the, forcefulncss of characterization, and brilliant climax, it is a creative 
triumph ... In one of those inspired moments that make the theatre 
the wonder that it^is, 'Patterns' was an evening that belonged to the 
many ... A repeat performance at an early date should be mandatory.” 

"Made 'Executive Suite’ look like 'Little Women ? ” . .Time Magazine 

‘ A many-sided study of top-level stress in a big corporation, the play 
had areas that made 'Executive Suite’ look like 'Little Women’. , . The 
drama lay in the meteoric but uneasy rise of a young engineer and the 
spent-rocket fall of an aging vice president, and their agonizing ap- 
praisals of each other as they passed in the cold reac hes of executive space 
... As often happens in a soundly built play, all the actors turned in 
•upcrlative jobs.’ 



Live performance with the. 
original cast on the 



\ 


Theatre 



9:00 PM 



WRCA-TV 


CHANNEL 4 


/ 



so 


MUSIC 


Wwlneidiy, February 9 # 1935 


* 

Jocks r Jukes and Disks 


.By HERM SCUOENFELD. 


Mindy Carson: “The Fish”-“Bring 
Me Your Love’’ (Columbia). Now 
Mindy Carson has climbed aboard 
the rhythm & blues express for a 
click destination. “Fish” is a clever 
number by some Tin Pan Alley 
pros who know how to write in any 
genre. It looks like Miss Carson’s 
biggest yet. She gets solid support 
from an unbilled choral group. Flip 
is a fine torch song which the 
songstress handles effectively. 

Eddie Fisher: “Wedding Bells"- 
“A Man Chases a Girl” (RCA Vic- 
tor*. “Wedding Bqlls” is a natural 
for Eddie Fisher whose upcoming 
marriage to Debbie Reynolds gives 
this tune a topical significance. 
Actually, it was launched by 
Frankie Lester on Label X and 
now Fisher is likely to take away 
\ 


a fine “farewell-type" ballad. 
Jimmy Leyden batoned the high- 
school chorus. 

Peggy Lee: “How Bitter, My 
Sweet”-“I Belong to You; “He’s a 
Tramp”-“The Siamese Cat Song” 
(Decca). “How Bitter, My Sweet” 
is the only non-picture tune on 
these four sides and it’s probably 
the most commercial. Peggy Lee 
gives it a sensitive projection. “I 
Belong to You,” from the 20th-Fox 
film, “The Racers,” is a fair ballad. 
Both “He’s a T»amp” and “Cat 
Song,” from the Disney pic. “The 
Lady and the Tramp,” were cleffed 
by Miss Lee and Sonny Burke and 
have a material flavor. 

Marilyn Monroe: “Heat Wave”- 
“After You Get What You Want” 

• Victor). Marilyn Monroe was not 



Best Bets 


MINDY CARSON THE FISH 

(Columbia * Bring Me Your Love 

EDDIE FISHER WEDDING BELLS 

{RCA Victor ) A Man Chases a Girl 

TERESA BREWER PLEDGING MY LOVE 

(Corah How Important Can It Be 

THE THREE CHUCKLES FOOLISHLY 

(Label X) // You Should Love Again 


LAWRENCE WELK 

and hi* 

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC 
178th Conaecutiva Week, Aragon 
Ballroom, Santa Monica, Calif. 
Exclusively on Coral Records 
“CRAZY MUSIC” 

Featuring The Lancera 
“TIMBER JACK” 
Featuring The Lancers 


most of the plays. “Man Chases a 
Girl” is a lovely Irving Berlin num- 
ber from the score of “There’s No 
Business Like Show* Business.” 
which could also climb into the hit 
brackets. Miss Reynold’s (un- 
billed) voice in echo chamber helps 
the production on this side. 

Teresa Brewer: “Pledging My 
Love"-“How Important Can It Be” 
(Coral*. Teresa Brewer has a po- 
tent two-sider in this release. 
“Pledging My Love" has a simple 
message in a catchy melody that 
Miss Brewer bells in her familiar 
style. Flip has a more “daring” 
idea, but is framed in simple terms 
for considerable commercial im- 
pact. 

The Three Chuckles: “Foolishly”- 
“If You Should Love Again” (Label 
X». As a followup to its initial 
“Runaround” click, this trio comes 
up with another likely number in 
“Foolishly.” This group is in the 
contemporary genre pf male 
choral groups who span both the 
pop and r&b markets. Flip is fair. 

Chappaqua High School Kids: 
“Never Mind the Noise in the Mar- 
ket”-“It’s Time to Say Goodnight 
Again” (Coral). Since a flock of 
New York music men live in Chap- 
paqua. it’s no accident that the 
suburb’s highschool has been en- 
listed in the music biz. The ensem- 
ble has turned up with two attrac- 
tive sides with some professional- 
sounding vocalists handling the 
solo parts. “Market” is in the 
calypso vein while “Goodnight” is 


part of Dacca’s virtually complete 
soundtrack album of the pic, 
“There’s No Business Like Show' 
Business.” because of her Victor 
commitment, so now the latter 
label is releasing the two MM 
numbers from the 20th film. Al- 
though Miss Monroe, has more 
visual than vocal angles, she han- 
dles these two numbers with savvy. 
“Heat Wave” is a natural for her 
and she also does right by the new 
Irving Berlin number on the flip. 
Her voice range is narrow but her 
inflection is right. 

Jane Morgan: “I Try to Forget 
You”-"Why Don’t They Leave Us 
Alone” (Kapp). Jane Morgan is a 
polished songstress who needs the 
right material to break through. 
“Forget You” is a big, smartly-con- 
structed ballad that will help to 
build her with the jocks. She han- 
dles it with class. Reverse is a good 
change of pace, a soft ballad with 
a good lyric. 

Betty Johnson: “Seven Pretty 
Dreams”-“Be a Lover” (Victor). 
For her debut disk on Victor. Betty 
Johnson registers appealingly on 
an exceptionally pretty tune, 
“Seven Pretty Dreams.” It rates 
attention from jocks for its melodic 
lilt and imaginative lyrics. Flip is 
another good tufle, but in a more 
conventional pattern. 

Burt Taylor: “Anything”-“01d- 
timer” (Essex). “Anything” is a 
good rhythm tune which is not, 
however, particularly well suited to 
Burt Taylor’s piping style. He 


scores far better on the sentimental 
ballad, “Oldtimer,” Don Costa 
backing up nicely. 

Henri Rene: “Theme From Lost 
Weekend”-"The W r ater Tumbler 
Tune” (Victor). The background 
music from the pic. “Lost Week- 
end.” was used on the Robert 
Montgomery video adaptation, 
hence the release of this slice by 
Henri Rene. It’s, another attempt 
to create a song hit via a single 
video plug. The Miklos Rosza 
theme is as effective as ever and 
Rene gives it a highly lustrous 
interpretation. Reverse is a color- 
ful item which could be pitched to 
juves. 

ABC, WILLIAM MORRIS 
SPLIT ‘HERD’ BOOKINGS 

Bookings of Woody Herman’s 
Third Herd have been split be- 
tween Joe Glaser’s Associated 
Booking Corp. and the William 
Morris Agency. Morris office will 
handle the orch for video only, 
while Glaser’s office will submit 
the crew for all other fields. Pre- 
viously. Herman’s manager Abe 
Turchin did the bookings. 

Turchin, in turning over the 
Herman bookings to 4he two agen- 
cies, will expand his own activities 
in other directions. He opened a 
personal management office this 
week and will have Herman as one 
of his clients. 


Folksinger Burl Ives will get an 
honorary Doctor of Laws degree 
at Fairleigh Dickinson College in 
Rutherford. New r Jersey, Feb. 18. 


P^RIETY 


f 1. MELODY OF LOVE (5) 


10 Best Sellers on Coin-Machines 


• !.▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ 4 A AA A A A 

* YtTTTTTTTTTTTTt 


2. HEARTS OF STONE (7) 

3. THAT’S ALL I WANT F 

4. SINCERELY (5) 


5. 

6 . 

7. 

8 . 
9. 

10 . 


SMILES 


Second Croup 


NO 


EARTH ANGEL 

OPEN UP YOUR 
DIM, DIM THE L 

TEACH ME TONI 
UNSUSPECTING 


SONG OF 
MOBILE 


THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA 


‘Figures in 


(Billy Vaughn 

Dot 

J David Carroll 

. . .Mercury 

Four Aces 

Decca 

Frank Sinatra 

. . . .Capitol 

1 Fontane Sisters 

Dot 

1 Charms 

. . . DeLuxe 

Jaye P. Morgan . . . 

.... Victor 

McGuire Sisters . . . . 


( Joan Weber 

.Columbia 

-{ Teresa Brewer . . . . 

. . . .Coral 

| Patti Page 

. . Mercury 

Johnny Maddox 


I Sarah Vauqhan 

. .Mercury 

) Peggy King ... .... 

.Columbia 

( Crew Cuts 

. .Mercury 

1 Perry Como 

.... Victor 

( Ames Brothers .... 

Victor 

1 Archie Bleyer 

. .Cadence 

t Chordettes 

. . Cadence 

■1 Four Aces 


\ Lancers 


Crazy Otto 

. . . . Decca 

( DeJohn Sisters 


( McGuire Sisters . . . 

. .Mercury 

1 Penguins 

. . . Dootone 

1 Crew Cuts 

. .Mercury 

Lancers 


Bill Haley’s Comets . 


\ DeCastro Sisters 

. . . . Abbott 

( Jo Stafford 

. Columbia 

i Sunny Gale 


( Georgie Shaw 


Hugo Winterhalter . 

. . . .Victor 

Julius LaRosa 

. . Cadence 

Bill Haley’s Comets . 



parentheses indicate number of weeks song has been in the Top 101 t 

I M I IM> I Ml 


Album Reviews 


“House of Flowers” (Columbia). 
There’s enough exciting listening 
in the original cast set of the Har- 
old Arlen-Truman Capote legituner 
to make it an enjoyable 12-inch LP 
item. Arlen has conceived a flock 
of driving and warmly moving 
rhythms and the cast members de- 
liver Capote’s lyrics with an en- 
gaging enthusiasm. Among the 
delights in the platter, chalk up 
Ada Moore’s and Enid Mosier’s 
flashy workover of “Two Ladies In 
De Shade of De Banana Tree.” and 
Diahann Carroll’s romantic treat- 
ment of “A Sleepin’ Bee.” Pearl 
Bailey lends her familiar style to 
"One Man Ain’t Quite Enough” 
and "What Is A Friend For?” 
Juanita Hall also comes across 
okay with “Slide. Boy, Slide.” “An 
Indoor Girl.” which was penned 
especially for Miss Bailey by Mi- 
chael Brown, was inserted into 
the show after the album had been 
put into the groove. 

“Further Studies In High Fidel- 
ity” (Capitol). Although some of 
the novelty may have worn off, the 
interest in high-fidelity is still high 
enough to give demonstration disks 
a big readymade market. This 
Capitol disk not only demonstrates 
the wide-range possibilities of hi-fi 
disks and installations, but it also 
contains an excellent musical rep- 
ertory. One side contains pop 
selections and the other offers ex- 
cerpts from classical works. Plat- 
ter is packaged in a box with ex- 
tensive liner notes on hi-fi mdtters. 

Frank Luther - Zora Layman: 
‘Songs of the North and South” 
(Decca*. This is an interesting 
package of tunes dating back to 
the Civil War in this country. One 
side contains 18 songs of the North 
and the other covers 17 songs of 


the Dixie forces. Frank Luther 
and Zora Layman, backed by the 
Century Quartet, do a competent 
job, but the interpretations could 
have been more varied. ✓ 

Consuelo Velasquez: “Piano In- 
terpretations” (Victor). This set of 
piano solos by Mexican pianist 
Consuelo Velazquez falls into the 
“mood music” category. Some 
dozen standards, such as “C’est Si 
Bon,” “Blue Tango," “Estrelita ” 
etc, are served up with a light key- 
board touch of cocktail room music. 
It’s easy to take and doesn’t re- 
quire too much attention. 

The Woody Herman Band (Capi- 
tol). Woody Herman’s “Third 
Herd” gets a firstrate wax show- 
case in this Capitol 12-inch pack- 
age. The sound is topnotch and 
the selections are swinging. Many 
of the numbers in the set are origi- 
nals and they are designed to 
spotlight both the facile ensemble 
work and the solo licks of the 
sidemen. From tne killer-diller 
opening, “Wild Apple Honey.” the 
package moves with color and pace. 

Jack .Kelly: “ ’S Wonderful” 
(MGM>. The pop keyboard con- 
noisseur should go for Jack Kelly’s 
styling in a strong way. His nim- 
ble fingerwork is excellently show- 
cased on the 10-inch LP. There 
are plenty of fave standards in the 
set and Kelly, who works with u 
quintet backing, treats them all 
with dash and verve. In addition 
to the title song, Kelly tackles 
such nifties as “Autumn In New 
York,” “That Old Black Magic” 
and “These Foolish Things” among 
others. 


Atlantic Records added T-Bone 
Walker, singer-guitarist, to its ros- 
ter last week. 


Songs With Largest Radio Audience 

m ' 

The top 30 songs of week (more in case of ties), based on 
copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index. 
Published by Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John Gray Peatman , 
Director. Alphabetically listed. * Legit musical t Film. 


Survey Week of January 28-February 3, 

A MAn Chases A Girl — i"Sho\v Business” 

All Of You 

Blue Mirage 

Bridges At Toko-Ri—i “Bridges At Toko-Ri” 

Close Your Eyes . . . . : 

Count Your Blessings 

Dixie Danny 

Hearts Of Stone 

How Important Can It Be * 

I Gotta Go Get My Baby 

I Need You Now' 

Ko Ko Mo 

Let Me Go Lover 

Malaguena 

Melody Of Love . . . . 

Mister Sandman 

My Own True Love (Tara’s Theme) 

Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane 

No More 

Open Up Your Heart 

Papa Loves Mambo 

Paper Valentine 

Sincerely 

Song In Blue 

Song Of Barefoot Contessa — !“Barefoot Contessa” . 

Teach Me Tonight 

That’s All I Want From You 

These Are The Things We’ll Share 

Tweedle Dee 

Unsuspecting Heart 

Young And Foolish— *'Tlain And Fancy” 


1955 

Berlin 

Chappell 

Mills 

Famous 

Miller 

Berlin 

Southern 

Regent 

Laurel 

Springfield 

Miller 

Meridian 

Hill A Range 

E. B. Marks 

Shapiro-B-P 

E. H. Marks 

Remick 

Paxton 

Maple Leaf 

Hamblen 

Shapiro-B 

Stratton 

Arc-Regent 

Iris-Trojan 

Chappell 

Hub-Leeds 

Weiss & B 

Famous 

Progressive 

Tee Pee 

Chappell 


Top 30 Songs on TV 

( More In Case of Ties ) 


Count Your Blessings 

Finger Of Suspicion 

Hearts Of Stone 

.Berlin 
. Pickwick 

Rptrpn! 

I Have To Tell You 

. Phannpll 

I Love You Madly 

. Anopi 

I Need You Now 

Miller 

I Wanna Hug Ya. Kiss Ya. Squeeze Ya 

It’s A Big Wide Wonderful World— i “3 Ring Circus’ 
Ko Ko Mo 

. Arc 

’.Broadcast 

Let Me Go Lover 

Hill & Rang® 

Little Things Mean A Lot 

. Feist 

Make Yourself Comfortable 

Melody Of Love 

. Rylan 
Shaniro-R-P 

Mister Sandman 

Afnrris 

Mobile ....■" 

Arrl more 

My Own True Love 

. Remick 

Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane 

. Paxton 

No More 

Ala nip Leaf 

Papa Loves Mambo 

Shaniro-B 

Paths Of Paradise 

SDier 

Sincerely 

A rr-Rp£pnt 

Teach Me Tonight . . 

. Huh- Leeds 

Tender Shepherd— +“Peter Pan” . . 

That’s All I Want From You 

Tweedle Dee 

. Morris 
.Weiss & B 
Proaressive 

Unsuspecting Heart 

Wedding Bells 

Without Love 

.Tee Pee 
. Mellin 
. ChaDuell 

You’ll Always Be My Lifetime Sweetheart 

Young And Foolish— *“Plain And Fancy” 

. Wizell & D 
. Chappell 



Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


MUSIC 


51 



ARM Locals in Rift With PetriDo 
Over 5% Bite on Musical Vidpix 


Hollywood, Jan. 8. 

A rift has developed between 
leaders of some American Federa- 
tion of Musicians locals and AFM 
prexy James C. Petrillo over the 
5 % bite of musical vidpix gross 
for the Musicians Performance 
Trust Fund. It’s understood that 
such locals as New York and Los 
Angeles are in favor of cutting 
back the bite to 2 % to up tunester 
employment while Petrillo is in 
favor of adhering to the 5% fee in 
the original contract. 

From telefilm producers, how- 
ever, it was learned union reps 
have stated the cut is in the works. 
Decision to change the rate appar- 
ently was made in negotiations cur- 
rently being conducted in N. Y. for 
a new pact covering vidfilm produc- 
ers. Presently producers are work- 
ing without a contract, since the 
old pact expired about two months 
ago. 

Union has been charging vidfilm 
producers 5% of the series gross 
or of time charges on the show, and 
producers claim that this, coupled 
with cost of the live music, makes 
for a nut of around $3,000 for each 
half-hour vidfilm. That’s why so 
many have been staying with 
canned music, they say. A canned 
track averages around $500 for a 
show, and while producers prefer 
the live music, they point to that 
$2,500 discrepancy and say it’s too 
rich for their blood. 

Pressure has been on the AFM 
from some members who have been 
complaining AFM prexy James C. 

(Continued on page 58) 


Okay 8 Minor Disk Pacts 

Los Angeles, Feb. 8. 

Superior Court established a rec- 
ord by approving eight minor con- 
tracts in one day. Pacts w’ere with 
Flip Records, all for one year with 
six options. 

Minor contractees were Ira Fo- 
ley, Randolph Bryant, Willie Gra- 
ham, Donald Woods, Mary Thomas, 
Betty D. Hicks, Elnora Hicks and 
Bobbie Wilcots. 


Marek Completes 0.0. 

Of Victor-HMV Tieup; 
Wallichs Due in N.Y. 

George R. Marek, RCA Victor 
artists & repertoire chief, is due 
back at his N. Y. homeoffice desk 
this week after a two-week trip to 
England to straighten out Victor’s 
relationship with the British His 
Master’s Voice (HMV) label. Lat- 
ter is subsid of Electrical & Musi- 
cal Industries (EMD, the British 
company which has bought a ma- 
jority stock interest in Capitol 
Records in the U.S. Npon the basis 
of Marek's looksee into the British 
setup, it’s expected that Victor 
will decide whether to continue its 
HMV deal or launch its own sub- 
sid in Britain. 

Meanwhile, Glenn Wallichs, 
Capitol prexy, is slated to arrive 
in New York next month to wrap 
up the stock deal with EMI top- 
pers who are due here at that 
time. 


Col Taking TV Route 
Again With ‘Questions’ 

Columbia Records will take the 
tv route again to promote one of 
its current platters. Disk due for 
the video puah is Peggy King's 
“Any Questions,” which will be 
showcased on NBC-TV’s “Dragnet” 
show Feb. 17. Tune will be warbled 
by Miss King who, incidentally/ is 
making her thesping debut on the 
show. 

Other Col etchings that received 
the tele treatment in recent months 
have been Johnnie Ray’s “Paths of 
Paradise” and Joan Weber’s “Let 
Me Go, Lover.” 

‘‘Any Questions,” which w*as writ- 
ten by A. Hamilton, is being pub- 
lished by Mark VII, Jack Webb’s 
ASCAP music firm. 


Tennig Pro Into ASCAP 

Palm Springs, Cal., Feb. 8. 

David Gillam, pro at the Tennis 
Hub, became a member of ASCAP 
last week. With Matt Dennis he 
w.ote “It Wasn’t the Stars That 
Thrilled Me” used in “The Biga- 
mist” and published by Evergreen. 

Recently he composed “Don’t 
Look My Way,” introduced by 
Dinah Shore over the air and be- 
m published by Howard Rich 
mond. 


BMI Wraps Up 
Reciprocal Deal 
With British PRS 


In an extension of its reciprocal 
deals with foreign licensing soci- 
eties, Broadcast Music Inc. has 
wrapped up a mutual licensing 
pact with the Performing Rights 
Society in Britain. Deal was signed 
recently in London by members 
of the PRS board and Jean Geir- 
inger, BMI vice-prexy in charge 
of foreign affairs. 

Under the contract, PRS will 
license the BMI catalog in Great 
Britain, Ireland, South Africa and 
other territories administered by 
PRS. In turn, BMI will license in 
the U. S. the copyrights of all 
works of PRS members which are 
covered by a contract with a BMI 
publisher. This, in effect, facili- 
tates the handling of PRS tunes by 
BMI publishers in the U.S. who 
formerly were stymied on collect- 
ing performance coin on British 
tunes because of the absence of 
a PRS deal. 

The PRS pact is similar to those 
which BMI has made w-ith the per- 
forming rights societies of most of 
the other European countries. At 
one time, most of the overseas So- 
cieties had exclusive deals with 
the American Society of Compos- 
ers, Authors & Publishers, but 
such exclusivity was outlawed sev- 
eral years ago by the ASCAP anti- 
trust consent decree. 


ASCAP TROUPERS SET 
FOR D.C. PRESS AFFAIR 

Washington, Feb. 8. 
ASCAP writers are again set to 
entertain for the National Press 
Club at the annual “ASCAP Musi- 
cal Matinee” Thursday (10) at the 
Press Club auditorium here. Stan- 
ley Adams. ASCAP prexy, will em- 
cee the show which was set up by 
Paul Cunningham, the Society’s 
D.C. rep. The ASCAP troupe will 
include A1 Hoffman, Dick Man- 
ning, Charles Tobias, Irving Cae- 
sar, Bob Merrill and Mabel Wayne 
with an assist from Wynne Miller. 

ASCAP has been 'promoting a 
considerable amount of good will 
for itself by these public relations 
activities in recent years. Guests 
at the Press Club affair will in- 
clude Congressional members, cab- 
inet officers and Goverment offi- 
cials. 


EVEN HILLBILLIES 
IRE DOING IT 

The rhythm & blues boom has 
the music biz punchy. Trade is re- 
ceiving the invasion of the “rock 
and roll” beat in the pop field with 
mixed emotions as to its overall 
affect on disk and sheet sales. • 

Top publishing firms execs have 
assumed a “this too shall pass” at- 
titude, while the major disk com- 
panies, which are riding along 
with the r&b fad, figure it’s due 
for a pop fadeout before the sum- 
mer. Meantime, the indie labels 
and small pubberies are riding in 
high gear with the latest music 
biz cycle. Firms like Progressive 
Music and Regent and Arc, run by 
Harry and Gene Goodman, current- 
ly are mopping up in the r&b field. 

Primary pub objection to r&b 
is that it creates little- demand for 
sheet copies. The pubs contend 
that r&b is strictly a sound phe- 
nom that pushes disk sales but 
doesn’t move sheets — and that’s 
where big publishing profits come 
from. 

Publisher Nat Tannen, who re- 
cently returned from a swing 
around the south and midwest, 
says that music dealers are squawk- 
ing about the inroads of r&b in 
the disk field. Biz was way off, he 
was told, because the hit r&b plat- 
ters brought little calls for sheet 
copies in the stores. Territory 
visited by Tannen is a hillbilly 
stronghold, but the swing to r&b 
by many top country artists is 
throttling sheet sales in the stores. 

Several record company artists 
& repertoire men claim that their 
regular pop output is being hurt 
by the r&b disks. They claim that 
their new releases are being 
brushed aside by platter spinners 
around the country w'ho are giving 
prime exposure time to the "new 
beat.” Many jocks, one a&r man 
(Continued on page 54) 


Col Read; Splash 

Foi* Thrush Johnson 

Columbia Records is readying a 
big splash for Cathy Johnson, a 
recent warbler pactee. Thrush was 
discovered by The Four Lads in 
the production chorus of Buffalo’s 
Latin Casino and was brought to 
the attention of Mitch Miller, 
label’s artists and repertoire chief. 

She’ll be teamed with The FourH 
Lads for her initial disk try. 

King Sisters cut four sides for 
Jubilee Records before planing 
back to the Coast last week. The 
quartette also have been signed 
for a Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas, 
stand. 


Victor Preps 
Big R&B Push 

With the rhythm tc blues mar- 
ket currently booming, RCA Victor 
is prepping a major expansion in 
this direction after a long* period 
of r&b dormancy. Victor appointed 
Ray Clark to head the r&b opera- 
tion a. few weeks ago and now' has 
hired Bob Rolontz to assist Clark 
in the artists & repertoire phase. 
Rolontz was formerly with a trade 
paper. 

Early last year, Victor’s r&b line 
w as issued under the Groove label, 
which was headed by Danny Kes- 
sler, who exited the company for 
his own publishing - management 
operation. At the present time, the 
Victor label will now be used on 
the r&b releases. The Groove line 
is now being handed by Label X, 
the RCA subsid which was launch- 
ed at the outset of 1954. 


Kay Armen Joins MGM; 
Double Release in Feb. 

Songstress Kay Armen has 
joined the MGM label. Thrush, 
who had been with several indies 
during the past few years, recent- 
ly was pacted by Metro for the 
filmusical “Hit The Deck.” 

Diskery has slated her first etch- 
ings for its Feb. 25 release pack- 
age. She’ll hit the market in an 
album and a single of two songs 
culled from the package. 

MGM also bolstered its hillbilly 
roster last week with the signing 
of thrush Norma Ellis and crooner 
Jimmie Williams. 


Stevens’ Ample Pact 

Jerry Stevens, BMI cleffer, has 
inked a three-year exclusive writ- 
ing pact with Ample Music. Stev- 
ens already has penned “Heart- 
beat,” “A Wotnan’s Love Is Never 
Done” and “Give A Fool A 
Chance” for the pubbery. 

Ample is headed by Fred Am- 
sel. 


Victor Sales Boosted 100% By Price 
Cuts; Sacks Counters Downbeat Execs 


No R&B at W&M 

The college campuses are 
apparently one of the few re- 
maining strongholds against 
the invading rhythm & blues 
cycle. 

In his pact for a date at 
Williams & Mary College at 
Williamsburg, Va., March 11, 
Johnny Long is expressly 
banned from playing “Jitter- 
bug, bunnyhop or other novel- 
ties.” The campus cats just 
want straight dance music. 


Juke Operators 
Gird Vs. Changes 
In Copyright Act 

Chicago, Feb. 8. 

The threat of a pending Con- 
gressional bill to remove the ex- 
emption of jukeboxes from the 
Copyright Act of 1909 will be the 
key point on the agenda of the 
Music Operators of America con- 
vention here late next month. Con- 
clave is set for the Morrison Hotel 
in Chicago March 28-30. 

By that time, it’s expected that 
the fate of the jukebox bill, intro- 
duced a couple of weeks ago under 
the auspices of 10 key U.S. Sena- 
tors, will have become clear. Sup- 
ports of the bill, such as the Ameri- 
can Society of Composers, Authors 
& Publishers, are highly optimistic 
over chances to get the bill through 
the Senate and onto the docket of 
the House where, as yet, no similar 
legislation has been proposed. 

The Juke operators are girding 
their maximum forces to get the 
bill defeated. The bill would per- 
mit ASCAP and BMI to impose li- 
cense fees for performance of its 
music, just as these organizations 
do with other users of music. The 
juke operators have enjoyed an 
exemption from such license fees 
because of provisions in the Copy- 
right Act which have remained 
static since 1909. 

The juke ops claim that passage 
of the bill would mean a licensing 
rap of from $5,000,000 to $10,000,- 
000 annually. They claim that it 
would mean hundreds of marginal 
operators out of business since 
they could not afford to pay such 
licensing charges. The juke ops 
(Continued on page 54) 


CAP ON DE LUXE KICK 
WITH KENTON ALBUM 

Capitol Records is hopping on 
the de luxe album kick this month 
with its $24.95 package, “The Ken- 
ton Era.” Set includes four 12-inch 
longplay platters of previously un- 
released sides" cut by Stan Kenton. 
Set also includes a folio which in- 
corporates the orch leader’s biog 
and diskography. 

As part of its extensive promo- 
tion push on the package, Cap is 
shipping deejays special demonstra- 
tion platters and folios. Close to 
2,400 deejays around the country 
are earmarked for the Kenton kit. 
Kenton will head east this week on 
a promotion trek, stopping off 
along the way for promotion pala- 
ver with distributors, dealers and 
platter spinners. 


Decca To Operate 

Branch in Scranton 

iJecca Records has expanded its 
factory-branch setup with the drop- 
ping of its Scranton, Pa., distrib in 
favor of a Decca-ow*ned branch. Leo 
Refice has been named branch man- 
ager of the Scranton office. 

With the new change, the Decca 
distribution is now 27 factory- 
owned branches and 17 distribu- 
tors. 


♦ Countering the downbeat senti- 
ments of most of the other major 
companies in re the price cuts on 
longplay platters, RCA Victor dis- 
closed this week that its sales of 
unit classical merchandise have 
been hypoed 100%. Manie Sacks, 
RCA veepee and general manager 
of the Victor disk division, said 
that “dollarwise, our sales through 
Feb. 3 in this category were 32% 
over the corresponding period last 
year.” 

Sacks’ statistical report was di- 
rectly aimed at some of the other 
companies, such as Columbia, Cap- 
itol and Decca, which have not 
been enthusiastic over the results 
of the price cuts. These companies 
have felt no upbeat in the longplay 
sales since the reductions were 
initiated early in January. 

Some of the companies, in fact, 
are only unenthusiastic about the 
reductions, they are blaming Vic- 
tor for upsetting the disk business 
in one of its infrequent periods of 
stability. One disk exec said the 
move was aimed at promoting the 
sale of phonograph records, a busi- 
ness which RCA Victor is engaged 
in, but which most diskeries are 
not. 

Sacks ascribed the Victor upbeat 
to the fact that “our price reduc- 
tions on classical and popular long- 
playing records were universal and 
not limited to certain categories. 
That might account in part for our 
substantial sales gains.” The refer- 

( Continued on page 54) 

Columbia Standardizes 
Sound Level on 45 rpm 
Disks for Deejay Use 

Columbia Records has taken a 
step towards standardizing the 
sound level of 45 rpm platters for 
deejays. Diskery’s engineering de- 
partment has developed a standard 
tone level to aid the d.j. in obtain- 
ing a uniform sound. A test disk 
is being shipped to the platter 
spinners this week. 

Col does not claim that its sound 
level is an industry standard, but 
it asserts that it is very close to 
the level used when the 45 rpm 
platter was originally introduced. 
Tone is on the same level to which 
Col’s 33 rpm disks are cut. Desig- 
nation of the “new sound” platters 
will be Columbia Standard Level. 
CSL will be Imprinted on each disk 
in red letters. 

The test record will serve as a 
guide to the actual program level 
of the forthcoming CSL disks. 
After the station equipment is ad- 
justed to the test record tone, all 
of Col’s CSL releases will play 
back at the same level. This will 
eliminate the hazard of overload 
peaks and enable non-technical 
personnel to operate the equip- 
ment. 

Standardization step was taken 
after Col prez James B. Conkling 
had weighed squawks from deejays 
about the wide variations in re- 
cording levels which made moni- 
toring at the station level a prob- 
lem. 

Indie Breakthrough To 
Majors in Penguins Pact 

Latest example of springboard- 
ing to a major label via an indie 
breakthrough is the pacting of the 
Penguins by Mercury Records. 
Combo was launched several weeks 
ago on the Dootone label with 
“Earth Angel” and shot to the top 
of the rhythm & blues lists. 

The Penguins will wax for the 
new banner under the aegis of 
Bobby Shad, who heads up Merc’s 
f&b and jazz operation. Team is 
cutting “Earth Angel” for Merc to 
compete with its Dootone slice. 


Decca Adds Glenn 

Paul Cohen, Decca’s country & 
western chief, has signed Artie 
Glenn to a disk pact. 

Glenn has- his own band in Fort 
Worth, Tex. 



^ r?3 ; iT 


Vfdnffclay, February 9, 1955 


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Wednesday, February 9, 1955 



Nelson Riddle Sees Lotsa Good Songs 
Getting Brushoff by Artificial Hypos 


The artificial hypo is keepings 
good songs out of the disk sweep- 
stakes. That’s the opinion of Nel- 
son Biddle, Capitol Records musi- 
cal director who was In New York 
recently for recording sessions. 

There’s too much stress placed 
on the source and not enough at- 
tention paid to the song, he added. 
Record companies, he stated, ap- 
pear to be leaning toward publish- 
ers who promise big things on the 
exploitation and promotion level. 

It’s Riddle’s opinion that the 
diskers should place more value on 
the song and if the source isn’t 
equipped to promote the platter 
properly, the diskery should go all 
out itself. He figures that since it 
costs a record company more than 
$1,000 to produce a disk, it makes 
good business sense to allay addi- 
tional coin for the expense of get- 
ting a record off the ground. Too 
many good records, he said, are 
getting lost in the shuffle for want 
of proper exposure and promotion. 

Riddle has been with Cap for 18 
months and works with such Cap 
artists as Frank Sinatra, Margaret 
Whiting and Nat (King) Cole. Cap 
also releases his own orch’s etch- 
ings. Riddle’s latest album chore 
was Sinatra’s “In the Wee Small 
Hours of the Evening,” due to hit 
the market shortly. He also 
worked on Sinatra’s two previous 
albums for Cap. “Songs for Young j 
Lovers” and “Swing Easy.” 

RCA Victor Promoting 
Modernization Deal 
For Disk Retailers 

As a followup to the recent re- 1 
vamping of its price structure. 
RCA Victor is offering a unique j 
store modernization program to 
dealers arbund the country. Larry 
Kanaga. Victor’s sales chief, said j 
the plan would permit dealers to 
streamline their merchandising ef- 
forts by installing new self-service 
fixtures at a minimum of expense. 

A complete line of fixtures were 
designed and produced by W. L. 
Stensgaard & Associates Inc. A 
total of 18 display units will be 
available direct from the Stens- 
gaard Co. The fixtures are flexible 
in order to fit any size or shape 
store. Kanaga said the fixtures 
would ,sell more records per square 
foot than current fixtures. Victor 
has shipped sets of fixtures to its j 
distribs for display to dealers in 
the various territories. 


R&B Punchy 


’Hit Parade’ Lineup 

(On Feb.. 5 NBC-TV show) . 

1. Melody of Love S-B&P 

2. Let Me Go Lover.... H&R 

3. Mister Sandman . . Morris 

4. Naughty Lady Paxton 

5. Make Yourself Ryan 

6. Hearts of Stone .... Regent 

7. Want From You W&B 


Biggest Music Collection 
Now in Lib. of Congress 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

Library of Congress now has 
110,000, reels of motion picture 
film, 439,000 phonograph record- 
ings and the world’s largest collec- 
tion of musical literature — 2,002,- 
000 volumes and pieces of music. 

Library discloses that its Copy- 
right Office, at which music and 
motion picture films are recorded, 
together with printed matter, 
netted Uncle Sam over $870,000 
last year. 


N.Y. PUBS SUE VERMONT 
RINK OP ON INFRINGES 

Burlington, Vt., Feb. 8. 

Three New York music pub- 
lishers have brought action in Fed- 
eral Court here against Raoul G. 
Beaulieu, proprietor of the Ethan 
Allen Pavilion, a roller-skating 
rink using music furnished by rec- 
ord-playing machines. 

The plaintiffs, Robbins Music 
Corp., Miller Music Corp. and Leo 
Feist Inc., claim violation of copy- 
right rules involving the songs, 
“Three Coihs in the Fountain,” 
“Ruby” and “Little Things Mean 
A Lot.” 

Besides a restraining order, the 
plaintiffs seek $250 damages each 
with certain other legal costs, in- 
cluding attorney fees. 


Jukebox Operators Gird 


Continued from pace 31 


Another TV Vocalist 

Tapped for Disk Deal 

TV continues as a reservoir for 
new disking talent. Latest video 
vocalist to be tapped for a platter 
deal is Betty Ann Grove, who was 
inked to the indie Majar label last 
week. 

Warbler is featured on Red But- 
tons' NBC-TV'er. Her initial Majar 
slice will be released within the 
next few weeks. 


also contend that they shouldn’t 
have to pay such fees because they 
contribute to the welfare of the 
writers and the publishers by ex- 
posing their tunes to the public. 
In addition, the jukes are a major 
market for disks. 

ASCAP, however, contends that 
since the coin machines use music 
for profit, they should pay licens- 
ing fees. ASCAP execs have stated 
that fears that licensing fees would 
prove exorbitant have been gross- 
ly. exaggerated. ASCAP officials 
have attempted to reassure the 
juke industry by stating that “we 
don’t want to put our customers 
out of business.” 

The juke ops, however, are ada- 
mant against paying performance 
fees. Carrying through their oppo- 
sition, a group of juke operators 
have set up their publishing opera- 
tion so that all license fees would 
revert back to themselves. 

The Automatic Phonograph 
Manufacturers Assn., representing 
the companies who produce the 
jukeboxes, lined up with the juke 
operators in opposing the attempts 
to amend the Copyright Law. 

One bill before the Senate, the 
Kilgore Bill, would remove the ex- 
emption from the jukeboxes out- 
right. Another bill, the Thompson 


Bill, will set up a fact-finding com- 
mission to conduct hearings on 
the issuer The juke operators and 
manufacturers oppose both meas- 
ures. 


Victor Sales 


Continued from page 31 


ence to “universal” price reduc- 
tions was evidently aimed at 
Columbia which made numerous 
exceptions in its catalog when it 
cut back its prices. 

When Victor cut its LP prices 
by some 40%, RCA prexy Frank M. 
Folsom said the plan was devel- 
oped because of “the firm belief 
that the record industry is on the 
threshold of its greatest period of 
expansion.” Sacks asserted that the 
facts have borne out this thinking. 

Sacks pointed out that the com- 
pany expected even greater in- 
creases throughout the remainder 
of the year as a result of the com- 
pany’s recently launched national 
advertising campaign. This push 
will be built around the idea that 
Victor is now offering the world’s 
greatest music at the lowest prices 
in history. 


Continued from page 51 


claimed, are continually spinning 
offbeat labels and tyro vocal com- 
bos hoping to be in on the “dis- 
covery" of a click tune and artist. 
The end result, he summed up, is 
that it’s now taking longer to get 
a good straight pop disk off the 
ground. 

Field has become wide open for 
the indie disk operators. Most of 
the major company a&r inch ad- 
mit that they can’t recognize a po- 
tential r&b click when a publisher 
auditions a tune for them. They 
usually advise the pub to get the 
song cut on a small label and if it 
makes any noise, they’ll cover. 
Dominance of the indie disker in 
the r&b field also is keeping many 
publishers from jumping in. The 
pubs claim that the indies are re- 
miss about paying royalties and in 
many instances give “a bad count” 
when they do. 

On the disk jockey level, Jerry 
Marshall <WNEW, N. Y.) contends 
that there are too many r&b “cov- 
ers" being made by the large com- 
panies. It’s too much of the same 
thing, lie said, and will only help 
push r&b out of the pop field. 
Marshall sees no reason for the 
complete swingover to r&b by 
many of the pop jocks. The pop 
field still offers plenty of top plat- 
ter material for solid program- 
ming. he stated. Marshall credits 
the popularity of r&b to its dance 
beat. It’s a replacement for bands, 
he added, but it’s just another 
trend. "It’s this year’s hillbilly 
kick." he said, “maybe next it will 
be Hawaiian, music.” 


Terrle Felix has taken over the 
Hammond console at La Paloma 
eatery, Ottawa, to replace Shlrlee 
who vacated after two years. 


RETAIL DISK BEST SELLERS 


V&RlEfY 

Survey of retail disk best 
sellers based on reports ob 
tained from leading stores in 
20 cities and showing com- 
parative sales rating for this 
and last week. 


National 
Rating 
This Last 
wk. wk. 


Artist, Label, Title 


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McGUIRE SISTERS (Coral) 
“Sincerely” 


6 6 


6 i no 


FONTANE SISTERS (Dot> 

“Hearts of Stone” 10 


9 


6 


JOAN WEBER (Columbia) 
“Let Me Go. Lover” 


8 

~r 


6 9 6 


6 


2 100 


8 4 79 


8 


BILL VAUGHN (Dot) 

“Melody of Love” 4 


3 77 


AMES BROTHERS (Victor) 

“Naughty Lady of Shady Lane” 1 


6A 


JAYE P. MORGAN (Victor) 

“That’s All I Want From You” 6 


5 

7 


9 


76 


8 


8 9 


62 


6B 


CHORDETTES (Cadence) 
“Mister Sandman” 


8 


8 9 


5 62 


8 21 


PERRY COMO (Victor) 

“Ko Ko Mo” 9 


8 


5 10 10 41 


9 


PENGUINS (Dootone) 

“Earth Angel” 7 


8 


10 


6 40 


10 

11 


10 


GEORGIA GIBBS (Mercury) 

“Tweedle Dee” : 8 


10 


9 


36 


SARAH VAUGHAN (Mercury) 

“Make Yourself Comfortable” 2 .. 10 10 


10 


32 


JOHNNY MADDOX (Dot) 
12 13 “Crazy Otto” 


10 


13 16 


DeJOHN SISTERS (Epic) 
“No More” 


8 


8 


A 1 

22 


14 17 


CREW CUTS (Mercury) 
“Ko Ko Mo” 


10 


10 


21 


15 11 


16A 12 


DeCASTRO SISTERS (Abbott) 
“Tea ch Me Tonight” 


10 


6 


20 


DAVID CARROLL (Mercury) 
“Melody of Love” 


16B 


JONI JAMES (MGM* 

“How Important Can It Be” 5 


8 


BILL HALEY’S COMETS (Decca) 
18A 15 “Dim, Dim the Lights” 


8 


8 


9 9 


10 


19 

.. 19 
8 18 


18 B 21 
20 . 
21 


HUGO WINTERHALTER (Victor) 
“Song of the Barefoot Contessa”. 


FOUR ACES (Decca) 
“Melody of Love” . . . 


18 

15 


CRAZY OTTO (Decca) 
“Glad Rag Doll” 


12 


22 A . . 
22B 24 

24 ^ 

25 21 


HUGO WINTERHALTER (Victor) 
“Land of Dreams” 


9 


GLORIA MANN (Sound) 
“Earth Angel” 


COWBOY SCHOOL (Decca) 

“Open Up Your Heart” , ., 3 

" HftLTOPPEKSt Dot) 7 ' “ 

“Dartin’” ’. 6 


,. ,11 
.. 11 
9 10 

.. 9 



1 

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STUDENT PRINCE 

MUSIC, MARTINIS 

DEEP IN MY HEART 

THERE'S NO BUSINESS 

FANNY 

PAJAMA CAM! 

SIX TOP 

Mario tamo 

AND MEMORIES 

Film Soundtrack 

LIKE SHOW BUSINESS 
Film Soundtrack 

Original Cait 

Original Catf 

ALBUMS 

Victor 

Jackia Gltaton 

Capitol 

MGM 

Decca 

DL 8091 

Victor 

Columbia 


LM 1837 

W 509 

E 3153 

ED 828 

LOC 1015 

ML 4840 


ERB 1837 

EAP 1, 2, 3. 4—50® 

X 276 

DAU 957 

EOC 1015 

A 1098 






Wednesday, . February 9, 1955 


55 


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as 
only 
he 
could 
sing 
it o . . 

Eddie Fisher 

I'M ALWAYS HEARING 

WEDDING BELLS 

A MAN CHASES 
A GIRL 

UNTIE SHE CATCHES HIM 

% 

20/47 6015 


A "New Orthophonic” 




MMiwiiMr 


High Fidelity Recording 




MUSIC 


P'RniEtr 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Inside Stuff-Music 


The competition is fierce in the disk business, with no holds barred, i 
On the heels of Decca Records’ click with the imported Der Schrager 
Otto (Crazy Otto> disks from Germany, the indie Dot Records issued 
a "Crazy Otto” release with Johnny Maddox. Both the Decca and the 
Dot disks feature the nickleodeon-type of piano with virtually the same 
repertoire. Decca, incidentally, has been selling its Crazy Otto disks 
for $1.25 since they are imports with the original Polydor label. The 
last Crazy Otto release. "Smiles” and “Glad Rag Doll.” however, was 
put out on the Decca label at regular prices. 

Patti Page, Perry Como, Ray Anthony and the Crew' Cuts were named 
tops in the pop field in the annual WNEW. N. Y.. "Make Believe Ball- 
room” poll this year. With 40% more ballots cast this year, only Ray 
Anthony maintained his No. 1 slot in the dance hand category. Miss 
Page replaced Joni James at the top distaff vocalist; Perry Como 
edged out last year’s winner, Tony Bennett, and the Crew Cuts placed ! 
on top of the Hilltoppers who were last year’s faves of the WNEW 
listeners. Jerry Marshall pilots the "Make Believe Ballroom” stanza ' 
on the N. Y. indie. 


RETAIL SHEET BEST SELLERS 


y&-RIETY 

Survey ol retail sheet music 
best sellers based on reports 
obtained from leading stores in 
12 cities and showing com- 
parative sales rating for this 
and last week. 

• ASCAP t BMI 


On The Upbeat 




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New York 

Debbie Reynolds made the 


orch will play at the gala premiere 
of “A Star Is Born” at the Warner 
Theatre, Leicester Square, March 
3 ... In the BBC "Scrapbook” 


rounds of the N Y. deejays last 3 t-T the RRC •Sr« n iZfc“ 

•» * • » .ill Noise In The Market" ! program Feb. 23. Jack Hylton will 

Mm n„ Th Corey -" conduct a replica of his stage 


n T°v m ? Rustic I orchestra of 1924 . . . Songwriter 

S*" ’ , „ F 'V ood • „ ^ : ^ 3 'Stuart Hamblen is over here for 


three-day stand beginning Friday a few d^Tn business Ameri- 
(11). Thrush has been inked for a ! an Tlmir rLav 1 

permanent slot on Orson Bean’s ^ tv at Hatinef Empire 

upcoming CBS-TV’er Sid Ascii- \"j e y al Hackney hmpne, 


upcoming ^do -1 V e. cu nm*.- Monday (7). 

er handling promotion for the 3 

Fontane Sisters Tony Martin 11 11 1 

kicks off a two-week date at Miami Hollywood 

Beach’s Fontainebleau today L es Brown Orch set to supply 
(Wed.) Iranz Steininger, adapt- music for annual Screen Director’s 
er and conductor of the Broadway Guild dinner, Feb. 13, at Biltmore 
legituner. "Music In The Air. Bowl . . . Jesse Kaye. MGM Re- 
penned the tit e song for the Hugo eord.s Coast chief, has inked James 
Haas pic. ‘Hold Back Tomorrow. Brown, star of "Rin-Tin-Tin” vid- 
Les Baxter etched it for Capitol p j x se ries, to a recording pact . . . 


10 

10 

li 

12 A 

13 

12B 

15 

14 

12 

15 

11 


♦Mister Sandman (Morris)....... 3 


tLet Me Go, Lover (H&R* 6 


tHearts of Stone (Regent* * 


♦Naught y Lady (Paxton* 

Sincer ely (Arc-R> 5 

♦Teach Me Toni ght (Hub-L> 

tQpen Up You r Heart (Hamblen). 2 
♦Make Comfortable, Baby (Rylan). 

~Tha t’s \ll I Want >D&B> 10 

t Earth Ang el (D. Williams) 7 

i Ko Ko M o (Meridian) 

tTweedle Dee (Progressive) 9 

tNo More (Maple Leaf) 

♦Count Your Blessings (Berlin* 


2 


3 2 


6 


Gallic Music-And Payola-Up 


Continued from page 2 


record player, put out by Philips, 
has also helped sales soar. 

Probably the three biggest 
moneypiakers here the last few 
years have been Trenet’s "La Mer,” 
: Edith Piafs “La Vie En Rose” and 


Betty Clooney w ill be featured Mickey Rooney is heading own y earl >' stipend. 500 make a fair | as Xavier Cugat. Larry Adler and Georges Auric’s "Moulin Rouge.” 
at the Valentine’s Day Dance at re vue at Frisco’s Italian Village living and 300 are the big time, j Frankie Laine. Lionel Hamilton’s ( Of the new singers those definitely 


definitely 


Rhodes - on - the - Pawtuxet iCran- f or two-week stand . . . Ina Ray Radio is the biggest source for this socko carryings-on at the Olympia j of star calibre are Georges Bras- 

ston, IL I.) Saturday <12*. Tiny Hutton interviewing giris for up- coffer, but. paradoxically enough, also means a wedge for U. S. bands sens, with his self-cleffed poetic 

Markle s orch also on the bill. | coming Guild Films series . . . pays the least on songs for it is into the pop circuits and a more i songs which jolt and delight the 
Disk promoter Morris Diamond Billy Gray set to open at Sands, government controlled and there intensive interchange of musical French here; Gilbert Becaud with 

back at his New York desk alter a j Las Vegas, March 9. for three are big cuts before the dough talent on both sides. his free wheeling, wailing songs of 

promotion trek to Detroit . . . Terri weeks . . . Adolph Deutsch, MGM reaches SACEM. However, radio The nitery is also beginning to youthful frustration; Philippe Clay 

Stevens currently at the Casa conductor-composer, elected to j s the main plug source for ditties make an important international with his offbeat ballads;. Catherine 

to al wax for y the”?ndie Brenl “label ors^Assn 1 ' o?' Ameri™ “inc 1 * 1 ”'" here ' followed bv film houscs ’ I>' us impact with the l>i« Moulin Rouse Sauvage with her lowdown throat- 
Her first side! "Strange Sensation." Songstress Maggie Whiting ' p'rep^ ‘ h * ”*"*“* °( 1 mu , s ' c v h ?>‘ 0 P*»‘ n * Ha top spot to U. S names, ing: Annie Cordy with her bom- 

was penned by Vivian Obrentz . . . ping cross-country tour prior to P^® nomen ( )n a 8am this past jeai, and Adlei and Lena Hoi ne scot ing j )«)st and inventiveness, and Lina 

George Westrum named eastern her film release of “Fresh From and reC01 ’ds. lesoundingly here. With this boite ' Renaud with her dynamic delivery 

sales manager for Columbia Phono- j Paris” . . . Bob Miller, national Song plugging also has a payola a dded to the Lido Society chain and her fine repertoire composed 


sales manager for Columbia Phono- 
graphs & Needles. William A. 
Duffy will serve in the same capac- 
ity in the midwest area. 

London 


Paris” . . . Bob Miller, national Song plugging also has a payola added to the l.ido bociety chain and her fine repertoire composed 
prexy of songpluggers union, system here, and the song is m ore U. S. names will soon be on for her by husband Loulou Caste. 

Music Publishers Contact Em- pushed and made by the publisher. ta P. and it is even suspected that | Coming up are Eddie Constantine, 

ployees of New York, in town mak- His big concern is the disk which they may be a,)le to afford such with his ingratiating bonhommia 

ing annual solicitations for "Music makes the song, for sheet music is luminaries as Marlene Dietrich or and screen appeal. Mouloudji. with 

Man s Journal. the least j m portant in the life of Mae West in the future to make his poetics and charm, and Nicole 


I nndon w/ n „ , I the least important in the life of Mae west in the tuture to make | nis poetics and charm, and Nicole 

....... nJrZrUi /‘I ♦ ma ! ce a cr0ss ‘ a number here. A publisher spends this a lineup spot with Vegas. Also Louvier with her chanting. Hebrew 

Influenza and throat Doubles uMiy *|} sk h i° ck c tod* upon com- about goo.000 francs ($2,300) on a the needed tryout and prestige for melodies. Henri Salvador has been 

have taken toll of performers, pletion of her starring role in V . , u "r npwf > r n s namo c an imnni-tmi a twnHoriina 

cinffpr R^.n and h-.nHipadpr Metro’s "Love Me Or leave Me" number he thinks will make the newer u. s. names is an important a borderline case for some years 
Joe I oss had to take time off and • • • Nitery entertainer Marjorie R rade - First be tries to get a good P art of this trend here. Of all the now and more discipline and choice 

and bandleader Stanley Black Garetson was cast as a piano play- name to record it, and they usually songs published here every year, should catapult him into his right- 

rnl lapsed while conducting a Decca or in "Dark Venture.” Lindslev take from $100 to $250 to make only about 100 to 150 come in for ful place here. 

recording session . . .The Beverley Parsons production for Allied them. Then he pushes the platters ;>ig money and it is on these that - — j 

Sisters will be on the Eddie Fisher Artists . . . MGM Records releases on radio, which is tough here for the publishers gauge their expenses 

bill which will open the London Nicholas Brodszky’s "By Candle- there are rules that no song can and layouts, with the losses being , 

Palladium 1955 variety season h^ht. March 1, with Kay Armen be played twice a day. Thus here absorbed by that high hit. The big 

March 28 . . . The Vic Lewis orch „ in K , e Ringing • • • Morris Stol- mo there is a pay bit, and biggies name "in person” stars are Maurice 

will accompany Johnnie Ray dur- otT ' Columbia studios music head, appearing on radio do it primarily Chevalier, Tino Rossi, Luis Mari- I .p A|kPPI% 

ing his forthcoming British tour. ? tew “ for prestige since income from it no, Edith Piaf, Yves Montand, Line I • If I” T If 

Lewis toured* last year in a similar “ jL» tarrer fc ^e Man Prom Lara- j practically nil . If a son g makes Renaud, Patachou, Andre Claveau, IWUt UllLLIl 

capacity with Frankie Laine and " ,e Pa • • £ a P p J* ec °! ds . is r r f leas * the grade, the sheets may sell as Charles Trenet, Jacqueline Fran- 

Nat (Kinp) C ole . . . Eric Winstone Thnv T much as 200.000 (at 15c a codv). cois * Eddie Contantine, Gilbert Program Today Yesterday's 

~ *an singing. Bregman Vocco L and then disks make up the rest ^caud, Georges Brassens, Annie 

Cohn published tune. ’ of the income with publisher tak- Cordy, Mick Micheyl, Catherine .IIIQT VUII 


JESSE GREER 


Program Today Yesterday's 



Chicago 


Stan Kenton and GAC mulling 
a one-nighter tour for April . . 


of the income with publisher tak- Cordy, Mick Micheyl, Catherine 
ing one half, cleffer one quarter Sauvage, Renee Lebas, Juliette 
and lyricist one quarter. Greco, Philippe Clay, Mouloudji, 

SACEM collects the live rights ? al ! a f? r ’ n \ he ^ Freres 

and the SDDM (Societe Des Droits i° Poilf ^ J Bake r. Georges 


"The finest sound on record' 


and Hit ALLSTARS 

Now BEACHCOMBER, Miami Beach. Fla. 
Feb. 20— -COLGATE COMEDY HOUR 

Currant DECCA Rolaaso- 

STRUTTIN* WITH SOME BARBEQUE 
KOKOMO 

Both With GARRY CROSBY 


a one-mgnter tour for April .. « » Guetary, Suzy Solidor and Georges 

Johnnie Ray off to England for Mechaniques) collects on all the ,ji mer There has also been the 
several months of bookings. . Ab- recorded and mechanical rights growtb of newcomers and 

bie Albert currently and indef at with again a divvy of 50^ to the f h emergence of songwriters as 
the Detroit Statler ..Bill Clifford pub, 25% to the writer and 25% .1 ^ on 8wnters as 

the same at the Riverside Hotel, to the musieman. There are about x,, 5 , of T tlieu 0 " n woik, 

Reno . Xavier Cugat currently, 30 record firms here with 10 im- Ni S. ole Louvier, Leo Ferre, 

until March 3. at the Saxony, Mi- portant ones, and about 186 pub- ??® r P n ! 10 a C, j' lm ^? n * . F 1 ' 3 * 1013 Le ' 
ami. . Les Elgart set for the PaL- Ushers with 20 biggies. Last year’s VTnn ^„ n j a m *, Gharles Aznavour. 
ladium Hollywood Feb. 15 to statistics showed about 29.000 new a ™l Chevalier in one- 

March 7 ..Skinnay Ennis current onCS , ried .. . ith « 000 000 disks man sll0ws last y ea r broke all ex- 
and indef at the Statler. Los An- ^"| S * * ^000 000 lonenlavin^ lsting records with Montand doing 

geles Likewise Eddie Fitzpat- ^olxls which aie beS ^ a turnawa y -tint for seven months 

(Continued on page 58) recoins wiutn aie beginning to w it b -a $15000 weekly gross 

catch on here. Next year promises tY „ f ^ y Kross * 

M m m-m m ■■■n to top this substantially. . qu s w h° owms one of 

VWWIfllWinilllfl lliy . .. the top record shops here, Sin- 

. The reemergence of the music fonia. has inaugurated a special 

TW *-m Yfl hal1 lnt ? >mPortance again after room for housing only longplaying 

JI S ( SATCHMOl tH *' ea,s of hibernation, is also an disks, which have gone up here in 

+ »»ventive to the singer appea l considerably this year with 

^DOlMn W ? ^ headliner is always the the chanters all making their own 

. JQ chanter or chantoosy, and this has albums. Prices have gone down 

LLSTARS X brought them to sol id grips with a an d the low priced, triple-speed 

..... . Qfl live audience, bringing a need for < F 


JUST YOU, 
JUST ME 

ROBIINS 



It "MV °Z , 

t t» u[ l0 5 4 



[ilffiTil 


j ; J) 


more offbeat and solid songalog. 

The rockribbed status of the 
Olympia now- makes this a much 
savored showcase for the top song 
talent. The Bobino is still an inv 
portant spot for the older type 
clientele, and Concert Pacra con- 
tinues as a tryout spot for new- 
comers and break-in spot for reg- 
ulars of new styles and numbers. 
The Empire will go music hall 
again next season, promising to 
bring more money and seating 
capacity to enable big name for- 
eign chanters to the Gallic public. 
The Alhambra has been a parttime 
ball, and been a good backdrop for 
introing such U. S. musical figures 


THE HIT OF THE WEEK 

PAT O’DAY 

A RUSTY OLD HALO 

k/w 

TING-A-LING 

MGM11930 7S RPM K11930 45 RPM 


I 















Wednesday, February 9,. 1955 



• 



COLUMBIA 

g|g|B • ■|||||| 





* s 




[ * i 







r ^ f / J 



B 


*■ J 














58 


MUSIC 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Cleve. Cats Are Clipped 
By Cops’ Crackdown On 
Jock’s Jive Jamboree 

Cleveland, Feb. 8. 

Sam G. Sampson’s rhythm & 
blues revue, which he staged at 
Cleveland Arena Sunday (6), had 
some of its hot Jive dampened by 
city officials when they refused to 
allow the WSRS disk jockey to hold 
a dance in ^conjunction with the 
jamboree. 

It was the first independent 
show promoted by Sampson, billed 
as “Crazy, Man, Crazy,” on his 
radio programs. Although hep on 
r&b lingo, he didn’t know much 
about city laws governing such 
events. Mayor Anthony J. Cele- 
brezze flagged down the hoofing 
party on the grounds that (1) the 
deejay didn’t have a license to op- 
erate a dance; (2) the Arena didn't 
have a dance permit, and (3) be- 
cause there wasn’t time enough for 
all obstacles to be lifted legally. 

Police captain also advised 
against permitting such an affair 
which, he contended, could easily 
get out of hand if 12,000 juveniles 
got jive-crazy while dancing. Two 
seasons ago another deejay, Alan 
Freed, who moved to New York 
recently, stirred up a near-riot at 
the Arena by staging a similar 
dance. When ducats were over- 
sold for his “Moon Dog Jamboree,” 
and couldn’t accommodate several 
thousand disappointed ticketbuy- 
ers, dozens of police squad cars 
had to be called to stop the brawls. 

Sampson said he planned to sell 
only 11,000 pasteboards for the five- 
and-a-half hour rugcutting shindig. 
He claims arena informed him it 
Jiad the proper permit, but the op- 
erators reported they allowed him to 
rent auditorium only for a stage 
performance. 

There was so much confusion 
whether it would go on or not up 
to the last minute that attendance 
was far below expectations. Show 
included such disk names as the 
Clovers, Faye Adams, Joe Turner, 
Bill Doggett, the Charms, Lowell 
Fulson, the Moonglows, A1 Jack- 
son, Spence Twins, Moonlighters 
and the Paul (Hucklebuck) Wil- 
liams and his band in a package 
deal reported to have cost the dee- 
jay $3,000. 


Deejay’s Own Orch 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

KOWL disk jockey Lionel Ses- 
ma known under the nom de plat- 
ter of “Chico” and who once trom- 
boned with the Stan Kenton band, 
has formed his own orch. 

He made his baton-swinger bow 
last week at the Rutland Inn. 


PATTI PAGE 

Mercury 

YOU TOO 
CAN BE A 
DREAMER’ 

mills music 


WILL OSBORNE 

AND HIS ORCH. 

Now 47th W«k 

New Golden Hotel, Reno 

Mg,.: MILTON DEUTSCH 


On The Upbeat 


Continued from page 56 


rick at the Mapes Hotel, Reno... 
Harry James at the Palladium 
Hollywood until Feb. 13 . Fred- 
die Martin now at the Ambassa- 
dor, Los Angeles, until March 27 
...Tommy Reed now indefinitely 
at the Muehlebach, Kansas City. 


Pittsburgh 

Violin-piano team of Allen Hood 
& Lucy Borelli just closed a 31- 
month run at Hotel Schenley's Con- 
tinental Room . . . Bob Milliken, 
of Al Marsico orch and husband of 
Betty Benz, dancer, in St. Clair 
Memorial Hospital with broken 
back as a result of coasting acci- 



I 




"" " — 1 *"!- i ' x 

Another BMI Tin Up 0 Hit 

KO KO MO 






PERRY COMO .... v, efop 

rHtCMW CU TS..M.Vc.; 

CLOONCy s 
l,LL DARNELL. 

l0 6«y * 

THlZ r ° Ur °.“« 
Hl CHA **$....D.U„ 

meridian 




**"*,* . e.mb. 

goldie hill a 

RED SOVINE Dacca 

MARVIN A JOHNNY 

ru* m. Modarn 

THf ^AMINGOS . .Parrot 

H * W **”AW HAWKINS 
t.tV "OR.INS.Vlc a, 

TITO RODRIGUEZ.. Victor 
MUSIC, INC. 


dent. He was sled-riding with his 
son when they crashed into a tree 
stump. Boy was merely shaken up 
. . . Vic Powell combo into the 
Bali-Kea for two weeks . . . Al 
Fremont band^ option picked up 
at Merry-Go-Round, where he plays 
for shows and dancing four nights 
a week, Wednesday through Satur- 
day . . . 3-J’s into the Bon Ange 
Monday (7) after playing at the 
Hollywood Show Bar in East Pitts- 
burgh . . . Dick Smith has moved 
his orch to the Bon Ange, which 
he and Cuddy Alberts recently 
bought, after seven years at the 
Blue Ridge Inn . . . Lynn Carter 
& Cartiers booked into the Carni- 


Best British Sheet Sellers 

(Week ending Jan. 29) 
London, Feb. 1. 

Mister Sandman Morris 

Finger of Suspicion. .Pickwick 

Mambo Italiano Connelly 

Happy Days Wright 

Naughty Lady Sterling 

Can t Tell Waltz Reine 

Softly Cavendish 

No One But You Robbins 

Count Your Blessings. .Berlin 

Hold My Hand Wood 

This Ole House Duchess 

I Still Believe . . . Macmelodies 

Second 12 

Veni, Vidi. Vicl. Dash 

If I Give My Heart.. Robbins 
Happy Wanderer ...Bosworth 

Majorca Mills 

Smile Bourne 

Heartbeat Kassner 

Somebody Bourne 

Blossom Fell Fields 

Sky Blue Shirt Wright 

Must Be A Reason ..Connelly 
Shake Rattle Roll. . . .Connelly 
Give Me Your Word . Connelly 


val for an indefinite stay, beginning 
Monday (14). 

Kansas City 

Judy Conrad back in town with 
his orch at the Kansas City Club 
for a spell of weeks. . Jon & Son- 
dra Steele go into the Biltmore, 
L.A., opening a six-week stand 
March 9, following their stand in 
the Terrace Gill of Hotel Muehle- 
bach here . Bill Haley & Comets 
working westward from their stand 
at Eddys’ here, hieing to the Gold- 
en Hotel; Reno, then Las Vegas 
and Hollywood for a short at Uni- 
versal Studios. Four Taylors take 
up at Eddys’ beginning Feb. 18 
where Haley leaves off . Midland 
Attractions has set Danny Yale 
Trio at Al Green’s Restaurant, De- 
troit, following the crew’s long 
stand at the Hotel Syracuse, Syra- 
cuse, N* Y. ... Charles Drake has 
crew back in the Drum Room of 
Hotel President, replacing Stewart 
Scott foursome, which went west 
to The Flame, Phoenix. 


Mike Barker will head the 
rhythm & blues and jazz depart- 
ments recently set up by Mercury 
Artists Corp. He’ll continue work- 
ing in the percentery’s cocktail 
division. 




PArIETy Scoreboard 




OF 

- 




TOP TALENT ANI 

J TUNES 







i 


Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution 




Encompassing the Three Major Outlets 

\ 

• 


Coin Machines Retail Disks 

Retail Sheet Music 




as Published in the Current Issue 


NOTE: 

The current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is 

arrived at 

under a statistical system comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu- 

t iterated above. These findings are correlated with data from wider sources, which are exclusive 
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de- 
veloped from the ratio of points scored, two ways in the case of talent (coin machines*, retail 
disks J and three ways in the case of tunes (coin machines, retail disks and retail sheet music J. 



TALENT 


1 

1 POSITIONS 




I This 

Last 




i Week Week 

ARTIST AND LABEL 

TUNE 


1 

3 

FONTANE SISTERS (Dot) 

. . . Hearts of Stone 

| 

2 

2 

McGUIRE SISTERS (Coral) 

( Sincerely 
|No More 

i 

3* 

8 

BILLY VAUGHN (Dot) 

. . . Melody of Love 


4 

1 

JOAN WEBER (Columbia) 

. . . Let Me Go, Lover 


5 

5 

AMES BROTHERS (Victor) 

. . . Naughty Lady of Shady Lane 

6 

7 • 

JAYE P. MORGAN (Victor) 

. . That’s All I Want From You 

• 7 

4 

CHORDETTES (Cadence) 

. . . Mister Sandman 


8 

• • 

JOHNNY MADDOX (Dot) 

. . Crazy Otto 


9 

6 

SARAH VAUGHAN (Mercury) 

. . Make Yourself Comfortable 1 < 

-10 

• • 

PERRY COMO (Victor) 

. . Ko Ko Mo 

1 

i 



TUNES 


c 

POSITIONS 
This Last 

* (*ASCAP. tBMI) 


i 

Week Week 

TUNE 

PUBLISHER 1 

! i 

1 

♦MELODY OF LOVE 


2 

4 

f HEARTS OF' STONE 


3 

2 

fLET ME GO, LOVER 


4 

6 

fSINCERELY 


5 

3 

♦MISTER SANDMAN 


6 

5 

♦NAUGHTY LADY OF SHADY LANE 


7 

8 

f THAT’S ALL I WANT FROM YOU... 


8 


fKO KO MO 


9 

7 

♦MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE . . 


10 

10 

f EARTH ANGEL 




lAAAftJ | 


AFM Rift 

Continued from page 51 


Petrillo’s rigidly imposed regula- 
tions on tv films have only de- 
prived tunesters of jobs, the union 
terms keeping many producers out 
of live music. 

Petrillo ignored the members 
complaints for years, even when it 
was voiced openly at the last inter- 
national convention. However, he 
made his first relaxation when he 
consented to producers using 
canned tracks, just as long as they 
have one series onfilm. Cut to 2 % 
is expected to bring more pro- 
ducers around to using live tv and 
hypo employment here where a 
comparatively small number of mu- 
sicians have been working despite 
the fact tv film’s mushroomed into 
an $80,000,000-a-year biz. At Re- 


— — » fcviviuuici j uaA 

at least six series rolling. Similar 


WARREN-BROOKS CHORE 
ON MARTIN & LEWIS PIC 

Harry Warren and Jack Brooks 


J VU 1 IC. 

‘That’s Amore.” 

Score for “Artists & Models’* 


Col Nabs ‘Frontierland’ 

For Several Tunes 

Columbia Records has latched 


The Davy Crockett series, which 


Tune 


Columbia Pictures Music Corp. 


frorr} /A* .1 (, ' 

GRi l \ FI R L 


G 



ROBBINS MUSK CORPORATION 


A WONDERFUL 
SEASONAL SONG 


St * * end Cohn s 

‘Iff (f SNOW!" 

lernSHowr 

LlTlTSNOWr 


CAHN MUSIC COMPANY 



America's Fastest 
^ Selling Records! 




Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


VAUDEVILLE 


59 


Nevada Tax Groups 'Get Tough’ Policy 
License Denied Vegas Club Owners 


Vegas Lures Alton 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

Las Vegas has lured Robert Al- 
ton, top screen choreographer, to 
direct and stage the opening show 
of the Hotel New Frontier in the 
spring. 


Miami Beach Into Era of Mass Biz; 
Top-Priced Talent, Niteries Are Hit 


Las Vegas, Feb. 8. ■* 

Rejection by the Nevada State 
Tax Commission of a license for 
Frank Fishman, builder of the 
Jtoval Hotel on the swanky Strip, 
and of two lesser partners, stunned 
Fishman and touched off a “get 
tough” policy by the tax group, 
which proposes to reverse all its 
previous policy with regards to ap- 
plicants. Stung by Nevada legisla- 
tive criticism and faced with the 
possibility of crinpling action in 
Washington, the Commission did a 
complete aboutface last week as it 
rejected the application of the pre- 
viously-approved Fishman for a 
gambling license, branding him 
and partners Sam (Game Boy) Mil- 
ler and Herbert (Pittsy) Manheim, 
“totally undesirable citizens for 
Nevada.” 

Of Miller and Mannheim, Com- 
missioner Robert Allen said: “They 
are the worst kind of gamblers,” 
Fishman, chief promoter of the 
Royal Nevada, was to have held 
30% of the stock. Allen told his 
fellow commissioners that Fishman 
“has a bad general reputation as a 
businessman.” 

Fishman was granted a tem- 
porary gambling license last year 
but the Commission revoked it af- 
ter it said it had learned that he 
was using the permit as a means 
of promoting capital for the hotel. 
The Commission ordered that all 
three be removed from the Royal 
Nevada application before any new 
request was made. * It was sched- 
uled for an opening next month. 

The general impression among 
those close to the Commission is 
that the Dunes, Stardust and Rivi- 
era are also destined for a thor- 
ough screening of its applicants, 
while the still-closed Desert Spa, 
completed since December, « still 
in trouble up to the ears. 

Indications are that the entire 
$15,000,000 empire, represented by 
the five new Strip resort hotels, 
might be a long time opening its 
doors in the face of the present 
temper of the Commission. 

Action by the State Assembly in 
Carson City of putting a freeze on 
all gambling applications until af- 
ter 30 days following legislative 
adjournment caused the stern poli- 
cy to be invoked by the Tax Com- 
mission, which felt the bill was a 
virtual reprimand of the tax group. 

ADLER OUT OF NEVADA; 
SELLS CAL-NEVA SHARE 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

For the first time in many years, 
Sanford Adler wiH have no busi- 
ness connection in Nevada. Adler 
this week sold out his interest in the 
Club Cal Neva in downtown Reno to 
a group of Beverly Hills business- 
men headed by Saul Freedman. Lat- 
ter at one time was associated with 
Mae West and the late Sid Grau- 
man. 

Adler recently disposed of his 
Interest in the Cal-Neva Lodge, 
Lake Tahoe. He sold out his stake 
in the Flamingo and El Rancho 
Hotels, Las Vegas, seven years ago. 

The Cal-Neva will undergo con- 
siderable renovations and a gala 
preem will take place shortly af- 
ter Easter. 

Rep. Roosevelt’s Cantor 
Tribute in Cong. Record 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

Tribute to Eddie Cantor, in con- 
nection with the entertainer’s 63d 
birthday, was placed in the Con- 
gressional Record last week by 
Rep. James A. Roosevelt <D., Cal.). 

“It is difficult for many of us 
to believe,” said Roosevel, "that 
Eddie Cantor has reached the 63d 
milestone of his life. We like to 
think of him always as the man 
who dominates the stage with so 
much zest and life in him. 

“In his charitable activities he 
has helped many of his fellowmen 
and in this way attained greater 
heights' of humanitarianism him- 
self. Charitable work is today a 
great part of his life.” . 

GREY'S PALLADIUM BOW 

Joel Grey has been signed for 
his first London Palladium date. 
He goes in April 11. ' 

Eddie Fisher opens the season 
there on March 28. 


Army-Bred Hypnotist 
Prepping Theatre Dates 

The Army has incubated a lot of 
theatrical talent in wartime, but its 
development of a hypnotist is 
rather unusual. Before being 
drafted, Steve Ellis, son of a N. Y. 
theatrical attorney, Emil K. Ellis, 
was a psychology major. To take 
in the sights around the Far East, 
Ellis stepped up his studies of psy- 
chology and started doing a hyp- 
notist turn. 

Ellis, during his Army career, 
played virtually every important 
nitery in the Tokyo area. He played 
several cafe stands in Hong Kong. 
He was discharged last week, and 
expects to take on some theatrical 
dates before striking out for his 
Ph.D. degree. GI coin, reports, El- 
lis, has made the Far East a show 
business boom area. Lots of sold- 
iers with talent are also picking uo 
a few bucks by working as musi- 
cians and entertainers in various 
night spots. 

Pitt Nitery Name 
Battle In Spring 

Pittsburgh, Feb. 8. 

Dormant niteries, some of them 
operating only part-time or on 
weekends during , the winter, will 
really break loose this spring, with 
a battle of b.o. giants already 
shaping up for Easter Week. Mae 
West has been booked for Tony 
Calderone’s 1, 200-seat Twin Coach- 
es at that time; Ted Lewis comes 
to the Horizon Room, and the big 
Vogue Terrace is also in the midst 
of negotiations for a name. 

The West date was originally set 
for week of April 11, but when the 
Horizon Room announced that 
Lewis would come in a couple of 
days ahead of that for two weeks, 
Twin Coaches immediately got 
Miss West to extend her engage- 
ment through two weekends, and 
she’ll also open on April 9. 

At the same time Coaches, 
through its booker, local agent Joe 
Hiller, is going strong on the tv 
front too, particularly in the Ar- 
thur Godfrey stable. Calderone has 
Frank Parker for the St. Patrick’s 
weekend, March 17-18-19, and on 
May 2 gets Marion Marlowe for a 
week. He’s also dickering with the 
Maguire Sisters to come in right 
after Miss Marlowe, but they’re 
asking $12,500 and Calderone 
thinks that’s a little too rich for 
his blood. 


CHI AGVA CLAMPING 
DOWN ON BENEFITS 

Chicago, Feb. 8. 

The Windy City branch of the 
American Guild of Variety Artists 
has clamped down on “free” or 
benefit performances by members 
in this area, in an attempt to halt 
the demands constantly being made 
on performers to donate their tal- 
ent gratis for vaiious causes. Local 
AGVA has instituted a $500 fine for 
members whose free appearances 
have not been previously cleared 
and approved by the Chicago of- 
fice. All requests for free talent 
must be referred to and be ap- 
proved by the entertainers’ union. 

Ernie Fast, head of the AGVA 
local here, has distributed a letter 
acquainting the membership with 
the setup and is planning- to send 
it to all members as they arrive in 
the area. It is planned to con- 
tinue benefits only in such places 
as veterans’ hospitals, crippled 
children’s wards, etc. 

AGVA Staffers Bounced 
For Acting Like Bouncers 

Organizers Artie Rice and A1 
Brower were dismissed last week 
from the staff of the American 
Guild of Variety Artists. Duo had 
some words and then made like 
pugilists. Eastern regional director 
Irving Goss fired them. 

Brower recently returned to 
AGVA, having been let out by 
former eastern regional rep Dick 
Jones. After Jones left, Brower 
rejoined the union. 


Alton will handle one of the big 
gest lines ever assembled at desert 
spa. 


Heat’s Off Of 
Chi Nitery Belt; 
New Police Rules 

Chicago, Fob. 8. 

The heat recently turned on in 
the East Chicago Ave. police dis- 
trict here, where most of the local 
nitery belt is located, showed signs 
of cooling last week, as has often 
hapnened in the past. Capt. James 
P. Hackett, recently appointed to 
the district by Mayor Martin Ken- 
nelly in a political feud with the 
ward committeeman, has allowed 
“26” dice tables, familiar sights 
until recently in almost all local 
night spots, to resume operation, 
but under more severe restrictions 
than had previously been in effect. 

Captain Hackett has issued a set 
of eight regulations to be observed 
by dice girls and operators of ni- 
teries featuring “26” games. “Now 
I consider the dice games as a 
business stimulant,” he said. “They 
are legal under current interpreta- 
tion. They will be permitted only 
so long as people follow the rules.” 

Under the new setup, only one 
game will be allowed for each 
liquor license and all “26” girls 
must register with police. Dice 
girls may not sit with customers 
and can drink only at their own 
dice tabels. Payoffs cannot be 
made in cash, but only in checks 
good for food or drink. Games 
cannot be played at the bAr; only 
“26” may be played and 10 dice 
must be used at all times. Most 
joints had adhered to this code 
previously, but this is the first 
time it has been spelled out. Only 
new restrictions are the registra- 
tion requirements for dice girls 
and the prohibition against sitting 
with customers. 


Parnassus Quits Siuox 
City Promotion After 
Tiff on Clearances 

Sioux City, Feb. 8. 

George Parnassus, who promoted 
events at the Sioux City Auditori- 
um, has given up dealings with 
the municipally-owned showshop 
because of a series of disagree- 
ments with manager R. D. Hinch- 
man. 

One of the major claims made 
by Parnassus is an alleged breach 
of an oral commitment by Hinch- 
man that he would have no variety 
show booked at that house for a 
reasonable time before and after 
his promotion of “Hippodrome.*' 
Parnassus claims that after he 
started advertising “Hippodrome,” 
they announced the Ed Sullivan 
program to take place three days 
after the close of that show. Par- 
nassus claims that the overlapping 
promotions caused a considerable 
loss to him and to the show. 

Further disagreements between 
the management and Parnassus 
came in the matter of several wres- 
tling promotions. Extra charge for 
risers, which Parnassus claimed 
had been promised him, for free, 
and the cancellation of two grunt 
matches because the audirotium 
wanted more time for changeover 
to other shows, made Parnassus 
give up. 

Grande Named as Gen. Mgr. 
Of Chi’s Morrison Hotel 

John Grande, former talent buy- 
er for the Statler Hotel chain, has 
been named general manager' of 
the Morrison Hotel, Chicago, by 
William Henning Rubin, inn’s 
prexy. Grande had been with the 
Statler chain since 1925, and was 
a veepee at the time of his resig- 
nation early this year. 

Estelle Reiss, who had been 
Grande’s assistant for many years 
at the Statler. will also become part 
of the Morrison organization and 
will work with Grande. 


Chi AGVA Policing 

All I^ocal Club Dates 

Chicago, Feb. 8. 

The local branch of the Ameri- 
can Guild of Variety Artists has in- 
stituted a system of policing club 
dates here, to insure that mem- 
bers are not being taken advantage 
of by buyers of talent. Eddie 
Pierce handles the job for the 
AGVA branch. His duties include 
checking to make sure performers 
have contracts, are paid the scale 
and that talent buyers are making 
the necessary insurance and wel- 
fare contributions for performers. 

This club-date policing setup is 
believed one of the few in the 
country. 


Revise Piaf Tour; 
Cut One-Weekers 

High expenses incurred in ex- 
ploiting touring two-a-day vauders 
has caused the Gale Agency to re- 
route the 10-week tour of the Edith 
Piaf show, so that bulk of the one- 
week stands have been eliminated. 
The percentery has eliminated full 
weeks in St. Louis and Detroit. 
Only single-semester in the itiner- 
ary is now Toronto. 

Reason for the washout of the 
seven-day sessions lies in the fact 
that it’s less expensive to stay two 
weeks in one town. 'Exploitation 
and advertising expenses are near- 
ly the same with a two-weeker as 
with a single frame. Even if the 
gross may be cut down somewhat, 
due to the longer stay, overall 
profit is likely to be larger because 
of decreased expenses in travel and 
advertising. 

Another factor that influenced 
elimination of two of the one-week- 
ers was the possibility that show 
might build. Layout opens March 
7 at the Geary, San Francisco, for 
two weeks, and it’s figured that 
the show may miss the extra gate 
that comes with building. 

As it now stands, the show will 
open in Frisco for a fortnighter, go 
to the Los Angeles Biltmore for a 
similar stand, lay off during Holy 
Week, and re'sume in Chicago for 
three weeks. The card plays a 
single weeker in Toronto, and 
closes in Montreal after two weeks. 

Appearing with Miss Piaf will be 
her husband, Jacques Peals; Harry 
Mimmo, Rivieras, Arnauts and Les 
Marcellis. 


PIERRE PACTS PIAZZA 
FOR REPEAT BOOKING 

Marguerite Piazza, who com- 
pleted a date at the Cotillion Room 
of the Pierre Hotel, N. Y., this 
week, has been signed for a repeat 
at that spot. She’ll go on May 17 
and will probably stay there until 
the room closes in June. 

Miss Piazza, a former Metropoli- 
tan Opera soprano, is doing a new 
act with two male assistants. 

Miami Cafe and Hotel 
Settle Martin Mixup 

The Beachcomber and the Hotel 
Fontainebleau, Miami Beach, have 
settled their controversy regarding 
playdates of Tony Martin. Ameri- 
can Guild ql Variety Artists had, in 
an arbitration brought by the 
Beachcomber, ruled that the 
Beachcomber pact had precedence- 
over the commitment made to the 
hotel. Beachcomber had claimed 
that a date there had been agreed 
to, but Martin scrammed that pact 
to sign with the inn. 

•After additional huddles fol- 
lowing the AGVA negotiation, it 
was agreed that the Fontainebleau 
would get Martin on Feb. 9 for 
two weeks, and after that he’s to 
start a stand at the Beachcomber, 
March 3. 

Martin h£.d wanted aft out from 
the Beachcomber pact because of 
the fact that it was a seven-day 
job, and he needed a night off in 
order to do a Monday night video 
show. The Fontainebleau was will- 
ing to grant that request. 


The dismal season of Florida 
niteries is leading bonifaces to be- 
lieve that the entire Miami Beach 
area cannot support the large num- 
ber of both expensive niteries and 
hotel entertainments. Conclusion 
reached is that the area should now 
cater to the masses seeking low- 
priced entertainment, as further 
attempts to indulge in expensive 
entertainment operations will only 
lend to larger baths of red Ink. 

The comparatively low-priced 
air coach fares, plus the lower 
room-cost come-ons advertised by 
even the top hotels in the area, has 
brought a cheaper clientele. It’s 
been a gradual process, according 
to nitery men and talent agency 
spokesmen, but the accumulative 
effect has been catching up with 
the cafes for the past few years. 

The Miami Beach niteries have 
been trying to capitalize on the 
bigger crowds by going after the 
cheaper dinper trade. Full dinners 
plus one drink have been adver- 
tised at prices starting around $5. 
It’s been successful In getting cus- 
tomers in for the early shows, but 
the more profitable late layouts 
have drawn negligible crowds. The 
gimmick doesn’t work out too well 
for the diner, as they still have to 
go several notches above the low- 
est-priced dinner to get something 
(hat appeals to them. 

While the high-priced amuse- 
ments are falling off. the crowds 
in the resort town are at peak 
levels. Most of the moderate- 
priced hotels are running at near 
capacity. The northern cold spell, 
last week, brought a lot of fresh 
crowds to Florida, taxed air transit 
and loaded the trains. However, 
the fresh influx didn’t do the top- 
priced spots any good. Operators 
believe that most people coming 
to Florida during such an emer- 
gency period are generally those 
who have raised the price of fares 
and hotels and have little left for 
carousing. 

Many attractions that had been 
doing good business in the past 
are failing this year. Owners say 
that only occasional names will do 
big business. They expect that 
with Miami Beach becoming a re- 
sort for the masses, the biggest at- 
traction will ultimately be low 
menu prices. With only a 10-week 
season, it will be a rough grind. 

AL BERLIN QUITS GRADE 
FOR POST WITH UPTON 

London, Feb. 8. 

A1 Berlin, formerly with Lew & 
Leslie Grade in charge of Ameri- 
can acts here, the last being A1 
Martino, has quit by mutual ar- 
rangement. 

He /joins the Sydney Lipton 
Organization. Lipton, Grosvenor 
House maestro, and father of Celia 
Lipton, runs an agency on the 
side. 

Libnan’s Deejay Salute 
For Pitt Copa 7th Anni 

Pittsburgh, Feb. 8. 

Lenny Litman Is cooking up an 
unusual celebration for his seventh 
anniversary show at the Copa week 
of March 7. First thing is his sa- 
lute to six of the town’s leading 
deejays, with a different one em- 
ceeing each night. They are George 
Bowes, WWSW; Joe Deane, KQV; 
Barry Kaye, WJAS; Jay Michael, 
WCAE; Art Pallan, WWSW, and 
Neal Wallace, KDKA. 

At the same time, Litman is run- 
ning a series of coupon ads in the 
newspapers asking people to check 
off the performer, from a list of 30 
names, they’d most like to see., at 
the Copa during the anniversary 
week. Every effort will be made 
to bring in the six leaders for a 
night each. Failing this, the disk 
jockies will try to get hold of their 
favorite vocalist for their own 
night. 


Ditson Joins GAC 

Lenny Ditson has resigned from 
Mercury Artists Corp. to join the 
General Artists Corp. act dept. Dit- 
son will work with veepees Buddy 
Howe and Harry Anger. 

Ditson had previously been asso- 
ciated with several indie offices and 
had been on his own for a time. 




60 


VAUDEVILLE 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Hispano Fees in N.Y. Dwarf Native Pay; | 
Montalban s Name Policy in Harlem 


Operators who liave been com- 
plaining that the salaries being 
paid to headliners are just short 
of outrageous, haven’t been look- 
ing at salaries commanded by 
Latin American headliners. Loot 
being obtained by the Hispano 
toppers for American theatre per- 
formances are likely to make many 
ot the top-salaried performers on 
t he nitery and vaude belt some- 
what envious. 

Carlos Montalban, who promotes 
shows at the Puerto Rico Theatre, 
in the heart of N. Y.’s Spanish 
Harlem, has been shelling out 
some extraordinary coin for Mex 
and South American filmsters. 
Mex actress Maria Felix starts at 
the Puerto Rico tomorrow 
(Thurs. '. She’s getting $15,000 
guarantee, and with percentages is 
likely to go considerably over that 
amount. In the past he shelled out 
$19,771 to Libertad Lainarque, the 
Argentinian actress. He brought 
her back a second time for an ap- 
pearance at the Strand, Brooklyn, 
at $12,000. On that occasion, he 
dropped a wad. Also in Brooklyn, 
he paid Pedro Infante $10,000 The 
late Jorge Negrete got $16,000 
from Montalban several years ago. 

Montalban has been trying to 
entice most of the Mex and South 
American filmsters up for the past 
few years. Many aren’t succumb- 
ing to the offers because they do 


so well in their native hearths, 
and travel doesn’t interest them 
when it means taking them away 
from such lucrative incomes. 

At this time, Montalban is con- 
sidering reopening the Bronx 
Opera House on a policy that will 
play 52 shows a year. He plans 
headliners who will get moderate 
salaries. He is now studying the 
proposition and will make a de- 
cision shortly. 

Montalban, a brother of better- 
known actor Ricardo Montalban, 
is qujte an actor himself. A 
couple of weeks ago, he played an 
important role on the NBC-TV 
color spec, “Yellow Jack.” as a 
last minute replacement for the 
ailing Victor Jory. He also does 


Chicago, Feb. 8. 

Willard Alexander booking agen- 
cy has appointed Fred Dale to re- 
place Bob Weems as head of its 
Chicago office. Dale has been with 
the Alexander agency since Octo- 
ber. 1954, as a booking agent in the 
New York office. 

Agency head Willard Alexander 
denied reports that closing of the 
Chicago office is imminent, and 
says he plans to continue doing 
business as usual here. 


War Is On For Paris Nitery Tourist 
Trade; ‘New Deal’ With Lush Revues 


New Co-op Pact Follows 
Walters’ Campaign On 
Miami Beach Benefits 


Miami Beach, Feb. 8. 
Latin Quarter Lou Walters’ let- 
the bulk of film narration for the ! ter campaign to move the plethora 


Latin American market, does a 
lot of filmed commercials and 
other acting jobs for the chief part 


of benefits scheduled here every 
season from local auditoriums anfl 
dog-tracks into the night clubs, re- 


of his income. What he makes on suited last week in a cooperative 
the other ventures, Montalban pact being signed by owners of the 


says, he loses on the promotion of 
personals. 

Montalban stated that NBC ori- 
ginally wanted his brother Ricardo 
for. the “Yellow Jack” part and 
offered him $7,500. Ricardo, who 
hadn’t seen his family for some- 
time, figured out that after ex- 
penses and taxes, he wouldn't 
have too much left, so he turned 
down the job. Teletoppers appar- 
ently figured that one Montalban 
was as good as another, so Carlos 
got the nod. 



RANDY BROWN 

The Professional Texan 

''It was a pleasure to hold you over hero at tho Bluo Grass Room. 
You made many friends and loft good will. I am looking forward to 
your oarly return. ” 

— J. GRAHAM BROWN 
Brown Hotel, Louisville 


“Your outstanding Texas humor was Instrumental in making this last 
Concert Tour a wonderful success. Best wishes for the future." 

— HARRY JAMES 


“Randy Brown, with a mccoy you-all drawl, is furnishing grade A 
entertainment in this spot atop the Chase Hotel, St. Louis. Aside from 
his chuckle-producing chatter Brown is a versatile personality. Brown 
easily qualifies as Texas' Biggest Booster as he extols the advantages 
of the Lone Star State. His chatter runs gamut including the political 
situation. Which all adds up to 30 minutes of sock entertainment." 

-sahu, l^\niETY 

Headlining MUEHLEBACH HOTEL, Kansas City 

Feb. 11 thru Feb. 24 

Thanks to Bernard JofFee and Marvin Moss 
Direction: MCA ARTISTS, LTD. 


Beachcomber. Copa City and Latin 
Quarter as well as the Fontaine- 
bleau, Saxony, DiLido and Sans 
Souci hotels. If the intertrade 
agreement is fully enforced, it will 
deprive -ail charity or fund-raising 
shows of the big names needed to 
sell their affairs to the public. 

From all indications, they will 
be allowed use of the acts this year, 
the action having come too late to 
prevent commitments made to the 
various organizations. The cafe- 
group insists, however, that only 
one or two such fund-raising shin- 
digs will be permitted to use their 
talent during the ’55-’56 season, 
unless arrangements are made to 
1 rotate around three clubs or hotels 
on a given night/ with interchange 
of acts by the spots contracted for 
the staging of such affairs. Thus, 

\ the cafe ops figure, all will get a 
; chance at making expenses and at 
the same time keeping the patrons 
j in the night clubs. It is figured 
that any three of the seven pactees 
can accommodate well over 1,500 
people. 

There have been attempts in past 
years at limiting the benefits in 
this resort, but after some letter 
exchanges and arguments via local 
newspaper columns, nothing came 
of the stirrings. This season, how- 
eveTT*with cafe biz at an alltime 
low for January, plus announce- 
ments of one charity affair after 
another, the resentment among the 
bonifaces reached boiling point. 
Scheduled for this month — follow- 
ing the Cerebral Palsy Telethon 
two weeks ago, which collected 
$300,000 in pledges — was last 
week’s (4) Miami Beach Police & 
Firemens Benevolent Assn.; then in 
rapid succession affairs for the 
newly-organized Florida Assn, for 
the Blind; Variety Children’s Hos- 
pital, Mt. Sinai Hospital’s Annual 
Jubilee and a series of March of 
Dimes “nights." 


Paris, Feb. 8. 

Paris niteries will be waging a 
more spirited war for the tourist 
trade. Prices are expected to be 
low'ered should the competition get 
more heated. Pierre-Louis Guerin, 
operator of the Lido here, is hoping 
to get some of the trade that has 
been going to the “Folies Bergere” 
and Casino de Paris. Part of the 
new strategy is to decrease the 
longevity of the various show's, 
which have run on for years. Guer- 
in will be taking a virtually unpre- 
cedented step in running his dis- 
play for one year. 

“New deal” has already taken 
effect with Henri Varna, of the 
Casino de Paris, who has an- 
nounced that his new show’, "Sen- 
sations de Paris,” wiH run a maxi- 
mum of two years. Paul Derval. 
“Folios” producer, has announced 
his new preem for February, in- 
stead of holding off until May. His 
present revue is in its fourth year. 

It’s likely that new' standards 
may evolve because of the compe- 
tition. Lushness and opulence is 
expected to be accentuated rather 
than diminished, and prices are ex- 
pected to be lowered in some cases 
to insure capacity houses at all 
times, especially during the tourist 
seasons. 

Guerin believes that the old dog- 


PALLADINO TO QUIT HUB 
L. Q.; NEWMAN AS MGR. 

Boston, Feb. 8. 

Rocco “Rocky” Palladino, who 
for the past three years has man- 
aged the Latin Quarter here, an- 
nounced last week that he will 
relinquish the post as of Feb. 19. 
He plans to enter the housing con- 
struction bigness. The La Paloma 
Corp., of which Palladino is a ma- 
jor stockholder, will continue to 
operate the bistro until the expira- 
tion of the lease, believed to be in 
force for another couple of years. 

Carl Newman, who has long 
been associated with the Latin 
Quarter throughout the various 
regimes, will take over as active 
manager. 


Reach Agreement on leer 
Collapse Suits in Balto; 
Judges to Set Damage 

Baltimore, Feb. 8. 

A final settlement of more than 
200 damage suits filed here over 
three years ago, after temporary 
stands collapsed at the Sonja Henie 
ice revue, was reached here by at- 
torneys for the plaintiffs and the 
defendants, Sonj # a Henie Ice Re- 
veue Inc. and Echvin Coronati of 
Coronati Amusements, seating con- 
tractors. Suits totaling more than 
$5,000,000 were filed after the col- 
lapse of the stands on March 
6, 1952. 

A unique arrangement provides 
for the services of three judges to 
study the evidence of each injury 
and to assess the damage in each 
case. The revue corporation and 
Coronati agree to turn over to the 
court all funds provided under in- 
surance policies in force on the date 
of the accident, plus sufficient coin 
to meet all damages. Miss Henie was 
freed from individual liability by 
a 1953 court order. 

The circuit court approved the 
plan and appointed Jydges Michael 
Manley, Joseph Carter and John T. 
Tucker to review the suits. 


ma that a big bankrolled spec must 
run for years for amortization is 
wrong, and states that he has com- 
piled statistics which denote that 
a big revue can be made to pay 
off in 15 months, with the tourists, 
and special Paris expositions] 
bringing in the patrons to make 
this possible. Guerin will redo 
the format of the Moulin Rouge to 
keep it pop priced, but will sur- 
round the biweekly name acts with 
a solid production dress, empha- 
sizing the cancan background of 
the boite. The Bal Tabarin will re- 
open in July with a super revue to 
keep in the Montmartre tradition 
of pageantry and meccano marvels, 
w'ith his tall chorus coming out of 
the ceiling or rising from the in- 
terior of this mechanized boite. His 
Empire Theatre goes bigtime music 
hall in September to complete the 
cycle for allowing for the import 
of big name international acts. 

, Competition is likely to restore 
Paris to its traditional place as the 
center of variety and cabaret life 
from which it has slipped since the 
war. Guerin is also preparing a 
touring Lido company for South 
America, which he feels will make 
a name for the club down there, 
plus a big scale film which will be 
made at the Lido with topranking 
Gallic director H. G. Clouzot. The 
war is on, but it looks like there 
will be enough for all comers 
slated for top style production in 
their night tours. 


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LaRosa 250G Suit 

Des Moines, Feb. 8. * 
Julius LaRosa was slapped with 
a $250,000 suit for walking out on 
the Des Moines Automobile Show’. 
Singer had completed three days 
of a scheduled eight-day stand. - 
LaRosa planed back to New York 
today (Tues.) because of “illness.” 
He had complained of being ill 
since his arrival here Saturday f5). 
Suit was served before he boarded 
the plane. 


KIRBY STONE 

” Currently — 

SAHARA, Las Vegas 


D Ir. : 

Mft. : 

WILLIAM MORRIS 

WYNN LASSNER 

Ammv 

Aimc., Inc. 



WHEN IN BOSTON 

It's the 

HOTEL AVERY 

The Home of Show Folk 

Avtry A Washington Sts. 


ATPAM Parting Averts 
Sumac N.Y. Picketing 

A picket line around Yma Su- 
mac’s Carnegie Hall, N. Y., con- 
cert on Saturday night (5) was 
averted at the last minute by an 
agreement between Moises Vivan- 
co and the Associated Theatrical 
Press Agents & Managers. Deal 
calls for a union pressagent for 
all future tours undertaken by the 
Peruvian songstress. Vivanco is 
Miss Sumac’s manager and arrang- 
er as well as husband. 

Ivan Black was put on the pay- 
roll for the Carnegie Hall shindig. 


EVERS *nd DOLOREZ 

WISH TO THANK QQN CORNELL 

For Offering Thom a Sixtean-Waak Tour of England with 
Him Commencing March 21 

• • • • • 

Due to Previous Commitments We Cannot Accept 

• • • • • 

Mar. 3 fo 30— ROOSEVELT HOTEL. New Orlean* 
April 7-20— RICE HOTEL. Houston 



CAB CALLOWAY 

' Currently 

CHI-CHI CLUB 

CALM STRINGS, Cal. 

Mgt. BILL MITTLER, lilf Broadway. New York 









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Grateful Acknowledgements to: 

ED SULLIVAN, 
MERRIEL ABBOTT, 

FRANK PAGET, 
STANLEY MELBA 

and 

COPPICUS, SCHANG and 
BROWN 

of Columbia Artists Mgt. 


The Critics Rave 
from Coast to Coast: 

"A whirlwind of action, color and 
comedy/' 

"Prolonged applause and repeated 
curtain calls." 

"They are artists of unusual merit." 

"A rare gift for pantomime." 

"A racy, pungent sense of humor." 

"A dance program of sheer de- 
light." 


Composer and Musical Directon 

LOTHAR PERL 


Exclusive Personal Management: 

MARCEL VENTURA 

Hotel Plaia (Suite 1755), New York PLaza 3-9430 


Concerts! 

COLUMBIA ARTISTS MANAGEMENT, INC 

113 West 57th Street New Yorh 







Wednesday, February 9, 1955 



tar accompaniment is a plus fac- 
tor and they’re sufficiently adept 
in persuading the ringsiders to 
participate in a hand-clapping 
number. Act is a little short as a 
solo cabaret turn, but would fit 
comfortably in a bigger produc- 
tion. Myro. 


22 for two rounds . . . Bob Scobey, 
dixieland jazzer, set for the Blue 
Note, Chi, April 27 to May 15 . . . 
Larry Logan opens at the Palmer 
House, Chi, April 14 for four 
stanzas . „ . The Four of Clubs 
currently at the Plantation Club, 
Moline, 111. 


New York 

Gospel Singers Rosetta Tharpe 
Sc Marie Knight, along with come- 
dian Charley Manna, opened at the 
Village Vanguard last night (Tues.) 
. . . Rollo Sc Creasy added to the 
bill at the British Colonial Hotel, 
Nassau . . . Blackburn Twins Sc 
Genie Stone due at the Copacabana 
Feb. 24. The De Castro Sisters 
start there on March 24 . . . 
Dorothy Shay goes into the Town 
Casino, Buffalo, May 2 . . . Mae 
West into the Twin Coaches, Pitts- 
burgh, April 11 . . . Benny Fields 
& Blosson Seeley have been signed 
for Fazio’s, Milwaukee, April 25. 
. . . Lisa Kirk has a date at Sham- 
rock. Houston, March 17 . . . Evers 
& Dolores to the Roosevelt, New 
Orleans, March 3 . . . Henry Tobias 
has been the booker of the Totem 
Lodge for 20 years . . . Igor St Mimi 
to the Casino Royal, Washington, 
March 7. 

Billy Fields returns to the Cabin 
Club, Cleveland, Feb. 11.. Singer 
Elise Rhode has made application 
to entertain the U.S. prisoners be- 
ing held in China . Lord Caltis 
Trinidad Steel Band made its U.S. 
bow at the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall, 
Atlantic City, last week. 


MIRABEL HAMMER 

Songs 

20 Mins. 

Maisonette Carol. Montreal 

A reasonably tall brunet, Mirabel 
Hammer tries the cafe biz after a 
musicomedy stint and shapes up 
nicely, judging from reception 
here. 

Operetta and musical training is 
evident in all songs offered and 
experience garnered while under- 
study to Dorothy SarnoiT in “King 
and I” gives her a solid basis for 
her nitery start. Staying strictly 
with an English songalog. Miss 
Hammer reprises the established 
musical comedy items, building 
‘Shall We Dance” into a semi- 
production with a preamble from 
the show leading up to the situa- 
tion that inCroed the song. 

Miss Hamrper still has many 
rather big stage gestures that need 
condensing for an intimery, and 
an over-eagerness to please and 
keep moving has a tendency to 
take the edge off thrushing. As 
act develops, the near-coyness 
should vanish, giving way to the 
evident sophistication, making this 
performer okay for the better 
class room, particularly in the 
hotel line. Newt. 


JAN STRICKLAND 

Song 

12 Mins. 

Apollo, N. Y. 

Extremely handsome, tall Negro 
youth has an okay set of 'high bar 
pipes and lots of power. He hasn’t 
yet completely mastered the 
rhythm & blues technique. 

In his initial Apollo appearance, 
Strickland gets overly commercial 
with an unbroken r&b tunalog, 
“That’s All I Want From You,” 
“Come To Me Little Darling,” 
“Let's” and “I Cried For You.” 
Neither looking nor showing feel 
for the part of an r&b scat war- 
bler, he elicits only average pew- 
stcr support. Art. 


Hollywood* 

Stewart Rose opened last night 
(Tues.) at Mocambo as first stand 
out of uniform, with Wanda Smith 
and Cover Girls . . . Morris Glass 
is new manager of Frank Fish- 
man’s Royal Nevada Hotel, Vegas. 
. . . Marguerite Piazza’s Coast bow 
tonight (Wed.) at Cocoanut Grove. 
. . , Noel Clarke starting Saturday 
afternoon Teen-age Platter Parties 
at his Ranch Club in Palm Springs. 
. . . William Slack inked for week- 
end appearances , at La Quinta 
Hotel during month of February. 

Johnny Limjuco, Philippine im- 
presario, in town to book acts for 
appearance at Cavalcade of Indus- 
try, which opens at United Nations 
Ground in Manila, Feb. 19 . . . Jay 
Livingston and Ray Evans will 
collab on writing shows for Hotel 
New Frontier, Las Vegas . . . 
William Slack, impressionist, set 
for LaQuinta Hotel during Febru- 
ary . . . “Holiday in Paris,” Ice 
Scandals show, booked into Port- 
land Home Show, March 4-13. 


plainly a trouper of vast profes- 
sional background. This shows in 
her work, which Is assured and 
knowing. A cafe and recording 
artist in France, she makes her 
American debut in the Empire 
Room of the Waldorf, and that’s 
hardly the mark of a “New Act.” 

Her musical arrangement, spe- 
cial numbers and guitar-back- 
ground are from one and the same, 
Louis Caste, who is h!so her hus- 
band, and so identified. Musically 
the act is well-rehearsed and dy- 
namically projected with much 
light and shade. Vocally Mile. 
Rcnaud has lotsa power (at least 
with a mike in hand) and much 
dramatic miming to go along with 
the numbers that need it. 

She apologizes for her English, 
which is not bad and plainly not 
new. Indeed, she includes a re- 
markable lot of English explana- 
tion and comment. 

She had no trouble scoring big 
opening night (3). Land. 


HELEN BOICE 
Comedy 
30 Mins. 

Seven Seas, Omaha 

It may seem a bit strange to 
see a vet like Helen Boice (ex- 
Boice & [.add, Lamar & Boice, 
Boice & Marsh) listed under New 
Acts, but this is the first time she’s 
done a stand-up single. And she’s 
terrific. 

The gray-haired trouper has a 
yock-a-minute delivery interspers- 
ed with her own infectuous laugh. 
The way her non-blue gags go 
over is impressive; a few off-color 
bits are just added benefit of the 
nitery clan. She should be even 
better for vaude. 

“Hill and Dale,” a spoof on 
English nobility, and a “Little 
Things” parody, are standout of- 
ferings. A “Thanks for the Mem- 
ory” encore about a guy getting a 
Reno divorce sends her off to a 
huge mitt. Trump. 


Chicago 

Four Joes to Eddy’s, Kansas City, 
March 4 for two frames . . . Eddie 
Albert Sc Maryo into the Empire 
Room, Chi, April 13 in a four- 
rounder .. . . Foley Miller opens 
tonight (Wed.) at the Chez Paree, 
Chi . . . Crew Cuts inked for Eddy’s, 
Kansas City, May 6 in a two- 
framer . . . Don, Dick Sc Jimmy 
inked for Fazio’s, Milwaukee, April 


THE RIVALEERS 

Song 

II Mins. 

Apollo, N. Y. 

Making its original Harlem key 
stint as part of the Illinois Jacquet 
tourer, this youthful quartet is fair 
value in two blues numbers, “Have 
Mercy Baby” and “That’s What 
You’re Doing To Me.” Tenor lead 
and work in backstopping him by 
other three is weak here, but when 
the scat singer takes over in an- 
other brace, everything picks up 
vocally. 

The self-conscious Rivaleers are 
also in need of practice on physi- 
cal handling. Art. 


CURRENTLY 

JOLLY ROGERS HOTEL 

Fort Loudordalo, Fla. 


NORM DYCON 

and 

MR. CHIPS 

Dirtcfion: MILO STELT 

MUTUAL ENTERTAINMENT 
AGENCY. INC. 

203 N. Wabash Ava., Chicago, III. 
Hollywood • Cleveland 


Arthur Godfrey talents are mov- 
ing all over the nitery circuit. Lat- 
est to go into cafes is Frank Parker, 
who has been signed for the Town 
Casino, Buffalo, April 18 for one 
week. Marion Marlowe, also on 
that show, started at the Cotillion 
Room of the Pierre Hotel, N. Y., 
last night (Tues.). 

Julius LaRosa, Godfrey’s most 
celebrated alumnus, has been a 
regular on the cafe circuit since 
he was fired from the show over 
a year ago. The McGuire Sisters 
are now at Blinstrub’s, Boston. The 
Maguire girls and Miss Marlowe 
will be absent from the Feb. 16 
teleshow. 


JOHNNY LAYCOCK & MAUREEN 

Instrumental 

10 Mins. 

Empire, Glasgow 

Male-and-femme twosome have 
a novelty instrumental act in which 
multiplicity of trumpets, etc., is 
the gimmick. 

Male combines dexterity and mu- 
sical ability in playing various in- 
struments at the same time, such 
as piano, accordion, bass drum, 
trumpet and foot cymbal, then 
three separate trumpets, then one 
trombone, sax and bass drum in 
“Tiger Rag.” Gal also chirps ade- 
quately. Male winds playing four 
horns at same time. Act has novel- 
ty slant and distinct possibilities 
for grooming. Okay for the vaude 
circuits and tv. Cord. 


BEV Sc JACX PALMER 
Dancing 
6 Mins. 

Palace, N. Y. 

Bev & Jack Palmer are a youth- 
ful terp team in the acro-adagio 
groove. Making their first Broad- 
way appearance in this Palace 
booking, they previously have been 
touring the nitery circuit. 

Couple’s forte is lifts and spins 
which they execute with deft pre- 
cision. Lithe and supple, the 
femme gracefully complements 
the spirited footwork of her male 
partner. They have a sock windup 
in which he does a one-hand spin 
with femme stretched horizontally 
at arms-length. Pair is a promis- 
ing entry for visual media. Gilb. 


Currently 

Appearing 


HILTON-STATLER CHAIN 

• MGM RECORDS 

Direction: GENERAL ARTISTS CORF, 


COMEDY MATERIAL 

For All Branches of Theatricals 

FUN-MASTER 

THE ORIGINAL SHOW-BIZ GAG FILM 
<Tho Service of fhe STARS) 
first 13 Filet $7.00-Alt 35 ittuet $25 
Singly; SI. 05 per script. 


r Currently 
SHERATON- 
KIMBALL HOTEL 
Springfield, 
Matt. / 


ILONA 

Instrumental, Dance 
9 Mins. 

Old Roumanian, N. Y. 

The singly-monickered Ilona 
impresses with her versatility. She 
opens with a lively solo on the ac- 
cordion, thence into a sax session 
and finally kicks off with aero 
dancing. She shows proficiency in 
all departments. 

Ilona, however, majors in the 
acro-terps. Her work is pleasant, 
sticking to the postures that don’t 
distort her figure. She shows up 
fairly well in the straight dance 
passages. Greatest need during 
her turn is the inclusion of a few 
sock tricks that would bring mid- 
term applause. In the absence of 
that, her bid for bijgtime is her 
versatility, but more is needed for 
the important money spots. Jose. 


• 3 Bks. PARODIES, per book S10 a 

• MINSTREL BUDGET .. ... $25 • 

• 4 BLACKOUT BKS., ee. bk. $35 • 

• BLUE BOOK (Gags for Stags) $50 • 
HOW TO MASTER THi CEREMONIES 

S3.00 

GIANT CLASSIFIED ENCYCLOPEDIA 
OF GAGS, 5300. Worth over a thousand 
No C.O.O.'s 

BILLY GLASON 

200 W. 54th St., New York If— Dept. V 
Circle 7-1130 


CUATES CASTILLA (2) 

Songs, Guitar 
15 Mins. 

Quaglino’s Sc Allegro, London. 

The Castilla Twins from South 
America are songsmiths as well as 
song peddlers, and have penned 
their own lively collection of 
Latuncs. Their numbers have 
their origin in Chile, Bolivia, Mex- 
ico, etc., and although there is an 
inevitable sameness in the rhythm, 
they are presented in a relaxed 
yet curiously stimulating fashion. 

Duo is colorfully garbed, with 
sombreros over their shoulders 
and appear to know just about 
enough of the English language to 
intro their tunes. Their own gui- 


Juarez, Mex., Feb. 8. 

Monica Boyar, Juarez night club 
entertainer, filed suit in the 41st 
District Court last week (1) for col- 
lection of an asserted $2,000 bal- 
ance due on a $3,500 loan made to 
W. L. Stevens and W. L. Stevens 
Jr., operators of the Ranchito Es- 
condido, Juarez club, last October. 
The $3,500 loan was negotiated by 
the defendants Oct. 1, 1954. calling 
for payment by Dec. 1, 1954, it was 
claimed in the suit. 

Stevens, millionaire New Orleans 
construction firm owner, purchased 
the club over a year ago. Since then 
the club has been elaborately re- 
modeled with three stories and two 
separate shows going on continu- 
ously on two floors. Miss Boyar, 
Calypso singer, was hired by Stev- 
ens to entertain in his club on sev- 
eral different occasions during the 
past several months. 


"SPECIAL MATERIAL BY VISK" . . . 
the signature that lends prestige to 
your ect. 

A. GUY VISK 

Writing Enterprises 
19* Mill Street Troy, N. Y. 

"Creators of Special Comedy Material" 


DECCA 

RECORDS 


Currently 

SEVILLE 

THEATRE 

Montreal 


THE EXCITING EAST INDIAN DANCERS 


“Showstoppers!” 

Detroit Free Press 

"A natural for the hotel and tele 
circuit." Variety 


Per. Mgt. Direction 

WYNN LASSNER WM. MORRIS AGENCY 


Hollywood, Feb, 8. 

Wild “Bill” Davis Trio have been 
pacted to appear at the April open- 
ing of the Moulin Rouge, new in- 
terracial hotel in Las Vegas. Deal 
stipulates that the Davis Trio will 
appear at the hostelry for three 
12-week stands for two years for a 
total sum of $90,000. 

Meanwhile, Davis opens this 
weekend (11) at Frisco’s Blackhawk 
for two weeks. 


ENTERTAININGLY FUNNY 


Los Angeles, Feb. 8. 

Charley Foy, Charley Foy’s Sup- 
per Club and a number of Does 
were sued for $50,000 in Superior 
Court by Inga Vera, adagio dancer. 

Plaintiff contends she was seri- 
ously injured when her head 
struck the ceiling while she was 
dancing at the nitery Feb. 3, 1954. 
In addition to the $50,000 she asks 
medical expenses, , , . , , 


Currently 

BRITISH COLONIAL HOTEL 

Nassau, B.W.I. 

(REPEAT ENGAGEMENT ) 

Thanks to JIM GRADY 


Currently 

LATIN QUARTER 

Boston 


Personal Management 

. ROSE ADAIR 

7 We»t 44th St., New York 
Clrclo 7-3900 
MUrray Hill 7-3829—3157 


Direction: RITCHIE CASE. 1650 Broadway. Naw York JUdson 2-3326 



Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


65 


VARIETY BILLS 

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 9 

Numeral* In connection with bill* bolow indicate opening day of show 
whether full or split wook 

Letter in parentheses indicates circuit. <l> independent! (L> Loewi <M) Motsi 
<P> Paramount; (R) RKO; (Si Stoll; <T> Tivoli; <W> Warner 


NEW YORK CITY 
Music Matl (I) IS 

George Zoritch 
Audree Thomas 
Eric Hutson 
Eddie Garson 
Senor Cortez 
Marilyn Murphy 
Rockettes 
Corps de Ballet 
Sym Ore 

Palace (R) 11 
Bobby Dae Sc Babs 


Martin Sc Florenz 
Buddy Clayton 
Duanos 

A1 Gordon Dogs 
Windsors 
Cy Reeves 
Ann Marston 
CHICAGO 
Chicago (P) 11 
Gaylords 
Roy Hamilton 
Jack Carter 
B Sc C Robinson 


AUSTRALIA 


AUCKLAND 
His Malestys (T) 14 

Jean Sablon 
B Warren Sc Chic 
W Latona A Sparks 
Roy Barbour 
Margaret Brown 
2 Myrons 
Harry Jacobson 
Chadells 
Max Blake 
Dancing Boys 
Ballet Girls 

MELBOURNI 
Tivoli (T) 14 
Norma Miller 
Dancers 

Micheal Bentlno 
David Hughes 
Howell Sc Radcliffe 
The Alfredros 
Ursula Sc Gua 


Gordon Humphris 
Irene Bevans 
John Bluthal 
Ron Loughhead 
Dancing Boys 
Ballet Girls 

SYDNEY 
Tivoli (T) 14 
WTnifred Atwell 
Chris Cross 
Eddie Vitch 
Fontane Sc Vaughn 
Joe Church 
3 Hellos 

Romalne Sc Clairo 
Julian Somers 
Maureen Hudson 
Show Girls 
Nudes w 
Ballet Girls 
Dancing Boys 


CHICAGO 


BRITAIN 


BLACKPOOL 
Palace (I) 7 
Larry Mocari 5 
4 Ramblers 
Bobby Collins 
Shipway Twins 
Prof Olgo 
Macetti Twins 
Penny Regan 3 
Harry Lovke 
C Warren & J 
BRIGHTON 
Hippodrome (M) 7 
Edwin Styles 
Dorothy Carless 
Robin Richmond 
Boyer & Ravel 
Gray A Austin 
Joan Gibbons 
8 Emney Anemones 
BRIXTON 
Empress (I) 7 
I. eon Cortez 
Doreen Harris 
Dawn White Co 
Flavias Starlets 
Ken Wilson Co 
EAST HAM 
Metropolitan (I) 7 
Lita Roza 
Jerry Allen 3 
M & B Winter* 
Arthur Haynes 
Jackson Bow & D 
Griff Kendall 
Allen Kemble & C 
Potter & Carole 
EDINBURGH 
Empire (M) 7 
Jack Anthony 
Granger Bros 
Henderson & Kemp 
Beryl & Bobo 
Gary Miller 
Arthur Worsley 
Ghic Murray & M 
Woodward & 

Cooper 

FINSBURY PARK 
Empire (M) 7 

Max Wall 
.Joan Mann 
Peter Dulay 
Tanner Sis 
De Vere 3 
Benson Dulay Co 


Terry Hall 
J Laycock & M 
OLASGOW 
Empire (M) 7 

Carroll Levis Co 
Violet Pretty 
Teen Agers 
Les Duonos 

HACKNEY 
Empire <S) 7 
Betty Reilly 
Jon Pertwee 
Dolores V'enturs 
Freddie Stewart 
Joyce Golding 
Louise A Daughters 
Del Cortina 
K A A Alexis 
NOTTINGHAM 
Empire (Ml 7 
Billy Cotton Bd 
NAP Lundon 
Baker A Douglas 
Angelos 

Don Philippe A M 
Joe King 
J A S Lamonte 
PORTSMOUTH 
Royal (Ml 7 
Frankie Hojverd 
Sandow Sis 
Tex James Co 
Rita Martell 
Pan Yue Jen Tp 
Gale A Clark 
Joan Hinde 
I.ee Young 
Downey A Dave 
SOUTHAMPTON 
Grand II) 7 ^ 

Phyllis I)ixey 
Jack Tracy 
Varga Models 
D Reid A Mack 
Winters A Fielding 
4 Demos 
Boy Devel Co 
Benny Lee 

SUNDERLAND 
Empire (Ml 7 
Jack Lewis 
Sonny Dawkes 
Frank Parr 
Gary Webb 
Mel-O-Macs 
Ronnie Mo.vnes 
Bertie Sellers 


Cabaret Bills 


NEW YORK CITY 


BIRDLAND 

Count Basie 
Modern Jazz 4 
Bon Sell 
Tony A Eddie 
Jimmy Daniels 
Blue Angel 
Oreon Bean 
Portia Nelson 
Bart Howard 
Jimmy Lyons Trio 
Chateau Madrid 
Ralph Font Ore 
Mava Ore e 

Hotel Ambassador 
Quintero Ore 
Sarkozi Ore 

Hotel Pierre 
Marion Marlowe 
Stanley Melba Ore 
Chico Relli 

Copacabana 
Harry Belafonte 
Morey Amsterdam 
Mello Larks 
Donna Williams 
Jade Drummond 
Barbara Mayer 
Larry Howard 
M Durso C*»c 
Frank Marti Ore 

a. ©•>#'* 

Alan Gale 
Jackie Heller 
Warner A McGuire 
Larry Foster 
Teddy King Ore 

\ fifth Ave 

Rat Bright 
Leo Smiley 
Bob Downey 
Harold Fonvllle 
Hazel Webster 
. Hotel Plaza 
Lisa Kirk 
Ted straeter Ore 
Hark Monte Ore 
Botei Roosevelt 
Luv Lombardo Ore 
St Regis 
filly Daniel 
LcorgeU* D’Arcy 
Shaw Oro 
«ay Bari 
w Statier 

" oody Herman Ore 
H <>tel Taft 
Vincent Lopez Ore 
‘-"tin Quarter 
f harlivels 
A L Simpkins 
*\ ,rre . Bros 
p’' <n, *ta A Johnson 
Sheva 
Llariss^ 


Melodears 

Harmoneers 

Piroska 

Art Waner Ore 
B Harlow# Ore 

Le Ruban Bleu 

Julius Monk 
Janet Brace 
Norman Paris 3 
Little Club 
L’Apache 
Faconi 
Jules Kutl 
Rudy Timfield 
Patio 

Gleb Yellin Ore 
Two Guitars 
Kostya Poliansky 
Misha UsdanoflT 
Lubov Hamshay 
AUya Uno 

Versailles 

"Bon Voyage" 

Hope Hampton 
Paul Gray 
Louise Hoff 
Tommy Wander 
Margaret Banks 
Rosemary O’Reilly 
Carl Conway 
Betty Colby 
Ann Andre 
Rain Winslow 
Danny Carroll 
Danny Desmond 
Don Dellair 
Jim Sisco 
Salvatore Gioe Or* 
Panchito Ore 

Viennese Lantern 

Helene Aimee 
Dolores Perry 
Bela Bizony 
Ernest Schoen 
Paul Mann 
Charles Albert 

Village Barn 
Ilal Graham 
Fred A Sally Barry 
Joe Mavro 
Pam Dennis 
Gigi Mayo 
Melodiers 
Piute Pete 

Waldorf-Astoria 
Line Renaud 
Nat Brandvtynne 
Mischa Borr 
Village Vanguard 
Charley Manna 
Rosetta Tharpe 
Marie Knight 
».Q AY iywotj 


„ Black Orchid 

Four Joes 
Jimmie Komack 
Phyllis Inez 
Buddy Charles 
Rudy Kerpays Duo 
Blue Angel 
Calypso Follies of 
1955’* 

Phyllis Branch 
Talley Beatty 
The Charmer 
Verdi Lo Prestl 
A1 D'Laoy Quartet 
Blue Note 
AI Belletto Quintet 
Lou Levy 
Ruby Braff 
Chez Parte 
Mae West 
Morty Gunty 
Foley Stiller 
Brian Farnon Ore 


Cloister Inn 

Sylvia Simms 
Laurie Allyn 
Ace Harris 
Jack Wilander 
Dick Marx 
Johnny Frigo 

Conrad Hilton 

"Spurs ’n Skates’ 
Cathy A Blair 
Robert Lenn 
The Tattlers 
Marvin Roy 
Frankie Masters 
Ore 

Palmer House 

Los Chavales 
de Espana 
Trini Reyes 
Empire Eight 
'.Charlie Fisk Ore 


LOS ANGELES 


Ambassador Hotol 

Marguerite Piazza 
Honey Bros 
F Martin Ore 
band Box 
Mickey Katz 
Larry Green Trio 
Bar of Music 
Pontomaniacs (2) 
Oscar Cartier 
Geri Gallon Ore 
Blltmoro Hotol 
Mae Williams 
Consolo A Melba 
Bobby Sargent 
Rudenko Bros (2) 
Hal Derwin Ore 
Ciro's 
Johnnie Ray 
Rudy Horn 
Dick Stablie Ore 
Bobby Ramos Ore 
Crescendo 
Perez Prado Ore 
Mocambo 
Stewart Rose 
Wanda Smith A 
Cover Girls (5) 


Paul Hebert Ore. 
Joe Castro Ore 
Moulin Rouge 
Frank Llbuse 
Margot Brander 
Four Bogdodis 
Miss Malta A Co 
Doubledaters (4) 
Mme Ardelty 
Jery LaZarre 
Ffolliot Charlton 
Tony Gentry 
Gaby Wooldridge 
Luis Urbina 
Eileen Christy 
Bob Snyder Ore 
Statler Hotel 
George Gobel 
Skinnay Ennis Ore 
J Renard Strings 
Leen A Eddie * 
Lois De Fee 
Toni Rave 
Rose Ann 
Rita Marlow 
Charlotte Watera 
Nautilus HOttl 
Jack Carter 


MIAMI-MIAMI BEACH 


Clover Club 

Lili Christine 
Luis Torrens 
Baron Buika 
Betty Ford 
Tony Lopez Ore 
Selma Marlowe Line 
Woody Woodbury 

Latin Quarter 

Joe E Lewis 
Yvonne Menard 
Stuart Morgan 3 
Kathy Barr 
Ray A Gomez 
Renita Kramer 
Lucien A Ashour 
"Excess Baggage’* 
Rarph Young 
Arne Barnett Ore 
Mandy Campo Ore 

Black Orchid 
Jo Thompson 
Richard Cannon 
Count Smith 
Sans Souct Hotel 
Myron Cohen 
Sacasas Ore 
Ann Herman Dors 

Saxony Hotel 
XSvier Cugat A Co. 
Abbe Lane 
Nirva 

Freddy Cato Ore 
Johnny Silvers Ore 
Frank Stanley Ore 

Bombay Hotel 
Phil Brito 
Nelida 
Peter Mack 
Sandra Barton 

Johnina Hotel 
Judy Tremaine 
Sam Bari 
Jack Mitchell 
Bobbie Lynn 

DiLldo Hotel 
Bea Kalmus 
Maxie Rosenbloom 
Holly Warren 
Bobby Shields 
Mambo Jets 
La Playa Sextet 
Emilio Reyes Ore 

Vanity Fair 
Pat Morrisey 
Havana Cuban Boys 
3 Tones 
Jerry Brandow 


Bar of Music 

Bill Jordan 
Arne Sultan 
Beth Challis 
Harvey Bell 
Fred Thompson 
Isle Oe Capri 
Gene Baylos 
Ruth Wallis 
Las Malangans 
Wally Hankin Ore 
Copa City 
J Durante A C 
Will Mast in 3 
Sammy Davis. Jr. 
Eileen O’Dare 
Stuart Harris 
Hal Loman 
Peter Gladke 
June Taylor Line 
Red Caps 
David Tyler Ore 
Fontainebleau 
Tony Martin 
Alan King 
Cabot A Dresderf 
Val Olman Ore 
Beachcomber 
Sophie Tucker 
Billy Eckstine 
Sam Levenson 
Len Dawson Ore 
Casablanca 
Billy Daniels 
Phil Foster 
Condos A Brandow 
Jacques Donnet Ore 
Balmoral Hotel 
Emil Coleman Ore 
The Spa 

Preacher Kollo 5 

Ciro's 

Jimmie Rogers Co 
Tommy Nunez Ore 
The Treniers 
Lee Sharon 
Sammy W’alsh 
Vagabonds Club 
Vagabonds 4 
Marion Power# 

The Dunhills 
Martha Bentley 
Charlie Farrell 
Frank Linale Ore 
Airliner 

Harry The Hipster 
Pearl Williams 
Billy Lee 
Larry Gerard 
Don Baker Ore 


Sahara 

Vaughn Monro* 
Kirby Stone 4 
J Conrad Dcrs 

Golden Nugget 

Hilo Hattie 


Bl Cortez 

Four Tunes 
Showboat 

Minsky Follies of 
1955 

Silver Slipper 
Nite of Fun Revue 


RENO 


Mapes Skyroom 

Sue Carson 
Kurtis Marionettes 
D’Amores 
Skylets 

Eddie Fitzpatrick 
Ore 

New Golden 

Four Freshmen 


Jack Wakefield 
Buddy King A 
His Ladies (5) 
Will Osborne Ore 
Riverside 
Cross A Dunn 
Dave Apollon 
Starlets 

Bill Clifford Ore 


HAVANA 


Tropican* 

Darvas A Julia 
D’Aida Q 
Mercedes Valdes 
D’Ruff Q 
O de la Rosa 
Leonela Gonzalez 
Raul Diaz 
Gladys Robau 
Tropicana Ballfct 
S de Espana Orq 
S Suarez Orq 
A Romeu Orq 
San Soucl 
Carmen Amaya 
Olga Chaviano 
Chas Chase 


Aurora Roche 
Rivero Singers 
Juana Bacallao 
Ray Carson 
R Ortega Orq 
C Rodriguez Orq 
Montmartre 
Alba Marina 
L Dulzaides Q 
Nancy A Rolando 
Ivette de la Fuente 
Zenia 

Martha Veliz 
Monseigneur Orq 
Montmartre Ballet 
Casino Pla.va Orq 
Fajardo Orq 


NEWPORT, KY. 


Beverly Hills 

Ethel Smith 
Sonny Howard 
Ricardo A Norman 
E Lindsay Dncrs 


Larry Vincent 
Dick Hyde 
G Benedict Ore 
Jimmy Wilbur Trio 


LAS VEGAS 


Flamingo 

Marie Wilson 
Archie Robbins 
Goofers 

Sands 

Nat (King) Cole 

Last Frontier 
Ben Blue 
Blossom Seeley Sc 

. .fluppg .Fiblda. . . 


Desert Inn 
Toni Arden 
Jack Durant 
The Szonys 

Thunderbird 
Norman Brooks 
Holly Rolls 
El Rancho Vegas 

George White’s 

J. .Sca*4aJ cite* . . • 


Dun for Dues 


Continued from page 2 


financing efforts for indie produc- 
tion, their b.o. better stay good — or 
else. 

There’s a feeling among exhibs 
that it’ll be more and more diffi- 
cult. as time goes by, to rouse the 
theatres sufficiently to contribute 
to these various projects. Leaders 
of Allied and TOA, for instance 
know that they’ll have a job to col- 
lect $15^.000 worth of checks 
pledged by the Joint Committee on 
Toll-tv to fight the “propaganda” 
put out by the subscription-tv in- 
terests. 

In general, it’s going to be diffi- 
cult to convince a man in the hin- 
terlands to open his poeketbook to 
underwrite a fight against some- 
thing that he is only dimly aware 
of as a story in a newspaper. 

The problem is a similar one 
when it comes to COMPO, which 
appears to be the yardstick for any 
theatre assessment. Under the 
proposed draft of an arbitration 
system, exhibs would raise $75.- 
000 annually (to be matched by 
distribution), the assessments to 
be figured on the basis of annual 
COMPO fees. 

COMPO scale runs to $7.50 a 
year for theatres of 500 seats and 
less; $11.25 a year for houses up to 
750 seats; $18.75 tip to 1,000 seats; 
$37.50 up to 2.500 seats, and $75 
oyer 2,500 seats. As for the drive- 
ins, they pay $7.50 for installa- 
tions with a capacity of up to 300 
cars; $11.25 to 500 cars; $18.75 
up to 600 cars, and $37.50 in excess 
of 600 cars. 


UA Tags 

Continued from page 7 


no minimum guarantees were in- 
volved. 

Max Youngstein, UA v.p., esti- 
mated the company’s overall in- 
vestment in production in 1955 at 
between $35,000,000 and $40,000,- 
000. UA will be instrumental in 
arranging for this amount of 
financing via bank loans to indies. 
The company expects to release 
about 40 to 45 films during 1955. 
Youngstein estimated. 

Smadja confirmed that the 
Italian nix on color print imports 
now included Cinemascope films. 
Picker, elaborating on that point, 
said all companies — Including UA 
— were likely to conduct experi- 
ments with tint printing in Rome. 
He called the Italo move “a per- 
emptory decision.” Fear among the 
companies is that the Italian pol- 
icy on color prints may spread to 
other countries. 

Smadja said the French turnover 
tax situation was status quo but 
that the French within recent 

months had allowed compensation 
deals using U. S. film coin blocked 
since June, 1953. No capital ac- 
count deals have been authorized 
since then. 

Czechs are anxious for American 
films, Smadja reported. UA and 
other companies are continually 
getting nibbles for films from vari- 
ous Iron Curtain countries but. 

said Smadja, “we refuse to sell 

them. It’s against our policy.” He 
said he knew of some Italian, 

French and British pix going into 
Russia. 


No B.O. Ceiling 


Continued from page 4 


“Seven Nights in Paris,” on which 
Robinson and Jule Styne are col- 
laborating on the screenplay and 
which will go on location in the 
French capital, and “Maracaibo,” 
an oil drilling yarn laid against a 
Venezuelan background. 

Friedlob emphasized producers’ 
current casting problems. For 
“News Is Made at Night” he in- 
tends to recruit-a newcomer for one 
ot, the female leads. If he finds 
her. he said he intended to put her 
under contract to his new company. 
There vK?re casting problems in 
“Untamed,” too. the film being cast 
only two weeks before going before 
the cameras at the 20th lot. Fried- 
lob paid high tribute to director 
Henry King for his skillful job in 
integrating, the South Africail and 
the studio sequences. He also 
thought Richard Egan was an im- 
portant new star and would prove 
that in “Untamed.” 


House Reviews 


Apollo, >. V. 

Illinois Jacquet Band, (11), Clay 
Tyson, Lavern Baker, Rivalecrs 
(4), Jan Strickland, Jellyroll & 
Zuzu; “The Miami Story” (Col). 


Apollo audiences are bound to 
tire when four out of six acts on 
any bill do the same kind of en- 
tertaining. Current sesh is bound 
by an overabundance of rhythm 
& blues, some of it tops, the rest 
of it so-so. Lavern Baker, w'ho 
closes the card with a click cata- 
log. has the edge dulled by prede- 
cessors who are (1) a male solo; 
(2) male quartet, and (3) the Illi- 
nois Jacquet band. Moreover, of 
the three only the latter is in the 
better entertainment bracket. 

Attractive Miss Baker is punchy 
in “Woke Up This Morning.” Then 
she slithers vocally through a sexy 
blues bit, “Tomorrow Night.” She 
gains maximum support for clever 
lyrics of “You Better Stop” and 
for her big number, “Tweedle 
Dee.” 

Jacquet is lauded for each stay 
at the Harlem flag. His sidemen 
are. by Apollo standards, among the 
best in the r&b field. He opens 
with a variation on “Birth of the 
Blues” and then, on the tenor sax 
and with his trumpeter, alto and 
soprano saxophonists, alternates in 
the lead of an original wailing- 
blues composition. Later in show, 
Jacquet returns with a frantic num- 
ber. Then he breaks into a five- 
man combo (himself, alto, slide 
trombone, bass, drums) for a brace. 
Alto work draws particular re- 
sponse. 

Clay Tyson and the team, Jelly- 
roll & Zuzu, offer only relief on 
the bill. Both are comedy turns, 
but they’re separated by at least 
an hour and vastly differed styles. 
Tyson reveals nice terp ability and 
a unique line of patter. He closes 
his share with a boffo panto im- 
pression of a fellow taking his 
gal out for a drive. J&Z does a lot 
of originally lyricked thrushing. 
Jellyroll, heavy, nondescript male, 
and Zuzu, stringy femme, other- 
wise use standard Apollo comedies. 
New' Acts has rundown on The 
Rivaleers and Jan Strickland. 

Art. 


I/Olyinpia. Paris 

Paris, Feb. 8. 

Edith Piaf, Craddocks <3), Jean 
Poirct & Michel Serrault, Claire 
Feldern, Steckel Bros. <2> Pierre 
Lunel, Three Milsons, Kach-Malh, 
Trio Ariston, Yvonne Solal; $1.25 
top. 


For its first anni, this top music 
hall has brought Edith Piaf back 
to the boards for her first appear- 
ance in over two years, and it 
emerges a triumph in all phases. 
Turn shows a sensitive artist at 
the height of her powers. Miss 
Piaf’s discourses on love and hope 
sweep over a rapt aud, with her 
savvy orch and choral backing 
making this an entry of formida- 
ble proportions. 

Rest of the show is geared for 
laughs, with a somewhat repeti- 
tious route in some aspects, but 
with enough outstanding acts and 
interludes to make this a standout 
offering. Craddocks (3) restage 
(heir already w\k. slapstick act 
that is still a rousing ribtickler in 
its perfect clowning, mayhem and 
bombastic brilliance. Boys are in 
top form and make for laughter. 
Pierre Lunel is another boy with 
a guitar singing offbeat songs. Too 
much like the others, he lacks the 
spark to be anything but a filler. 

Jean Poiret & Michel Serrault 
made it in the nitery circuit and 
their devastating takeoff on lit- 
erary prizes and interviews still 
abounds with yocks in this big 
hall. But it is more for intimate 
surroundings and act has too many 
subtle nuances to make for top 
house appeal. Claire Feldern is a 
diminutive Danish keyboard clown 
whose prosaic exterior belies a 
neat notion of parody. Her bouts 
with her piano, plus an inspired 
takeoff on how Chaplin would play 
the Hungarian Rhapsody, come in 
for big aud appeal.' 

The Three Milsons show what 
can be done with noise, and essay 
a dial-twiddling session on the 
radio, supplying the sounds for 
everything from bagpipes to a jet 
piano. Well organized and clever, 
this rates high. Aero aspects are 
given by Steckel Bros. (2 >. Trio 
Ariston and Kack-Math. Steckel 
Bros, have a breezy flip session 
and then go into the key of the 
number with one hanging from a 
trapeze, with a belt in hand, with 
which he snares the other by the 
feet as he goes into a back somer- 
! sault. A good bit. Trio Ariston 
! are a breezy girl and two men who 
I do some .b rath clowning, aud aewt* ’« 


acroing for nice mitts. Kach-Math 
adds a fast-paced juggling turn to 
the proceedings for a nice round- 
out of the program. Mask. 


I'alaeo, A. Y. 

Virginians (2), Ted Lester, Ben 
Dova, Tommy Hanlon Jr., Bob 
Howard, Bev & Jack Palmer, Jack- 
ie Bright, Yokoi Ttoupe (5), Jo 
Lombardi Orch; “Women’s Prison ’* 
( Colt reviewed in Variety Jan, 
26, ’55. 


Fresh bill at the Palace this 
week comprises a layout of familiar 
turns with sole exception of the 
aero - terp team of Bev and Jack 
Palmer (New Acts). Due to the 
previous vaudfilm show holding 
over an extra five days, the house 
opened the new sesh Wednesday 
(2) instead of Friday. 

Ben Dova, a Palace regular 
w’hose bookings date back to when 
the house was two-a-day, scores 
handily with his pantomime drunk 
bit, which has him swaying against 
a prop lamp post. More recently 
he’s been working ice shows, but 
even on a dry surface his comedy 
easily slips across. 

Opener is The Virginians, a man- 
and-wife juggling team who ma- 
nipulate balls to boxes with equal 
dexterity. Ted Lester, who has 
obviously been on display for a 
long time, follows with a musical 
novelty. Attired in tails and a cape, 
he shows his versatility in playing 
a flock of instruments for a so-so 
reception. 

Jackie Bright, spotted in next- 
to-closing, relies on the same basic 
routines he’s long used. Several 
male audience volunteers garner 
laughs in a “diaper-the-baby” con- 
test. The hat-switching bit is 
dusted off again, with Bright ac- 
comping with a rapid-fire commen- 
tary. It wins fair returns. 

Tommy Hanlon Jr., assisted by 
an unbilled femme, opens with 
some tepid gags. However, his 
piece-de-resistance is use of a prop 
guillotine in which an aud volun- 
teer consents to be “beheaded.” 
It reaps okay returns. Bob Howard, 
a vet at the piano, pounds out 
some nostalgic airs to register 
nicely with the predominantly 
middleaged seatholders at show 
caught. . 

Yokoi Troupe, a cycling family 
of father and four daughters, shape 
up as a flashy closer. Femmes are 
adept in riding the bikes, whether 
unicycles or conventional two- 
wheelers. They're colorfully garbed 
and score solidly with a neat ex- 
hibition. 

Jo Lombardi, per usual, backs 
the show nicely. Cilb. 


Roitfeld 

SSS Continue# from pare 7 

color in their films was a better 
b.o. draw than black-and-white. 
“Actually it isn’t,” he observed. 
“If you want to get a break in the 
commercial houses your print cost 
alone is apt to wipe out all your 
profits.” 

Roitfeld said his outfit was mull- 
ing a production of “Follies Ber- 
gere” and was looking around for 
someone to come in as coproducer. 
The company has two pix poised 
for the U. S. market. One is Zola’s 
“Nana,” made at a cost of $900,000 
and starring Charles Boyer and 
Marline Carol. The other is “Ador- 
able Creatures” with Danielle Dar- 
rieux, Martine Carol, Edwige Feuil- 
lere and Daniel Gelin. 

“Like everyone else. France is 
switching to bigger pictures cost- 
ing more money,” Roitfeld said, 
noting that a budget of close to 
$1,000,000 for a French film was 
very considerable. “Logically, all 
of us are becoming more aware 
of the need to obtain better reve- 
nues from the U. S.,” he added. 
Asked whether French producers 
were bitter over their inability to 
make a sizable dent in the com- 
mercial U. S. market, Roitfeld 
opined that there was some resent- 
ment but not a lot since the 
French, from the start, were con- 
ditioned not to expect too much. 

Roitfeld stressed the difficulties 
faced by French producers in mak- 
ing the proper release deals for 
their pix in the American market. 
“We are caught between the devil 
and the deep blue sea.” he held. 
“If we go through a major, there’ll 
be those who’11 say that a big com- 
pany isn’t set up properly to han- 
dle foreign films. If, on the other 
hand, we deal with an independent, 
we aren’t sure that can give us the 
kind of ’release in depth’ that we 
reed.’. - 





64 


night rnn reviews 


Wednesday* February 9, 1955 


Hope Hampton s Versailles Debut 
Draws Bird-and-Bottle Cafe Set 


By ROBERT J. LANDRY 

Prior to last Wednesday (3), it 
is hardly a trade secret that friends 
and non-friends of Hope Hampton 
wondered about her decision to 
make her night club debut. The 
cafe circuit is not that casual an 
undertaking and folks asked one 
another. “Why does a gal with all 
that moola run this kind of risk?” 
Well, nobody can answer that kind 
of an inner-compulsion except the 
party involved. Enough that the 
news from the Versailles, N. Y., is 
that Miss Hampton has made a very 
smooth and attractive transfer of 
medium. 

The set-up is neatly tailored for 
her. The Howard Dietz-Arthur 
Schwartz revue, “Bon Voyage,” has 
been running at Nick and Arnold’s 
elliptical shrine of the arts since 
Sept. 22 last. Producer Mervyn 
Nelson has fixed up a couple of 
song and light cues and Miss Hamp- 
ton is “on” with no icky introduc- 
tion and no awkward makeready. 
There she is in the spotlight, and 
very handsomely gotten up, at 
great expense. First, she sings a 
group of musical comedy numbers 
with Don Bellair and Carl Conway 
for male escorting and Margaret 
Banks and Tommy Wonder for 
dance underlining. 

Miss Hampton’s second appear- 
ance is solo in another stunning 
gown and with a “Merry Widow” 
reprise. It is simply staged, fits 
easily into the proceedings and al- 
lows the gal to enjoy herself — 
which may be her basic motive. 
This may be said: showwise judg- 
ment is manifest in handling every- 
thing on an casy-does-it basis. This 
is frankly a very special Versailles 
special, a novelty for the bird-and- 
bottle trade. Miss Hampton com- 
ports herself with relaxed poise, 
looks dandy, sings nicely and acts 
as much guest as hostess, which is 
quite a trick of itself. 

If it is pointed out that the num- 
ber of spots where the conditions 
would be so conspicuously ideal is 
limited to, say, Nick and Arnold’s 
place, this is not any dazzling reve- 
lation as to cafe economics. Nearly 
all the ladies who sing in the fancy 
boites have their own following, 
their own limited milieu, and plen- 
ty of stylish lady singles are laying 
off. or being wives, at this very mo- 
ment in February. 

As for “Bon Voyage” itself, it is 
undoubtedly much faster, tighter, 
tidier than when first reviewed 
here. It contains three standout 
entertainers. First, Paul Gray. 
Here is a master of the always- 
difficult art of the monolog. Gray 
is a performer of experience, au- 
thority and intuitive timing. It’s 
no small knack to wrestle with and 
make a blase Manhattan cafe audi- 
ence, the kind that’s seen every- 
body and heard everything, cry 
“uncle,” but before he is through, 
after his calculatedly slow opener. 
Gray is a comedy wow that just 
happens not to be a television dis- 
covery — this season. 

Louise Hoff, a handsome young 
woman, does justice, and more 
than justice, to flip lines and saucy 
lyrics. Tommy Wonder is not only 
the boy in charge of the terpsi- 
chore but the head dancing per- 
sonality who shines from years on 
the boards. 

Betty Colby, Margaret Banks, 
Rain Winslow (an unusual gami- 
nesque figure) Anne Andre, heat- 
hoofer Danny Carroll are all part 
of the five boy-five gal ensemble. 
Others: Jo Wilder, Jim Sisco, and 
those previously named. Individu- 
ally they click on solid entertain- 
ing ability and professional at- 
homeness. Collectively they add up 
into another of the exceptional 
floor shows which have kept the 
Versailles’ leadership secure. 

As for the two musical aggrega- 
tions, Salvatore Gioe plays the 
show and the straight sets and 
Panchito and his chums the rhum- 
bas. They are integral to a smooth 
operation. 


Kill in Ounrlor. Miami 

(FOLLOWUP) 

Miami Beach, Feb. 5. 

Joe E. Lewis, after a long recup- 
erative rest, is back in action again, 
spry as ever, boasting a catalog of 
new parodies on pops, observations 
on the saloon set and the laugh- 
able badinage with his longtime 
accompanist, able Austin Mack. 
, 1( ‘ operation and convalescence 
hu\e taken nothing away from his 


sharply phrased lyric tossing, nor 
dulled the puckish humor that is 
his trademark. 

The collection of newies written 
for him by Eli Basse is in the topi- 
cal v(*in, with considerable inserts 
of his own sly digs Lewis handles 
with dispatch. On to a long ova- 
tion opening night, he launched 
into waggery re Lou Walters’ new 
midnight occupation: disk jockey 
in the- adjoining lounge; on the 
line of lovelies in the show; the 
operation he now insists will ap- 
pear soon on “Medic”; works over 
a series of Fontainebleau Hotel 
lines, then adds other uptodaters 
such as Gloria Vanderbilt and the 
late, unlamented Serge Rubin- 
stein. 

It’s solid prep work for the spe- 
cial song segment: a spoof on his 
surgery to “Mr. Sandman,” an- 
other laughraiser in “Ding Dong,” 
and series of howlers in “Adult 
Nursery Rhymes” and a lament 
“The Life of Lewis.” Another new 
rib-tickler is “Young At Heart,” di- 
rected at the middle-aging in the 
audience. Lewis works in for the 
encore a narrative lyric on “What’s 
My Line” titled “The Oldest Pro- 
fession In The World” with a yock- 
raising O’Henry finish. His decep- 
tively simple delivery adds to the 
laugh-provoking, as does the al- 
ways perfect timing. He had to 
beg off. 

The lavish production numbers 
and all-season lineup of acts holds 
over, with Yvonne Menard, the 
Parisienne import, exhibiting her 
exciting torso-twists and dance pat- 
terns assisted by two males, a good 
portion of it in the eyebrow-raising 
class. Mile. Menard handles a lyric 
adequately, but it is the scant- 
ily-clad costuming (just within the 
law ) and the terping that earns her 
aud approbation. She’s especially 
adept at adagio. Lucienne & Ashour 
in their Apache and the Stuart 
Morgan trio and their gasp-bring- 
ing adagio tosses are standouts. 
Federico Rey and Pilar (Gomez 
add distinction to the dance act ar- 
ray with brillian flamenco and na- 
tive Spanish concepts. 

The song section is in good 
hands. Kathy Barr in her spot 
wins them all the way via a well- 
chosen group of chansons that 
highlight her full ranging vocalis- 
tics. An eye-appealer, she rated 
and received full returns. Ralph 
Young handles the production vo- 
cal leads in apt manner, also join- 
ing with Miss Barr in duetings. 
Novelty note is added in a brief, 
but imaginative “Ostrich Dance” 
by lithe Renita Kramer. Lary. 


I'iro's, Holly wood 

Los Angeles. Feb. 2. 
Johnnie Ray, Rudy Horn, Ciro 
ettes (10), Dick Stabile Orch 
( 12 ) ; $2 cover. 


Johnnie Ray is a prime followup 
to Sammy Davis Jr., and boniface 
Herman Hover should continue an 
oversized haul for the next two 
weeks. For his first return to the 
Strip plushery in a year and a 
half, the lad who can trace his suc- 
cess back to a crying towel had 
the bulging first-show patrons beg- 
ging for more. 

Ray whams over 10 numbers, 
onstage for 38 minutes. Period in- 
cludes frequent explanations of 
songs, and intros of Dan Dailey, 
whom he credits for helping him 
in “There’s No Business Like 
Show Business.” and Jimmy Dur- 
ante, one of the “royalty” of the 
business. For an oldie, “Walkin’ 
My Baby Back Home,” singer lug- 
ging his mike leaves the rostrum 
and plants kisses on succulent 
ringsiders (female), a standard 
routine with him — but it wins ap- 
plause. 

Biggest hand goes to his emot- 
ing standard, “Cry,” with the boy 
really working, but biggest laugh 
is a novelty number about a guv 
after dropping a girl off home. An- 
other winner is “Alexander’s Rag- 
time Band.” which he sings in 
“Show Biz;” others, “Little White 
Cloud.” “As Time Goes By,” 
“Meaning of Love.” and a spiritual 
jubilee. “If You Believe,” closing 
number. He also warbles “Paths 
of Paradise,” his own composition, 
for okay reaction. 

Show's opener is a whiz juggler, 
Rudy Horn, whose nine-minute 
turn is highlighted by conniptions 
on a high unicycle. With his foot, 
he tosses six cups and saucers, one 
by one. to land on his head and 
atop each other, finishing off with 
sugar and a spoon in the top cup, 
which goes over big. The 10-girl 
line of beauties also does some 
fancy prancing, and Dick Stabile’s 
orch backs acts as well as dis- 
penses dance music, , Whit. 


riipaealtana. N# V. 

Harry Belafonte (with Millard 
Thomas, Tony Scott), Morey Am- 
sterdam, Mello-Larks (4), Donna 
Wiliams, Jack Drummond, Bar- 
bara Maye , Larry Howard, Copa 
Girls (8), Michael Durso and 
Frank Marti Orchs; $5 minimum. 


The Copa parlay of Harry Bela- 
fonte and Morey Amsterdam is fis- 
sionable material for both the 
poets and the peasants. Belafonte 
is pyramiding his Blue Angel-“A1- 
manac”-“Carmen Jones” trinity of 
cafe-legituner-filmusical (latter by 
Oscar Hammerstein out of Bizet- 
plus-Merimee-plus-Dandridge) into 
a boxscore that must have seemed 
odd when boniface Jules Podell 
sat down to the booking piano; so 
odd, it turns out, that the Adonis- 
touched “West Indian out of New 
York” is, like Amsterdalm prom- 
ises, fracturing ’em. Amsterdam 
is doing a bit of fracturing him- 
self in the standup and-to-hell- 
with-the-cello style that finds him 
back as a comedic threat on the 
nitery belt after shelving the Play- 
goers boite five years ago and 
meantime making with the tv 
stance via DuMcnt (remember Art 
Carney as Newton the waiter?), 
NBC and currently-but-not-for- 
long ABC (N. Y. local). Add the 
four Mello-Larks in the harmony 
department and the ensemble & 
Co.’s repeat edition getups, and 
it’s one of the Copa-scetic enter- 
tainment sets, big names or no. 

Belafonte’s stentorian “Timber” 
worksong teeoffer must have given 
his champions a bit of the willies 
if they forgot momentarily how 
this boy can build. But then he 
goes off into the Shenandoah and 
the wide Missouri, to his dixie 
doodles and the cotton fields and 
a jailbird chant to ring the bell — 
along with a 16th century “Two’s 
Company” folk derivative quickie. 
By this time he’s way ahead, so he 
laps himself with that hale and 
hearty “You’re Bitin’ My Finger” 
rouser eliciting the audience par- 
ticipation. It’s a begoff assign- 
ment, returning him for a Noah’s 
Ark storm of mitting and into 
“Hold Him Joe" calypsoing that 
reprises the “Finger” motif for a 
long and click foray that panics 
the mob, for begoff No. 2. 

Encored opening night with his 
evergreen “Facts of Life” gibber- 
ish, laying ’em flat and panting 
for more in a snub-the-pops 40. 
minute library complemented by 
the nifty guitar of Millard Thomas 
and the baton and arrangements 
of Tony Scott. This stint displayed 
Belafonte as more the personality 
kid, ready, willing and able to 
adapt himself to the Copa stripe 
with spoken side bits and legwork. 
Summary; A blockbuster. 

Amsterdam’s material is mated 
to the man and vice versa. He 
knows this crowd and doesn’t have 
to fence for openings. The design 
is swift, the text surefire. He’s 
voluminous on the oneUiners, de- 
parting for short stories, anecdot- 
age, song swifties, ribbing televi- 
sion and taking himself so unseri- 
ously as to bring the laughs ac- 
cording to the prefab intentions. 
Amsterdam is an engaging, ingra- 
tiating sort, but no “please love 
me” panderer in this regard, and 
he can move over the Hollywood- 
to-N. Y. circuits with savvy and 
authority. (He can always bring 
out the oversized fiddle as a ful- 
crum for fun. He didn’t at show 
caught; didn’t need it'. 

Mello-Larks (three boys and a 
girl) are a lively group with a good 
mixture of straights and folderol, 
from “Sing You Sinners” to the 
Steve Allen-worded “Gideon Bi- 
ble,” latter done in the revival 
idiom and meritorious. A nurserf 
madrigal with chairs as props is 
another winner, along with fr spe- 
cial session in which they pore it 
on via “Hernando’s Hideaway” and 
“Blues in the Night.” Femme is 
attractive and shapely, carries 
some of the tunes, and the boys 
are'cleancut and with a nicely de- 
veloped sense of rhythm and 
comedy. 

Orchid-eoiffed Podellies and pro- 
duction principals Donna Williams 
and Jack Drummond (singers) anti 
Barbara Maye and Larry Howard 
(hoofers)^ hold over in identical 
numbers that are bright and spar- 
kling in performance and habili- 
ments. Trau. 


.Sands, 8,»« Vejfas 

Las Yggas, Feb. 2. 

Nat (King) Cole, Georgie Kaye, 
Chuck Nelson, Linda Dawson, Copa 
Girls & Boys (14), Antonio Mor- 
el li Orch (15); no cover or mini- 
mum. • 


Nat (King) Cole still rules the 
roost as the purveyor of low dulcet 
tones and his three-weeker under 
the aegis of producer Jack Entratter 
will And the Copa Room headquar- 
ters for Cole’s fans, who number 
plenty. Not only is his 40-minute 
stint replete With numbers new 
and old, but the “King” partici- 


pates in the torrid Calypso produc- 
tion finale, singing and seemingly 
enjoying his brief whirl at terp- 
sichory, too, in a manner that 
pleases everyone, including Sid 
Kuller, who wrote and staged it. 
Cole punctuates most of his vocals 
by doing a standup piano playing 
job that blends nicely into his 
offerings, of which there are many. 

Georgie Kaye, character come- 
dian, is back as the absent-minded 
psychiatrist, and his antics with 
imaginary animals provide pro- 
longed laughter. His humor builds 
with nice timing, and although he 
comes on early in the show, Kaye 
doesn’t take long to warm up his 
audience. This time around he 
adds some dancing bits to his chore 
that earn yocks, too. 

The line presents “Magic Town” 
in the opening spot, in which 
singers Chuck Nelson and Linda 
Dawson perform nicely, while 
“Calypso Blues,” the finale, finds 
the line moving well in intriguing 
costumes behind the singing of 
Cole; a fast, colorful windup to a 
swiftly-paced show that’s currently 
a standout on the Strip. The An- 
tonio Morelli orch is okay, needing 
only to slow the finale dance tempo 
somewhat for better results. 

Bob. 


Boverly Hills* Newport 

Newport, Ky., Feb. 5. 
Ethel Smith, Sonny Howard, 
Earl Lindsay Dancers (10), Dick 
Hyde, Gardner Benedict Orch 
(10), Jimmy Wilbur Trio; $3 mini- 
mum, $4 Saturday. 


Layout for this fortnight main- 
tains the class standard which 
John Croft’s bookings havfe built 
up for Cincy’s neighboring Ken- 
tucky nitery. Ethel Smith, head- 
liner, adds new rooters on this re- 
turn with fresh sparkle to her ex- 
clusive combination of entertain- 
ment chores. It’s showmanship 
from start to a smart bowout after 
solid encores. 

Personality radiates from the 
small, slender blonde throughout 
45 minutes of her varied chores 
— rhythms on the Hammond and 
percussion instruments, songs and 
sayings, of which some are saucy. 
Her dress is different; a low-neck 
waist with matching blue Turkish 
harem bloomers. A prop mirror 
permits customers to view' her ex- 
pert fingering of the organ key- 
board. Clever lines explain drums 
she picked up on South American 
tours. 

Sonny Howard, in his initial visit 
here, scores solidly with impres- 
sioris of name pop singers and his 
ow n brand of vocals, which stretch 
to operatic. Tuxed youngster pegs 
his imitations on the assumption 
tlftt “you gotta have a gimmick” 
to sell a song, and lets loose with 
the physical and vocal trademark 
of celebs. ^ 

Earl Lindsay’s line of lovelies 
comes up with three different rou- 
tines, smartly dressed and execut- 
ed, with backing by singing emcee 
Dick Hyde, and the Gardner Bene- 
dict band. Koll. 


Mioroham Hotel, Mash, 

Washington, Feb. 4. 
Lorraine Brunner. Tippy 

Stringer, Four Guitars, Shoreham 
Ballerinas (6), Singing Violins 
(12), Barnee Orch (8); 50c coyer 
weeknights, $1 Fri., Sat. 


Blue Room productions become 
more elaborate and more ear and 
eye pleasing as the Shoreham Ho- 
tel’s new' format, first tried last 
summer in the outdoor terrace, 
grows more confident and solid. 

For his current pair of shows 
(complete change of bill between 
the dinner and supper offerings), 
Bernie Bralove goes strong on 
Latins and love and features the 
best dance team he’s offered under 
the current policy. 

Lorraine & Brunner have plenty 
of style and a nice assortment of 
steps, and the gal adds a touch of 
sexiness which has been lacking in 
most of the earlier shows in the 
Blue Room. Other new act is a 
unit of four guitarists, which is 
both lively and romantic in the 
music department and adds a nice 
seasoning to the productions. 

Tippy Stringer, singing soloist, 
is by now an oldtimer here and is 
begining to be a favorite with the 
customers. The six ballerinas are 
handsomely and colorfully dressed 
and have added a new note to their 
dancing. 

They work more and more with 
the Singing Violins, the 12-man 
unit which has become the trade- 
mark of this room and whose mem- 
bers are now loosening uo and 
working in dance steps with the 
ballet line, something they were 
formerly too taut to try. 

A new. narrow hydraulic stage 
section has been added to the 
bandstand to provide a high deck 
for thfc dancers and add theatrical 
effectiveness. House orch under 
maestro Barnee. 25 years v'ith the 
Shoreham, continues to be the 
pivot of the entire bill. Lowq. 


Waldorf- Aat or la, N. Y* 

Line Renaud, Louis Caste, Nat 
Brandwynne & Mischa Borr Orchs- 
$2.50 cover. * 


From Paris, where she has ob- 
viously learned well the trade of 
pushing songs, comes Line (for 
Jacqueline) Renaud, who is re- 
viewed in additional detail, for 
Variety files, under this week's 
New Acts department), although she 
qualifies as such only a^ a new- 
comer to these shores. 

The lady said at the opener that 
she was nervous, and maybe she 
was, but it was a remarkably cool, 
collected, bright-eyed and alert 
Gallic brand of nervousness. She 
stayed on 35 minutes, by which 
time she was a solid success, sing- 
ing mostly in French and talking, 
quite a lot of talk, in English. She 
built up her newness to English, 
being just three days in Manhat- 
tan before opening night (3), '"but 
hers was no feat-of-memory type 
of English. Mile. Renaud has un- 
doubtedly been preparing a long 
way back for the invasion of Amer- 
ica. She accomplished a well- 
organized Caesar routine — coming, 
seeing and conquering. The Wal- 
dorf’s Empire Room turnout knew 
they were in the presence of enter- 
tainment authority. 

Gal’s sureness led her to commit 
one error of judgment just at the 
end. There was the usual hubbub 
over flowers for the primadonna’s 
opening night. Lights flashed, 
cameras clicked. And then, hold- 
ing the “unexpected” roses in her 
arms, she went right' into “Roses 
of Picardy.” That was a small- 
time touch of corn. It was B. F. 
Keith’s, 1926. In any country and 
in any language, that’s icky senti- 
mentality. This was not a major 
blunder, but it’s old hat inspection 
was in marked contrast with the 
bigleague feeling she generated up 
to that moment. 

Her musical arrangements and 
orchestrations are a big part of 
the gal’s sock impact. These are 
provided, along with the electric 
guitar accompaniment by her hus- 
band. Louis Gaste, who sat in with 
Nat Brandw'ynne’s house group. 
Only a musician could guess how 
much of this gal’s success is rooted 
on the composing board and ger- 
minated in the rehearsal hall. 
Suffice that she belongs to the 
select company of boffola. 

And how does the lady dress? 
She dresses like Edith Piaf in a 
couldn’t-be-plainer dress with a 
turtle neck. No frills, no flash, no 
jewels. Parisian gamin with big 
bank account. Land. 


rhi I lii* Palm Springs 

Palm Springs, Cal., Feb. 2. 
Ella Logan, Skeets Minton, Slier- 
adons. Bill Alexander Orch; cover 
weekdays $2, Saturday $2.50. 


Each Sunday afternoon the ex- 
odus of homeward-bound vacation- 
ists clogs the highways and de- 
pletes this town. By nightfall. Palm 
Springs takes on that post-season 
look again. By suctom and habit 
Sunday evening is one of the 
poorer times for night clubbing at 
this desert resort. 

With aforegoing as the accepted 
standard, evidence of Ella Logan's 
drawing power becomes the more 
significant when she opened here 
Sunday (30) to a complete sellout. 

The crowd knew what to expect 
from her and she evidently knew 
what they wanted from her. 
Shrewdly paced, she turned on her 
magic and charm with a wide and 
varied selection of numbers, bqjely 
waiting for the applause to subside 
before tossing another. 

Opening with “Come to the 
Fair,” Miss Logan* swings into “I 
Like You Too Much” and varies 
her mood with “Three Lovely Las- 
sies” and “Begin the Begat.” She 
follows with the charmer, “Send a 
Blue Boy,” and bops them with 
“Darktown Strutters Ball.” She 
delights with her story of the Irish 
immigrant girl who was cancelled 
out of “Jumbo” by Billy Rose be- 
cause she didn’t look Irish enough. 

She winds with the inevitable 
“Gloccomora” followed with three 
encore numbers. 

Contributing to one of the best 
shows this spot has offered this 
season are two fine acts. Opener 
is The Sheradon’s, a young per- 
sonable threesome — two boys and 
a girl — in a smart fast-stepping 
routine that garners applause all 
the way, closing with a buck and 
wing that is a solid click. 

Skeets Minton, ventriloquist, 
takes care of the No. 2 spot with a 
bright fresh routine that gathers 
almost continuous laughter. With a 
good voice, Minton draws strong 
applause with a unique presenta- 
tion of singing impersonations of 
famous vocalists. Good comedy and 
smartly chosen numbers make this 
a solid act on any bill. 

Bill Alexander and orch. long- 
time fixture at the spot, do solid 
showbacking, with Alexander 
doubling as emcee. They also 
satisfy for dancing. Brown. 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


RIGHT CL1B REVIEWS 


65 


Sahara, la* Vega* . 

Las Vegas, Feb. 1. 

Vaughn Monroe, Kirby Stone 
four Johnny Conrad Dancers 
1 5 ) George Moro’s Saharem Danc- 
ers ’< 12), Cee Davidson Orch (11); 
uo cover and no minimum. 

Always affable and easygoing, 
Vaughn Monroe heads an unexcit- 
ing three-week show, to warble 
his faves in a 25-minute stint that 
makes for easy listening. The ro- 
mantic singer beguiles the audience 
jemmes as he wanders among the 
tables disporting a hand micro- ; 
phone. "Blues In the Night” - 
precedes a too-long medley of 
tunes identified with the star that 
winds with "Racing With the 
Moon.” Among his newer warb- 
lings the headliner rates bows for 
a solid delivery of "Mr. Sandman,” 
•'From This Moment On.” “Wom- 
an's World” and the whimsical 
“What A Wonderful Way To Die.” 
A novel bit is executed with Mon- 
roe dispensing butterscotch candies 
from a basket while singing "But- 
terscotch Mop.” Larry Green is 
an able piano accomper. 

The Kirby Stone Four are okay 
in the second spot but have been 
seen to better advantage here in 
the past. Some additional staging 
and reshuffling of the repertoire 
might build the act to a high point 
called lor by the fine talent in this 
group. Their familiar "Sugar Foot 
Rag” and "Movie Tonight” are 
sung and played on the trumpet, 
accordion, piano, bass and lone 
drum in bouncy fashion. "Bring 
the Mambo Back To Stalingrad,” a 
brand new hunk of material, is 
solid as the laugh-inducing lyrics 
score all the way. 

■ Johnny Conrad and his four 
femme dancers are okay in a brief 
interpretive routine that features 
spins and lifts as he weaves 
through his partners in a sexy 
dance. Otherwise, the group reg- 
isters in the big George Moro 
mambo finale fronting the line. 
The Saharem Dancers click in the 
ambitious Moro opener, an Orien- 
tal dance fantasy, in which ricks- 
haws and a giant Buddha enhance 
the illusion, while the strikingly 
costumed girls move excitingly, to 
rate a big hand. The Cee Davidson 
orch, now ensconced on a band- 
stand to the left of the stage, backs 
the show in fine, workmanlike 
fashion. Bob. 


"Oye Negre" and building to cli- 
max in "Babalu.” Miss Branch has 
a powerful, cultivated voice, 
though somewhat limited by this 
genre. Her delivery seems at 
times unnecessarily embroidered 
by extraneous vocal effects, de- 
tracting from a basically rich and 
versatile set of pipes. She clicks 
in this room and goes off to a good 
mitt. 

Authentic calypsos are hawked 
by The Charmer, story tunester 
from the British West Indies. 
Charmer projects flavor of the is- 
lands in "Pig Knuckles and Rice” 
and adds a sock delivery of 
“Tongue-tied Lady,” novelty tale 
of beau and belle woes. Trouble 
here is brevity of the bit, but it 
still brings hefty palms. 

Terp chores are well handled by 
Talley Beatty, who capitalizes on 
the current craze in his "Mambo” 
solo. Beatty gets good crowd re- 
sponse with lithe, inventive and 
polished style of hoofing, in a well- 
conceived blend of Latin-American 
terping with ballet overtones. 

Layout is introed by the entire 
company in "Rum and Coca-Cola” 
number and ended by “The Calyp- 
so Man.” Verdi Lo Presti, in her 
Chi debut, decorates both very 
handsomely and partners nicely 
with Beatty in the "Carnival 
Dance.” Display should keep 
nitery’s current vogue perking. 

Gabe. 


Embers, >. Y. 

Dorothy Donegan Trio, 
Kallao Trio, Trudi Baer; no 
or minimum. 


Alex 

cover 


llinarxnde. Paris 

Paris, Feb. 8. 

Monique Van Vooren, Sue Stan- 
ley, Nina Franca. Natacha Ked- 
rova, Rudi Laufer Orch (7); $3 
minimum. 


Oh! Roumanian, Y. 

Sadie Banks, Lou Saxon, Billy 
Shepard, Ilona, Boots McKenna 
Line (8 i, Joe LaPorte & D’Aquila 
Orchs; $3.50 nunijnurn. 


This stronghold of entertainment 
on the lower east side, presided 
over by the downtown dowager of 
the bistros,' Sadie Banks, has a 
good bit of divertissement on the 
current bill. This segment of the 
borscht-belt, without the greenery, 
presents a rather large show. It’s 
one of the few remaining spots in 
New York that still supports a 
crew of line girls and with it comes 
a trio of acts that provides good 
value. 

Heading the layout this semester 
Is Lou Saxon, one of the comedy 
staples in the Catskills and in the 
club date field, who comes in with 
a line of dialect stories that makes 
lor good listening. Saxon has a 
rather lengthy repertoire, but he 
tells his stories well, ingratiates 
himself with the attendance and 
walks off a hit. 

Billy Shepard has been making 
considerable headway in recent 
months. The lad, who recently 
appeared at the Palace, has been 
skirting the fringes of the bigtime 
saloons. According to his progress 
reports, dates in frontline spots 
aren't too far in the offing. Shepard 
is a wellgroomed singer with solid 
arrangements. He dwells mainly 
on standards and has little difficul- 
ty in making an impact on the 
erowd. His Jolson medley gives 
him an excellent walkoff. 

Ilona, completing the lineup, is 
discussed under New Acts. The 
oight girl line choreographed by 
Roots McKenna has a sprightly 
*ft °f routines. Joe LaPorte does 
the showbacking and D’Aquila the 
lumba relipf j osc> 


One of the few fiddle boites still 
getting steady crowds, this spot is a 
bit overstuffed on song entries, 
but the intime status can stand it. 
Songstresses range from hearty 
Slavic renderings through offbeat 
and standard U.S. entries, plus a 
leavening of dramatic Gallic hal- 
ladeering. All this wrapped in the 
usual string schmaltz and table 
hopping of the Rudi Laufer orch 
<7) for the atmosphere. Food is 
good. 

Topper is Monique Van Vooren, 
a looker who played bit parts in 
some Stateside pix and has done a 
few here recently. She has an 
eye-popping chassis, but her stand- 
ard crooning huskiness and lack- 
lustre numbers make her more 
visual than audible. More choice 
in material is needed here, but the 
looks should carry her through un- 
til she gets a more varied songalog. 
U.S. songstress Sue Stanley is back 
to display more verve and polish 
than of yore, and this bouncy, zesty 
girl, with a catching gaiety, is de- 
veloping into a surefire personal- 
ity ditty entry. 

Nina Franca is a dramatic 
ing chanloosy essaying the 
brittle* and booming Gallic 
bers, and she delivers with a 
voice and stance to make a 
impression as the balance for all 
the chirping. Natacha Kedrova 
supplies the Salvic earthiness as 
this buxom woman sings w.k. 
Russo laments in a grave, taking 
Biz was fine when ogled. 

Mosk. 


Dorothy Donegan and Alex 
Kallao are no strangers to this 
eastside jazz spot. They’re familiar 
with the keyboard, the clientele 
and the acoustics, so their beat is 
sure and satisfying, especially for 
the hep crowd. 

The Embers is hardly the spot 
for after-dinner gabbing because 
the rhythms come at one fast and 
hard. The table is strictly a listen- 
er’s outpost, and for those who like 
their standards dished out with 
imagination, inventiveness and a 
touch of progressivism, it remains 
one of the best jazz rooms in town. 

Miss Donegan is a handsome 
Negro headliner. Working with a 
bass and drums accomp, she dishes 
out a potpourri of pops and stand- 
ards that arrest the ear. When she 
sticks to the melody, as she often 
does, even the squares can appre- 
ciate her deft fingerwork. And 
w hen she takes off on an improvisa- 
tion flight, she displays a topflight 
technique. She’s also a keyboard 
cUtup, swinging and mugging when 
the spirit moves her. However, it 
doesn’t hinder her from completing 
the business at hand in fine style. 

Kallao belongs to the more pro- 
gressive school. He’s still in his 
early 20’s but he knows plenty 
about making the most of a riff. 
He’s got a free-wheeling attack 
and his jazz interpretations bring 
a fresh quality to the oldies in his 
repertoire. Bass and drums accomp 
give him a neat rhythmic boost. 

Trudi Baer fills the cocktail hour 
session in standard style. She 
works through the showtune cat- 
alog with a neat touch. It’s all 
pleasant backgrounding for the 
before-dinner tipplers. Gros. 


mental group is characterized by 
enthusiastic delivery, some times 
overly so. Joes go from standards 
like "Lady Be Good" and "Per- 
fidia” into a sometimes too dazzling 
potpourri of comedy, instrumental 
and vocal solos and impersona- 
tions. Turn is crammed with many 
tidbits rather than fewer, meatier 
numbers, making for a fast-paced 
but less effective act. Pete Antos. 
the tenor, sings "Mizirlou” in 
Greek for a novel solo touch, and 
tonal accordion gymnastics are well 
handled by Lou Turianello in his 
solo. "Cumana.” Turn could stand 
pruning but is fast and varied, get- 
ting good palms. 

In his Windy City debut. Jimmie 
Komack projects promising comic 
future. Komack intros with a clas- 
sic "An Opener" and follows with 
raft of solid special material from 
his own hand. Such tailor-made 
stuff as "Popcorn for You” and the 
“Nick-name Song” was authored by 
Komack for others and used by 
them, but the comic does a neat 
job of getting his brain-children 
across for good crowd responses. 

Phyllis Inez uncorkss the layout 
with vocals styled in a blend of 
comedy and sex. Opemng udth a 
parody of “Ole Man River." Miss 
Inez sets the tone for what follows: 
clever material loaded with double- 
entendres, which when served as 
morsels would titillate, but when 
offered for every course can on y 
glut. Her "Blushing Bride" number 
isn’t clever on an early show'. 

Gabe. 


ThunderhlrdL Las Vegas 

Las Vegas, Jan. 28. 
Norman Brooks, Roily Rolls, Lou, 
Wills Jr., Barney Rawlings, Thun- 
derbird Dancers (8), Al Jahns 
Orch till; no roner or ncinimum. 


('nsablanfa. Miami llVh 

Miami Beach, Feb. 5. 
Billy Daniels with Benny Payne, 
Phil Foster, Condos & Brandow, 
Jacques Donnet Orch; $3-$5 mini- 
mum. 


look- 

more 

num- 

solid 

good 


voice. 


Bill 

Henry 


Efldy*% K. C. 

Kansas City, Feb. 4. 
Haley & Comets (6) t Thurl 
Orch (8); $1 cover. 


3. 

until 


lUuo Angel, Clil 

, Chicago. Feb. 

Calypso Follies of 1955,” 

{ hl/His Branch, The Charmer, Tal- 
K 'U Beatty, Verdi Lo Presti . Al 
Lacy Orch (5); $3.50 minimum, 
iio cover. 


( urrent offering at this tropie- 

iq?! „ nitei *y, “Calypso Follies of 
i.155, ’ continues the click house 
Policy, unique locally, of showcas- 
ing calypso and Afro-Cuban talent, 
layout shapes to bring big biz with 
«n offbeat attraction. 

featured thrush, Phyllis Branch, 
mnts of extensive vocal powers in 
a series of production numbers and 
!' 0l °s. Sepia vocalist’s rep is heavi- 
Afro-Cuban, beginning with 


This is the first time Haley and 
his men have ventured this far 
west, and the first time Eddys’ has 
hosted such an energetic, uninhib- 
ited. frankly jazzy group. This is 
largely for the cats, and appar- 
ently there are enough of them to 
payoff, as the club was full for the 
opening show and the reservation 
list is good for the fortnight. 

Opening show left something to 
be desired, being overlong and 
overloud. as Haley and his five 
teammates banked out their fran- 
tic rhythms with great constancy. 
They work off a long list of num- 
bers. from their early recordings j to 
of “Rock the Joint” and "Crazy, 
Man, Crazy.” to the current hit pa- 
rade toppers. "Dim, Dim the 
Lights” and "Shake. Rattle and 
Roll.” They intermix instrumen- 
tals with vocals, as each member 
gets a featured vocal turn and in 
instrumental inning, and switch in 
and but of duets, trios and quartets 
readily. 

The lineup of Haley on electric 
guitar, Joe Ambrose on sax, Billy 
Williamson on electric steel gui- 
tar, John Grande on accordion. 
Dick Richardson on drums and 
Marshall Lytle on string bass, is 
loaded with power and puts it out 
steadily. While it’s loud and plen- 
tiful. there’s no doubt it is popu- 
lar. It’s a timely booking for the 
room, but not ordinarily a unit j 
apropos for a cozy club. 

Show also is the advent of a new 
orch to Eddvs’, Thurl Henry and 
guitar heading up the new crew, j 
with Henry handling m.c. work in 
acceptable fashion. Quin. 


Operators of this big hostelry 
up North Beach way shuttered the 
Club Morocco following a success- 
ful holiday stand by Billy Daniels 
and Myron Cohen. They’ve re- 
opened the spacious cafe for the 
"height-of-season” period and 
brought back Daniels with two 
solid ac'.s to buttress his strong 
drawing power here, business open- 
ing night reflecting the lure in 
terms of heavy patronage. 

Phil Foster is another fast re- 
turnee to these precincts, his plus- 
values, patronage-wise, obvious in 
the frequency of engagement in 
this area in past weeks — this 
is his third dating in a Beach 
hostel. The affable yarn-spinner 
hit a steady laugh stream with his 
pointed tales about boyhood days 
in Brooklyn; younger resort-hotel 
types on the make for each other; 
tribulations of young-marrieds. 
among other rib ticklers. He’s 
added fresh lines for the zing 
needed to keep the material up- 
dated. then, for a new twist, works 
in a couple of yarns that are off- 
beat for him. but that raise howls 
from the tablers. Easy approach 
establishes warm rapport from 
walk-on. sustained by his self-jibes 
and breakups; in all. a well-versed 
comedian who knows his # way 
around a cafe audience. 

Daniels, per usual, is the adroit 
songspinner, blending his torchants 
and rhythmics artfully. Working in 
svelte manner, he beguiles the 
femmes — and male escorts — with a 
variety of tunes. He joins ace ac- 
companist Benny Payne for neatly- 
devised harmonics, winding into the 
encore request, "Yiddishe Mom- 
ma.” in w'hich Payne supplies a 
vocal background, and. of course. 
"Black Magic." His authoritative 
manner, plus the sometimes velve- 
ty. sometimes frenetic delivery, 
adds to the build which earns him 
a wrapup. 

Condos & Brandow are familiars 
cafegoecs along the nitery run 
here — the duo are now' natives. 
They earn themselves approval 
salvos quickly with tricky heel and 
toe work, growly vocalistics, jazz 
pianistics and trumpet tootlings, 
whamming them in the bowoff, a 
tap rodtine on small stairs. Jacques 
Donnet and his orch play the show 
assignments in top manner. 

Lary. 


El IKaneho, Pjix Vpi*am 

Las Vegas. Feb. 2. 

George White Scandalctte . “ Nice 
To See You,'* featuring Fan De- 
Witt, Lou Nelson, Dorothy Keller. 
Patti Ross. A l Norman, Margie 
Duncan, Linda Lombard. Penny 
Carroll, David Carter. Carol Leigh, 
Marilyn Hanold, E> Rancho Girls 
(10), Bob Ellis Orch <11>; no 
cover or minimum. 


A pleasant little entertainment 
surprise turns uo via the George 
White Scandalette. “Nice To See 
You,” as fashioned" bv Jack Yellen. 
Irving Caesar and White, and the 
lively litUe revue will do okav for 
its month’s tenure here. When the 
kinks are ironed out and the cast 
is acclimated to this theatre-res- 
taurant, they might "wen come e’ose 
to the job this show performed at 
the Versailles, N. Y.. albeit it is 
sans the original comic and sing- 
ing leads. In fact, the talent carries 
no marquee names, but it is young 
and bright and offers diversion, 
oddly enough, not so much per- 
haps to Easterners who are here 
but to the tourists from the hinter- 
lands who have not ogled the pack- 
age in New York. 

Fay DeWitt is a clever comed- 
ienne who socks her songs over 
in a manner that touches the 
funnybone. Dorothy Keller sings 
and dances in sparkling fashion. 
Margie Duncan is a personality 
dancer with talent. Penny Carroll 
into the show and makes 
impression as the ingenue. 
The comic is Lou Nelson, who 
garners laughs with a Buddy Lester 
style of delivery. David Carter 
makes a nice singing juvenile. Lin- 
da Lombard is okay on vocals. Top 
applause honors are awarded to 
Patti Ross, a limber blonde looker 
who is a contortionist-dancer with 
a l)ubbling-over type of personal- 
ity. Others in the cast make brief 
appearances in song and dance 
sketches, while commentators Carol 
Leigh and Marilyn Hanold rate a 
special nod. 

of the routines in the 70- 
revue are in the minor 
class, but the overall 
as projected by the new 
faces makes the whole thing a 
very palatable potion to entertain- 
ment gourments. The El Rancho 
Girls augment the show with an 
interesting production number and 
the Bob Ellis Orch handles the 
score in adept manner. Bob. 


On his third time around, 
Norman Brooks still scores best 
with his Al Jolson medley, his 
! voice in the lower register re- 
! markably akin to that of the late 
. singer. In the upper vocal range, 
j however. Brooks definitely veers 
i away from the Jolson timbre. The 
2C-minute turn of the handsome 
voung singer consists of oldies like 
"Let’s Fall In Love,” “You’re My 
Everything,” "It Had To Be You” 
i and others, all netting a nice re- 
action. Next time around, the 
: y oung entertainer might prepare 
himself with a new repertoire and 
1 some material between numbers to 
enliven the act. 

The rest of the show that also 
moves right along includes Roily 
j Rolls and the holdover Lou Wills 
Jr. Rolls, a smooth Continental 
piano impressionist, is clever in 
the debonair vein. The Parisian 
deftly dispenses humor in his key- 
board aping of a five-year-old boy 
and the same individual 20 years 
later. As a cocktail lounge pianist 
who hates his job. Rolls rocks the 
room with laughter. He essays jit- 
j terbug tunes with lightning move- 
ment and is terrific as a concert 
pianist in classical comedy. He 
v/nds with a jam session as the 
i Al Jahns orch members simul- 
taneously play different tunes, 
j with Rolls blending the whole 
thing into a sharp dixieland jazz 
band effect. 

Lou Wills Jr. can be depended 
upon to rale a stout reaction. IBs 
j emulation of a softshoe Roy Bol- 
gcr is socko and otherwise he taps 
and acrobats to the delight of the 
audience. The Thund^rbird Dancers 
are eiTective in a pair of new pro- 
i duction numbers, the closer, a well- 
i executed minstrel routine, with 
s ; nper Barney Rawlings and the 
line accoutred fittingly in straw- 
hats, b g bow-tics and vivid colors 
that fluoresce in the darkened 
room to a big hand. The show is 
in for three weeks and should net 
its due percentage of the bu^ress 
in town. Bob.- 


AiaiAloVt. Portland. Ore. 

Portland. Ore., Feb. 2. 
Four Knights, Bill Carroll Dana - 
ers <6». Tommy & Benny, Wyn 
Walker Orch <7>, with Rene Weis; 
no min.; $1.50 cowr. 


are making 
at this plush 
the current 


breaks 
a nice 


Some 
minute 
league 
sparkle 


Mark Orrhid, rhi 

Chicago, Feb. 1. 

Four Joes, Jimmie Komack, 
Phyllis Inez, Rudy Kerpays Duo; 
$4 minimum. 


This layout makes a just so-so 
dent on the local nitery scene and 
promises only a quiet tinkling of 
the cash register for this Windy 
City boite. On night caught, biz 
was only fair, probably traceable to 
lack of w.k. names on the bill. 

; • Four Joes top this offering in a 
» peppy* varied turn. Vocal-instru- 


Hail-and-Fa re well For 
Harris Twins in ‘Capades’ 

Pittsburgh. Feb. 8. 
Four-year-old twin sons of John 
H. Harris, producer of "Ice Ca- 
pades,” and Donna Atwood, who 
stars in it. will make their deb«rt as 
well as their farewell appearance 
in the icer next year at the same 
time their mother retires for do- 
mesticity. Youngsters are going to 
skate in the 1956 edition's big pro- 
duction number, the flying "Peter 
Pan,” in which Miss Atwood will 
skate the title role. 

For the twins, it’ll be hail and 
farewell at least until they’re much 
older. They and their baby sister 
are the reasons Miss Atwood is 
finally quitting. Boys will be of 
school age by time show closes, 
and Miss Atwood plans to settle 
down with them then in the Harris’ 
J new home in Beverly Hills. 


The Four Knights 
their Rose City debut 
showcase. Although 
layout is not as strong as some of 
the other shows hooked by George 
Amato, it is solid fare. Singing 
outfit should draw fairly well for 
their two-week stint. 

Guys start out rather sluggishly 
by singing too many slow tunes. 
Suddenly they break into the 
bouncy set. with a great flair for 
comedy, rousting and terping by 
tall, lanky Oscar Broadway. Four 
Negro boys got plenty of palm 
waeking after knocking out some 
of their swingy stuff. Johnny Wal- 
lace strums the guitar as one of 
the bo> s. George Vereen is a good 
foil for Broadway, while chubby 
Clarence Dixon assists with 
straightman. Outfit is polished and 
sell well after getting started. 

Tommy & Benny are newcomers 
in show biz but they stop the show 
cold like a couple of oldtimers. 
Two youngsters slam out some 
sock accordion stuff. Tommy does 
a terrific imitation of Liberace 
with his 88ing and chirping. Lads 
then move into an accordion-trum- 
pet duo. and wind up with a jaz zy 
accordion duet. 

The Bill Carroll Dancers are 
from the Bay area. Guv produces 
the line at The Italian Village and 
also designs the costumes for the 
six orb-filling femmes. Gals are 
on for two nifty numbers that re- 
ceive audience appreciation. Cos- 
tumes and choreography are top- 
drawer and the well-discinlined, 
well-stacked dancers add class to 
the layout. 

Wyn Walker and his boys play 
their usual good job for the show 
and set the tempo for dancing. 
Cute, talented Rene Weiss rets 
credit for some outstanding chirp- 
ing during the dancing seshes. 
Show is son for 55 minutes and 
house was nearly full when ^aueht. 

Feve. 


Siders Joins Gale 

Irving Siders. formerly of the 
Billy Shaw Agency, has joined the 
Gale Agency. He’ll be assigned to 
no department, but will work in 
virtually every facet of the agency’s 
operations. 

Before going with Shaw. Siders 
had worked in various indie agen- 
cies around town. 


I 


66 


LEGITIMATE 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Shows on Broadway 


The South went Corner 

John Huntington production of comedy 
< n three acts <six scenes* by John i Cecil 
jlolm. based on the novel by Mildred 
Walker Stars Eva LeGallienne; features 
Knill Markey. Parker Kennelly; d reel on. 
George Schaefer; scenery and »**?tlng. 

^ ,P fU'ly a N.Y CO Feb me 5: BfdSS® 

Orvliuf (ireenstead Eva* *Le ( JaUi e nil e 

Marcia Elder Eva LeCaUlenne 

Edith Summers 

Sam Wolson 

Hattie Carew 


Je.-n Gillesoie 
Frank Tweddell 
E rieda Altman 


As a New Englander-by-adoption, 
John Cecil Holm has affection for 
Yankee types and a feeling for 
their speech patterns. From a 
novel by Mildred Walker he has 
written a pleasant but mild comedy 
about several likable Vermonters 
and an acquisitive Massachusetts 
interloper. '“The Southwest Cor- 
ner,” which had a straw-hat tryout 
last’ summer, seems a questionable 
prospect for Broadway (plays about 
the aged are apt to be week box- 
office). but is a likely stock vehi- 
cle and may have possibilities for 
a film sale, as what play hasn’t 
these days? 

The engaging qualities of “South- 
west Corner,’’ its refreshing humor, 
believable and likable characters 
and its interesting situation, are 
lessened by its leisurely pace and 
the tear-jerker quality of the final 
act, with its patently convenient 
resolution. Moreover, the play is 
seriously weakened by its inept 
performance. 

The yarn is about a self-reliant 
widow in her 80’s who lives alone 
in her ancestral home in rural Ver- 
mont. but fearing a possible acci- 
dent or illness, decides to take in 
a companion to care for her. in 
return for the property upon her 
death. A middle-aged woman from 
Massachusetts appears in answer 
to her ad. and when she’s accepted 
and the arrangement is confirmed 
by written contract, it appears the 
oid lady is trapped. 

Although there are a couple of 
hints about poisoning, it develops 
that the newcomer has no lethal 
designs on her charge, but with no 
more sinister motive than subcon- 
scious acquisitiveness, is quite 
capable of talking the old gal to 
death, or at least driving her to 
distraction with her shallow’, banal 
garrulousness. And with what she 
clearly believes is the best of in- 
tention. she ruthlessly arranges to 
move the old woman out of her be- 
loved home and auction off it and 
all its treasured belongings. 

This is developed in a succession 
of interesting and amusing, but un- 
comfortably loquacious scenes. The 
especially sentimental last act. 
with its long arm of convenience 
final scene, has considerable sus- 
pense. but is largely spoiled in per- 
formance. 

The trouble is a combination of 
spotty casting, direction and play- 
ing. The talky, deliberate buildup 
scene are further retarded by 
George Schaefers slow-motion stag- 
ing, which lingers dotingly over 
the details and expands the pauses. 
And both he and the playwright 
are, of course, responsible for the 
casting. 

As the doughty old heroine. Eva 
LeGallienne follows the obvious 
course in using the familiar actor 
tricks to suggest age. Her makeup 
and posture are appropriate enough 
for someone 80-odd, but as the play 
proceeds she accentuates the trem- 
bling hands and shaky walk until 
it suggests the old lady has palsy. 
This exaggeration becomes so 
marked that, in the final scenes, 
it’s as if the character is not only 
decrepit but positively senile. 

This is perhaps effective as obvi- 
ous theatricalism, but it loses much 
of the point of the story. For what 
makes "Southwest Corner’ fairly 
touching is that the heroine is not 
a half-dead old nut. but a sharp- 
witted. self-possessed and intensely 
alive old lady who may not be as 
spry as she used to be, but is by no 
means feeble. 

As the gabby “companion” from 
Massachusetts, Enid Markey also 
plays it the easy way, using the 
same whining monotone, and all 
the familiar little vocal and physi- 
cal artifices she’s been capitalizing 
for years. Her performance, too, 
has immediate, showy effective- 
ness. But the characterization tends 
to be stereotype, .and it latfcs di- 
mension or surprise. 

Parker Fennelly is a standout .as 
the taciturn Vermont handyman 
who is bullied into marrying the 
companion-intruder. He’s made a 
radio, tv and legit meal ticket of 
the character for years, and he 
doesn’t miss a laugh. But his play- 
ing is so slow, even for him. that 
he tends to bog down the yarn’s 
already-dawdling tempo. Also, the 
script lets him down, as the part 
deteriorates into an on-and-off bit 
in the final act. 

Hay Boyle is acceptable in the 


friend, the local newspaper man 
who is about to move into the 
house at the final curtain, while 
she occupies the hallow'ed south- 
west wing. As his wife, Jean Gil- 
lespie is cast as a straight ingenue 
and plays it that way. hardly sug- 
gesting the maturity or ability 
to run a New York ad agency or 
negotiate a deal to sell it. Frank 
Tweddell and Frieda Allman are 
satisfactory in the two remaining 
bit parts. 

Ralph Alswing’s single setting is 
a roomy and realistically livable 
Vermont kitchen, including a prop 
wood-burning stove and a tea ket- 
tle that really steams. Paul Mc- 
Guire has provided appropriate 
costumes. But although novelist 
Walker and dramatist Holm have 
supplied a moderately beguiling 
script. “Southwest Corner” emerges 
as an unsatisfying show. Hobc. 


Shows Abroad 


Inside Stuff-Legit 


The Sight oof Th«* Ball 

London, Jan. 13. 

Stephen Mitchell in association with 
Ethel Linder Reiner* production of 
drama in three acts, by Michael Burn. 
Stars Gladys Cooper, Wendy Hiller. Rob- 
ert Harris. Tony Britton. Direction Joseph 
Losey; scenery. Loudon Sainthill. At New 
Theatre. London, Jan. 12. '55; $2.20 top. 

Sir Richard Alleyn Robert Harris 

Helen Eliot Jill Bjnnett 

Preston Gordon PnUlott 

Electrician Barry Foster 

Vom Skeffinxton Tom Macaulay 

Nell Skeffington Gladys Boot 

Ladv Yarmouth Gladys Cooper 

Toby Carter Brian Oulton 

Margaret 'i’ollemache Wendy Hiller 

Julian Lovell Tony Britton 

Venelia Yvonne Savage 

Anne Thelma Holt 

Peter Terence Brook 

Sidney Willis Edward Mulhare 

Luigi Manfred Felix 

Other Guests Margaret Fry. 

Richard Negus 


Th«* WiMforia Trwn 

N.Y. City Center Theatre Co. presenta- 
tion of drama in three acts (four scenes*, 
by Joshua Logan, based on Chekhov's 
"Cherry Orchard." Star* Helen Haves; 
features Ella Raines Walter Matthau. 
Bremwell Fletcher. Will Geer. Lois Smith, 
Cliff Robertson. Direction. John Stix: 
Scenery. Herbert Cahagan; rostume*. 
Lucinda Ballard; lighting. Feder; music 
arrangements. Max Marlin. At City Cen- 
ter. N.Y., Feb. 2,’55: $.1.60 top. 

Dolly May Frances Foster 

Martha . Ella Raines 

Henry Arthur Henry.... Maurice Ellis 

Yancy Walter Matthau 

Scott Alonzo Bosan 

Lucy Andree Ransdell Helen Hayes 

Antoinette Lois Smith 

Cassie Evelyn Davis 

Gavin Leon Andree Bramwell Fletcher 

Bowman Witherspoon Will Geer 

Jacques Ossie Davis 

^et.er Whitfield Cliff Robertson 

Little Miss Lucy Jonelle Allen 

Grade H* ook Seawell 

Frankie Christopher Snell 

Child Patty Burke 

Other*; Linda Berlin. Jarmila Daubek. 
David Eliot. Keith Kirbv. Alison Landor, 
Lily Lodge. Warren Oates. Jackson Young. 
Philip Dean and Hilda Haynes. 


Joshua Logan’s idea of a Chek- 
hov "Cherry Orchard” transplant- 
ed to the post-bellum U. S. South 
is an interesting, if not completely 
successful one. As it had on its 
original Broadway showing five 
years ago, the drama has a good 
deal of charm and appeal. Played 
a little more broadly this time, it 
also seems more acceptable, even 
though it still retains the incom- 
plete, indecisive, footloose quality 
of the original. 

The old South may not be old 
Russia, but Logan's transferal has 
validity, even if the switch to a 
decaying South and dying aristoc- 
racy isn’t completely convincing. 
This is a mood piece. In writing 
and characterization, the drama is 
somewhat diffuse. But “Wisteria 
Trees” is a good evening in the 
theatre, as cast and presented here, 
and at a $3.60 top, is a real bar- 
gain. 

Helen Hayes, repeating the lead 
she did in the Broadway version, 
gives a luminous performance as 
a weak-willed Southern lady un- 
able to do anything about the im- 
poverished plantation, but more 
weakly unable to break clean from 
a wastrel calling her back to Paris. 
Such scenes as her description of 
her spineless men and her pur- 
poseless career, or her perform- 
ance with the children at a party 
directly after the sale of the an- 
cestral home has been announced, 
are top theatre. 

Ella Raines, in her Broadway 
stage debut, has a relatively small 
role as the poor relation, hut plays 
it intelligently and poignantly. 
She’s also lovely to look at. Wal- 
ter Matthau is properly crude as 
the poor upstart grown to wealth, 
and Bramwell Fletcher is convinc- 
ing as the weak-willed plantation 
co-owner. 

Will Geer, as a family friend; 
Lois Smith, as Miss Hayes’ inde- 
pendent young daughter, and Cliff 
Robertson, as the new-generation 
Southern gentleman, are quite 
good. Meatiest of the supporting 
roles come from three Negroes 
who were in the original produc- 
tion. especially from Ossie Davis, 
ns the saucy servitor gone Paris. 
Other two are the veteran Alonzo 
Bosan, and Maurice Ellis. Frances 
Foster is charming, too. as a maid. 
John Stix’s direction is true. Lu- 
cinda Ballard's costumes appealing 
and Herbert Gahagan’s set nuusu- 
ally attractive. Broru 


Heads Youngstown Grips 

Youngstown, Feb. 8. 
George A. Amreihn has been re- 
elected for a fifth term as presi- 
dent and business agent of Local 
70. International Alliance of The- 
atrical Stage Employes, at Youngs- 
town. 

Other officers are William Harris, 
vice president; John B. Campbell, 
treasurer; Jack Summers, secre- 

r - , tary. and Frank Prendergast, ser- 

atraight-away role of the old lady’s ' geant-at-arnis. 


Although “The Night of the 
Ball” has reportedly been substan- 
tially doctored during its recent 
tryout tour, it is still frail theatre. 
The play is not without merit, but 
takes too long to get to the point, 
and even then it is of little mom- 
ent. The production, however, is 
saved by impressive staging and an 
excellent cast of name performers. 
The strong marquee may get it by 
for a fair run. 

Stephen Mitchell, presenting 
this new play by Michael Burn, is 
offering a glittering cast in the 
hope of overcoming the weaknesses 
of the script. In some measure it 
comes off, but even the expert per- 
formers cannot disguise the slow’, 
painstaking first act which achieves 
very little storywise, but merely 
identifies the principal characters. 

The plot itself boils down to 
whether Wendy-Hiller, an attrac- 
tive widow, will marry the staid 
and stolid Robert Harris, or will 
she return to Tony Britton, the 
man who was her lover after the 
war and who fathered her child 
whilst her husband was still alive. 
This commonplace yarn, with its 
side issues, takes place on the night 
when Harris is giving a lush and 
extravagant ball as a remainder of 
the good old days. 

The setting is appropriately ex- 
pensive and imaginative, and the 
costumes provide the requisite 
note of splendor. Throughout the 
play there is an undercurrent re- 
flecting the changing times and the 
aspirations of youth in the postwar 
world in contrast to the diehard 
attitude of the older generation. 

Although she has star billing, 
Gladys Cooper has an almost nega- 
tive role, but she delights simply 
by parading her elegance. Wendy 
Hiller, obviously nervous, succeeds 
in radiating a deal of charm, 
while Jill Bennett scores as the 
younger, unsuccessful rival for 
Britton’s affections. Britton gives a 
warm performance and the other 
principal male parts are capably 
handled by Harris, Brian Oulton 
and Tom Macaulay. Joseph 
Losey’s direction is lively and 
smooth. * Myro. 


Tam O'Slianler's Tryst 

Glasgow, Jan. 25. 

Citizens* Theatre of Glasgow produc- 

tion of comedy with music, by Alexander 
Scott. Staging. Heath Joyce; scenery. 
.Edward Gage; flying effects. Eugene's 
Flying Ballet; music arrangement*. Eric 
Stapleton; dances. Jean MacLellan. At 
Citizens’ (Princess's* Theatre, Glasgow, 
Jan. 17, '55; 90c. top. . 

Beadle Mackenzie Rohertson 

The Deil Andrew Keir 

Tam O'Shanter Paul Curran 

Souter Johnnie Fulton Mackay 

Nannie Ann Gudrun 

Rate Enid Hewit 

Landlady Molly Urquhart 

Landlord John Grieve 

Others: Dorothy Hood, Jill Nicholls. 
John Grieve. Margaret Craig. Eleanor 
Greer, Nan Hosie. iris McEwan, Jean 
Mackie. Yvonne Miller, Ray Brown, Alex. 
McAvoy, Roy Wilkie. 


Ambitious musical play staged 
by the leading Scot legit group 
proves patchy and overlong effort, 
and only modestly entertaining. It 
is based upon Robert Burns’ poem 
“Tam O’Shanter.” Story deals with 
Tam’s experiences when he goes 
home late after carousing in the 
local market town, and meets 
witches and warlocks in a country 
churchyard. 

His fright on coming through 
the ghost-infested churchyard* at 
midnight takes up most of second 
act, the best of the three. Author, 
a university lecturer, has inter- 
spersed his dialogue with Scot 
tunes and revised the original 
Burns tale, adding his own inter- 
pretation in the third act, when 
Tam reaches his angry spouse. 

Paul Curran is suitably drunken 
and femme-loving as the romantic 
yokel, Tam. and Fulton Mackay 
does well as his friend. Andrew 
Keir is strong as the fiery Satan, 
while seductive thesping comes 
from redhead actress Ann Gudrun 
as a glamorous kirkyard ghost. 
Timothy Heath Joyce’s staging is 
adequate, although stage mechanics 
were faulty at the preem. Show’ is 
in for four weeks. Cord. 


John Shubert has reportedly gotten Morry Efron off the hook on 
the latter’s flop twofer production, “Models in Season.” Written and 
produced by Efron, show had a one-w-eek run at the Majestic Theatre, 
Boston, beginning last Dec. 25. Show was financed at $20,000, but 
production costs are said to have run beyond the capitalization, with 
Efron going out on the limb for the additional coin. 

Efron had exited his job as manager of the Longacre Theatre, N. Y., 
a Shubert house, to concentrate on the production. After show folded, 
he reportedly contacted Shubert, who gave him back his position at 
the Longacre and also is understood to have written off the debts 
stemming from the production. 


Published edition of “The Tender Trap,” just issued by Random 
House, represents a precedental milestone for legit stage managers. 
Volume contains the following credit line beneath the cast list of the 
Broadway production, “Stage managed by Robert Downing and Peter 
Turgeon.” Mention, approved by the comedy’s authors, Max Shulman 
and Robert Paul Smith, is a victory for Downing, who has campaigned 
for years for stage manager credit in published play texts, yearbook 
editors, etc. Incidentally, Downing staged the current touring ver- 
sion of “Trap,” costarring Kent Smith, K. T. Stevens and Russell Nype. 


Although “Plain and Fancy" is the biggest hit the Mark Hellinger 
Theatre, N. Y„ has had since Anthony B. Farrell acquired the house, 
the musical will shift to the Winter Garden in a few weeks to make 
way for the incoming “Ankles Aweigh.” Latter show, in which Farrell 
has a financial stake, was previously booked for the Hellinger and is 
scheduled to open April 14. “Plain and Fancy” was an interim book- 
ing for the Hellinger, pending the availability of the Winter Garden, 
where the musical “Peter Pan” is playing a limited engagement end- 
ing Feb. 26. 

% 

N.Y. Times weekday neighborhood ad rates remain at $1.03 and 
were not hiked to $1.05, although other rates were boosted as reported 
in Variety last week. Last previous increase was in March of last year. 


Legit Bits 


Bella Spewack. who apparently 
never wavered in her belief in fiers 
and author-husband Sam Spewack’s 
“Festival,” tried to persuade the 
N. Y. City Center and the Phoenix 
Theatre managements, among oth- 
ers, to take over the comedy and 
thereby forestall its closing Satur- 
day night (5). No dice, however, 
and the Walter Fried production 
folded as scheduled . . . Add quotes; 
Richard Watts Jr., drama critic of 
the N. Y. Post, in a “Random 
Notes on This and That” column 
last week, “It strikes me that Wil- 
liam Randolph Hearst Jr.’s expla- 
nation about his journey to Russia 
being ‘purely journalistic’ was 
somewhat unnecessary. I. for one, 
never thought he was defecting.” 

Robert Whitehead is contemplat- 
ing a series of Sunday night per- 
formances of two one-act plays, in- 
cluding “A Memory of Two Mon- 
days,” by Arthur Miller, and per- 
haps a Tennessee Williams script, 
at the Bijou or Belasco, N. Y., 
starting in April, with Martin Ritt 
as stager . . . Irving Cooper and 
Del Hughes plan a fall Broadway 
production of Sigmund Miller’s 
“An Ancient Instinct” . . . Robert 
Thom, whose “Minotaur” is under 
option to Franchot Tone and The- 
odore Mann, also has a script called 
“Tiger Spring” under option to the 
Theatre Guild, and has authored a 
new one “Sailing to* Byzantium.” 

“A Natural Son,” by David 
Shaber, will be presented March 
3-5 by the Catawba College thea- 
tre. Salisbury, N. C. . . . D’Oyly 
Carte Opera Co. will open the 
Central City (Col.) summer festival 
July 2-20 with its Gilbert & Sulli- 
van repertory, then tour the U. S. 
and Canada . . . David Poleri, who 
exited the tenor lead in “Saint of 
Bleecker Street” last week for 
a plane trip to Italy to see his 
wife returned to New York. Mon- 
day (7), and will resume his role 
in the Gian-Carlo Menotti op- 
era next Monday (14). It was Poleri, 
incidentally, who walked off the 
stage in Chicago last year just be- 
fore he was supposed to stab Car- 
men in a performance of the Bizet 
opera. 

Tyrone Power, hospitalized in 
New York with hepatitis (a form 
of jaundice), causing postpone- 
ment of the scheduled Broadway 
opening this week of "Dark Is 
Light Enough,” in which he co- 
stars with Katharine Cornell . . . 
Touring company of “Tender 
Trap” was directed by Robert 
Downing and not Robert Brown- 
ing as erratumed in last week’s 
Variety followup review of the 
play . . . Louis A. Lotito, City 
Playhouse, N. Y., taking a three- 
week vacation in Boca Raton, Fla. 

Donald Duncan, formerly with 
Bennett & Pleasant, has gone into 
indie public relations on his own 
in New York . . . The Lambs’ Win- 
ter Gambol, titled “Lamb-Scapes,” 
will be held Feb. 27 . . . Edward 
F. Kook president of Century 
Lighting, tv commentator- legit 
producer Kenneth Banghart are 
among the new candidates for 
membership in The Lambs. 

Construction of the American 
Shakespeare Festival Theatre & 
Academy, at Stratford, Conn., got 
underway last week, with comple- 
tion aimed for next summer . . . 
I British playwright Terence Ratti- 
1 gan arrived in New York last week 


aboard the Andre Doria . . . Pub- 
licist Gunther Lawrence engaged 
to Mae Hoenif . . . Stanley Gilkey 
has optioned Joe Masteroff’s “Lex- 
ington Avenue Entrance” for pro- 
duction next spring . . . Lyn Car- 
ter has optioned Marjorie Ralston 
Metz’s “Again and Again” for fall 
production. 

Violla Rubber and Alan Robin- 
son have formed Globe Interna- 
tional Productions to do two plays 
Anne Walters’ “One Sign of 
Spring.” skedded for London pres- 
entation, and Theodore Hirsch and 
Jeanette Patton’s “Day After To- 
morrow,” which was a recent out- 
of-town fold under its original 
title, “Put Them All Together.” 

Actor Robert Penn planning a 
musical tent operation next sum- 
mer at Somers in northern West- 
chester County, N. Y. ... Ben 
Kornzweig has taken over as press- 
agent for the off-Broadu’av 
Phoenix Theatre ... A series of 
Monday evening performances 
tagged “Three By Thurber” will 
be presented by St. John Terrell 
at the off-Broadway Theatre de 
Lys beginning Feb. 28. Program 
will comprise adaptations by Paul 
Ellwood and Terrell of Thurber’s 
Mr. & Mrs. Monroe” stories. 

Robert E. Lubeck is the new 
critic and amusement department 
head of the Detroit News, while 
Russell McLauchlin, retired from 
that sheet, has completed a play, 
which he plans to pitch at Broad- 
way producers . . . Michael Hie- 
gins appearing at the 92d St. 
• N.Y.) YMHA today (Wed.) and 
tomorrow (Thurs.) in a dramatic 
reading of “Moby Dick.” 

With Yul Brynner out last week 
with a strained ligament in his 
shoulder, understudy Leonard 
Graves took over the part in the 
touring “King and I,” currently at 
the Shubert, Chicago . . . Chester 
Morris and Joseph Buloff, costars 
of “Fifth Season” at Chicago’s Er- 
langer, sooke on “Brotherhood in 
the Theatre” at the Covenant Club 
last Friday (4) . . . Alan Fishburn 
is staging Chicago Equity Library 
Theatre’s “Love Me. Long” pro- 
duction Feb. 17, 19, 20 at Eleventh 
St. Theatre . . . Diane Florey sub- 
bing this’ week for vacationing 
Joan Gray in “On Men, Oh 
Women” tourer now at the Harris 
in Chicago. 

AI Jones is general and com- 
pany manager of “Plain and 
Fancy,” with Bill Doll as press- 
agent, Robert Ullman and Merle 
Debusky, assistants; John Cornel), 
production stage manager; Edward 
Sturm, stage manager; Alan North, 
assistant, and Edward Blum, as- 
sistant to the producers ... Maw by 
Green, co-adaptor of the touring 
“Pajama Tops.” is the Broadway 
correspondent for the British legii- 
opera illustrated mag, Theatre 
World. 

Caravan Theatre, strawhat group 
from Dorset. Vt., will perform 
aboard the Homeric, new Home 
Lines flagship, for 10 weeks be- 
ginning Feb. 11. 


COULOURIS' BRITISH SHOW 

Former Broadway and Holly- 
wood actor George Coulouris is 
playing the lead in “The Ghost 
Writers.” by Tel Allan, opening 

Ilir.J i tk. A rl .• f nil- 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 


67 


Road Biz Boom Is Still Booming; 
Teahouse/ Pajama Game* Hypos 


The road boom is continuing, f 
Recent addition of road companies ’ 
of “Teahouse of the August Moon" 
and “Pajama Game” to the touring 
roster is hypoing the overall gross 
take. Former entry has been set- 
ting out-of-town b.o. records, while 
the latter production played to 
virtual capacity in its preem frame 
at the Shubert Theatre, New 
Haven, last week and is piling up 
huge advances for its coming dates. 

Road edition of “Tea and Sym- 
pathy” continues to hit new b.o. 
highs, wuth the trio of shows put- 
ting the kibosh on the normal 
seasonal wail that the hinterlands 
aren’t buying legit. Parent com- 
panies of all three entries are cur- 
rent on Broadway, with “Teahouse” 
and “Game” sellouts. “Tea” is 
playing to a moderate profit, after 
a lengthy run at capacity. 

New York company of “Caine 
Mutiny Court Martial,” which took 
to the road last week, did strong 
biz in its initial stanza at the 
Blackstone Theatre, Chicago. Na- 
tional company of the play has 
been touring for several months, 
pulling in generally sock grosses. 

Road companies of “Fifth Sea- 
son” and “Oh Men, Oh Women” 
have been doing moderately well 
in extended Chicago stands. For- 
mer* show' is* current at the 
Erlanger. while latter is at the 
Harris. Both entries started their 
treks late last season and so far 
have only played Chicago. Another 
new road entry, “Tender Trap” 
has been playing to fair business 
since the start of its tour late last 
month. 

A surprise money-maker is the 
twofer production of “Pajama 
Tops.” Only other two-for-one 
that’s held up this season is “Moon 
Is Blue.” 

A touring production of “Guys 
and Dolls," sent out recently by 
Manny Davis, has been pulling in 
satisfactory grosses. Continuing to 
draw ticket-buyers are the Rodgers 
Si Hammerstein musicals, “King 
and I” and “South Pacific” and the 
second troupe of “Seven Year 
Itch.” 

Also attesting to the road boom 
are the hefty receipts garnered 
this season by a number of pre- 
Broadway tryouts, notably the 
walloping “Dark Is Light Enough.” 


4 S.P.’ & Cole Porter Top 
K.C. Starlight Schedule 

Kansas City, Feb. 8. 
Highlights of the schedule next 
summer of the Starlight Theatre 
will be Rodgers Si Hammerstein’s 
South Pacific” and a festival of 
Cole Porter music. 

The lineup of shows w as revealed 
last week by Henry J. Messman Sr., 
association president, and Richard 
Berger, production director. Latter 
is now in New York signing play- 
ers. The Cole Porter program wilj 
include his current songs, such as 
from "Can Can,” as well as from 
his old favorites, and will be a full- 
fledged production with special sets 
and ballet numbers, but without 
libretto. 

The full schedule will comprise 
“Naughty Marietta,” June 20; “Me 
and Juliet,” June 27; “Babes in 
Toyland,” July 4; “Guys and Dolls,” 
July 11; Cole Porter program, July 
18; “Finian’s Rainbow,” July 25; 
“Bittersweet,” Aug. 1; “Brigadoon," 
Aug. 8; “Wonderful Town,” Aug. 
15, and “South Pacific,” Aug. 22 for 
two weeks. 


Rehearsal Overtime 

Chicago, Feb. 8. 

Author - director Edward 
Chodorov, in town last week to 
check up the performance of 
his “Oh Men, Oh Women,” 
called a company confab after 
the show to go over his notes. 
Ralph Bellamy, star of the 
comedy, figured the confab 
would last only a few minutes, 
and had a cab waiting at the 
stagedoor. 

When he finally got out at 
1:30 a.m., there was $8.85 on 
the meter. 


Checker Game of Master-Minding 
As Theatre Shortage Continues 


-4 By HOBE MORRISON 

Broadway’s theatre shortage, 
which theoretically should have 
Gets House, Preems Play eased several weeks ago, is still 

i That’s evident not only 


B’m’gham Little Theatre 


SiUman Fails in Bid 
To Upset Arbitration 
Award for Fired Actor 

Producer Leonard Sillman lost 
last week in an attempt to obtain 
a court reversal of an adverse ar- 
bitration award. As producer of 
“Mrs. Patterson," he had refused 
to comply with an arbitration deci- 
sion upholding actor Alonzo Bo- 
san’s right to collect his contract 
salary during the current Broad- 
way run of that play. 

The producer brought the case 
to the N. Y. Supreme Court, mov- 
ing that the award be modified or 
vacated. A cross-motion by Actors 
Equity counsel Herman E. Cooper 
that the award be confirmed was 
granted. 

Bosan had been signed to a run- 
of-the-play contract, but was 
dropped from the production prior 
to its Broadway preem. Avon 
Long replaced him. Bosan brought 
his case to Equity and when pre- 
liminary efforts to adjust the 
matter failed, the issue of whether 
Bosan should receive salary under 
his run-of-the-play contract was 
turned over to an arbitration board 
comprising playwright-director El 
me^ Rice, actor-producer John S. 
Kennedy and Richard Carroll, who 
decided in favor of th£ actor. Last 
week’s court ruling found “insuf- 
ficient reason . . . for judicial in 
tervention with the arbitrator’s 
award.” 

Bosan 'is currently appearing in 
the N. y* City Center production of 
“Wisteria Trees,” which w'inds up 
a limited fortnight’s stand next 
Sunday (13). “Mrs. Patterson," with 
Eartha Kitt starring, ends it Broad- 
way run Feb. 2j5, after 13 weeks at 
the National Theatre. It is skedded 
to tour. 

It is unusual for a participant in 
an arbitration caA; to refuse to 
abide by the arbiters’ decision, and 
even more unusual for a court to 
l| P$et an arbitration award. 


Patterson Runs 

$35,000 Deficit 

“Mrs. Patterson,” which is due 
to close Feb. 26 at the National, 
N. Y., represents a deficit of about 
$35,000,8$ of last week. Although 
the Leonard Sillman production 
made a substantial operating profit 
during its first five weeks on 
Broadway, grosses in the last few 
weeks have slipped to around the 
break-even point, with apparent 
losses on some stanzas. 

As of the Jan. 1 accountant’s 
statement, the Eartha Kitt starrer 
needed $32,046 to recoup on its 
$75,000 investment. The backers 
had been repaid 20%. With declin- 
ing receipts, the show may take a 
loss on its remaining weeks, be- 
sides having pre-touring and clos- 
ing expenses. With theatre party 
bookings used up, there’s little 
prospect of a boxoffice upturn. 

An unusual angle to the produc- 
tion’s operating setup, as disclosed 
in the accounting, is that co-au- 
thors Charles Sebree and Greer 
Johnson share a flat 5% of the 
gross royalty under a special agree- 
ment with Sillman. Standard mini- 
mum royalties under the Dramatist 
Guild basis contract are 5% of the 
first $5,000 fcross, 714% of the 
next $2,000 and 10% on the bal- 
ance, but established authors gen- 
erally get a straight 10% and, in 
some instances, an additional share 
of the profits. 

Sillman gets VM of the gross 
as producer, the accounting re- 
veals. 


Teahouse* Profit 
Reaches $439,382; 
Nets 8G Weekly 

Backers of the New York pro- 
duction of “Teahouse of the Au- 
gust Moon” are sharing in about 
$8,000 weekly profit. Figure in- 
cludes coin from the Broadway, 
road, London and other foreign 
productions of the play. 

Total profit from operations of 
the Broadway presentation as of 
Jan. 29 was $349,618. Miscellane- 
ous Income, including remunera- 
tion from other productions and 
the film sale to Metro, accounted 
for .another $89,764, bringing ,the4 
total net profit to $439,382 on the 
$100,000 investment. 

Weekly profit on the N. Y. pro- 
duction, sponsored by Maurice 
Evans and George Schaefer, is 
averaging about $6,200, while the 
25% share of the returns from 
the Howard Lindsay-Russel Crouse 
touring company, separately 
financed at $65,000, has been run- 
ning about $1,500 a week. Approxi- 
mately $200 a week is coming in 
from the West End edition, spon- 
sored by Williamson Music Ltd. 
and Prince Littler, with other for- 
eign presentations and incidental 
revenue responsible for about $100 
per w r eek more. 

Currently in its 70th week at the 
Martin Beck Theatre, N. Y., the 
John Patrick adaptation of Vein 
Sneider’s novel has been playing 
to the standee limit since its open- 
ing Oct. 15, 1953. Gross for the 
four weeks ending' Jan. 29 was 
$136,139. Profit for that period was 
$24,727. 

David Wayne and John Forsythe 
costar in the Broadway production, 
with Eli Wallach, who starred in 
the London production, due to suc- 
ceed Wayne next Monday (14). 
Burgess Meredith and Scott Mc- 
Kay costar in the touring version. 
Both appeared in the Broadw’ay 
production last summer while 
Wayne and Forsythe vacationed. 


Birmingham. Feb. 8. 

Birmingham’s Little Theatre, a 
church of the Latter Day Saints 
since World War II, has been pur- 
chased for $35,000 as a gift for the 
U. of Alabama. It will house the 
premiere of a new play, “Candles 


severe. 

from the dearth of available houses 
but also from the checker game of 
booking still in progress. 

Even more than usual at this 
period of the year, there aren’t 
enough theatres to accommodate 


Mi ViiMVt v n iiv n mimj , i l* a « .ill 

in the Canebreak,” by Lulle Hard i a * ,he ™ rr ? nt and scheduled 


McKinley, starting Feb. 14. 

Drama about Napoleon’s generals 
who founded the Vine and Olive 
Colony at Demopolis, Ala., in the 
1800’s, won first prize in a state- 
wide script contest as part of the 
current Birmingham Arts Festival. 
Town & Gown Civic Theatre, under 
direction of James Hatcher. 

Theatre, given by the Powell No- 
land family, will be supervised by 
the Birmingham Extension Division 
of the university and will provide 
an outlet for college productions in 
Birmingham. 


B’WAY DUCATS AS BAIT 
FOR CONN. MUSIC TENT 

New Haven, Feb. 8. 

Variation of the old wheeze 
about the merchant who lassoed 
potential customers as th(*y walked 
past his store is being used by 
Ben Segal, Carlson Spear and Bob 
Hall, producers of the Oakdale 
Musical Theatre in nearby Walling- 
ford, Conn. 

Management has opened an office 
in New Haven, calling it the Oak- 
dale Show Shop, and as a come-on 
for business, offers ticket agency 
service for Broadway shows. On 
the theory that a New York patron 
is natural game for summer musi- 
cals. the trio make a pitch for 
theatre parties Jor next summer’s 
lineup at the Oakdale tent. Thus 
far, the procedure seems to be 
working. 

Team has lined up 14 weeks for 
this year, with “Guys and Dolls” 
as the opener June 3. Early cam- 
paign is being waged to sign fac- 
tories, offices, etc., for buy-out per- 
formances or block sales. A new 
wrinkle is pushing the sale of gift 
certificates for tickets. 

Spot will Introduce a new side- 
line this year, offering musical 
training in a 10-week course under 
the supervision of Bernard Barrow, 
former director of drama at Lin- 
performer - technician phases of 
coin U. 


EQUITY BOOSTS SCALE 
FOR §T0CK REHEARSAL 

Actors Equity revised its stock 
contract last week. At least one 
major change is expected to bring 
a howl from strawh^t managers. 

Topping the new rules is a hike 
in rehearsal pay from $40 to $55 
per week. This item had previously 
been tagged rehearsal expense 
money. Overtime rehearsal pay has 
also been raised from $1 an hour 
to $3 an hour. Only other major 
revision requires barn operators to 
pitch in $1.50 a week to Equity's 
Welfare Fund for each actor em 
ployed. 

Last year Equity raised the job- 
bing minimum from $55 to $75, 
and also boosted rehearsal coin on 
jobbing contracts to $40. Another 
move last year was the upping of 
the minimum wage for chorus em- 
ployees in musical stock companies 
to $60. Those changes drew i 
sharp protest from the Stock Man 
agers Assn., but Equity refused to 
make any alterations. 


Success at Last 

Duluth, Feb. 8. 

“South Pacific” is still a hot 
ticket. A local resident’s home 
was burglarized last week, and 
four tickets to the Rodgers & 
Hammerstein musical were 
among the items stolen. 

Ducats were for the touring 
production, which plays a two- 
day stand Feb. 19-20 at the 
Duluth Theatre. 


Selden-Gottlieb 
Ready Musical 

An intimate musical, “Happily 
Ever After,” with a light comedy 
continuity line by Joseph Stein 
and Will Glickfnan, tunes by David 
Mann and lyrics by Robert Hil- 
liard, is planned for Broad\va> 
production this spring by Albert 
Selden and Morton Gottlieb. Major 
stars are being sought to portray 
the singing-dancing roles of a sub- 
urban couple, with cast numbering 
14. 

Morton Da Costa, who directed 


shows. That, of course, means that 
there’s plenty of maneuvering, 
manipulating and intrigue involved 
in the tussle for the more desir- 
able houses. 

Managements of upcoming shows 
without firm contracts- for theatres 
tend to be frantic, while those w ith 
“pencilled” commitments or cur- 
rent shows under or near the stop- 
limit are nervous, and those with 
current strong grossers are con- 
fident but wary. Subject to some 
variation, a similar situation exists 
on the road. 

As an instance of how a booking 
sleight-of-hand can work, take last 
w r eek’s quick-shift of “Bus Stop” 
into the Music Box, N. Y., for a 
March 2 opening, with “Three For 
Tonight” shifted to the Plymouth 
for a March 31 preem. That leaves 
“Grand Prize,” current at the 
Plymouth but under the stop-limit, 
without a definite location. 

However. Shepard Traube, pro- 
ducer of “Grand Prize,” says he’s 
been promised the Longacre when 
he has to vacate the Plymouth. 
That, in turn, would mean that 
“Tea and Sympathy,” which has 
just pushed “Festival” out of the 
Longacre after being ousted from 
the Barrymore to make way for 
“Desperate Hours,” WMild get the 
boot again. All of which indicates 
more checker game master-minding 
in the w-orks. 

“Quadrille,” playing to strong 


Plain and Fancy,” for which Stein 

and Glickman supplied the book. I bus Sess ^ the^Coronet" is° nre- 
will eta ot> “Hannilv F.ver Aftpr ” I ou ‘ sln «* ss al ine L-Oronei, IS pi C 

sumably approaching the end of its 


will stage “Happily Ever After, 
with Charles Elson providing the 
scenery. The show is slated to go 
into rehearsal in mid-March, open 
a tryout tour in late April and 
premiere on Broadway toward the 
end of May. 

Selden & Gottlieb are financing 
the venture at $150,000, with pro- 
vision for 20% overcall. It’s budg- 
eted to break even at about $22,000. 


SEEKS OLD VIC NAMES 
FOR L A. PRODUCTIONS 

London, Feb. 8. 

Negotiations to import top Brit- 
ish actors to the Coast w-ere 
initiated by James A. Doolittle, 
operator of the Greek open-air 
theatre, Los Angeles, during a 
visit to London last week. His 
week's stay was the final leg of 
a European tour which had started 
in Naples a couple of months 
earlier. 

During an intensive round of 
theatregoing here, the Coast op- 
erator w r as mainly impressed with 
the standard of Shakespearean pro- 
duction at the Old Vic. He hopes 
to import some of the top artists 
for engagements at his theatre in 
classical plays, in which they 
would be surrounded by casts re- 
cruited locally. 

Doolittle has been confabbing 
here with Sol Hurok who has al- 
ready established a direct link 
with the Old Vic. He has also 
been talking a deal with Frederick 
Lloyd in regard to the proposed 
D’Oyly Carte tour of America next 
summer. He wants the L. A. rights 
for ths presentation, which would 
probably take place at the Bilt- 
more Theatre. 

Although Doolittle was on his 
first European swing, he has de- 
cided to make the trek annually 
and has already booked his pas- 
sage for next year. One of his 
projects is to use London as a 
tryout centre, taking advantage of 
the lower production costs here. 

Doolittle was due in New- York 
over the weekend and will spend 
a week there prior to returning to 
the Coast. 


run, since the $300, 000-odd 
(Continued on page 70) 


ad- 


Hayes to Do ’McThing’ 

In Palm Beach Stock; 
Pat O’Brien for ‘Page’ 

Helen Hayes, who keeps insist- 
ing to friends that she’s deter- 
mined to take a sabbatical, has 
agreed to star in a revival of "Mrs. 
McThing” at the Palm Beach Play- 
house the week of March 14. She 
appeared in the .Mary Chase fan- 
tasy on Broadway three seasons 
ago. Jennie Hecht, daughter of 
Ben Hecht, will play the witch’s 
daughter, enacted in New York 
by Lydia Reed. 

Miss Hayes and her husband, 
Charles MacArthur, are due at the 
Florida resort the last week in 
February, so the playwright may 
supervise rehearsals of his and 
Hecht’s comedy-melodrama, “The 
Front Page,” to be presented at 
the Playhouse the week of March 
7, with Pat O’Brien as star. Eva 
Gabor will guest the preceding 
week, starting Feb. 28, in “Her 
Cardboard Lover.” 

Miss Hayes, starring in a revival 
of “Wisteria Trees” as the current 
and final offering of the winter 
drama season at the N. Y. City 
Center, was persuaded to interrupt 
a “sabbatical" last summer for a 
“Helen Hayes Festival” of four 
successive weekly revivals at the 
Falmouth Playhouse, Connames- 
sett. Mass. Following that, she ap- 
peared in one of the shows, "What 
Every Woman Knows,” for a Coast 
tour and then for two weeks to 
open the City Center season. 

She’s been making television and 
radio appearances recently be- 
tween Jegit engagements. 


4 * J * 


A • i 




i I 


Savoyards Play Coast 

Hollywood, Feb. 8. 

American Savoyards will play a 
three-month stand at the as Palmas 
Thoatre here opening Feb. 8. 

Theodore R. Joy, new owner of 
the house, set the deal with Doro- 
thy Raedler, producer-director of 
the Gilbert Si Sullivan repertory 
company. 


e i 


‘Chimney’ Stacks Up O.K. 
In Edinbnrgh Breakin 

Edinburgh, Feb. 8. 

“The Moon and the Chimney,” 
comedy by Ladislas Foder, 
preemed last week at Lyceum 
Theatre here to good notices. Play 
is set in a Paris studio, and stars 
Joan Greenwood in the unusual 
role of a reincarnated cat. Eileen 
Peel plays an American w’omafi 
editor, and U. S. actor David 
Knight, portrays an American 
writer. 

Play is on tryout tour prior to 
London opening. 


t • 


t i » i 


* » I 



68 


LEGITIMATE 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


Shows Out of Town 


Tlie Wayward .Saint 

Boston, Jan. 27. 

Courtney Burr 4c John Byrain. with 
Elliott Nugent, production of a comedy- 
faiiUvv in three acta by Paul Vincent 
• Carroll. Star* Paul Lukaa. Liam Redmond. 
Direction. John Ceretad; acenery and 
lighting. Frederick Fox; caetumea. Audre; 
incidental inuaic. Sylvan Levin; dramatic 
pantomime. Betty Luater; production 
supervision. Elliott Nugent. At Colonial. 
Boston. Jan. 27. '55; $4.40 top. 

Canon Daniel McCooey. Liam Redmond 

Bishop of Oriel William Harrlgan 

Miss Killicat Eleanor Wilaon 

Maura Pat Breslin 

Paedar the Puck ... Dennis Patrick 
Baron Nicholas da Balbua Paul Lukaa 

Sabena Betty Luater 

Serena Marsha Reynolds 

Salambo Frederic Warriner 

Martyn McDara Cullen Desmond 

joe Albert Corbin 


“The Wayward Saint” is an er- 
rant play, informed on the one 
side with beguiling charm, on the 
other with utter nonsense. Whether 
the highly competent auspices be- 
hind the play can right it for a 
durable run is. hard to guess, but 
the central character is so delight- 
fully and cogently realized by Liam 
Redmond that he might well cap- 
tivate Broadway all by himself. 

The play, billed as a comedy- 
fantasy, finds Paul Vincent Carroll 
in a familiar mood, perhaps an 
overly familiar mood, as he again 
grapples with sin in the person of 
a humble Irish parish priest, an 
old man of the winning humor and 
perception, about whom has grown 
up a legend of sainthood on earth, 
lie is removed by the bishop to a 
remote parish, and presently 
almost tempted by a disguised 
satanic envoy into the sin of pride, 
but finally is redeemed by the un- 
flagging innocence of a girl of the 
parish. 

It is, in short, an elaborately 
symbolized Irish version of the 
Temptation of St. Anthony. When 
it is right it is exceedingly funny, 
even though the one joke, that of 
a parish priest emitting wordly 
incongruities, is as ancient as the 
type himself. When it goes wrong, 
as it does in most of the fantasy, 
it descends to the preposterous. 
Whether the fantasy itself or the 
way in which it is done is respon- 
sible for the appalling drops into 
absurdity is not easy to say, but it 
is clear that the final claptrap will 
have to go. Moreover, various loose 
ends will have to be tied up. 

Although the performance of 
Liam Redmond leaves virtually 
nothing to be desired, the same 
applies to none of the other play- 
ers. Paul Lucas, having been ill 
for the previous fortnight, was em- 
barrassingly Insecure in his lines 
and business at the opening. Of 
the others at the moment, only 
Dennis Patrick as Paeder the Puck, 
a wraith-like lad befriended by the 
Canon, is wholly in the vein. In- 
deed. his characterization and that 
of William Harrigan as the bishop 
are the only ones that rank with 
that of the Canon’s as having real 
veracity*. 

Whether Eleanor Wilson, in a 
difficult and not always credible 
role, and Pat Breslin, a girl with 
great potential quality, can rise to 
the situation remains to be seen. 
Indeed,, it remains to be seen if 
the playwright, the director and all 
others connected with the literate 
and interesting play can give it the 
proper atmosphere, undisturbed by 
foolish conceits and caperings. 

The single set by Frederick 
Franklin is appropriate to the story 
and ingenious, too, in providing 
for the moments of fantasy. John 
Gerstad’s direction, though far 
from jelled at this point, seems to 
be on the right track. Sylvan Levin, 
meanwhile, has composed atmos- 
pheric music for the transitional 
moments. However, at this stage 
of development, the center of at- 
tention is focussed wholly on the 
superb acting of Liam Redmond, 
who makes the old Canon a really 
memorable theatrical character. 

Elie. 


Woman With lied Hair 

Los Angeles, Feb. 2. 

George Boroff production of drama in 
three acts (five scenes), by Sam Locke 
and Paul Roberts. Features Barbara Brit- 
ton. Carleton Young, Jan Merlin. Direc- 
tion. Robert Wyler. A* Cir*'e Theatre. 
Hollywood. Feb. 1, '55; $3.30 top. 

Kathy Horner Barbara Britton 

Dr. Victor Karleton . . . . Carleton Young 
David Horner Jan Merlin 


“The Woman With Red Hair” 
should keep producer George 
Boroff from getting a grayer thatch 
for the duration of what should be 
a long run at his little Hollywood 
theatre with the central staging. 
With cast of three, this suspense- 
ful. sophisticated psychological 
drama by Sam Locke and Paul 
Roberts is low-budgeted but high- 
powered Furiously paced, it runs 
its gripping course in just 10 min- 
utes under two hours, including 
two intermissions, with each act’s 
fadeout packing increased wallop. 

Commercially, this original script 
about a potential heiress and the 
older doctor with whom she’s liv- 
ing in unwedded bliss is no “Mrs. 


Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch.” So 
it’s no go for the highschools or 
hinterlands. Bt the bigtown thea- 
tregoers are more likely to take 
to it. Filmwise, Locke and Roberts 
probably would have to revise the 
doc’s relationship with the heiress, 
to say nothing of his ditto with her 
mysteriously departed mother. 

Unknown to the doctor, the 
aforementioned bliss flowers under 
the dark cloud of a time-dimmed 
murder — the matricide by the 
couldbe heiress in order to erase 
her mother as a rival for the doc's 
love. Unknown to the murderess, 
the doctor won’t marry her until 
he can make sure, by committing 
her kid brother to a sanitarium, 
that she alone will inherit the fam- 
ily coin. The lad does head for the 
asylum, but not before his expo- 
sure of the doc’s plotting drives 
his sister to kill her lover. 

Robert Wyler, brother of film 
director William, has staged 
“Woman*’ at a gallop pace and with 
what must be an irreducible mini- 
mum of waste motion. Barbara 
Britton, as the heiress, turns in a 
letter-perfect, strictly pro perform- 
ance, but Carleton Young, as the 
doctor, had opening-night difficul- 
ties, as did Jan Merlin as the 
heroine’s brother. Young has some 
fine moments, however, and Mer- 
lin has more. The single set is un- 
obtrusive. but clearly workable. 


(•reon Fiolds 

Los Angeles, Feb. 3. 

Louis Brandt production of Peretz 
Hirshbein'a comedy, translated in English 
bv Louis and Janet Brandt, in three acts. 
Features Than Wyenn, Seemah Wilder. 
Joseph Mell. Janet Brandt. Corey Allen, 
Freddy Lewis. Arno Tanney, Jean Alex- 
ander. Paula Bay. Direction, Brandt; set- 
tings and costumes, Moi Solotaroff. At 
New Playhouse. Loa Angeles. Feb. 2, *53; 
$3.30 top. 

Duvid Noiach Joseph Mell 

Ruchel Janet Brandt 

Tzlna Seemah Wilder 

Hersh Ber Corey Allen 

Avrum Yankev Freddy Lewis 

Alkuneh Arno Tanney 

Gltel Jean Alexander 

Stera Paula Bay 

Lev Yitzchok Than Wyenn 


Louis Brandt opens his New 
Playhouse with a European classic, 
the first folk play presented by 
the Yiddish Art Theatre in New 
York. Local launching marks the 
first time the work has been staged 
done in English, translated by the 
producer and his wife, Janet, al- 
though it has been played in many 
other languages, including Japa- 
nese. 

In its metamorphosis, many of 
the more stilted passages of the 
original have been softened and 
the play emerges into a rustic 
study of Lithuanian country life at 
the turn of the century, when the 
advent of a wandering Talmudic 
scholar changes the life of the 
community. It is strictly sectarian 
in appeal, but should enjoy fair 
success as a novelty. 

Play is given horseshoe presen- 
tation by Brandt, who also directed 
feelingly and with accent on the 
spirit of the Peretz Hirshbein com- 
edy, and a strong cast paints vivid 
impressions of its characters. With 
two exceptions, the company is the 
same as appeared previously in 
Brandt and George Boroff’s '‘Once 
Upon a Tailor.” which played 62 
weeks at the Circle Theatre. 

Than Wyenn as the pious scholar 
who stops over awhile in a peasant 
home to teach the young people 
of the district, gives a sensitive 
portrayal in which he blends com- 
edy values. Seemah Wilder, as the 
daughter of the house who falls 
in love with him and draws him to 
be her betrothed, also is excel- 
lently cast, and Corey Allen and 
Freddy Lewis lend conviction as 
her brothers. Mell and Mrs. Brandt, 
and Arno Tanney and Jean Alex- 
ander as parents of Paula Bay, 
provide loud humor w ith their con- 
stant bickering. 

Moi Solotaroff’s peasant hut set- 
ting is simple but effective, and his 
costumes are appropriate. Whit. 1 


Till* In Your Life, 
Mendel 

Los Angeles, Feb. 2. 

Leo Fuchs production of comedy with 
music, in two acts (five scenes), by I. 
Friedman, translated by Samuel Rudens. 
Stars v uchs; features Betty Frank. Abe 
Lax, Helen Silver, Rick Davis. Tommy 
Baden. Francine Fay, Morris Strassberg. 
Direction (and special material), Fuchs; 
settings, Strassberg. At Civic Playhouse. 
Los Angeles. Feb. 1. *55; $3 top. 

Marian Brown Bcttv Frank 

Jacob Brown Abe Lax 

fieri ie Silver Helen Silver 

Max Silver Rick Davis 

Leo P»own Tommy Batten 

Mendel Kendel Leo Fuchs 

Doris Franrine Fay 

Doctor Morris Strassberg 


Growing tendency of television 
comedians to do takeoffs on other 
tv shows now reaches out to the 
stage, to lend a gimmick to this I 
English translation of the Yiddish, 
comedy which played in New York 
as “The Wedding of Mendel.” 
Device doesn't have much connec- 
tion with the Ralph Edwards pro- 
gram, but the loosely-plotted farce j 


Say It Ain’t So, Joe! 

Chicago. 

Editor, Variety; 

Can’t on# enterprising pro- 
ducer in New York take heart 
and at least send us Joe Flynn 
to enhance and enlighten what 
our critics seem unified in call- 
ing a “drab winter season?” 

Chicago’s waitresses, cham- 
bermaids, bellboys, taxi driv- 
ers and members of the Fourth 
Estate as well, are all saying, 
“We have been without Flynn 
too long.” 

Help! Help! 

Emmett W. Sims. 

P.S.: The rumor foundry has 
Flynn married. If so, that’s 
worth a Page One box. Is it 
true? 


has plenty of amusing moments 
which, with the irrepressible 
clowning of Leo Fuchs, should as- 
sure a successful run. 

Adaptation by Samuel Rudens of 
the original I. Friedman piece, 
given a number of localized jokes 
and a single incident where the 
Edwards format is used, still has 
many rough edges, but Fuchs is 
sufficiently expert to keep it 
rolling. With his asides in Yiddish 
and the dozen or more song num- 
bers. the star demonstrates still 
further his ability to hold an audi- 
ence. 

Fuchs plays a California waiter 
who changes identities with a 
friend who goes, east to meet his 
wealthy grandparents for the first 
time. There is a fortune involved 
for the grandson as a condition of 
marriage. "Your Life” sequence is 
in briefly when the various prin- 
cipals speak offstage about Mendel, 
the star’s role. 

Song highlight is Fuchs’ singing 
“It Ain’t Kosher,” in which he 
enlists audience participation. 
Tommy Batten, as the grandson, 
and Francine Fay, the fiancee, 
click dramatically and vocally, and 
Helen Silver handles comedy 
nicely. Fuchs and Rick Davis wham 
across a comedy song number, and 
Abe Lax and Betty Frank are good 
as the grandparents. Morris Strass- 
berg, who also designed the sets 
of the two-acter, completes the 
cast. Dick Hazard is at the piano. 

Whit. 


Off-B’way Show 


Thieves’ Carnival 

tCHERRY LANE, N. Y.) 

If Jean Anouilh intended any- 
thing profound to inform “Thieves’ 
Carnival” he has cannily kept it a 
secret. His antic, adapted by Lu- 
cienne Hill, is as delicately grace- 
ful as a piece of Dresden and as 
easily shattered if dropped. Luck- 
ily for Proscenium Productions’ 
performance at Cherry Lane Thea- 
tre there isn’t a butter-fingered 
actor in the company. , 

For the first 10 minutes an un- 
comfortable sense prevails that 
coyness will be the keynote. Play- 
wright, director and cast, however, 
work with such subtlety that be- 
fore you can say Jean Anouilh the 
atmosphere is surcharged with 
gaiety. 

Cherry Lane Theatre’s intimacy 
is both asset and liability. Debit- 
wise, a six-foot dancing harlequin, 
however charmingly he play his 
flute, can only seem obvious on 
the postage stamp stage. Contrari- 
wise, it would seem difficult to 
convey the play’s fragility to the 
rear pews of a main stem house. 
“Carnival” is at home in Cherry 
Lane and deserves longevity there. 

To summarize that three droll 
thieves spend a long Vichy week- 
end with a world-weary English 
noblewoman and her family is to 
baldly state plot without revealing 
the play. Only as the titled lady 
comes alive through Gerry Flem- 
ing's soignee performance,* as Wil- 
liam LeMassena, chief thief, tip- 
toes heavily about the premises, as 
Dolores Mann makes loves with 
her junior Bankhead voice to the 
youngest thief, Thomas Carlin, 
does the enchantment become 
vivid. 

Ensemble playing is the com- 
pany's forte. Telling contributions 
to the frolic are Raymond John- 
son’s and Tom Bosley’s sedulous 
father and bumbling son, Frances 
Sternhagen’s blonde ennui as a 
young widow, Bernard Tone’s 
creaking lord. Stuart Vaughan’s 
wig-changing thief and Marie An- 
drew’s arch nursemaid. 

Director Warren Enters reveals 
a sure flair for handling the brit- 
tle, while Don Crawford’s fairytale 
sets rightly accent the play’s arti- 
ficiality. Proscenium Productions 
has put in a strong bid to make 
the Village’s Commerce Street a 
lively thoroughfare. 

Geor. 


Show Finances 


BAB SEED 
(As of Jan. 1. ’55) 

Original investment (includes 15% overcall) $78,000 


Production cost 43,757 

Loss, four-week tryout tour 14,400 

Pre-opening expense 1,850 

Cost to open on B’way 60,018 

Operating profit, first 4 weeks on B'way 29,554 

Unrecouped cost 30,462 

Repaid to backers 26,000 

Balance available for sinking fund 11,358 

Weekly Operating Budget 

Theatre share 30% of gross 

Cast payroll (approx.) 4,650 

Crew 577 

Stage managers 275 

Company & genera? managers 500 

Pressagents ; 9 

Wardrobe 8c dressers 190 

Author royalty 10% 

Director royalty 2% 

Designer royalty 50 

Ad-publicity expense (approx.) 1,000 

Departmental and rentals (approx.) 700 

Boxoffice assistant (approx.) 90 

Office expense 250 

Gross necessary to break even (approx.) 15,500 


(Note; The Playwrights Co. production opened last Dec. 8 at the 
46th Street, N. Y., and recouped its entire investment the week ending 
Jan. 31). 


LUNATICS AND LOVERS 


(As of Jan. 1, ’55) 

Original investment $100,000 

Production cost 58,199 

Loss, 3-week tryout tour 8^083 

Pre-opening expenses 6,051 

Cost to open on B’way 72,333 

Operating profit, first 3 weeks on B’way 29!477 

Unrecouped cost 43,614 

Repaid to backers 25,000 

Balance available 2^297 

Weekly Operating Budget 

Theatre share 25% of gross 

Cast payroll (approx.) 4,960 

Musicians 489 

Production secretary 100 

Crew (approx.) 700 

Stage managers 350 

Company 8c general managers 300 

Pressagent r 275 

Wardrobe 8c dressers (approx.) ' 215 

Author royalty 10% 

Director royalty 2% 

Ad-publicity expense (approx.) 1,200 

Departmental & rentals (approx.) 465 

Boxoffice & mailing staff ...... 92 

Office expense , . 250 

Gross necessary to break even (approx.) 15,600 


(Note: The May Kirshner production opened last Dec. 13 at the 
Broadhurst, N.Y., and recouped its entire investment during its eighth 
week on Broadway, ending last Saturday (5). 


MRS. PATTERSON 
(As of Jan. 1, ’55) 

Original investment - , $75,000 

Production cost .. .. . . ......... . 52 998 

Profit, 10-week tryout tour 8^479 

Preliminary 8c closing expenses, tour [ * ) 10, 400 

Pre-opening expense, B’way 3^312 

Cost to open on B’way * 58 232 

Operating profit for first 5 weeks on B’way 24 180 

Unrecouped cost 32 046 

Returned to backers . -V 15 000 

Balance available 8 644 

Weekly Operating Budget 

Theatre share 30% 0 f gross 

Cast payroll (approx.) at $20,000 gross 4,400 

(Includes 10% of gross to star, Eartha Kitt) 

Production assistant I5Q 

Musicians (approx.) 750 

crew :::::::::::: ::::::: : 

Stage managers 3 qq 

Company manager ’ , ’ ’ oqq 

Pressagents . [ ’ # ' ’ ] ‘ ] ’ ‘ * * * 2 50 

Wardrobe 8c dressers (approx.) irq 

Author royalty 5% 

Director royalty . 3% 

Composer royalty ? c ° 

Designer . 5 

Producer royalty V. V. 7. ' 1 u % 

Ad-publicity (approx.) 1400 

Departmental & rentals (approx.) 350 

Office expense !!!!.!.. 350 

Gross necessary to break even (approx.) 17,000 

*£ te: - r T , he L 1 eo " a ^ d Sillman production, which opened last Dec. 1, 
at the National, N.Y., winds up its Broadway run Feb. 26, to tour). 


Scheduled N. Y. Openings 

( Theatre indicated if set) 

Desparat* Hours, Barrymore (3-10). 
Tonight Samarkand, Morosco (2-16). 
Wayward Saint, Cort (212). 

Dark Is Light Enough, ANT A (2 23). 

Silk Stockings, Imperial (2-24). 

Bus Stop, Music Box (3-2). 

Cat on Hot Tin Roof, Morosco (3-24). 
Three For Tonight, Plymouth (3-31). 
Once Upon Tailor (4-11). 

Temper the Wind (4-11). 

Honey's (4-14). 

Ankles A weigh, Hellinger (418>. 

Light Opera Season, City Center (4 20). 
Oamn Yankees, 46th St. (5-5). 


OFF-BWAY 

Juno A Peycock, Gr’nw ch Mews (2 12). 
Immortal Husband, De Lys (2-14). 
Immortal Husband, de Lya (2-15). 

Crass Greener, Downtown Nat’l (2-15). 
Bamboo Cross, Black Friars (2-21), 
Merchant Venice, Jan Hua (2 22), 
Three Sisters. 4th St. (2-23). 

Shoestring Revue, Pres. (2-28), 

Master Builder, Phoenix (3-1). 

Miser, Downtown Nat'l <3-24). 

King Leer, Downtown Nat'l (4 28). 


Carnegie and Syracuse 
Shides Plan Strawhat 

Carnegie Tech and Syracuse U. 
students have teamed to open a 
summer theatre In East Northport, 
L. I., N. Y., next summer. Tagged 
the Northport Country Playhouse, 
operation will begin functioning 
June 25. 

A resident company, compris- 
ing approximately 15 students 
from both schools, will used. Non- 
Equity operation will also have ap- 
prentices, who’ll put on Saturday 
morning kiddie shows. 

The Tivoli Playhouse, a 300- 
seater, which has been dark for the 
past five years, will house the pro- 
ductions. Season is skedded for 
10 weeks. 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 


69 


Chi Spotty, But 'King’ Big $45,400, 
‘Caine’ $23,500, Draper OK $9,200 


Chicago, Feb. 8. 

Biz at the Loop legiters was 
spotty last week with two new 
entries joining the three holdover 
plays. “Caine Mutiny Court Mar- 
tial” opened strong on Theatre 
Guild subscription, while Ruth 
Draper’s first frame pulled lightly 
but profitably. Both got unanimous- 
ly favorable notices. 

Future schedule includes “South 
Pacific.” Opera House, March 6, 
three weeks; “Tea And Sympathy.” 
Blackstone, March 7, for run sub- 
scription; “Dear Charles,” Erlan- 
ger, March 7. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Caine Mutiny Court Martial, 
Blackstone (1st wk) <$4.40; 1.385) 
(Lloyd Nolan. John Hodiak, Barry 
Sullivan). Nearly $23,900. 

Fifth Season, Erlanger (12th wk) 
($4; 1.300) (Chester Morris, Joseph 
Buloff). Nearly $13,400 (previous 
week, $14,200); exits March 5. 

King and V, Shubert (11th wk) 
($5; 2,100) (Yul Brynner, Patricia 
Morison). ‘Almost $45,400 (previous 
week, $46,000). 

Oh Men, Oh $Vomen, Harris (9th 
wk) ($5; 1,000) (Ralph Bellamy). 
Nearly $19,100 (previous week, 
$19,300). 

Ruth Draper, Selwyn (1st wk) 
($3.30; 1,000). Almost $9,200. 


Tallulah $31,000, 
‘Saint’ 20G, Hub 

Boston, Feb. 8. 

Despite the extreme cold snap 
here last week, the three legit 
houses alight fared well. “Dear 
Charles," starring Tallulah Bank- 
head drew near-capacity biz on its 
one-week stand, and “Wayward 
Saint," aided by Theatre Guild 
subscription was nifty in its first 
full week at the Colonial. 

Lone newcomer in view until 
mid-March is "Solid Gold Cadillac,” 
which bows into the Colonial next 
Monday (14) for three weeks. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Dear Charles, Shubert (one week) 
($4.40; 1.734) (Tallulah Bankhead). 
Strong $31,000 and undoubtedly 
could have stayed another week; 
reason given for the solo stanza 
was that comedy played the straw- 
hat circuit hereabouts last summer; 
house is currently dark. 

Wayward Saint, Colonial (1st 
full week) ($4.40; $3.85; 1,590) (Paul 
Lukas). Okay $20,000; final week 
is current. 


‘PAJAMA’ $51,600 IN 9, 
BOWS TOUR, N. HAVEN 

New Haven, Feb. 8. 
Virtual sellout was racked up by 
the national company of “Pajama 
Game” on its nine performance at 
the Shubert from Jan. 29 through 
last Saturday (5). At $5.50 top, 
gross pulled a whisker over a ter- 
rific $51,600. 

House is now in an umisual mid- 
season dark spell, with nothing 
booked till “Mrs. Patterson,” 
March 3-5 (tentative). Preems are 
set for “The Honeys.” March 9-12, 
and “Ankles Aweigh," March 19-26. 

Current London Shows 

London, Feb. 8. 

(Figure* denote premiere dates) 

Air* Shoestring, Royal Ct. <4-22 53). 

All For Mary, Duke York <9-9-54). 
Beatrice Lillie, Globe <11 24 54). 

Bell, Book, Candle, Phoenix <10-5-54). 
Book of Month, Cambridge <10-21-54). 
Both Ends Meet, Apollo <6 9-54). 

Boy Friend, Wyndham’s <12-1-53). 
Can-Can, Coliseum <10-1454). 

Craiy Gang, Vic. Pal. <12-16 54). 

Crime of Canyon Wayd, "Q” <2 1 55). 
Davil in Village, Stoll <2 3 55). 

Dry Rot, Whitehall <8-31-54). 

C ass Clock, Aldwych <1-3-55). 

Hippo Dancing, Lyric <4 7-54L 
Intimacy At 1:30, Criterion <4-29 54). 
Xing and I, Drury Lane <10-8-53). 
Matchmaker, Haymarket <11-4-54). 
Mousetrap, Ambas. <11-25 52). 

0# Ball, New Theatre <1-12 55). 
Old Vic Rap, Old Vic <9-9-54>. 

Relations Apart, Garrick. <8 3-54). 

Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54). 

Separate Tables, St. James's <9-22 54). 
Sholom Aleiehem, Embassy (1-11-55). 
Simon A Laura, Strand (11-24-54). 
Spider's Web. Savoy <12 14-54). 

Talk of Town, Adelphi (11-17-54). 
Teahouse Aug. Moon, Her Maj. <4 22 34). 

Circle, New Water <2-1-55). 
Wedding in Paris, Hipp. (4-3 54). 

SCHEDULED OPENINGS 
St Joan, St. Martin s <2 8-55). 
Ghostwriters, Arts <2 9-55). 

Bind Folly, Duchess <2 15-55). 

Sailor Beware, Strand <2-16-55). 

Serious Charge, Garrick (2-17-55V 
wonderful Town, Princes <2-23 55). 

CLOSED LAST WEEK 
«ulos of Game, Art* U-13-55). 


Connie Bennett $14,800 
In ‘Sabrina,’ Palm Beach 

Palm Beach, Feb. 8. 

Constance Bennett and Tod 
Andrews in “Sabrina Fair” set a 
new opening week gross record 
for the Palm Beach Playhouse last 
week. Show pulled almost $14,800. 
Opening night top at the 500- 
seater was $5.65, with house scaled 
to $4.52 the remainder of th* week. 

Irving Phillips’ “Mother Was a 
Bachelor,” with Billie Burke 
starred, is current. 

‘Teahouse’ $39,001, 
New L.A. Record 

Los Angeles, Feb. 8. 

Legit biz continues spectacular 
at the single downtown L A. thea- 
tre alight, where "Teahouse of the 
August Moon” last week made a 
smash showing in its fourth frame. 
Elsewhere, it’s all little theatres 
with limited seating capacities, but 
displaying good returns. The week 
saw three openings. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 
Biltmore (C) (4th wk> <$4.40; 1,636) 

< Burgess Meredith, Scott McKay). 
New local straight play record at 
$39,001. 

This Is Your Life, Mendel, Civic 
Playhouse (C> (4 days)- ($3; 400) 
(Leo Fuchs). Nearly $4,000. 

Finian’s Rainbow, Hollywood 
Repertory (6th wk) ($3.30; 276) 
(Charles Davis), Almost $1,600. 

‘MOON’ SHINES $16,500, 
FOR 2D WEEK, FRISCO 

San Francisco, Feb. 8. 

“Moon Is Blue,” starring Jerome 
Cowan,” drew a nice $16,500 in its 
second frame at the 1,758-seat 
Curran last week. 

Play holds until Feb. 19, with 
“Teahouse of the August Moon" 
slated to follow for an indefinite 
run beginning Feb. 21. 


‘Guys’ $24,400, Dayton 

Dayton, Feb. 8. 

“Guys and Dolls” nabbed a stout 
$24,400 at the Colonial last week. 

Musical is current at Ford’s 
Baltimore. 


‘S.P.* 24 V 2 G, Rochester 

Rochester, Feb. 8. 

“South Pacific” grossed nearly 
$24,500 at the Auditorium here 
last week. 

The Iva Withers-Alan Gerrard 
starrer is splitting the current 
week between the Palace, Youngs- 
town, and the Paramount, Toledo. 


Current Road Shows 

(Feb. 7-19) 

Bus Stop (tryout) — McCarter, Princeton, 
N.J. <10-12>; Walnut St., Phila. (14-19). 

Caine Mutiny Court Martial (Lloyd 
Nolan, John Hodiak* Barry Sullivan) — 
Blackstone. Chi. (7-19). 

Caine Mutiny Court Martial (2d Co.) 
(Paul Dougles. Wendell Corey, Steve 
Brodie) — Taft, Cincy. <7-8); Aud., Colum- 
bus (9): Stambough Aud., Youngstown 
< 10); Mosque, Philly. (11-12); Aud., 
Charleston. W. Va. (14); Aud., Lynchburg 
<15); Fox, Charlotte <16); Winthrop Cons, 
of Music. Rock Hill, S.C. (17); Reynolds 
Aud., Winston-Salem (18); Constitution 
Hall. Wash. (19). 

Dear Charles (Tallulah Bankhead) — For- 
rest. Phila. (7-12); National. Wash. (14-19). 

Fifth Season (Chester Morris. Joseph 
Buloff) — Erlanger. Chi. <7-19>. 

Guys A Dolls — Ford'* Balto. (7-12); 
WRVA, Richmond (14-19). 

King and I (Yul Brynner, Patricia Mori- 
son) — Shubert. C'hi. (7-19). 

Moon Is Bluo (Jerome Cowan) — Curran, 
S.F. (7-19). 

Oh Mon, Oh Women (Ralph Bellamy) — 
Harris. Chi. (7-19). 

Paiama Came (Fran Warren, Larry 
Dougles. Buster West) — Her Majesty’s, 
Montreal (7-19). 

Pa|ama Tops (Diana Barrymore) — Court 
Square. Springfield (7-9); Parsons, Hart- 
ford (10-12); Nixon. Pitts. (14 19). 

Ruth Draper — Selwyn. Chi. (7-12). 

Seven Year Itch (Eddie Bracken) — 
Lanier H.S. Aud., Montgomery (7); Civic, 
N.O. (9 19). 

Silk Stockings (tryout) (Hildegarde Neff. 
Don Ameche) — Shubert, Detroit (7-19). 

Solid Cold Cadillac — Colonial. Boston 
(14-19). 

South Pacific (Iva Withers, Alan Ger- 
rard) — Palace. Youngstown, O. (7-10).; 
Paramount, Toledo (11-12). 

Tea and Sympathy (Deborah Kerr) — 
Hartman. Columbus. O. (7-9): Memorial 
Aud., Louisville (10-12); American, St. 
Louis <14-19). 

. Teahouse of the August Moon (Burgess 
Meredith. Scott McKay) — Biltmore, L.A. 
(7-19). 

Tender Trap (Kent Smith, K. T. 
Stevens. Russell Nype) — Shubert. Waah. 
(7-19). 

Tonight In Samarkand (tryout) (Louis 
Jourdan) — National. Wash (7-12). 

Wayward Saint (tryout) (Paul Luka*)— 
Colonial. Boston (7-121. 


Comeli-Power $39,200, 

2d ‘Dark’ Week in Wash. 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

Another great stanza, with 
standees at every regular perform- 
ance, was racked up last week by 
“Dark Is Light Enough” at the 
National Theatre. Business hit a 
smash $39,200, bettering the initial ; 
session for the Katharine Cornell- 

Tryone Power starrer. Despite the ! 
cold spell which laid a chill over 
virtually all other entertainment 
for several days, “Dark” went clean ! 
without trouble. In addition to the ; 
above figure, there was a special 
Thursday matinee for the benefit | 
of the Actors Fund which netted 
! $2,100, so the nine-performance 
! take was $41,800. 

“Tonight in Samarkand,” current 
tryout starring Louis Jourdan, is | 
drawing poorly for its single week, 
j However, the advance sale tndi- j 
[ cates that the one-week engage- 
i ment of Tallulah Bankhead in 
“Dear Charles,” opening next 
Monday < 1 4 >, should be close to 
sellout. 

“Tender Trap” opened a fort- 
night run at the Shubert Last night 
(Mon.). 


Cold Nips B’way; Corner’ $5,100 (4), 
Plain’ 51G, House’ 44G, ‘Prize’ 10G, 
‘Wisteria’ $38,600, ‘Lovers’ $30,600 


V 


‘Trap’ OK $15,800, 
‘Samarkand’ 10G, 
Hours’ 12G, Phila. 

Philadelphia, Feb. 8. 

Snow and cold weather bopped 
theatre last week. Four departures 
Saturday (5) left the town with 
only one show, “Dear Charles.” 
Tallulah Bankhead starrer, which 
arrived last evening (Mon.) at the 
Forrest. 

Town, which has been on a the- 
atrical binge since early October, 
with four and frequently five pro- 
ductions on view, now faces a 
booking dearth. Future dates in- 
clude Feb. 14, “Bus Stop.” Walnut, 
tryout, two weeks; March 7, “Cat 
on a Hot Tin Roof,” Forrest, try- 
out, two weeks, and March 28, “The 
Honeys," Walnut, tryout, two 
weeks. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Tonight in Samarkand, Forrest, 
<D) ($4.20; 1,760) (Louis Jourdan). 
Cast changes and mixed reception 
no help in second stanza; under 
$ 10 , 000 . 

Desperate Hours, Locust <D) (4th 
wk) <$4.20; 1,580) (Karl Malden. 
Nancy Coleman). Fourth week too 
much for suspense drama; $12,000. 

Wonderful Town, Shubert (M) 
<$5. 1.880) (Carol Channing). Tuner 
fol ( J here with a fair $29,000 
finale. 

Tender Trap, Walnut (C) ($3.60; 
1,340) (Kent Smith, K. T. Stevens, 
Russell Nype). Good local press 
and okay business at $15,800. 


‘STOCKINGS’ $44,600, 

IN SEVEN, DETROIT 

Detroit, Feb. 8. 

A smash $44,600 was grossed in 
the first stanza of a three-week 
pre-Broadway tryout of “Silk 
Stockings" at the 2,050-seat Shu- 
bert. The Hildegarde - Neff-Don 
Ameche starrer has a top of $6.60 
weekends, $5.50 other nights. 

Closed throat of Yvonne Adair, 
who portrays a movie star in the 
musical comedy, forced her out of 
the second act Thursday night <3), 
with Gretchen Wyler subbing. 
Work still is being done to chop 
10 or 15 minutes from the musi- 
cal’s running time, especially in 
the first act, and some of the pro- 
duction numbers are being rerou- 
tined- 


Broadway tobogganed lhst week, 
with the cold spell apparently a 
major factor. There was a rash of 
ticket cancellations on practically 
all shows with advance sales. But. 
in the ease of the smashes, the 
available ducats were resold at the 
boxoffices. 

“Festival" was the only closing 
last week, with “Solid Gold Cadil- 
lac" and "Rainmaker” skedded to 
wrap up next Saturday (12). For- 
mer is set to tour, while latter is 
a possibility. “Wisteria Trees” 
shutters next Sunday <13). winding 
up the four-play City Center drama 
series. 

Estimates for Last week 

Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), 
CD (Comedy Drama). R (Revue), 
MC ( Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi- 
cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op- 
eretta). 

Other parenthetic designations 
refer, respectively, to weeks played, 
number of performances through 
last Saturday, top prices, number 
of seats, capacity gross and stars. 
Price includes 10 f 'o Federal and 
5 r o City tax, but grosses are net; 
i.e., exclusive of tax. 

Anastasia, Lyceum <D) (6th wk; 
45; $5.75-$4.60; 955; $23,389) <Vi- 
veca Lindfors, Eugenie Leonto- 
vich). Over $20,300 (previous week, 
$21,400). 

Anniversary Waltz. Booth <0 
(44th wk; 347; $4.60; 766; $20,000) 
(Macdonald Carey). Almost $15,- 
600 (previous week, $18,600). 

Bad Seed, 46th St. <D) (9th wk; 
69; $5.75-$4.60; 1.319; $37,000* 

(Nancy Kelly). Nearly $31,800 
(previous week, $33,500). 

Boy Friend, Royale (MC) (19th 
wk; 147; $6.90; 1,172; $38,200). 

Nearly $36,300 (previous week, 
$38,400). 

Can-Can, Shubert <MC) (92nd 
wk; 732; $6.90; 1,361; $50,160). 

Almost $37,500 (previous week, 
$43,500). 

Fanny, Majestic (MD) <14th wk; 
108 $7.50; 1,510; $65,300) (Ezio 

Pinza, Walter Siezak). Over ca- 
pacity again, nearly $66,000. 

Flowering Peach, Belaseo (D) 
(6th wk; 47; $5.75-$4:60; 1.077; 

$28,300) (Menasha Skulnick). Al- 
most $18,400 (previous week. $22,- 
400». 

Grand Prize, Plymouth <C) < 2d 
wk; 13; $4.60; 1.107; $29,500) (June 
Lockhart, John Newland). Over 
$10,000 (previous week, $12,000 for 
first five performances and one 
preview). 

House of Flowers, Alvin (MC) 
(6th wk; 44; $6.90; 1,150; $47,000). 
Almost $44,000, with take cut by 
theatre parties (previous week, 
$46,000). 

Kismet, Ziegfeld (OP) <62nd 
wk; 492; $6.90; 1.528; $57,908) 

William Johnson, Elaine Malbin*. 
Almost $41,300 (previous week, 
$47,300). 

Lunatics & Lovers, Broadhurst 
(C) (8th wk; 64; $5.75-$4.60; 1.160; 
$29,500). Nearly $30,600 (previous 
week, $31,700). 

Mrs. Patterson, National <D) 
(10th wk; 78; $6.90-$5.75; 1.172; 
$36,000) (Eartha Kitt). Around 
$13,000 (previous week, around 
$15,000). Closes Feb. 26, to tour. 

Pajama Game. St. James (MC) 
(39th wk; 308; $6.90; 1.571; $51.- 
717) (John Raitt, Janis Paige, Ed- 
die Foy, Jr.). Capacity as always, 
$52,100. 

Peter Pan, Winter Garden (MD) 
(16th wk; 125; $6.90; 1.510; $57.- 
500) (Mary Martin). Over $38,700 
(previous week, $46,000'; closes 
Feb. 26. 

Plain and Fancy, Hellinger (MC) 
(2nd wk; 12; $6.90; 1,527; $55,916). 
Over $51,000 (previous week. $31.- 
000 for first four performances); 


moves to the Winter Garden, Feb. 
28. 

Quadrille, Coronet (C) (14th 

wk; 109; $6.90-$5.75-$4.60; 1.027; 
$30,000) (Alfred Lunt. Lynn Fon- 
tanne, Edna Best, Brian Aherne). 
Over $24,000 (previous week, $29,- 
100 ). 

Rainmaker, Cort (C) (15th wk; 
116; $3.45; 1.056; $18,900) (Geral- 
dine Page). Almost $9,900 (previ- 
ous week, $10,400); closes next Sat- 
urday (12), may tour. 

Saint of B'eecker Street, Broad- 
wav (MD) (6th wk; 42; $6.90-$6.00; 
1,900; $54,000). Nearly $30,300 

(previous week, $34,500). 

Seven Year Itch, Fulton <C) 
(116th wk; 925; $5.75-$4.60; 1.063; 
$24,000) (Tom Ewell). Over $17,- 
300 (previous week, $19,100). 

Solid Gold Cadillac, Music Box 
<C> (65th wk; 517; $5.75-$4.60; 1,- 
077; $27,811). Almost $13,600 (pre- 
vious week, $17,300); doses next 
Saturday (12), to tour. 

Southwest Corner, Holiday <D) 
(1st wk; 4; $5.75-$4.60; 834; $28.- 
000) (Eva LeGallienne). Opened 
last Thursday (3) to three favor- 
able reviews (Atkinson. Times; 
Chapman, News; Watts, Post) and 
four negative notices (Coleman, 
Mirror; Hawkins. World-Telegram; 
Kerr. Herald Tribune; McClain, 
•'ournal-American); over $5,100 
for first four performances. 

Tea and Sympathy, Barrymore 
( D i (70th wk; 557; $5.75-$4.60; 1.- 
214; $28,300) (Joan Fcmtaine). 

Nearly $16,300 (previous week, 
$17,900); moved to the Longacre 
Theatre last Monday (7); star ex- 
its the cast March 5. 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 
Be; k (C) (69th wk; 556; $6.22-$4.60; 
1.214; $33,608) (David Wayne, 

1 John Forsythe). Over capacity as 
always, topped $34,000; Eli Wal- 
lach replaces Wayne next Mon- 
day (14). 

Wedding Breakfast, 43th St. <C) 
j (12th wk; 89; $5.75-$4.60; 925; $23,- 
I 720‘. Nearly $9,000 on twofers 
(previous week, $10,100 on two- 
fers). 

[ Wisteria Trees, City Center <D) 
(1st wk; 8; $3.60; 3,090; $50,160) 

| (Helen Hayes). Opened last Wed- 
nesday (2) to four affirmative no- 
i tices (Atkinson, Times; Chapman, 
News; Coleman, Mirror; McClain, 
Journal-American) and three un- 
! favorable reviews (Hawkins, 
World - Telegram; Kerr, Herald 
Tribune; Watts, Post); over $30,- 
600 for first eight performances; 
closes next Sunday (13), winding 
up the Center’s four-play drama 
season. 

Witness for the Prosecution, Mil- 
ler (D) (8th wk; 60; $5.75-$4.60; 
920; $23,248). Over capacity, 

topped $23,700 (previous week, 
$23,600). 

Miscellaneous 

Doctor’s Dilemma, Phoenix <C) 
(4th wk; 32; $4.60-$3.45; 1.150; 

$24,067). Almost $12,500 (previous 
week, $13,500). 

CLOSED LAST WEEK 

Festival, Longacre (C) (3rd wk; 
22; $5.75-$4.60; 1,048; $26,317) 

(Paul Henreid, Betty Field). Near- 
ly $4,500 (previous week, $5,600); 
closed last Saturday (5) to an ap- 
proximate $105,000-$ 11 0,000 loss 
on a $75,000 investment. 

OPENING THIS WEEK 

Desperate Hours, Barrymore <D) 
($5.75-$4.60; 1,214; $28,300). Play 
by Joseph Hayes, presented by 
Howard Erskine and Hayes; pro- 
duction financed at $100,000, cost 
about $105,000 to bring in. includ- 
ing approximately $72,000 tryout 
loss but excluding bonds, and can 
break even at around $18,000, 
opens tomorrow night (Thurs.). 


Total Legit Grosses 

< i 

Following are the comparative figures based on Variety's box- 
office reports for last week (the 36th week of the season) and 
the corresponding week of last season: 


BROADWAY 


This 

Season 

28 

736 

$732,700 

$20,236,500 

42 


Number of shows current 

Total weeks played so far by all shows . 

Total gross for all shows last week. . . . 

Season’s total gross so far 

Number of new productions 

ROAD 

Excluding stock 

Number of current shows reported .... 22 

Total weeks played so far by all shows . 598 

Total gross for all shows last week. . . . $524,800 

Season’s total gross so far $14,171,900 


1953-54 

Season 

25 

687 

$673,400 

$19,089,900 

43 


20 

513 

$454,400 

$11,717,700 


OFF BROADWAY SHOWS 

(Figures denote opening dates) 

Importance Being Earnest, Prov- 
ineetown (11-9). 

Merchant of Venice, Club Thea- 
tre (1-17-55). 

Thieves Carnival, Cherry Lane 
(2-1-55). 

Troublemakers, President < 1 2-30- 
54); closes next Sunday (13). 

Twelfth Night, Jan Hus <11-9- 
54); closes next Sunday (13). 


Deborah $33,700, 

, Despite Cold Weather 

Cincinnati, Feb. 8. 
Deborah Kerr in “Tea and 
Sympathy” grossed $33,700 last 
week for this season’s Cincy high 
the 2,500-seat Taft, at a $4.52 


in 
top. 

Guild support 
important in the 
ing bad weather. 


was presumably 
record consider- 


LKGITIMATB 


Wnlncwlir, February 9, 1955 


70 



^rynTss 

i a 5°* l, ** m * 9>L 


A MAN'S HAIR GROOMER 
(A little goes a long way) 


A MAN'S SKIN PROTECTOR 
(No alcohol, no water, 100% pure) 


PROTECTS OUTDOOR WORKERS 
( Hands, Face, Lips Won't 
Crack or Chafe) 


LAN-LAY IS YOUR REST 
COSMETIC BUY 
ITS GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN' 

4 OZ. SIZE $100 


NECESSITY FOR SPORTSMEN 

(An all-weather all season 
protection oil) 


CORRECTS SCRAPED SKIN 
(Used as an after-shave lotion) 


Sold by Beauty Salons, 
Barber Shops, Drug and 
Cosmetic Counters 

SHIPPED DIRECT IF YOUR COSMETIC 
COUNTER DOES NOT STOCK * 
PREPAID, IF MONEY WITH ORDER, 
ANYWHERE 


LICK'S KID'S COWLICKS 
(Lays Jr.'s hair whare he wants it) 


IDEAL VACATION SKIN AID 
(Used as a sun and wind burn ail) 


65 ELEVENTH ST 


SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF 


Tele Crimps British Theatre 


Continued from pace 1 s 


seriously felt a year ago when i 
larger numbers of people started ; 
buying sets,” he asserted. Not so ( 
many film houses have felt the 
surge to video as to require clos- , 
Ing, he added, but even grosses 
here have dropped.. 

More and more theatres are 
shuttering and being converted 
either in'o offices or warehouses, 
visitor reported. With money j 
scarce, Britons don’t have the 
wherewithal to spend on such j 
things as the theatre, and are re- 
maining home by their sets. The- ; 
atres are selling for a fraction of 
what they cost, often with few 
takers. 

Two of the largest houses in 
England, the Woodgreen Empire 
and the Stoll, in London, have been 
sold for offices, and situation very 
likely will become worse, Ferguson 
pointed out. Commercial televi- 
sion starts in August, which prob- 
ably will mean that even greater 
numbers will seek their entertain- 
ment inside their own hearths. 
With poor programs now exerting 
their hold on the public, visitor ob- 
served, it stands to reason that 
when sponsors take over for bet- 
ter programs it will have the ef- 
fect of ensuring larger home audi- 
ences. 

Actors now are feeling the situ- 
ation through fewer theatres open 
and minimum salaries paid for ap- 
pearances on tv. Many on these 
tv programs are amateurs, Fergu- 
son said. British Equity has al- 
ready reached the point where it 


is insisting ttiat such amateurs be 
limited to a single appearance, in 
an effort to pave the way for its 
own members to find work. 

Certain members of Equity, but 
not Equity itself, have formed a 
working pool for members, so they 
may have work and be able to live, 
according to Ferguson. These jobs 
are outside the theatrical profes- 
sion, but suffice to help Equity 
members get by. 

Ferguson has had his own pro- 
gram on BBC for the past seven 
years, after previously appearing 
for two years as tenor of the Eng- 
ish International Opera in Lon- 
don and appearing in several stage 
shows. His Ferguson Entertain- 
ments packages shows in which he 
stars for appearances both in Lon- 
don and on tours through the prov- 
inces.* He returned to England for 
his regular program Friday on 
BBC. 


British Equity 


SIGN CAROL CHANNING 
FOR ‘DELILAH’ MUSICAL 

Carol Channing, who has been 
mentioned for the role for some 
I time, has been signed by producers 
Martin Cohen and Oscar Lerman 
for the lead in "Delilah.” 

Rehearsals on the musical, which 
will mark Cohen and Lerman’s 
bow as producers, are expected to 
j get under way in mid-April. The ( 
J book is by John Latouche and Sam J 
Locke, w ith music by James Mundy | 
i and lyrics by Latouche. 

Miss Channing wound up an ex- 
tended tour in "Wonderful Town” 
in Philadelphia last Saturday 1 5 > . 


Continued from page 2 


guards.” It insists that, unless the 
profession takes a firm stand at the 
begining, a pattern of exploitation 
will be established which it will 
take years to break. 

The union is demanding accept- 
ance of two standard contracts cov- 
ering telefilms and commercials, 
with a threat of publishing its own 
terms for individual negotiation if 
the industry rejects its proposals. 


LAN-LAY 

TOP STARS OF STAGE AND MOTION PICTURES AND TELE- 
VISION MAKE-UP ARTISTS have been using Lan-Lay for 
three years. Through their praise and use of Lan-Lay, 
Lan-Lay has spread throughout the United States and foreign 
countries. IT IS THE PERFECT MAKE-UP REMOVER, MAKE-UP 
BASE AND NIGHT CREAM. Keeps the skin soft and protects 
from make-up allergies when used as a base. 

• NOTt ALL the OTHER USES FOR LAN-LAY-the WORLD'S FINEST OIL COSMETIC 


FOR WOMEN 

CORRECTS DRY SKIN 
(Usad at a night-cream) 

SMOOTHES DRY WRINKLED LIPS 
(Usad as make-up remover 
and bate) 

ELIMINATES DISHPAN HANDS 
(Used at a hand lotion) 

KEEPS CUTICLES SOFT 
(Uted at a manicuring oil) 

HELPS FEET STAND-UP 

(Uted at a foot-oil) 

% 

SUN AND WIND BURN 
(Uted at a tun-tan lotion) 


Theatre Wing Otters 
Course in Shakespeare; 
Aren’t Pros Interested? 

New York. 

Editor, Variety: 

Actors often complain about the 
importation of English players for 
productions of Shakespeare and 
the classics. Managers habitually 
reply -that Americans haven’t the 
necessary training end experience. 
In this argument they are fre- 
quently backed By the critics. Then 
the actor says, "But where am I 
to get the training or experience?” 
The argument is all too familiar. 

Today an opportunity for train- 
ing Joes exist and a larger oppor- 
tunity for experience is expected 
to come about soon. Recognizing 
the need for such training, and 
with the opening of Lawrence 
Langner’s Shakespeare Theatre at 
Stratford, Conn., set for next sum- 
mer, the Theatre Wing is offering 
a course in training for Shake- 
speare, to be taught by Eva Le Gal- 
lienne, Romney Brent, Fanny Brad- 
shaw (verse speaking), Anna Soko- 
low (body movement), and Edward 
Lucia (fencing). They are integrat- 
ing their experience to teach the 
qualified professional special adap- 
tations of his skill so needed to 
play the classics. (Even John Bar- 
rymore, at the height of his pow- 
ers, didn’t dare essay Hamlet with- 
out # months of coaching with the 
late* Margaret Carrington). 

Classes are to start Feb. 15, but 
unfortunately many who are ap- 
plying are eager youngsters rather 
than the more mature Equity mem- 
bers for w'hom this opportunity is 
expressly designed. Langner is 
eager to audition those who com- 
plete the course if they are the 
sort of top level professionals who 
should logically form the mainstay 
of his Shakespeare company. 

Louis M. Simon, 

Director professional 
training program, 
American Theatre Wing. 


Operating Statements 


1 1IF. RING AND I 

(As of Dec. 31, ’55 > 

Profit last four weeks. $17,299. 
Total net profit to date, 
$1,188,081. 

Distributed profit to date, 

• $ 1 , 100 , 000 . 

Available for distribution, 
$63,081. 


THE BOY FRIEND 

(As of Jan. 1, '55 1 

Original investment, $140,000. 

Production cost, $118,258. 

Operating profit, last 5 weeks, 
$53,024. 

Total operating profit, $142,893. 

Net profit to date, $23,777. 

(Note: After N. Y. State tax) 

Repaid to backers, $100,000. 

Balance available, $63,777. 

PAJAMA GAME 

(As of Jan. 1, ’55) 

Original capital (repaid), $250,000. 

Profit last 5 weeks, $59,733. 

Total net profit to date. $196,642. 

Distributed capital to date, 
$350,000. 

Net assets. $96,642. 

(Note: The Frederick Brisson- 
Robert E. Griffith-Harold S. Prince 
production paid out another $50.- 
{ 000 dividend Jan. 7, bringing the 
total distribution to $400,000.) 

‘Behold’ $8,500, St. Loo 

St. Louis, Feb. 8. 

Mixed reviews greeted "Lo and 
Rehold” at the Ansell Brothers’ 
Empress theatre last week and the 
comedy pulled a fair $8,500 gross 
at a $2.50 top. 

Deborah Kerr in "Tea and Sym- 
pathy” relights the American next 
Monday (14) for a solo week. 

EQUITY SHOWS 

(Feb. 7-20) . 


Men In Whit* — Lenox Hill Playhouse. 

. N.Y. <10-20*. 

Misalliance— Clinton H. S., Bronx. N. Y. 
(11-12*; Hi jant H.S , Queens. N.Y, (1«-19>. 


Ottawa Legiter Folds; 
Equity Pays Off Cast 

Ottaw'a, Feb. 8. 

Legit venture at the Globe Cin- 
ema here ljas blown up after a 
single week’* operation. Actor’s 
Equity used the bond to pay off 
the company after producer 
Charles Michael Turner failed to 
come through with the salaries. 
In addition, the week’s receipts 
were reportedly seized by the 
sheriff to satisfy local creditors. 

Opening bill, "Candlelight,”' got 
off to a rocky start when the work 
of adapting the filmery to legit 
production w’as not completed in 
time. Announcement that the de- 
lay was caused bv the "collapse” of 
the star, Signe Hasso, brought an 
irate denial from her, with a 
charge of "mismanagement.” Show 
itself drew poor notices and tepid 
audience reaction. 


Equity Review 


>fli*allinm»c 

(LENOX HILL. N. Y.) 

In selecting “Misalliance” to 
open its sixth annual Community 
series, Equity Library Theatre has 
undertaken a tough chore. George 
Bernard Shaw’s voluble farce re- 
quires expert stage treatment, a 
virtue the Lenox Hill revival does 
not uniformly achieve. 

It is easy to be decoyed into at- 
tempting Shaw; it is hard to do 
him justice. Despite the brilliance 
of the 1953 City Center produc- 
tion, the glinting humor of this 
treatise on mismating of parents 
and children has not always been 
successful theatre. The situations 
are slight and only through skillful 
exploitation of its dialog can the 
play score. 

, William Jackson as Lord Sum- 
merhays gives the most adroit per- 
formance of ELT’s revival, being 
suave and to the manor bom. 
Claude Underwood’s petulance as 
his tempermental son, however, 
palls quickly. As the haughty pilot 
who lands in an adjacent green- 
house, Lee Hauptman is hand- 
somely impassioned, and Lillian 
Udvardy plays his acrobatic pas- 
senger with poised assurance. 

Leon Stevens maintains a glib 
relaxation as the bookish middle- 
class merchant. Marion Morris, 
who plays his wife, was pleasantly 
dry, and Bill Berger has the in- 
nocuous part of the son. Dorothy 
Love, as the merchant’s daughter, 
tends to rely unduly on her looks, 
poses and arch glances to portray 
the precocious heroine. 

As the illegitimate clerk. Hugh 
Thomas has the advantage of hav- 
ing trouped in the role, and his 
energetic performance gives the 
play’s middle a needed boost. 

Douglas Hubbard’s direction has 
not welded the disparate perform- 
ances into a unified whole. Too, 
he has urged his actors to such 
rapid speech that many of GBS’s 
choice epigrams are lost In the 
rush. Edgar Lansbury has de- 
signed a pleasant Surrey living 
room. 

In cooperation with the Bureau 
of Community Education, ELT is 
taking "Misalliance” to the Bronx 
and Queens. Geor, 

TAUB ON ‘UNFAIR’ LIST 
IN MUSICIAN DISPUTE 

William L. Taub, producer of 
"Hello Paree,” which recently 
folded during a road tryout, has 
been placed on the "unfair” list 
of Local 802, American Federation 
of Musicians. Action is pending 
payment of $1,500 to Bernie Thall 
for musical arrangements. Hearing 
on the case was held last Jan. 25. 

Taub told the union hearing 
board that neither he nor the 
“Hello Paree” Corp. had entered 
into any agreement with Thall for 
musical arrangements. The pro- 
ducer claimed that services were 
contracted for by individual per- 
formers who were therefore liable 
for Thall’s fee. He said that all 
debts entered into by the corpora- 
tion had been squared. 


Tops’ $16,500, Buffalo 

Buffalo, Feb. 8. 

Despite brutal weather, "Pajama 
Tops” was a near-sellout at the 
1,146-seat Erlanger last week. 
Twofer produtejon, starring Diana 
Barrymore, took in around $16,500 
at a $3.50 top. 

Play is splitting the current 
week between the Court Square, 
Springfield, and the Parson's, 
Hartford. 


Checker Game 

Continued from pace *7 

vance sale with which it opened 
has steadily melted to around 
$90,000. Alfred Lunt and Lynn 
Fontanne, costarring with Edna 
Best and Brian Aherne in the 
Noel Coward comedy, have been 
considering the question of a clos- 
ing date and last week authorized 
the announcement of an April 30 
fold, but then rescinded the re- 
lease before it reached publication. 
Touching Off a Scramble 

With the "Quadrille” closing 
evidently just a matter of weeks, 
however, the potent-grossing "Bad 
Seed" is slated to move to the 
Coronet from the 46tfi Street, mak- 
ing way for the upcoming musical, 
"Damn Yankee^,” at the latter 
house. As always, even a vague 
possibility that a desirable theatre 
may be available touches off a 
scramble. Thus, rumors that "To- 
night in Samarkand” is in trouble 
on its current tryout tour ha* 
sparked bids to take over its book- 
ing of the Morosco on an interim 
basis, starting next Tuesday ( 16 *. 

As evidence of the severity of 
the theatre shortage this season, 
there have been an abnormal num- 
ber of shows forced to transfer or 
fold upon going under the stop- 
limit. They have included "All 
Summer Long,” "Reclining Fig- 
ure,” "Tender Trap.” "Festival,” 
"King of Hearts,” "Rainmaker,” 
"Tea and Sympathy” and, in pros- 
pect, "Grand Prize.” 

How involved some of the book- 
ing shuffles can be is indicated in 
the recent switch of "Three for 
Tonight” from the Music Box to 
the Plymouth. Attorney Abe Ber- 
man, representing Irving Berlin, 
who owns the house in partnership 
with the Shuberts, had turned 
down "Bus Stop” in order to get 
the Paul Gregory revue, and was 
assured the latter booking was all 
set. 

However. Gregory and the Shu- 
berts decided to spot the Marge 
and Gower Champion-Harry Bela- 
fonte costarrer into the Plymouth, 
so Berman lost the booking be- 
fore he was even aware of it. He 
then accepted "Bus Stop” for the 
Music Box. He presumably has a 
signed contract rather than a "defi- 
nite commitment” for the latter 
deal. 


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• Complete warehouse facilities! 

• Authorized in California. Equipped 
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U. S.l 

• RATES ON REQUEST I 

Atlantic Transfer Company 
GEORGE CONANT 
1100 East Sth Street 
Los Angeles 13, Calif. 

MUtual 1121 or OXford 9-4744 


Young man with theatrical 
and agency background 
wants job in legit, TV, or 
films (production office). 

Writ* Box V-2455 
Variety, 154 W. 44 St., New York 



PATTY 

FOSTER 

As 'DEBBIE' 

In 

"ANNIVERSARY WALTZ 1 ' 
Currently*- Booth Theatre, N.Y 




Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


COXCERTS-OFERA 


71 


Westchester Duo Invades N.Y. for Met 
Concert Setup With SRO Seen Sure 


Enterprise of a couple of young 4 
Westchester, N. Y. t impresarios has 

caught, the trade’s fancy. Duo, 
Joseph H. Conlin, Jr., and Richard 
Petrucci, have done the unusual in 
“invading” New York City to set 
up a concert at the Met Opera 
House Sunday, Feb. 20. It was a 
pretty big risk, involving about 
$3,000 alone for rental, advertising, 
etc., plus all the expenses of the 
artists, but the boys have latched 
on to two of the hottest longhair 
prospocts this season in Renata 
Tebaldi and Mario Monaco. These 
two, plus another Met singer, Et- 
tore Bastianini, will appear in an 
operatic recital with a symphony 
orch under Met maestro Fausto 
Cleva. Nut for orch, maestro, and 
three singers runs pretty high. 

It's rare for any manager, es- 
pecially an “outsider,” tar buy an 
artist for a Carnegie Hall or Met 
Opera House recital. The Met, too, 
is a large hall, with 3,612 seats. In 
the last two decades, there have 
been very few recital dates there, 
these including Beniamino Gigli, 
Josef Hofmann, Marian Anderson 
and the Menuhins. But Conlin- 
Petrucci, who in the last few sea- 
sons have run a successful concert 
series in Westchester County, are 
trying to establish themselves on 
a larger scale. Top for the Met 
event is $5.75, and house is re- 
ported nearly sold out already. 

Escudero Scores in N.Y. 
Return; Spanish Troupe 
Offers lively Evening 

Vicente Escudero has returned 
to America after a 20-year absence, 
bringing back a good deal of his 
old magic. Opening a two-week en- 
gagement at the Playhouse. N. Y., 
Monday night (7), the vet Spanish 
dancer, now in his 60’s (he admits 
to 62), put on an incredible scene 
of heel-and-toe clicking and stamp- 
ing. to bring roars from the aficio- 
nados and gasps from laymen. One 
of the great "names in Spanish 
dance history, Escudero still shows 
himself the great artist and danc- 
er. The young troupe he sur- 
rounded himself with is lively, 
spirited and colorful, and helps 
him to put on a good show. 

Troupe, however is limited both 
In talent and repertoire. The girls 
are attractive and the boys average. 
Carmita Garcia, who was Here with 
Escudero on hi? last visits, is quite 
deft and appealing, and there are 
two young beauties in the troupe, 
in Antonita Millan and Maria 
Marquez, who stand out. Latter, a 
statuesque honey, is also a grace- 
ful dancer and stops the show on 
her own accord in the “Soleares.” 
Repertoire is an interesting but 
not too novel variety of folk dance 
and song. Troupe also contains 
tiie gifted seventyish flamenco 
singer, Pepe La Matrona, and two 
fine guitarists, especially Mario 
< no relation ) Escudero. They add 
vi p to a good, commercial attrac- 
tion. Bron, 


‘Aida’ Tees 11th Annual 
San Antone Opera Fest 

San Antonio, Feb. 8. 

Verdi’* “Aida” last Saturday (5) 
opened the 11th annual Grand Op- 
era Festival here, sponsored and 
produced by the San Antonio Sym- 
phony Society. “Lucia di Lammer- 
moor” was done Sunday (6). Mas- 
senet’s “Manon” will be presented 
on Saturday (12) and “Die Fleder- 
maus” in English Sunday (13), to 
wind the fest. 

Victor Alessandro, conductor of 
the San Antonio Symphony, is 
again musical director of the fest, 
with his orchestra in the pit. Met 
Opera top names are among the 
leading singers in the four pro- 
ductions. 


Hazel Scott Set for 6-Wk. 
Annual U.S. Concert Trek; 
One Jazz Bash Included 

Hazel Scott starts her annual 
U. S. concert tour this weejiend, 
in a six-week, 20-date trek that 
begins at Longview, Tex.. Satur- 
day (12) and ends with a Town 
Hall, N. Y., date early in April. 
This is a straight concert tour, all 
of the dates being recitals except 
one. 

This one, an appearance with the 
Toronto Symphony, in which Miss 
Scott will play the Schumann con- 
certo, will also introduce a jazz 
element. Miss Scott will bring a 
drummer and slap-bass with her 
to Toronto for a jazz after-concert 
bash. Pianist, who is being booked 
by the Coppicus. Schang & Brown 
division of Columbia Artists Mgt., 
is being sold at a minimum guar- 
antee of $1,250 to $1,500 against 
percentage. 

Miss Scott, who came back from 
Europe last November, did a three- 
week concert tour of the Carib- 
bean in December, and recently 
wound up a four-week nitery date 
at the Embers, N. Y. Following 
her upcoming concert tour, she 
returns to Europe for more book- 
ings. 


Caruso In Toledo 

• » 

Los Angeles. 

Editor, Variety: 

I was Interested In Edward Ber- 
nay’s tale of Enrico Caruso's first 
concert tour. It happens that I was 
the local concert manager who 
presented Caruso In Toledo upon 
that memorable occasion. Bemays 
states that he had the tracks cov- 
ered in an abandoned railroad sta- 
tion in order to provide a place to 
hold the concert. I don’t want to 
steal any of his thunder as a press 
agent, but as a matter of fact the 
makeshift auditorium had been 
built some time before to house a 
Grand Opera season by the Ellison 
Opera Company with Geraldine 
Farrar, Lucienf Murator and other 
notable singers. 

The Caruso tour was arranged 
by F. C. Coppicus of Metropolitan 
Music Bureau, with whom I made 
all arrangements. Publicity was no 
problem for the local concert man- 
ager entrusted with promoting the 
appearance of Caruso. Toledo had 
been chosen as one of the three 
cities on the tour, because of be- 
ing w’ithin easy distance of Cin- 
cinnati. Caruso was reluctant to 
give a concert with piano accom- 
paniment alone and Coppicus had 
engaged the Cincinnati Symphony 
Orchestra to furnish incidental 
numbers on the program and sup- 
ply qrchestral background for his 
operatic numbers. Since we had 
a makeshift auditorium with a ca- 
pacity of over 5.000 seats we drew 
the prize attraction. 

To the vast throng which filled 
every seat in the huge auditorium, 
the orchestra was no more than a 
Saturday night dance band and 
they talked all through the inci- 
dental numbers contributed by the 
orchestra. They had come to hear 
the great Caruso. Came two hun- 
dred strong fellow-countrymen in 
chartered train from Detroit and 
towns all over northern Ohio. 

It was an epoch making event 
for Toledo which is still remem 
bered by oldtimers in that city. 

Bradford Mills. 


London Festival Ballet Future Dark; 
Troupe Now in Debt for $162,400 


Opera Publishers Bar 
‘Carmen’ Run in Paris 

Paris, Feb. 8. 

At the present time, “Carmen 
Jones” (20th) is still on the ban- 
ned list for showing here because 
t he publishers of the opera (Edi- 
tions Chouden) refused authoriza- 
tion to the film producer. While in 
public domain in the U.S., control 
rights in France are in the hands 
of the pub. Although Chouden 
heads liked the pic, they felt there 
was some profanation of the orig- 
inal which is still a mainstay of 
thw* Opera-Comique. They believed 
t.iat as long as having the right 
they would forbid its showing in 
France. 

Pubs made it clear, that it was 
a simple question of respect to an 
immortal work. Chouden heads 
; >o left a loophole in stating that 
i' certain important personalities 
nf tne arts and letters, after hav- 
ing seen the pic, felt that the film 
ould be allowed to run, they 
would be happy to give in to this 
<!' vnd. 

t looks like ( a jury composed of 
t' > reps of the music, film and 
theatre world, may have to decide 
the pic’s fate here. 


Philly Orch Readies 1st 
Continent Tour in Spring 

Philadelphia, Feb. 8. 

The Philadelphia Orchestra will 
make its first concert tour of the 
Continent this spring. Three con- 
certs will be given in Paris in May 
in connection with the American 
“Salute to France” Festival. Un- 
der the U. S. Government’s inter- 
national exchange program, the 
Philadelphians will visit some other 
European countries, probably Bel- 
gium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Aus- 
tria, Switzerland, West Germany 
and Finland. 

The trip begins May 15, at close 
of the orchestra’s regular season, 
and extends no later than June 18. 
The musicians must return to 
Philadelphia by air in time for the 
opening of the Robin Hood Dell 
season June 20. Music director 
Eugene Ormandy will conduct all 
of the concerts, according to pres- 
ent plans. Tour will cost close to 
$250,000. 

Orch’s only previous tour abroad 
w T as to the British Isles In 1949. 


Concert Bits 

Kenneth Allen, head of Ken- 
neth Allen Associates, left N.Y. 
Monday (7) on his semi-annual two- 
weeks swing around the country 
to see regional reps. 

Thomas Schlppers, 24-year-old 
U S. conductor recently added to 
the Met Opera staff, will conduct 
his first N.Y. Philharmonic con- 
cert as guest maestro, March 26 
. . . Cancelled part of the Toledo 
Orchestra season has been rein- 
stated, following a successful 
drive for $10,000 to pay off a 
deficit. 

Pianist Walter Gieseking will 
appear with the N.Y. Philharmonic 
at Carnegie Hall, N. Y., March 3- 
4-6, for the first time since 1939 
. . . Helen Maheaiani Williams giv- 
ing an all-Haw’aiian dance pro- 
program at Carnegie Recital Hall, 
N. Y., Feb. 17. 


60G Met Arabella’ 
Readies U. S. Bow 


American premiere of Richard 
Strauss’ “Arabella” at the Met 
Opera House,. N. Y„ Thursday 
(10), 26 years after it was w ? ritten, 
points up a curious situation. 
Strauss, unlike a Verdi or Puccini, 
is not a “popular” composer; his 
repertory in the U. S. is limited. 
Only three of his works — 1‘Rosen- 
kavalier,” “Salome” and “Elektra” 
— are done with any regularity, and 
each one had difficulty originally 
in getting accepted and established. 
Or, as one Met exec stated, 
“Strauss isn’t bread-and-butter 
stuff.” * 

Yet the Met reports unusual ac- 
tivity for a non-subscription# eve- 
ning, and expects a very good 
house. One of this season’s three 
new productions, “Arabella” will 
cost $55,000 to $60,000 to mount. 
Sponsored by the National Council 
of the Met, which paid for the pro- 
duction, and the Met Opera Guild, 
the opera will be presented (at a 
$15 top) as a benefit for the Met 
Opera Employees Welfare Fund. 

“Arabella” is being presented in 
a new English text by John Gut- 
man; staged by Herbert Graf, with 
sets and costumes by Rolf Gerard. 
An all-star cast includes Eleanor 
Steber (as Arabella). Hilde Gue- 
den, B'anche Thebom, Roberta 
Peters, George London, Brian Sul- 
livan and Ralph Herbert, last- 
named making his Met debut in the 
opera. The conductor, Rudolf 
Kempe, also recently joined the 
Met. 


Illness Halts U.S. Bow 
Of Viennese Quartet 

The Barylli Quartet from Vien- 
na, which w’as scheduled to begin 
its first American tour on Feb. 10, 
had to cancel its visit to the U. S. 
because the cellist of the ensemble, 
Hugo Kortschak, suffered a stroke. 

Colbert-LaBergc Concert Mgt., 
which arranged the 30-concert 
tour, was able to replace most of 
the concerts with ensembles from 
its own list, mainly the Juillard 
and Berkshire Quartets, and Trio 
di Trieste. 


N.Y.C. Ballet Back to Old 
Setup; ‘Nutcracker’ B.O. 
Over 595G During Year 

After a pre-holiday run with one 
production, “Nutcracker,” the N.Y. 
City Ballet goes back to its regular 
repertory setup next week, when it 
opens a four-week winter season 
at City Center, N .Y., Tuesday (15). 
Troupe gave 56 performances of 
“Nutcracker” Nov. 3 to Dec. 19, 
grossing $271,025. Paying off bal- 
ance of its production nut, troupe 
only made about $15,000 to $25,000 
on the run. 

“Nutcracker,” which bowed just 
a year ago (Feb. 2, ’54) to a sock 
debut, was given 98 times during 
the year. The 30 N. Y. perform- 
ances Feb. 2-March 21 grossed 
$208,525; 12 more in L.A., Aug. 1- 
14, garnered $115,538, and the 56 
dates last fall (w’ith its $271,025) 
brought “Nutcracker’s” year's take 
to $595,089. 

Current winter run will offer tw r o 
new works, both by George Balan- 
chine, "Roma” on Feb. 23 and a 
Pas de Trois on March 1. Last fall's 
“Western Symphony” presentation 
will now be done in costume. Me- 
lissa Hayden is returning to the 
company after a year’s absence, 
during which she danced part of 
the time with Ballet Theatre. Janet 
Reed, vet lead with the troupe, has 
taken an indefinite leave of ab- 
sence. 


Can. Nat’l Ballet Hefty 
2HG for Toronto Week 

Toronto, Feb. 8. 

On sellout for last two perform- 
ances, National Ballet of Canada 
grossed a hefty $21,500 at $3.50 
top at the 1.525-seater Royal Alex- 
andra Theatre last week. 

Troupe of 65 is doing the full 
version of “Swan Lake," this tak- 
ing 150 minutes, with intermis- 
sions; and the world preem of 
Antony Tudor’s “Offenbach in the 
Underworld.” Critics here raved 
about the troupe. 


MIXED RECEPTION FOR 
‘MARRIAGE’ IN LONDON 

London, Feb. 8. 

The world preem of Michael 
Tippett’s first opera, “The Midsum- 
mer Marriage,” at the Covent 
Garden Opera House last week, 
provoked a mixed • reception, 
cheers of the society audience in 
the orchestra stalls being coun- 
tered by booing from the gallery. 

This three-act opep. essentially 
British in its musical style, is 
bound to arouse controversy 
wherever it is played, mainly be- 
cause of the obscurity of Tippett’s 
libretto, a curious and batfling 
mixture of symbolism and realism. 
And to add to the argument is the 
cold, stark setting designed by 
Barbara Hepworth. 

The music has a rare, refreshing 
vitality and this is particularly 
evident in the ritual dances in the 
second act, choreographed by John 
Cranko, with Pirmin Trecu and 
Julia Farron, both members of the 
Sadler’s Wells Ballet, as principal 
dancers. 

Leading roles are agreeably 
filled by Joan Sutherland, Richard 
Lewis, Adele Leigh and John Lani- 
gan as two couples and by Otakar 
Kraus as an agitated parent. 

Myro. 


London, Feb. 8. 

Future of the London Festival 
Ballet, it’s reported here, looks 
dubious. Informal meeting of credi- 
tors last week was told that the 
company’s debts are £58.000 
($162,400). A chief creditor is a 
bondholder of about £11.000 
< $30,800 ) w ho allegedly has power 
to appoint a receiver if repayments 
aren’t kept up. Another creditor is 
U.S. impresario Sol Hurok. manag- 
ing the troupe’s current U.S. tour. 
Troupe is winding up a 4 , ^-month 
American visit (its first to the U.S.) 
end of February. Overseas tour, it’s 
reported hasn’t been a great finan- 
cial success, as expected, although 
it started off very well at the b.o. 

Creditors appointed a committee 
of six to consider the troupe’s fu- 
ture. and will meet with general 
director Julian Braunsweg and ar- 
tistic director Anton Dolin early in 
March, on their return from the 
States. Dolin founded the troupe 
in 1950. 

Troupe commissioned some new 
works in anticipation of the U.S. 
tour, which dented their bankroll. 
“Esmeralda” cost £15,000 ($42,- 
000); “Napoli.” a one-acter, cost 
£6,000 ($16,800). 

Boston Pops Sets Troy 
Mark With SI 1,500 B.O. 
Despite Sleeny Driver 

Troy, Feb. 8. 

The Boston Pops Tour Orches- 
tra, in its third annual appearance 
Friday (4) at the RPI Fie'd House, 
attracted a record audience of 
5,400, at $1.50 to $3.50, for a $11,- 
500 gross. H. L. Garren, manag- 
ing director of the College arena, 
told Variety it was the highest 
figure for a musical attraction 
here, being surpassed only by the 
$18,000 gate racked by Martin & 
Lewis (at $4 40 top). It outgrossed 
the Boston Symphony here. 

Conacrt was presented under 
difficult conditions. The trailer- 
truck carrying the musicians’ 
clothes and instruments did not ar- 
rive at the arena until 9:13 p.m. 
The driver was sleeping at Hen- 
drick Hudson Hotel, while state 
and arena police combed the high- 
ways for the vehicle, believing it 
had had an accident. Concert 
didn’t start until 9:45. 


Marge Truman Set for 7 
Concert Dates in April 

Margaret Truman, busy at pres- 
ent with social and political activi- 
ties and coaching in drama, is set 
for a brief concert tour in April. 
Spring tour had to be restricted 
to seven dates, due to radio-tv as 
well as her other commitments. 

Miss Truman will sing in New 
London, Conn., April 14; Joplin, 
Mo., (17>; Springfield, Mo. (19); 
Florence, Ala. (21); Savannah 
(23), and Wilmington, N. C. <29). 
Another concert is to he set be- 
i tween the Savannah and Wilming- 
j ton dates. Kenneth Allen Asso- 
I dates is booking. 


Kalmanoff ‘CrTbble’ 

in Philadelphia Bow 

Philadelphia, Feb. 8. 

"A Quiet Game of Cribble,” 
one-act opera by Martin Kalman- 
off, was premiered at the Mask & 
Wig Club, Philadelhia, last Thurs- 
day (3), by the Co-Opera Co. In 
less time than it takes for the 
usual first act (30 minutes), 
Kalmanoff’s “Cribble” brightly 
explores the dieting craze, psychi- 
atry and grand opera — all side 
journeys on the main theme of a 
currently popular word game. Al- 
though the targets are not uncom- 
mon, the treatment is musically in- 
tegrated with the subject matter, 
charmingly graphic and *the urge 
to say “Menotti” is dispelled after 
the first few bars. 

Produced under the auspices of 
the Co-Opera Co., local experi- 
mental group. “Cribble.” with its 
pair of singers, and few props 
(game, table and telephone), is a 
natural for low budget, in-the- 
round treatment. 

An extra dividend was the com- 
poser, who did the staging, also 
providing topdrawer piano ac- 
companiment. Lloyd Oostenbrug 
and Marilyn Hunter as the game- 
happy couple dualed on the liiting 
“What a- Wonderful Game is 
Cribble” effectively. The low cost 
production, coupled with the com- 
poser’s ability to get humor, rage 
and tenderness within the slight 
framework, makes "Cribble” also a 
safe bet for tv. Gayh. 


. hi (i 


Husband-Wife Team 

Jean Madeira. Metropolitan 
Opera star, will sing the title role 
in a concert version of "Carmen” 
under baton of her husband, 
Francis Madeira, conductor of the 
Rhode Island Philharmonic Or- 
chestra. in a special Philadelphia 
Orchestra Pension Fund concert 
next Monday (14) in Philadelphia. 

i mm, 1 1 • i ■'-* 


/, »'«*,)</ . * !* .h 






4'OX< KIlTJi-OPKHA 


Wn1n«iday, February 9, 1955 


Duke-Symphony May Merge for Date; 
Sauter-Finegan’s Philharmonic Bow 


Longhair Disk Reviews 


The longhair-shorthair merging 
continues apace. The Symphony of 
the Air (ex-NBC Symphony > is ne- 
gotiating with the Duke Ellington 
orch for a combined concert in 
Carnegie Hall. N. Y., March 16. 
The Duke's crew would do the first 
half of the program, and^merge 
with the symph in the second half 
in a senes of Ellington symphonic 
compositions. 

Meantime, Symphony of the Air 
has set four concerts of modern 
music bv Pulitzer prizewinners, 
teeing off the first Sunday ‘ 13 » at 
Carnegie Ilall with Howard Han- 
son batoning .Other dales are Feb. 
20 March 6 and 13. 

Maestro Pimitri Mitropoulos is 
bringing jazz to the N. Y. Philhar- 
monic. He’s skedded Rolf Lieber- 
mann’s Concerto for Jazz Band & 
Symphony Orchestra for its N. Y. 
preem with his symph. at Carnegie 
Hall. March 31-April 1. with the 
Sauter-Finegan band sitiing in 
with the orch as the jazz soloists. 

The 20-minute work, written by 
the Swiss composer 10 years ago. 
had its U.S. bow early last Novem- 
ber by the Chicago Symphony, un- 
der Fritz Reiner. The Sauter-Fine- 
gan crew sat in then, too. The N. Y. 
date marks the S-F’s Philharmonic 
as well as N. Y. longhair bow. 

RCA Victor is issuing the Rein- 
er-Sauter-Fin gan version this 
month. 


Escudero 11 i Mont’l 

Montreal. Feb. 8. 

Escudero & Co.„ at Her Majes- 
ty's last week, drew nearly $11,500, 
with house scaled at $3.38 top. 

It was the North American bow 
for the Spanish troupe, prior to 
its N. Y. debut this week. 


Ballet Russe SRO, Seattle 

Seattle, Feb. 8. 

Hrndled by Hugh Becket Attrac- 
tions. the Ballet Russe de Monte 
Carlo, in two nights at the 1.400- 
seater Palomar, grossed a neat 
$8,500, which was capacity. 

House was scaled from $4. 


‘Bleecker’ for London; 
Maybe European Tour 

London, Feb. 8. 

Plans for a London edition of 
“The Saint of Bleecker Street" in 
the fall are currently being nego- 
tiated by Chandler Cowles, pro- 
ducer of the Gian-Carlo Menotti 
opera on Broadway. He arrived 
from New York last week and in- 
tends to stay long enough to close 
a deal and agree to a suitable 
theatre. 

Alternative ideas on bringing the 
original production to London are 
being considered. One is to organ- 
ize an international tour on the 
pattern established by "Porgy and 
Bess" and play European capitals 
for limited engagements. The other 
is to play London exclusively on 
an indifinite run basis. 

If a tour is chosen, Cowles hopes 
he will be allowed to import the 
entire Broadway cast, but if he 
falls back oa the alternative he 
will probably limit his request to 
bring over the eight principals. 

One of the producer’s major 
problems is finding an available 
theatre large enough to accommo- 
date a chorus of. 40, with a pit 
capable of holding the 57-man 
orchestra. Major theatres of the 
calibre of Drury Lane and the 
Coliseum, already housing big hits, 
have a queue of productions wait- 
ing. 

It is expected that the London 
production of "Bleecker Street" 
will be presented in association 
with Chappell & Co., the British 
music publishing firm associated 
with Lawrence Olivier in the local 
edition of "The Consul." 


20 Ex-Terpers For 
Ballet Theatre Run 


Twenty former members of Bal- 
let Theatre are rejoining the troupe 
for the three-week gala at the N. Y. 
Met Opera House, starting April 
12, marking BT’s 15th anniversary 
season. Included are such top 
names as Alicia Markova, Anton 
Dolin, Nana Gollner, Hugh Laing, 
Mary Ellen Moylan and Tatiana 
Riahouchinska. Also, six members 
from the original 1940 season are 
included: Viola Essen, Annabelle 
Lyon, Maria Karnilova, Edward 
Caton, David Nillo and Donald 
Saddler. 

Rounding out the 20 will be 
Muriel Bentley, Paula Lloyd. Sono 
Osato. Jenny Workman. Roy Fitzell, 
Yurek Lazowsky, James Mitchell 
and Nicholas Orloff. In addition, 
four famed choreographers will re- 
turn to stage works of theirs, and 
to dance in them — Anthony Tudor, 
Agnes De Mille, David Lichine and 
Leonide Massine. All these names 
will augment the regular troupe, 
headed by Alicia Alonso, Nora 
Kaye. Igor Youskevitch and John 
Kriza. 

Daniel Saidenberg has been 
pacted as guest conductor, to share 
duties with Joseph Levine. The 
gala spring season, ending May 1, 
brings Sol Hurok back as manager 
of Ballet Theatre. 


Kreisler’s Library Gift 

Washington, Feb. 8. 

Manuscripts of more than 50 of 
Fritz Kreisler's compositions, ulus 
a collection of his medals and cita- 
tions, have been donated to the Li- 
brary of Congress by the violinist. 

Included are several composi- 
tons which Kreisler first intro- 
duced as works of early composers. 
Numbers, however, were actually 
written by Kreisler. 


Ft. Wayne Summer Setup; 
5 Musicals, New Name 

Ft. Wayne, Feb. 8. 

Five musical shows will be of- 
fered in .the Franke Park Outdoor 
Theatre at Ft. Wayne this sum- 
mer, but the sponsoring organiza- 
tion, now in its fifth year, has de- 
cided to change its name. For- 
merly known as the Ft. Wayne 
Light Opera Festival, Inc., the 
group will henceforth be identi- 
fied as the Festival Music Theatre, 
Inc. It was felt the old name was 
both too long and misleading, as 
many persons thought the musical 
offerings were something akin to 
grand opera. 

When the Festival group was or- 
ganized in 1950, it offered light op- 
eras like “Merry Widow," “Red 
| Mill" and “Naughty Marietta." But 
as the seasons passed, patrons pre- 
ferred musical comedy shows like 
"Kiss Me Kate,” “Carousel," and 
"Brigadoon." The new name is 
expected to cover any type of of- 
fering. from concerts and ballets 
to musical shows — and light opera. 

Lou Culp, formerly business 
manager, has been promoted to 
general manager, and will com- 
bine additional duties with those 
formerly assigned to the business 
manager. In his new post, he will 
be the top executive of the organi- 
j zation, responsible only to the 
1 board of directors. 


Verdi: Te Deum & Boito: Mefts- 
tofele Prolog (RCA Victor). Sou- 
venir of one of the final concerts 
of the NBC Symphony under 
Arturo Toscanini. March 14. '54. 
this is also a stirring recording. 
Two powerful, moving pieces of 
music literature are performed by 
the old maestro with only the as- 
surance, uncanoy skill and inspira- 
tion he’s capable of. Orch and 
choruses are topflight, especially 
the boys choir in the Boito. Nicola 
Moscona sings the "Mefistofele" 
sonorously, with stature, and the 
surging dramatic work packs a ter- 
rific wallop. 

Dvorak: Legends (Columbia). 

Charming, unfamiliar Bohemian 
melodies, akin to the Slavonic 
Dances but lighter, not as heavily 
orchestrated, and here played with 
verve by the Little Orchestra So- 
ciety under Thomas Scherman. 

Beethoven: Overtures (Westmin- 
ster). Half of these half-dozen 
w'orks are unfamiliar, hence less 
hackneyed and more inviting, es- 
pecially when as well played as 
the Vienna State Opera Orch does 
here under Hermann Scherchen. 

Saint-Saens: Concerto No. 2, G 
Minor & No. 5 in F (Vox). Two 
melodic, enjoyable works, especial- 
ly the No. 5. with its noble slow 
movement. It’s a more serious 
work than the more popular, styl- 
ish G Minor. Pianist Orazio Fru- 
goni plays them with style and 
deft musicianship, aided by the 
Pro Musica under Hans Swarow- 
sky. 

Haydn: Quartets in F. Op. 3, No. 
5 & D Minor, Op. 76, No. 2 (Angel*. 
An interesting disk, comparing an 
early and late quartet of Haydn — 
the light, gay Opus 3. with its de- 
lightful Serenade, with the much 
maturer, substantial and highly 
melodic Opus 76. The excellent 
Quartetto Italiano plays these witn 
charming style and smooth grace. 

Under its inexpensive Camden 
label, RCA Victor is reissuing on 
LPs a lot of old 78s that make 
some of the best buys in the disk 
market. Names of the orchs are 
switched, for obvious reasons, but 
they’re all firstrate symph ensem- 
bles. “For instance, it’s the St. 
Louis Symph now anonymously 
playing Leonard Bernstein’s "Jere- 
miah" Symphony on a disk, "Bern- 
stein Conducts Bernstein." that 
has the young composer-conductor 
also doing his “On The Town" 
and "Facsimile” for a choice coup- 
ling. The Bizet Symphony in C, 
Tchaikovsky Fifth and Dvorak 
Slavonic Dances are other releases. 
Biggest buy is an album. Six 
Tchaikovsky Symphonies, the com- 
plete set. with the orchs disguised 
as "Golden,” “Schuyler." "War- 
wick." but actually being the Bos- 
ton. Philadelphia, etc. Bron. 


James Mason 


Continued from page 2 


clared, “but also an insufficiently 
employed wealth of excellent writ- 
ing talent.” 

Actor asserted he Isn’t im- 
pressed by persons who advocate 
national or international searches 
fof new talent, which, he pointed 
out. "will continue to emerge by 
itself." Such undertakings, in his 
opinion, are “more seriously con- 
cerned with achieving press cover- 
age than in discovering and devel- 
oping show business neophytes.” 

“Before I could accept any 
claims that there is a need for a 
door-to-door search for new talent, 
I first want to know in whose in- 
terests such a search would be 
conducted. Would it be for the 
undiscovered talent, the public or 
for the agrandizement of the em- 
ployers? This first must be truth- 
fully explained and answered." 

Mason, between thesping and 
hosting the “Lux Video Theatre," 
is prepping an indie filming of the 
Cecil Woodham-Smith novel, “The 
Reason Why," by his Portland 
Productions. 


AMERICA’S FAVORITE TOURING ORCHESTRA 

ARTHUR FIEDLER AND THE BOSTON POPS 

TOUR ORCHESTRA 

(By Arrangement with the Boston Symphony Orchestra) 

Now on Sold Out Tour 

NOW BOOKING TRANSCONTINENTAL TOUR JAN., FEB., MARCH, 1956 

Wire for Few Available Dates 
COLUMBIA ARTISTS MANAGEMENT 

Personal Direction of JUDSON. O'NEILL AND JUDD 
113 Wes* 57th Street, New York 

RCA Victor Recordings 


Baldwin Pianos 


Inside Stuff— Concerts 


The Metropolitan Opera, especially the business side, is in an upbeat 
mood these days, as result of last week’s debut of the Italian soprano. 
Renata Tebaldi. Despite some qualifying reviews on her “Otello" 
performance, management reports a tremendous demand for ducats to 
her other appearances, unlike any in years. “The want-to-hear on 
Tebaldi is terrific," one exec exclaimed. Explanation probably lies in 
the La Scala prima donna’s large recording public and attendant word- 
of-mouth; her personality and imposing figure, and the fact that N.Y.’s 
large Italian opera-loving segment hasn't seen a top Italian soprano 
1h>w at the Met since Licia Albanese’s debut in 1940. Mme. Tebaldi, 
signed for nine dates this season, will sing 13 times next season. She’ll 
also appear with the San Francisco Opera. 

Meantime, it’s also been learned that the Met will open next season 
with “Tales of Hoffmann," on Nov. 14, abandoning the potpourri of 
opera excerpts of this season intended mainly for tv audiences. Open- 
ing again will probably be on closed-circuit tv. 

Poor little diamond girl. Ross Parmenter, reviewing the Met Opera’s 
“Tosca” in the N.Y. Times Monday (7), writes: "The Tosca was Della 
Rigal, who sang the part for the first time this season. Since she 
w r as not Repressive vocally, the chief distinction of her performance 
was her Jewelry in the second act. Not only was she a-glitter with 
bracelets, earrings and a big necklace, but she was wearing Empress 
Josephine’s diamond tiara, borrowed for the evening from Van Cleef 
& Arpels. It is difficult to see what Miss Rigal thought such lavish 
jewelry would add to her characterization. Actually, the gems worked 
against conviction, especially in the ‘Vissi d’arte.’ That is an aria in 
which she implores heaven’s protection because she has always been 
such a good little girl. With all those diamonds it was hard to be- 
lieve." 


N.Y. Times radio-tv editor Jack Gould in his Sunday column: “The 
most vivid laboratory example of a program that meets the ultimate 
qualitative test for tv is probably the NBC Opera Theatre. This com- 
pany’s aim has not been merely to do ‘opera on television.' Instead, 
with excitement, imagination and a magnificent refusal to compromise 
its artistic integrity, it has widened the horizons for all of opera and 
made a cultural contribution that transcends mere media. Is it too 
rash to hint that the NBC Opera, in terms of its national influence, 
now is the equal and conceivably even the peer of the Metropolitan? 
A startling thought, perhaps, but an Intriguing one none the less.” 


Greenlight To Govt. Probe 


Continued from page 1 


reliably reported, revolves mainly 
around the alleged charge that 
CAMI and NCAC, through their 
subsids, conspired to divide up the 
concert territory between them. 
The fact that there is no Commu- 
nity setup in a Civic town, or vice 
versa, seems to buttress the claim 
of an agreement. 

CAMI, on the other hand, has 
been denying the alleged charge in 
frequent representations to the 
Justice Dept. Exclusivity of one 
group in a city, they’ve said, is a 
definite matter of policy. The or- 
ganized audience movement de- 
pends on voluntary workers In 
every town, getting together to 
raise the funds needed to bring a 
concert series in annually. It 
would be utterly impossible to have 
two public committees in one town, 
working against each other, it’s 
claimed. 

In the trade, the Government’s 
impending case is regarded as 
weak, although it may damage 
CAMI in the field, just as the 
French fracas of a few months ago 
hurt. (Ward French, ousted as 
Community prez, started his own 
organized aude movement, which 
folded after a month. But CAMI 
lost five Community towns, includ- 
ing its biggest. Lexington, Ky.» all 
going over to Civic). 

Government’s main evidence 
against CAMI is believed to be a 
file of correspondence between 
French and an ex-CAMI veepee. 
Arthur Wisner, which Wisner re- 
portedly turned over after being 
fired from a Community post by 
French. Wisner has since died, 
the Government reportedly thus 
losing its strongest witness. 

There’s a Difference 

The Government’s cases against 
the Shuberts and the concert bu- 
reaus are believed to have sharp 
differences. The Shuberts own the- 
atres. and are the sole owners in 
many cities, opening themselves to 
monopoly charges. The bureaus 
own nothing, no halls, no leases, 
and have no monopoly on local 
auditoriums, competing for halls in 
the general market with every- 
body. 

Until last week’s High Court de- 
cision, the bureaus felt they weren’t 
subject to antitrust laws, since 
they dealt in personal performers, 
not property, and were agents, not 
principals. They feel that this is a 
unique antitrust case, because 
neither bureau has any property, 
just goodwill and knowhow. They 
point out that the situation is 
unique in that the organized aude 
movement doesn’t operate in any 
big city (Chicago, New York, At- 
lanta, Boston, Philadelphia, etc.) 
but in small towns. In other words, 
it’s the first case of an alleged 
monopoly which omits the cream of 
the market, the best territory. 

But CAMI execs are wrought up 
over the impending case, because 


of the fact that they’ve brought 
concerts to remote places at cheap 
prices, and are proud of it. But 
more especially, they feel that if 
a decision goes against them, it’ll 
be the small artists w'ho’ll take it 
on the chin. The big name artists 
are completely independent of 
Community or Civic, rarely if ever 
playing them. 

To dissuade the Government 
from suing, CAMI filed a 44-page 
brief with them in June, 1954, to 
show that Community wasn’t a 
monopoly. A sutt would hurt the 
organized aude movement and 
small artists, CAMI claimed. Di- 
vestiture would kill the organized 
aude setup, they added, because 
this setup requires a pool of artists 
to service the towns, and divesti- 
ture would eliminate the pool. 

Analyzing the entire concert biz 
for the ’52-’53 season, CAMI 
showed that It had only 29%, or 
173 artists of the 800 in the field. 
Its artists got only 20% of the 
orch dates, 17% of the opera op- 
portunities, and 25% of the school 
opportunities, that season. In the 
overall trade picture, CAMI did $5 - 
350.000 big that year, while NCAC 
and Sol Hurok (who have a work- 
ing arrangement together) did 
$7,000,000. This wasn’t all the 
concert biz, the 17 other indie man- 
agement getting their share. Fur- 
thermore, orchestra tours, the Met 
Opera tour, and popular attractions 
(like Liberace, Paul Gregory, etc.) 
invading the concert territory, also 
took big money out of the strictly 
concert field. 


Valentine Stunt 


Continued from page 1 


started on happy marriage. Apply 
Sutton Theatre (United Artists', 
205 E. 57 St., Manhattan, at 12 
noon, Mon., Feb. 7." 

The Times initially took the copy 
tagged for the Help Wanted col- 
umns, then picked up the scent 
of a bally stunt and turned thumbs 
down. The Herald Tribune, in a 
similar display of decorum, also 
ruled that the ad did not qualify 
as an employment item. 

The turndown did not stop pub- 
licity topper Mort Nathanson, w'ho 
succeeded in getting the Times to 
run the ad as a Public Notice. The 
Trib also reconsidered and fol- 
lowed style. The News. Mirror, 
Post, and Joumal-American, ap- 
parently taking theatre marriages 
in stride, accepted the calling-all- 
Romeos-and-Juliets copy as ten- 
dered. 

An unexpected payoff came Mon- 
day (7> when 31, not 30, altar- 
bound applicants turned up at the 
Sutton. The odd man, ruled out by 
manager Tom McMahon, was a 
Brooklyn furniture salesman who 
thought the house might provide 
a blind wedding date. 




LITERATI 


73 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 



Chicago Papers Up a Jit theatre as he watched a perform 
Chicago Tribune and Chicago ance, Bishop’s book has value as 
American have joined the parade stage lore. While several myths 
of newspapers hiking their Sunday and inaccuracies -concerning John 
edition prices with a boost to 20c. Wilkes Booth and his crime are 
Trib increase went into effect Feb. corrected in this book, the legend 
6 and the American ups its price of Laura Keene persists. Bruce 
next Sunday (13). Both were pre- Catton. Stefan Lorant and Harry 
viously priced at 15c. Usual ex- E. Pratt of the Illinois State His- 
planation: increased production torical Library checked the manu- 
costs. Sun-Times Sunday edition is script, yet nowhere is doubt ex- 
still tagged 10c., but is expected to pressed concerning the possibility 
increase to 15c within a few weeks, of Miss Keene (leading lady at 
Saturday edition of the Ameri- Ford’s Theatre) reaching Lincoln’s 
can, meanwhile, was cut back from box after the President was shot. 
10c to 5c, with the comics antf fea- Her romantic story, substantiated 
tures formerly in that paper being b3 f , a . blood-stained costume, later- 
tossed into the Sunday issue. Chi widely exhibited, contends that 
Daily News Saturday edition re- Miss Keene held the dying Presi 


its local sales toppers and where 
convenient, by sales personnel of 
the manufacturers involved. The 
wholesaler will distrib each co-op 
1 sponsor’s window strips, counter 
and window cards. The femme 
phoners will ask dealers to display 
and push the advertised products. 
McKesson’s monthly publication, 
Profitunities, will carry a four- 


SCULLY’S SCRAPBOOK { 

By Frank Scully 


ucts. 


‘TV Playhouse’ 


Continued from pace 26 


mains at 10c. 


Swaffer’a Biographer 

London, Feb. 8. 

Hannen Swaffer has commis- 
sioned McQueen Pope, theatre his- 
torian, to write his biography 
under the tentative title of “The 


dent’s head in her lap as he lay 
on the floor of the State box. 'De- 
spite a doctor’s report to credit the 
yarn, there is sufficient evidence in 
George S. Bryan’s “The Great 
American Myth’’ (and elsewhere), 
to refute the tale. 

Bishop’s book provides compell- 
ing documentation of the last act 


Swaffer Legend. , , , 

The London columnist had made * n republic s greatest melo- 

several attempts to write his own ■ drama - Robert Downing. 


life story, but had penned "more 
than 100,000 words and had only 
reached the age of seven.”. 


Hastings' Teleplay Awards 

Hastings House award for the 
best one-hour tv play of 1954 has 
been given to the Dale Wasserman- 
‘Elisha and the Long 


Cue's 20th Ann! Series 

Cue mag’s 20th anni will spark Jack Balch 
four issues as an umbrella under Knives," produced on NBC’s “Kraft 
which coverage of the N.Y. enter- TV Theatre” last February, 
tainment scene will be accented via “Elisha” and winners in the 
addition of 16 to 20 pages. First other categories will be printed in 
special (March 26) will be on tv- “Top TV Shows of the Year,” a 
radio (Philip Minoff and Frances Hastings listing for April. 

Guidos); second (April 23) on legit 

(John Keating, who’s also overall Brit. Radio Times Expands 

editor); third (May 28) on films Official weekly of the British 

(Jesse Zunser, exec ed doubler); Broadcasting Corp., The Radio 
and fourth (June 11) on niteries, Times (which has a top circulation 
sports and general departments of over 8,500,000 copies weekly) is 
within Cue’s ken (Emory Lewis is to have a second center of produc- 
feature ed). tion and distribution. Located 

About a fourth of the mag’s staff near Glasgow, it will serve Scot- 
of 45 has been with it since the land and the North of England, 
start. and is expected to begin opera- 

tiqns about the middle of 1956. 

Flora Schreiber’s Workshop The London firm of Waterlow Sc 
“Radio and Film Writing” work- Sons Ltd., printers of the journal, 
shop, which the New School for will establish a branch at the new 
Social Research launches Feb. 11 Scot town of East Kilbride. Edi- 
as part of its spring term, has tions for Northern Ireland will 
scheduled a dozen notables in also be produced there, 
those fields as guest lecturers. To provide the necessary capi- 

Among those announced are tal, the Loifdon firm will borrow 
George Kondolf, producer of the up to $3,000,000. Building of the 
U.S. Steel Hour; Mrs. Robert Fla- new printing works will begin al 
herty, film producer, and come- most immediately. Decision to 
dian Robert Q. Lewis. Sessions are Print in Scotland as well as in 
set for Friday evenings. England follows the increased cir- 

With Flora Rheta Schreiber as culation of the journal. 

director, the course will be con- 

fined to the planning and writing CHATTER 

of marketable scripts. Students, Leonard Feather’s “The Three 

according to the institution, will Lives of Louis Armstrong” in the 
have the opportunity of studying March Esquire, 
scripts to be produced profession- Melvin S. Wax is resigning as 
ally, to discuss scripts with pro- assistant publisher and managing 
ducers and to follow a script’s editor of the Claremont (N. H.) 
course until it ultimately becomes Daily Eagle, effective March 1. 
a broadcast or a film. Jim Bishop penning the life sto- 

ry of Jackie Gleason. Scribe’s 17- 

Theatrical Journal 'Hero* year-old daughter, Virginia Lee, 
David Alexander has written an- writing a tome on Father Duffy 
other corking mystery yarn with a for juves. 

Broadway background — “Paint the John G. Powers has been elected 
Town Black” (Random House; president of Prentice-Hall Inc., 
$2.75). As in “Terror on Broad- Richard P. Ettinger, chairman of 
way,” the author’s hero is Bart the board of directors, announced 
Hardin, editor of an imaginary last week. Ettinger previously held 
sports and theatrical journal. The both posts. 

Broadway Times. The new tome is Toronto Star reunion in the 
a tale of smart money, fast horses. Royal York Hotel, Toronto, is 
and sharp characters who inhabit moved up two weeks to April 16. 
the shadier perimeter of Times Star alumni include, besides those 
Square. mentioned last week, Art Arthur 

Alexander writes at a slick clip, the Hollyw-ood screenwriter, who 
drawing his characters realistically, started there as an office boy. So 
and keeping his hero in plenty of did his friend Ralph Foster, now 
trouble right up to the fade-out. co-owner (with ex-Starman Art 
Robert Downing. Wells) of Communications of Can- 

ada Ltd, Toronto p.r. firm. Another 

Ballet Biogs is Frank Rasky, now editor of 

“Dancers of the Ballet” (Knopf; Liberty, the Canadian monthly. 
$3.75), issued for the Borzoi Books Also Bob McStay and Paul Gard- 
young people series, will interest nor, (respectively Toronto and 
grownup balletomanes (especially < Ottawa reps of Variety. 
those of recent vintage) as well. ' 

Written by Margaret F. Atkin- 
son and May Hillman, the book 
contain about 40 brief biogs of 
current top dancers, Danilova, 

Fonteyn, Eglevsky, Alonso, You- 
skcvitch, Adams, Caron, Babilee 
and others. Biogs are lively, fresh 
and inviting, and the handsome 
accompanying photos are added 
appeal. Broil. 


Electric has made deep inroads 
into "TV Playhouse” with its 9 
o’clock live and film half-hour 
dramas on CBS-TV that have ban- 
nered legit, film and offbeat names 
(such as Jack Benny, Johnnie Ray). 
Thus, TA feels compelled to recruit 
new writing blood in place of cur- 
rent and possible future defections 
from its ranks, and has called upon 
Arthur Cantor, its overall press 
rep, to devote special attention to 
the Philco phase. 

Of the other hour shows, the 
ones in deepest trouble are Chrys- 
ler’s “Climax” and Westinghouse’s 
“Best of Broadway” on CBS. So 
much so that a change of horses 
came in midstream, with producer 
Bretaigne Windust ushered out of 
the Chrysler three-for-four (“Show- 
er of Stars” has the Thursday at 8:30 
spot every four weeks for the same 
sponsor) by the network to work 
on “The Townspeople” for a preem 
in the fall. (“Townspeople” is to 
be adorned with star trimmings un- 
der a permanent stock company in- 
volved in smalltown doings.) Simi- 
larly, Martin Manulis loses the 
reins on the every-fourth-Wednes- 
day “Best of Broadway" but takes 
over “Climax." Felix Jackson, 
serving Westinghouse on “Studio 
One,” moves into the sponsor’s 
Wednesday hour, with only three 
shows to go, March 2, April 6 and 
May 4. (The February entry under 
Manulis was “The Show Off,” star- 
ring Jackie Gleason, which got a 
drubbing from the critics.) The 
March show will find Jackson vir- 
tually back on his former Holly- 
wood ground (though show origi- 
nates in N. Y.) since it groups Clau- 
dette Colbert, Franchot Tone, Regi- 
nald Gardiner and Mary Boland in 
Molnar’s "The Guardsman.” 


‘Red Carpel Plan’ 


Laura Keene Notwithstanding 

Jim Bishop, author of “The 
Mark Hellinger Story,” proves his 
reporting ability in “The Day Lin- 
coln Was Shot” (Harper; $3.75) and 
properly describes the book in his 
preface as “pretty much a journal- 
ise job.” Material is arranged in 
a straightforward recap of the day. 
April 14. 1865, commencing at 7 
ji ni., with Lincoln emerging from 
his White House bedroom; and 
‘ 1() sing shortly after 7:22 am., 
April 15, when silver dollars were 
l>*aced upon the eyelids of the mar- 
tjn-d President. 

Because Lincoln was assassin- ' 


Continued from pace 27 


Plan sets up eight McK&R serv- 
ices for the products of advertisers 
who join the parade. Thus, in ad- 
dition to the time, sponsor auto- 
matically gets McKesson's 1.200 
salesmen, 300 telephone salesgirls 
and the management itself to make 
with the hoopla via the whole- 
saler’s 38,000,000 outlets. Of 30 
spots available weekly on the two 
programs, the web will turn over a 
minimum of two to "The Druggist 
of America” in a salute to those 
merchants. A total of 18 partici- 
pations are earmarked for sponsors 
weekly, with three-a-week for one 
cycle as the minimum. Cott ssid 
a typical weekly schedule of two 
morning and one evening plug 
would average $7,500. 

McKesson’s sales hordes are 


ated by a prominent actor in a J being briefed on “Red Carpet” by 


Hollywood. 

If ever Hollywood should reach the end of its rope, Heavens forbid, 

. , there’s a future for most of its specialists in a decidedly essential 

mserl on 1 ie P an antl P rod " j industry. The way they can clean up scripts should assure producers, 

directors and writers that streets need never remain dirty. Banks 
Winter, who flourished in minstrelsy when blackface was what films 
are today, even wrote the theme-song for Hollywood. It was called, 
"White Wings, May They Never Grow Weary.” 

I come to this comforting thought after a thorough research on 
how beautifully 20th-Fox cleaned up all those crazy Booth peccadillos 
in “Prince of Players,” which Phillip Dunne, long a writer, directed 
from a script which Moss Hart, a writer even longer, sweetened from 
a free-wheeling biography by Eleanor Ruggles. 

What they must have done before plunging into “Prince of Players” 
was to take some nice refreshing whiffs of "Behind The Scenes with 
Edwin Booth” by Katherine Goodale. She was Kitty Molony, a cute 
little trick from New Orleans, with the innocence of a nun and the 
admiration of stars, that even teenagers rarely possess today. She 
was under contract to Lawrence Barrett, a family friend, who released 
her to Booth for a countrywide Shakespearean tour in the '80s. 

You would never get from her that Barrett and Booth had feuded 
for years before they decided to call it all off and merge their talents. 
Barrett stepping down to manage Booth’s muddled affairs and taking 
second billing when they played together. 

Booth could talk Kitty into believing he even resented applause, 
because audiences were less qualified to pass judgment on his art 
than critics. Before the end of the tour, however, applause on at 
least one occasion brought him to tears. 

Change Here For Realism 

From Eleanor Ruggles you get a look at the obverse of this classic 
coin. It had more dirt on it than a Roman token found beside a 
crumbling aqueduct. Trained herself in Hallie Flannagan’s Vassar 
courses. Miss Ruggles decided that when she was going toVrite about 
Edwin Thomas Booth, the black would better show off the white. 

The great grandfather of Edwin was a respected Jewish silversmith 
who escaped persecution by lamming from Portugal to London. The 
silversmith’s son Richard became a substantial lawyer. Then Richard 
spawned Junius Brutus Booth and from there Casanova, Cellini. Villon 
and Captain Kidd were reduced by Juno to footnotes in the history 
of wenching and wild living. 

By the time Juno was 13 most of barrister Booth’s practice was 
confined to springing his son out of cantoriums. The kid’s blood must 
have boiled from infancy. Altogether he spawned nine illegitimates. 
He put a neighbor’s servant girl in a family way when he was only 
13. His father fought hard to beat that rap, but had to pay off. 

Juno’s next one w’as another servant girl. He had her with child 
w'hen he w'as 17. He scrammed to sea but was hauled off the ship 
in the nick of time and again Pop had to pay off. 

Juno soon was off again, this time to join some strollers, the sort 
of troupers who toured the countryside keeping one jump ahead of 
the sheriff. They lived principally on vegetables thrown at them. In 
Juno’s case it helped, because he was a vegetarian. But this sort of 
nutrition calmed him as much as it did that other vegetarian, the 
rogue elephant. 

Perhaps a better comparison would be the jackrabbit, for he was 
smaller than Mickey Rooney and bowlegged. But he learned acting 
fast and thought he was as good as Kemble and Kean before he could 
shave. Absolutely fearless, he got chumped into acting with Kean and 
came off second best. But in stage duels, he played for keeps and 
scared hell out of his rivals with his thrusts. Oddly, his son Edwin 
got chumped years later into a similar deal in London when he co- 
starred with Henry Irving. 

Juno Plays The Paycock 

On a tour of the Continent. Juno lured away a young Brussels 
sprout named Adelaide Delannoy and showed up with her two months 
later at his father's London house, still unmarried. His father pushed 
him into a legal splicing and in some months (who’s counting by now?) 
a child was born. This was the first and about the last legitimate child 
this legitimate actor ever had. and, in all, he sired 11 kids. What he 
might have accomplished had he been a beefeater would stagger a 
bureau of vital statistics. 

A few years after our seductive sir married, he spotted a well-shaped 
voluptuous wench selling flowers around Covent Garden. Her name 
was Mary Ann Holmes. She was 18. He sweet-talked her into a trip 
abroad. He told his wife he was going on tour and would be sending 
her money. He did too. Soon, surprisingly, she was getting dollars 
to cash into pounds, for he had got as far as America with his flower 
girl. 

No McCarran Act was on the statute books in those days and key- 
hole columnists were practically unknown. Juno set up his menage 
on a farm outside of Baltimore and there in a log cabin without benefit 
of clergy he begat a whole litter of Booths — Junius Brutus Jr., Edwin 
and John Wilkes being perhaps the best known of them. 

He Times His Two-Timing 

He even had the nerve to take trips back to England, hiding his 
mistress out of town, while he went calling on his wife and legitimate 
son in London. He did this at least twice. In fact, the secret of his 
double life never came out till his London-born son, Richard, now 
a man, came to America and was presented with the facts of life. 
No charge of bigamy was possible, since old Juno had not married 
more than once. Subsequently, in a sober moment, rare for this 
amazing lush, I believe he did divorce his wife and marry Mary Ann 
and thus legitimatize all the offspring, including the unreconstructed 
John Wilkes Booth. 

Dunne’s production of “Prince of Players" doesn’t hint at this grand 
old goat’s past and even where it has him baiting an audience and 
ordering them to shut up and in 10 minutes he’ll give them the 
greatest “King Lear” they ever saw. the dialog has to be expurgated 
because what he actually did say was blasphemous. 

Ted. as his father called Edwin, wasn't nearly the madman his father 
was. lie drank only in spurts, but chain-smoked cigars and pipes. He 
was mild-mannered and underplayed Shakespeare in the modern man- 
ner, sticking strictly to the original scripts, the first to do this in 
generations. He grew tremendously in stature as an actor after his 
father died. 

“Jail All Actors!” Was The Cry 

The picture has Edwin in New' York when he got the news his 
brother had assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Actually he was playing 
in Boston. All the family w'as jailed except Edwin, and it was thought 
that because he had previously saved the life of Lincoln's son Robert 
at a railway station, he was spared this disgrace. 

Threats that he would be shot if he performed after the President’s 
death would have involved mass murder because of the way Booth 
played Hamlet. Irving came out alone with fanfares, but in Booth’s 
production the curtain rose with him in the center of a large group 
of players. 

He laid off for a year after his brother shot the President. He got 
an ovation w hen he returned to the stage. There was not much guilt- 
by-association in those days, though every time someone took a pot 
shot at a Prez, his brother’s foul deed came up for a rewrite. Naturally. 

He made a record of playing 100 consecutive performances of Ham- 
let. Richard Burton, who plays him in “Prince of Players,” topped 
this with 136 at Old Vic, but these were not consecutive evenings. 


MacRae 

Continued from page 45 


slotting MacRae on shorter time 
periods, indications point to the 
fact that Colgate’s plans aren’t yet 
formulated. 

One of the deciding factors has 
been the Procter Sc Gamble policy 
of buying in on established half- 
hour video shows. They now have 
alternating sponsorship on "This 
Is Your Life” and "I Love Lucy.” 
With a voice in established and suc- 
cessful shows which dominate their 
particular time period, it’s figured 
that P&G has a solid entree to 
many buyers. This kind of time- 
buying from its major rival has in- 
fluenced the thinking of Colgate 
aqd they may follow suit with al- 
ternate sponsorships of other shows 
and greater exposure. It also in- 
dicates an attempt to build up a 
Colgate personality a la Ed Sulli- 
van for Lincoln-Mercury. Betty 
Furness for Westinghouse and 
Johnny for Philip Morris. 


PSolkin 


Continued from page 28 


or w hat. Nobody knows, and until 
somebody does — or until somebody 
is willing to admit he does — it’s 
hard for most DuMonters and 
tradesters generally to get excited 
about “great financial savings” via 
a far-reaching film arrangement; 

it’s not too hard to lose what sav- 
ings may be made by an advanced 
film camera through shoddy distri- 
bution of product. This, though, is 
another one of the “experimenta- 
tion” fingers. 

Once more re the Plotkin report: 
Any or all of the recommendations 
could help alleviate the obvious 
“no affiliates” problem at DuMont. 
If deintermixture happens or anti- 
trust measures (re other webs are 
grabbing i p “desirable” affils) are 
carried out or ending binding affil- 
iate contracts takes place. DuMont 
could conceivably drop this probing 
and aggressively return. In some 
degree at least, to the business of 
being a tele network as the indus- 
try currently envisions one. 



Wednesday! February 9, 1955 



Broadway 


Mai Braveman’s office handling 
publicity for Mata & Hari. 

Hyman Heller, Lindy’s general 
manager, recuperating from sur- 
gery for bursitis. 

Mort Nusbaums (of WBBF, 
Rochester) to celebrate first wed- 
ding anni where they got hitched, 
to wit, Miami. 

Richard Conte, who’s co-starred 
In Allied Artists’ “The Big Com- 
bo,” in from the Coast Mon. (17) 
to help plug the film. 

Mitch Miller, Columbia Records 
a&r chief, returned to his New 
York desk this week after a series 
of recording sessions on the Coast. 

Harlan Jackson, painter-husband 
of legit pressagent Dorothy Ross, 
will exhibit his paintings at the 
Panoras Gallery Feb. 14-26, pre- 
ceded by a reception Sunday after- 
noon (13). 

Helen Craig and John Beal, act- 
ing pair who’ve been married about 
20 years, finally did a joint broad- 
cast, on the CBS-TV series. “Lamp 
Unto My Feet” via the Henry C. 
Brown office. 

Theodor Adolphus, who has chore- 
ographed 187 shows, hired by 
Harry Delmar to stage production 
numbers for new Stardust Hotel in 
Las Vegas. Opens May 1 with 22 
dancers. 12 show girls, 10 singers. 

Richard F. Walsh, prexy of the 
International Alliance of Theatri- 
cal Stage Employees, will be hon- 
ored at the second annual Heart 
Award Dinner of the Variety Club 
of N. Y. at the Waldorf-Astoria 
May 2. 

Tom Gerst, Celebrity Service’s 
N.Y. office manager, named West 
Coast director, effective March 1. 
Gerst’s assistant, Patricia Vernon, 
accompanies him to the Coast. 
Lynn Bovvers, current Coast man- 
ager, resigned to develop scripts 
on a new tv series. She may take 
over Celebrity Service’s Paris oper- 
ation in May. In the meanwhile, 
Miss Bowers continues on Louella 
Parsons’ staff. 


celebrated the show’s 100th per- 
formance recently with a cocktail 
party given by the comedy’s Turk- 
ish adapter, Leyla Erduran. 

Legit comedian-producer Muam- 
mer Karaca back from Anatolia 
getting ready for an early March 
opening of his new theatre seating 
800. House Is called The Karaca. 

American films playing in here 
recently include “Betrayed” (M-G), 
“Horizons West”,(U), “Rhapsody” 
(M-G), “Little Boy Lost” (Par), 
“Les Miserables” (20th) and “Lure 
of Wilderness” (20th). 


London 


Miami Beach 


By Larry Solloway 

Ed Sullivan, per usual, will helm 
Mt. Sinai Hospital Jubilee March 
3. 

Lili Christine heads up new re- 
vue at Jack Goldman’s Clover 
Club. 

Jerry Lester in for one frame at 
Driftwood Room in Nautilus Hotel 
tonight (Wed.). 

Jimmy Durante and his group 
are Royal York hotel guests while 
playing their Copa City Date. 

Balmoral may drop shows in the 
Embassy Room. Celeste Holm 
closed there Saturday (5); no re- 
placement set. 

David Selznick and Jennifer 
Jones checked into the Fontaine- 
bleau as did the Lawrence (“Meet 
The Press”) Spivaks. ' 

The Arthur Godfreys due at the 
Kenilworth for 10-day stay begin- 
ning Feb. 10. He won’t telecast 
during the period, concentrating 
on rest. 


El Paso 

By Art Hilton 

Pianist Claudio Arrau drew ca- 
pacity crowds at Liberty Hall. 

Fred Waring band due at Lib- 
erty Hall for two-night stand Feb. 
19-20. 

William Clauson, Victor RCA 
recording artist, at the La Fiesta, 
show spot in Juarez. 

Rod Cameron toured the border 
city for a few days before going on 
location on a pic being filmed in 
the interior of Mexico. 

Latin American violinist Lauro 
Uranga did so well at the Tivoli 
Show Bar in Juarez that he has 
been held another week. 

Horace Heidt talent search 
group arrived in El Paso to audi- 
tion El Pasosans for their show at 
the Coliseum. Talent from local 
military bases was screened as 
well as local El Paso talent. 


Paris 

By Gene Moskowitz 

(28 Rue Huchette, Odeon 49-44) 

Singer Roberta becomes a stage 
actress in Marie De Rasky’s “Le 
Frise” (Curley). 

Colette Marchand and Milord 
Miskovitch back after a six-month 
terp tour of Japan and the U.S. 

Albert Tavel and Felix Marou- 
ani, Gallic agents repping William 
Morris, celebrate their 25th anni 
this week/ 

Raoul Ploquin replacing Roger 
Richebe as head of the Syndicate 
of Film Producers and Exporters. 
Ploquin is a producer. 

Greta Garbo on a firstrun Paris 
screen in the Cinema D’Essai re- 
vival of “Queen Christina” (M-G) 
with John Gilbert and Lewis Stone. 

Victor Vicas to Switzerland for 
direction chore on the Richard 
Schweitzer story, “Voyage South”, 
under the Ladislas Wecljsler ban- 
ner. 

Seine flooding interfered with 
shooting of only one film here, 
when the electricity was cut off at 
a Neuilly studio because of sewer 
backups. 

Harold Hecht, Jim Hill and Carol 
Reed here to set facilities for forth- 
coming Hecht-Lancaster produc- 
tion, “Trapeze” (UA), to be made 
entirely in France starting next 
August. 

George Bernard Shaw gets his 
third posthumous legiter when the 
Comedie-Francaise does his “Mrs. 
Warren’s Profession” next month. 
First two, “Pygmalion” and “Arms 
And The Man.” are both hits. 

Jean Renoir finishing his pic-, 
“French Cancan.” and into staging 
chores for his first play, "Orvet,” 
which he wrote for Leslie Caron. 
Legiter opens next month at the 
Renaissance Theatre with Paul 
Meurisse and Raymond Bussieres 
opposite Miss Caron. 


David Berglas, billed as “Map of 
Magic,” starts his own tele series 
this week. 

Eve Boswell planes to South 
Africa next month on a 12-week 
vaude tour. 

Eric Glass negotiated a 'long- 
termer for Beverly Brooks with the 
J. Arthur Rank Organization. 

W. S. (Pete) Tower to Zurich for 
a three-day confab convened by 
Eugene S. Gregg, Westrex prez. 

Bryan Blackburn wrote and de- 
vised current revue at the Stork 
Room, “Stop,. Look and Listen.” 

Robert S. Wolff, RKO topper in 
London, sailed for N.Y. and home- 
office huddles on future British 
production. 

Jack Hylton producing a royal 
vaude gala in Blackpool in April, 
to be attended by the Queen and 
Duke of Edinburgh. 

Sydney K. Lewis, Associated 
British Cinemas exec, appointed 
vice-chairman of London Branch of 
Cinematograph Exhibitors Assn. 

Sir Henry L. French, director- 
general of the British Film Pro- 
ducers Assn, initiating series of 
lectures on films and tv at London 
University. 

Bet he Douglas, who has already 
appeared at the Mayfair and Casa- 
nova since she arrived here a cou- 
ple of months back, opened a two- 
week run at the Colony Monday 
(7). 

Wilfred Pickles leading a unit 
which is to tour British army in- 
stallations in Germany. Arthur 
English and Eddie Gray top an- 
other group heading for Malta, 
North Africa and Canal Zone. 


Pittsburgh 

By Hal V. Cohen 

Eartha Kitt in “Mrs. Patterson” 
booked into the Nixon for week of 
March 7. 

Jackie Heller sails next week for 
Nassau to work the British Colo- 
nial Hotel. 

Leon Uris, author of ‘‘Battle 
Cry,” around for a couple of days 
plugging the picture. 

Zac Freedman in town beating 
the drums for the Diana Barry- 
more “Pajama Tops.” 

Joe E. Brown around for few 
days visiting his son, who’s in the 
Pirates’ baseball organization. 

George Claire, who was a hoofer 
before he turned booker, rehears- 
ing line of girls for the Copa. 

Barbara Louis heads for Broad- 
way to try her luck when “The 
Women” doses at the Playhouse. 


Malenkov Scoop 


Chicago 

Marty Janis, Black Orchid flack, 
opening a New York office. 

Jimmy Durante checked here in 
briefly enroute to Miami Beach. 

Lena Home feted by the Negro 
Joint Appeal at Trianon ballroom. 

Jack Eigen back at the Chez 
Paree lounge mike after Florida 
vacation. 

Jan Peerce topped Orchestra 
Hall benefit concert Sunday (6) for 
the Hyde Park Hebrew Center. 

Thomas L. Thomas set for a re- 
peat appearance at U.S. Steel’s 
spring concert April 19 at Gary, 
Ind. * 

The Chicago Police Censor Board 
reviewed a total of 107 pictures 
during January. Of the total, 
there were no rejects and none 
were tagged “for adults only.” 
However, eight cuts were made in 
the films viewed. Some 23 of the 
films were of foreign origin. 


against inauguration of telecasts 
in school classes. Idea probably 
will be dropped again. 

Current U.S. first-runs bills here 
include: “Rhapsody” (M-G), “Ring 
of Fear" (WB), “All Brothers Were 
Valiant” (M-G), “Black Shield Fal- 
worth” (U) and “Susan Slept 
Here” (RKO), -plus reissue of 
“Gone Wi^h Wind” (M-G). 

Author Paul Gallico, who lives 
in nearby Principality of Lichen- 
stein in baronial splendor, will re- 
turn to the U.S. this spring to 
“brush up on his American idiom” 
after a long absence. He’ll drive 
across United States sharpening 
his ear for Americanese and gath- 
ering literary grist. 

Portland, Ore. 

The Tunesmiths topping bill at 
the .Frontier Room. 

The Clover Club shuttered again 
after being open only two weeks. 

The Ballet Russe De Monte 
Carlo at the Auditorium last week 
for two nights. 

The Four Knights, Tommy & 
Benny and The Carroll Dancers at 
Amato’s Supper Club. 

Rossini’s is the town’s newest 
plush eatery. Bob O’Neil combo in 
for dancing and show. 

Broadway manager Herb Roy- 
ster won the RKO “Do It Your- 
self” campaign for “The Ameri- 
cano.” 


Rome 


Dallas 

By Bill Barker 

Kaye Ballard tops bill at Baker 
Hotel’s Mural Room. 

Margo Jones trying out “The 
Feathered Fauna* at Theatre ’55. 

Dorothy Franey’s new icer, The 
Gershwin Story, at Hotel Adolphus 
Century Room. 

New 1,000-room midtown luxury 
hotel, started by Statler had an- 
other name change — from the 
Conrad Hilton to Statler-Hilton. 

William W. Lewis upped to 
managing director of Cinerafna 
here, succeeding Paul Swater who 
goes to Buffalo to helm a new 
Cinerama Theatre. 


Press on Upsurge 


Hollywood 


Continued from pace 1 


Continued from page 1 


Istanbul 

By Ozan Sungur 

Keita Fodeba’s African Ballet 
due here this month. 

Spanish dancer Manoly at the 
Kordonbleu nitery for a month’s 
date. 

Riviera Express. Imported revue 
at the And. with Italian Valli 
D’Oro in the lead. 

Max Meinecke’s production of 
“Colombo” going into its fourth 
month at the Dram (Feb. 5). 

“Teahouse of the August Moon” 
In rehearsal with Haldun Dormen 
and Mucap Ofluoglu in the leads. 

Singer Zeki Muren completed 
second film. “Tha Last Melody.” 
Muren’s first pic. “The Forgotten 
Song,” was highest grosser in 
Turkish film history. 

Cast of “The Seven' Year Itch” 


when he called again at that time, 
was told that "communications had 
broken down due to atmospherics.” 

At 9:15, the call went through, 
and Mass handed the phone over 
to newscaster John MacVane, who 
then did a 20-minute interview 
with Ilearst and Frank Conniff, 
Hcarst’s editorial adviser. Pffone 
service to Moscow regularly runs 
only three hours in the morning, 
from 8.45, and nobody else ap- 
pears to have gotten through. 

Ilearst papers gave the interview 
top play, with the N. Y. Journal- 
Amcrican carrying details of the 
interview’ (with full credit to ABC) 
on Page 1. 

Radio network put the tape on 
the air at 11:45 a.m., while the tv 
web had Quincy Howe and the tape 
on for a half-hour at 4 p.m. George 
Hamilton Combs was on television 
locally via WABC-TV at 1:45 p.m., 
and the web scheduled repeats of 
the tape for radio and tv for late 
last night. 

rtBC also piped the tape to com- 
petition WRCA, the NBC flagship 
in N. Y., for use on the Tex & Jinx 
McCrary Show, where Mrs. Hearst 
was being interviewed in N. Y. 


By Robert F. Hawkins 

(Via Archimede 145; 800 211) 

Lux Films signed starlet Bar- 
bara Shelley to a five-year con- 
tract. 

Rhonda Fleming mulling several 
offers for local and other European 
productions. 

Robert Alda and Milly Vitale co- 
star in upcoming Spanish-Ameri- 
can production, “Accent Spain.” 

Maria Meneghini Callas starred 
in first presentation here of Chru- 
bini’s “Medea” at Rome Opera 
House. 

Anthony Quinn being sought for 
role, opposite Giulietta Masina in 
“I Bidonisti.” to follow up his last- 
year success in “La Strada,” also 
opposite Miss Masina. 

English-language Theatre group 
to be formed here by John 'C. 
Mather and John McMichael, with 
presentations at the Ridotto dell’- 
Eliseo. Program to include “Dial 
M For Murder,” “The Little Hut” 
and “Night Must-Fall.” 


Omaha 

By Glenn Trump 

McCook (Neb.) Shrine Circus set 
for May 9-11. 

Ak-Sar-Ben press agent Bernle 
Kelly named prexy of Nebraska 
Collie Club. 

Dick Walter re|urned last week 
from N. Y. where lie signed Arthur 
Fiedler and the Boston Pops Sym- 
phony for a March 5 date and the 
Jose Greco dancers for May 3 ap- 
pearance at the new City Audito- 
rium. 


man Lincoln. The tenor of Lin- 
coln’s piece is told in an introduc- 
tory caption. “Just about broke 
two years ago,” it says, “the movies 
right now are riding one of their 
biggest booms. Some exhibitors 
are screaming about shortage of 
product, but for producers the 
‘scarce,’ big-screen, ‘big’ picture is 
a bonanza bigger than their 
dreams.” 

Life Magazine, which not too 
long ago almost completely wrote 
off the film industry, is preparing 
another analysis, indications are 
that it’ll be upbeat this time. Bar- 
ron’s, the financial weekly. The 
Wall Street Journal, and Business 
Week also have commented fre- 
quently on the Industry’s come- 
back. Daily papers throughout the 
country have also called it to the 
attention of readers via editorials 
and special sections. 

Actually it’s been a long time 
since the industry has been able 
to get the space it’s accumulating 
currently — and all on the upbeat 
side. It’s far cry from the down- 
beat articles, the Red issue, and 
the scandal yarns which hit the in- 
dustry in a time of crisis — only a 
few short years ago. 


Miller’s Return 


Zurich 

By George Mezoefl 

U.S. contralto Lucretia West set 
for a concert at Klubhaus. 

A. J. Cronin and his wife, cur- 
rently in Switzerland, may settle 
here. 

German vet dancer Harald 
Kreutzberg opens a dancing school 
in Berne April L 

U.S. violinist Eudiee Shapiro 
ghve her first Swiss recital at Kon- 
servatorium here. 

Stadttheatre Berne presents 
Louis Verneuil’s “Affairs of State” 
for first time there. 

Government opposition raised 


Continued from pace 1 


900 feet along the edge of the 
Hudson River. 

Miller stated that he would build 
a replica of the late Riviera with 
some slight modifications. He plans 
a nitery to be built atop a gigantic 
garage, so that the cafe floor would 
have sufficient elevation to com- 
mand a view Identical with the 
room which was destroyed. Room 
when completed would have a 
name policy. 

Miller is currently In town to 
participate in litigation regarding 
the defunct room. Action, taking 
place A n the N. J. Federal Court, 
seeks to clear up the ownership of 
the late Riviera. Litigant is Sam 
Marcus, who for a time was a part- 
ner of Miller in the Riviera. Miller 
didn’t say whether the new Riviera 
would have a built-in casino such 
as the old building had, but which 
wasn’t used since pre-war, when 
the room was operated by Ben 
Marden. 


Frank Sinatra back from his 
Australian tour. 

Frankie Laine planed out for 
tour of Australia. 

Betty Grable laid up with torn 
ligament in ankle. 

William Perlbergs celebrated 
their 27th wedding anni. 

Arthur Lubin returned from 
London and checked in at UI. 

Richard Peel broke his right leg 
while doing a scene in a tv show. 

Dore Schary hospitalized for ob- 
servation of kidney stone ailment. 

Jeanette MacDonald taped a ra- 
dio drama for the U. S. Treasury. 

Liberace will succeed Gale Storm 
as honorary mayor of Van Nuys, 
Cal. 

Abe Saperstein in town to make 
a deal for the Harlem Globetrot- 
ters. 

Joseph Tushinsky to Mexico City 
for demonstrations of Superscope 
there. 

Carl Krueger recuperating in his 
Beverly Hills horns following an 
operation. 

Loretta Young hostessed Maj. 
Gen. Charles W. Christenberry on 
Goldwyn lot. 

Seymour Stern to resume lec- 
tures on "History of the Film” at 
UCLA Feb. 15. ' 

Vic Damone will sing at 16th an- 
nual charity dinner-dance of Tem- 
ple Israel here. 

Chiquita & Johnson setting up a 
chain of dance schools in Paris, 
Cannes and Rome. 

Sam B. Hill celebrated his 33d 
anni as superintendent of the 
Samuel Goldwyn lot. 

Aleon Benett will handle the an- 
nual world film festival awards 
dinner for the Foreign Press As- 
sociation of Hollywood. 


Philadelphia 


By Jerry Gaghan 

BBS Records, of Philly, and Bur- 
gundy Records, of Detroit, have 
merged. 

The Clark Bros., local dance duo, 
open the Australian tour in Syd- 
ney. Feb. 10. 

Kenneth Johnson, brother of 
film player Russell Johnson, joined 
Hedgerow Theatre. 

Jackie Lee, cafe and recording 
pianist, launched four-week Cana- 
dian tour in Quebec. 

Pep’s Musical Bar, closed three 
weeks for redecoration, has re- 
opened with Roy Hamilton as 
topper. 

Walter Gieseking made first ap- 
pearance in Philly in 20 years at 
Academy of Music (Feb. 1) under 
sponsorship of the Philadelphia 
Forum. 

Jules Epstein, who will write 
film scenario for “The Tender 
Trap.” came to Walnut Theatre to 
get first look at play. 


Madrid 

By Ramsay Ames 

(Castellana-Hilton; 37-22-00) 

Venezuelan actress Maritza Ca- 
ballero will soon play “Antigone" 
in Spain. 

Mexican singer Ana Maria Gon- 
zalez at the Castellana-Hilton* 
Rendezvous. 

Two more legit theatres to be 
converted into cinemas — the Al- 
beniz and the Reina Victoria. 

Gonzalez Vergel’s Art Theatre 
opens April 9 in Zaragoza with Al- 
fonso Sastre’s “Sangre de Dios’* 
(God’s Blood). 

Marianela de Montijo’s ballet 
such a favorite with the Castellans 
Hilton’s bosses that instead of re- 
opening at the Rendez-Vous this 
month for only one month, they 
want to bring her in March 15 for 
a longrun. 

Every year the Circulo de F.scri- 
tores Cinematografieos (Spain’s as- 
sociation of screen writers) gives 
prizes for their “firsts.” Awards 
for 1954 includes best Spanish pic- 
ture, "Sierra Maldita” (Cursed 
Mountain); best Spanish director, 
Cesar F. Ardavin; best Spanish 
actor, Jose Suarez, and best Span- 
ish actress, Sylvia Morgan. 


Minneapolis 

By Les Rees 

Augie’s nitery has its first exotie 
dancer, Beverly Gay. 

Edyth Bush Little Theatre offer- 
ing “ ’Ring Around Moon.” 

“Tea and Sympathy,” at Lyceum 
Feb. 21-26, scaled at $4.40 top. 

Eartha Kitt in “Mrs. Patterson 
set for Lyceum here week of May 
23. 

Quintetto Allegro into Hotel 
Radisson Flame Room for third 
date. 

Burton Holmes Travelogues go 
into St. Paul Auditorium Feb. 21- 
March 27. 

Pianist Nino Nanni rounded out 
extended four weeks at Hotel Rad- 
isson Flame Room. 

National company of “Pajama 
Game” set for St. Paul Auditorium 
May 2-3 and Minneapolis Lyceum 
May 4-14. 


Wednesday, February 9, 1955 


75 


OBITUARIES 


ALBERT K. ROWSWELL 

Albert K. (Rosey) Rowswell, 71, 
broadcaster, poet and public 
speaker and known in radio circles 
as “The Voice of the Pittsburgh Pi- 
rates,” died in Pittsburgh Feb. 6 
after a short illness. This would 
have been Rowswell’s 20th season 
of calling the games of Pitt’s Na- 
tional League entry over WWSW 
and a regional network. 

Although Rowswell achieved hi* 
greatest fame as “The Voice of the 
Pirates,” he was actually a pioneer 
in big-time radio, having been the 
emcee of the Clicquot Club Eskimo 
program, with Harry Reser’s band, 
on the network back in the 1920’s. 
In 1936, he gave up most of his out- 
side broadcasting activities to con- 
centrate on his Pirate sportscasts, 
which was a six-month job, begin- 
ning with the training camps and 
ending after the world series. 

In the off season, Rowswell was 
in demand as an after-dinner ora- 
tor and usually averaged more than 
200 engagements a year. He also had 
a number of television programs 
on WDTV, now KDKA-TV, and 
had been scheduled for a commer- 
cial on that station the night be- 
fore his death. 

Rowswell was very active in Va- 
riety Clubs International affairs 
and ever since the showmen’s or- 
ganization established its Humani- 
tarian Award several years ago, he 
had served as chairman of that 
committee. He also authored sev- 
eral books of poetry and philos- 
ophy. 

In addition to his wife, Rows- 
well leaves two sons, Bill and Ken, 
the latter Southwest district sales 
manager in Dallas for Motion Pic- 
tures for Television. 


NORMAN L. SPER 
Norman Leopold Sper, 59, direc- 
tor and producer of football fea- 
tures for tv, died Jan. 26 in Holly- 
wood of a cerebral hemorrhage. 
Born in Brooklyn, he got the first 
interview with the deposed Kaiser 


appeared at a benefit Christmas 
concert at the Melbourne Town 
Hall for the Assn, for Advance- 
ment of the Blind. 

The Clarence Sisters first ap- 
peared at the Sydney Tivoli when 
Margaret was four and Mary, six. 
After touring Australian theatres 
of that era uiey went to the U.S., 
where they stayed 10 years for 
bookings on the Orpheum and 
other top circuits in vaude’s hey- 
day. 

Surviving is Mary Clarence who 
is Mrs. Mary Bywater in private 
life. 


ALBERT L. SUGARMAN 
Albert L. Sugarman. 61, former- 
ly co-owner of a theatre chain in 
Columbus and operator of one“of 
the first art houses in that part of 
Ohio, died Feb. 3 in Miami. He 
had been Cincinnati branch man- 
ager of the Universal exchange 
prior to moving to Columbus in 
1941. * 

Sugarman served as general 
manager of the old MacDonald 
chain, was a film salesman and 
later went into partnership with 
Leo Hofheimer to found H. & S. 
Theatres, a nabe chain. He and 
Hofheimer opened the World, an 
art house, shortly after World War 
II. Due to Sugarman’s ill health 
the H. & S. Co. was dissolved with. 
Sugarman retaining the World, 
which is presently operated by his 
only son. Charles. 

Also survived by father and wife. 


FRANK W. EVANS 

Frank W. Evans, 86, former the- 
atrical manager, died Feb. 2 in 
Scarsdale, N. Y. Retired for the 
past 15 years, he managed numer- 
ous vaude performers including 
Weber & Fields, Henriette Cross- 
man and Frank Keenan. 

Wife survives. 


MILO BRINN 

Milo Brinn, 89, strong man and 
weight-lifter, died Jan. 19 in Twy- 


Wifh d««p regrot, oil his friends 
of CBS Radio mourn the passing of 

JOHN o. IVES 

February 1st 1955 


when on leave from the A.E.F. 
after the armistice. Returning to 
the U. S., he went into publicity 
for niteries and married Winona 
Winter, vaude headliner. Their 
only son, Norman Jr., became na- 
tional diving champion while at U. 
of N. Carolina, where he majored 
in theatre arts. 

After Winona Winter died, Sper 
specialized in football and did a 
film feature. "Football This Week,” 
that had wide popularity up to 
World War II. He also picked the 
All-Players All-American for Lib- 
erty for years, moving to the Chi- 
cago Tribune when Liberty folded. 

He switched from theatres to tv 
with his feature, and last year, his 
best, had 159 stations carrying it. 
It w'as sponsored. His son did most 
of the work in 1954 and is expected 
to carry on the enterprise. 

Surviving besides his son are his 
wife, Anita, three sisters and two 
brothers. 


ford, Berkshire, feng. Known orig- 
inally as Luigi Borra, he was born 
in Milan and made his first stage 
appearance in England at the 
Royal Trocadero, London, as Milo, 
the name signifying his weight- 
lifting abilities. 

Earlier, Brinn had worked in a 
circus as a wrestler. More recent- 
ly he was retired and ran an inn 
at Twyford. 


AMY BROWN 

Amy Brown, 68, known to the 
older generation of vaudegoers as 
“Little Amy,” died at Dewsbury, 
Eng., recently. She dressed in uni- 
form, carried a cane, and employed 
a Cockney accent to make a game 
as a male impersonator 30 years 
ago. 

On retiring fi>om show'-biz, Miss 
Brown became cashier at Empire 
Theatre, Dewsbury, Yorkshire, and 
later ran a theatrical apartment 
house. 


John Martin-Harvey and toured 
Canada with him. He also toured 
Australia and South Africa. 

For 12 years Ginns was leading 
man in the Alexandra, Birming- 
ham, Repertory Co. His last en- 
gagement was in Jack Hylton's 
“Call Me Madam,” in which he 
toured for nine months. 


Capt. Joe Connolly, 59, producer 
of Canada’s “Meet The Navy” 
stage musical during World War 
II, lawyer and unsuccessful politi- 
cal, contender, died Jan. 26 in "Hali- 
fax. “Meet The Navy” toured 
Canada and troop communities 
overseas, and was later produced 
as a motion picture. 


! Lino Ribeiro, 83, retired Portu- 
guese actor-manager, died Jan. 21 
in a Lisbon hospital, where he was 
taken last May after a street fall. 
Long a prominent figure on the 
Portuguese stage, he retired 20 
years ago when his sight began to 
fail. 


William A. Hammel, 61, veteran) 
treasurer of Cincinnati legitimate 
theatres, died Feb. 1 in that city. 
Illness forced his retirement from 
the Cox and Taft theatres six 
months ago. Survived by wife, 
mother, a sister and a brother. 


Maria Eduarda Gonzalo, 26, Por- 
tuguese stage and film star, died 
of tuberculosis Jan. 24 in Lisbon. 
For the last 10 years she frequent- 
ly was cast in star and featured 
roles in films as well as with the 
Lisbon National Theatre. 


Mrs. Myrtle Hardy, assistant 
professor of speech and drama of 
North Texas State College, died of 
a heart attack Jan. 31 in Denton, 
Tex. She appeared witn the Fort 
Worth Stock Co., and toured on the 
road. 


Robert Gordon, 69, veteran thea- 
tre manager, died Jfin. 29 in Phila- 
delphia. *He was one-time man- 
ager of the old Victoria Theatre, 
first of Philly’s midtown film show- 
places. His wife survives. 


Arthur G. Mix, 47, vibraharpist 
with the Gordie Randall orch and 
member of the After-Six Seven on 
WRGB, Schenectady, died of a 
heart attack Jan. 29 in Schenec- 
tady. Surviving are his wife and a 
son. 


Joseph Klynn, 59, pioneer mo- 
tion picture projectionist, died Jan. 
28 in Hollywood. Surviving are his 
wife and two sons, Marvin and 
Herbert. Latter is production man- 
ager at UPA. 


Alfred P. Daniel, 66, pioneer 
broadcaster, died Jan. 31 in Hous- 
ton. He was the first Houstonian 
to make a local radio broadcast and 
was with the KPRC staff there for 
30 years. 


Joe Allen, 67, screen actor, died 
Jan. 31 in Hollywood after a long 
illness. He was a brother of the 
late Dave Allen, head of Central 
Casting. His wife survives. 

Daughter of composer William 
I C. Handy died Feb. 3 in New York. 
Surviving, besides her father, are 
her husband, a sister and two 
brothers. 


Frank Sladen-Smith, 68, actor 
and playwright, died Jan. 28 at 
Manchester, Eng. He wrote nearly 
50 plays, many of which were per- 
formed by societies affiliated with 
i the British Drama League. 

Walter Atkinson, treasurer of 
Huddersfield Cinemas Assn., died 
at Morecambe, Eng., recently. He 
was formerly manager of the Re- 
gent Cinema, Huddersfield. 


JOHN IVES 

John Ives, 50, producer of 
Gangbusters” and “21st Precinct” 
for CBS Radio and a pioneer in 
radio program production, died 
Feb. 1 in Port Chester, N. Y., after 
a seven-week illness. A native of 
Meriden, Conn., he attended 
school there with Phillips H. Lord, 
originator of such radio shows as 
“Seth Parker,” “We the People” 
and “Gangbustei*s.” 

Joining the Lord organization in 
3928, Ives helped make “Seth 
Parker” one of radio’s best known 
programs for more than a decade. 
He was also active in launching 
‘Gangbusters” in 1934 and parti- 
cipated in development of “We the 
People,” long a popular airer. 
More recently at CBS Radio, he 
aided in production of “21st Pre- 
cinct.” * 

Surviving are his wife and a sdn. 


MARGARET CLARENCE 

Mrs. Margaret Whitman, 69, who 
with her sister, Mary, trouped for 
65 years in a singing turn known 
as the Clarence Sisters, died re- 
cently in Sydney. Only a few days 
before Margaret’s death the sisters 


EUGINE KEITH 

Eugine Keith, 76, actor and for- 
mer vaudevillian, died Feb. 6 in 
New York. Legit productions in 
which he appeared included “Alias 
Jimmy Valentine.” “Merry Widow” 
and most recently, “Oklahoma.” 

Keith also was cast in several 
George M. Cohan plays. Between 
legit appearances he played vaude 
dates on both the Keith and Or- 
pheum circuits. 

Wife and a brother survive. 


ALEXANDER E. LESSY 

Alexander E. Lessy, 78, former 
owner of a chain of film houses in 
Philadelphia and South Jersey, 
died Feb. 4 in Philadelphia. 

Lessy entered the film business 
in 1919 with his brother Michael. 
He retired in 1935 and his brother 
continued operating the theatre 
chain until 1947. 

His wife, a son and two daugh- 
ters survive. 


ROBERT GINNS 

Robert Ginns, 51, veteran actor, 
died Jan. 29 at Birmingham, Fng. 
He played juvenile leads for Sir 


Mother, 70, of Johnny Meinardi, 
St. Louis district manager for Fox 
Midwest Theatres, died Jan. 30 in 
Herrin, 111., following a heart at- 
tack. 


Wife of jazz trombonist Kai 
Winding died Feb. 1 in Levittown, 
L. I., after a brief illness. She was 
the former Marie Delmar, a one- 
time Roxyette. 


Edwin J. Kasper, 40, account 
exec with the Weed station rep 
firm in Chicago, died Feb. 3 in 
Hinsdale, 111. Survived by wife and 
daughter. 


Mrs. Myra Nye, 79, mother of tv 
publicist Carroll Nye. died Jan. 28 
in Covina. Cal. At one time Mrs. 
Nye was Women’s Club Editor of 
the L. A. Times. 


James P. (Kid) Murphy, veteran 
member of the International Assn, 
of Showmen, died recently in St. 
Louis after a long illness. His wife 
survives. 


Johnny Small, 65, vaude veteran 
who for many years headed an act 


called Johnny Small and the Small 
Sisters, died Feb. 3 in Chicago. 


Robert Johnstone, 56, chief pro- 1 

jectionist of the Cameo Cinema, 
Edinburgh, died Jan. 31 in that 1 
city. 


Walter Edgar Prigmore, 67, 

manager of Regal Cinema, Don- 
caster, Eng., died Jan. 22 at Don- ! 
caster. 

Ernest Daijvneault, 56. chief traf- 
fic officer, National Film Board of j 
Canada, died Jan. 26 in Eastview, 
surburb of Ottawa. 


Eugene V. Wrobel, 28, staffer in 
the WGN-TV film department, 
died in Chicago Feb. 1. Survived 
by parents. 


Mrs. Mary Balunsoff, 60, thea- 
trical costumer, died Feb. 1 in 
Philadelphia. Her son survives. 


Robert M. Glasgow, 54, op of 
Theatre-Musicians Club in Omaha, 
died there Jan. 30. 


Mother, 85, of the Hayes Sisters, 
Irene & Aileen, died recently in 
Sheffield, Eng. 


Mother, 68, of Variety staffer 
Gene Arneel, died Feb. 3 in New 
York after a long illness. 


MARRIAGES 

Margot Fonteyn to Roberto 
Arias, Paris, Feb. 6. She’s prima 
ballerina with Sadler’s Wells Ballet. 

Rosella Holen to Bill Brabson, 
Columbus, O., Jan. 16. Brde’s a 
singer; he’s a deejay on WVKO, 
Columbus. 

Joan Carol Josack to George T. 
White, Hamptonville, Va., Jan. 30. 
Bride’s the daughter of Vince 
Josack, longtime Pittsburgh film 
salesman and now with WB ex- 
change in Washington, D.C. 

Beatrice Lippman to Kermit H. 
Margolis, Denver, Jan. 20. Bride’s 
a dancer known professionally as 
Bel-SHa-Zaar. 

Helen Prince to Don Amsden, 
Grand Island, Neb., Feb. 5. Bride 
is publicity chief for Omaha Com- 
munity Playhouse. 

Gwen O’Connor to Dan Dailey, 
Las Vegas, Feb. 6. Bride is the 
former wife of actor Donald O’Con- 
nor; he’s a film actor. 

Mae Savage to Howard Mayer, 
Chicago, Feb. J). Bride’s the widow 
of the late Jimmy Savage, Chicago 
Tribune columnist; he’s a publicist. 

Joan Regan to John T. Henning- 
ton, Pasadena, Feb. 6. Bride is the 
daughter of singer Phil Regan. 


BIRTHS 

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Hopper, 
daughter. North Hollywood, Jan. 
31. Father is a screen director. 

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Henry, 
daughter, Blackpool, Eng., recent- 
ly. Mother is actress Marjorie Mee- 
Jones; father is an actor. 

Mr. and Mrs. Burton Jacoby, son. 
New York, Jan. 30. Father is 

comptroller for American Federa- 
tion of Television & Radio Artists. 

Mr. and Mrs. Rex Reason, son, 
Glendale, Cal., Jan. 30. Father is 
a screen actor. 

Mr. and Mrs. David Broido, 

daughter, Pittsburgh, Jan. 29. ! 
Mother’s Ginger Brock, of tv. 

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Kubey, 

daughter. Pittsburgh, Jan. 30. Fa- 
ther’s with Pittsburgh Symphony 
and mother, Erica Kutzing, was, 
too. 

Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Hughes, 

daughter, San Antonio, recently. 
Father is with WOAI in that city. 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Kint- 
ner, son. New York, Feb. 6. Father 
is president of ABC. 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lipman, 
daughter, Brooklyn. .N. Y., Dec. 30. 
Father is a radio-tv producer for 
Associated Ad Service. 

Mr. and Mrs. Don Keefer, son, 
Bronxville, N. Y., Feb. 4. Mother 
is film actress Catherine McLeod; 
father is a legit actor. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jose Ferrer, son, 
Santa Monica, Cal., Feb. 7. Mother | 
is singer Rosemary Clooney; fa- 
ther is an actor-producer-director. 1 


Ike Closed-Circuit 

; Continued from page 1 

j heart disease, by top medical speci- } 
alists. Ike’s remarks will kick off 
an hour and one-half clinical ses- i 
.sion, from 9 to 10:30 p.m. Via | 
Theatre Network Television, with i 
Smith, Kline & French Laborato- I 
ries sponsoring and producing in 
cooperation with the American 
Medical Assn. 

On Feb. 28 the President will 
speak over a closed-circuit hookup 
to some 500 business leaders from 
North and South America attend- 
ing the Inter-American Investment 
Conference in New Orleans. This ; 
will be managed by Box Office 
i Television. I 


‘Keep a Diary’ 

Continued from page Z ss 

pense for a married man repre- 
sents a tax reduction of $26. At 
$20,000 you save $38 on every $100 
deduction. 

Some 800 new revenue agents 
will be hired in 1955 and they will 
be expected to audit 125,000 more 
returns and produce an additional 
$60 million in revenue. After the 
first year the production of these 
men should reach 200.000 returns 
and produce $100 million of reve- 
nue annually. An additional 1,000 
agents will be hired annually for 
several years so, that all potentially 
productive returns may ultimately 
be audited. 

The necessity of avoiding esti- 
mates of expenses and maintaining 
adequate records becomes more 
important everyday in the face of 
this polic y. 

Author’s Lum p Su ms [ 

Authors, musicians, composers, 
artists, inventors and other quali- 
fying taxpayers may obtain a tax 
reduction on lump sum compensa- 
tion by apportioning it over the 
period in which the work was per- 
formed. 

This relief applies generally, if 
80% or more of the compensation 
is received or accrued in the tax 
year, and if the work or service 
rendered covers a period of 36 
months or more from beginning to 
completion. This rule is available 
to cash basis or accrual basis tax- 
payers, whether they have per- 
formed their work or services as 
independent workers, as members 
of a partnership, or even as sal- 
aried employees, if the sum re- 
ceived is extra compensation for a 
special job and if the 80% lump 
sum and the 36-month tests are 
met. However, an employee must 
show that the lump sum pay is sep- 
arate from his regular compensa- 
tion. 

The reduction in tax is accom- 
plished in effect, by a recomputa- 
tion of the tax on the income of 
the preceding years, apportioning 
the lump sum compensation rata- 
bly over the years affected, and 
paying the resulting additional tax. 
This will result in the application 
of lower tax rates than would 
have applied had the compensa- 
tion been taxed in the year of its 
receipt or accrual. 

The 1954 Revenue Act further 
liberalizes this relief provision for 
income from inventions and artis- 
tic works. The lump sum com- 
pensation from these particular 
sources may be spread back where 
the work covered 24 months or 
more instead of 36 months under 
the prior law. But the tax year 
must include in gross income 80% 
of the sum of the income from the 
work <1) in the tax year, (2) in 
previous years, and (3) in the 12 
months following the tax year. 


Herman Axelbank 

* 

Continued from page 2 

“Retrospect.” German-Soviet film, 
of course, would contain highlights 
of the conflict on the Eastern 
Front. Israeli pic traces the 
growth of that country while “Ring 
Immortals” will revive top matches 
of such boxing greats as Jess Wil- 
lard, Jim Corbett and others. 

But “Retrospect” holds the most 
interest for students of earlyday 
films. For Axelbank pointed out 
that this project will include 
scenes from silents most of which 
haven’t seen the light of a projec- 
tor since their original release. 

One film in his nostalgic collec- 
tion which he particularly prizes is 
“Sweet Memories,” a ‘ one-rceler 
made in 1909 with Mary Pickford, 
Owen Moore, Jack Pickford, Lottie 
Pickford and the Pickfords’ 
mother. “It was produced by Don- 
ald Crisp,” Axelbank remembered, 
“and Jack Cohn (now Columbia 
Pictures v.p.) set up the titles. I 
hocked my watch to buy it in 1922 
when I heard the print was avail- 
able. 

“The short was made in Havana,” 
Axelbank recalled, “and on the 
boat going there Mary Pickford 
married Owen Moore who later be- 
came a star of silent films.” With 
exception of Mary Pickford and 
Donald Crisp all the principals of 
“Sweet Memories” are dead. Lot- 
tie Pickford died in 1936 at the age 
of 41; Moore, 52, died in 1939 and 
Jack Pickford died in Paris at the 
age of 36 in 1933. 



76 


Wednesday, February 9 , 1955 



General Artists Corporation 

'» CH'CAGO 6 1 * I 8 i t HUlS ONONNA CAivAS lONOON 


ATLANTA 

Stock M"« h 

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J*n»«« 4 


IN PERSONAL 
APPEARANCES 
EVERYWHERE! 


Currently a smash hit 
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Other recent engagements t 

BAKER HOTEL, Dallas 
BLINSTRUBS, Boston 
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VOL. 197 No. 11 


Published Weekly at 154 Weat 46th Street, New York 36. N. Y„ by Variety, Inc. Annual subscription. 610. Single copies. 25 
Entered as second-class matter December 22. 1909. at the Post Office at New York. N. Y., under the act of March 3. 

COPYRIGHT. 1955, BY VARIETY. INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 


NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1955 


cents. 

1879. 


PRICE 25 CENTS 


‘MAKE YOU MILLIONAIRE’ HOOEY 

— ♦ 4 — - ■ ■ — 

Niteries’ Screwy Setup; Spots Can’t I fORQ p[[p Interracial Opera Co., First of Kind, 

Get Names, Acts Can’t Get Dates ArTfiQG nniUMFII Pays Off in 'Salome’ Southern Tours 


One o( the most contradictory 
situations in nitery history exists 
today around the country. There 
are spots that are unable to open 
for lack of names and there are 
topgrade acts unable to get major 
showings because of insufficiency 
of spots. Bonifaces claim acts 
that are available aren’t the calibre 
they desire, while the talent feels 
they should be getting better 
rooms. 

In New York, for example, there 
are several spots languishing and 
unable to open because suitable 
headliners cannot be arranged. 
Until last week, Cafe Society 
Downtown, which has been ready 
for some time after a long session 
of alterations, couldn’t get started 
despite every effort of several 
agencies to get them the proper 
headliners. Spot preems today 
(Wed.) with Nellie Lutcher and 
Louis Jordan. 

In the jazz field, Basin Street 
had to give up for a while because 
of the lack of names. It opens 
in April with Louis Armstrong, 
after a hiatus of several months 
due to inability to come up with 
the right show. 

La Martinique, recently operated 
by t he same outfit that has Cafe 
Society Downtown, had to give up 
because it couldn’t get a head- 
liner of stature. Operator Mike 
Rainey has told agency men that 

(Continued on page 61) 


Tallulah (LP) Bankhead 
Talkathons D.C. Press 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

Tallulah Bankhead, starring this 
week in “Dear Charles” at the Na-* 
tional Theatre here, held court on 
her arrival at a press party last 
Sunday night (13) hosted by the- 
atre manager Scott Kirkpatrick. 
Actress was in fine form for her 
favorite audience, newspaper 
people, and played her familiar 
‘ character” (in quotes) to the de- 
light of everybody, including her- 
self. 

In the course of a 90-minute dis- 
sertation on the state of practically 
anything and everything, with re- 
porters trying vainly to get a ques- 
tion in edgewise, the star made the 
following pronouncements: 

She’s ‘‘plain lazy” — ‘‘hates to 
work” — therefore ‘‘can’t bear” tele- 
vision. But she plans to devote 
entire season next year to tv, and 
already has several projects in the 
works, including a ‘‘Best of Broad- 
way” stint. 

She checks into The Sands, Las 
^egas, immediately after close of 
current tour in mid-June, for a 
4-week repeat of last year’s nitery 
stint, and ‘‘to make Uncle Sam 
rich.” 

“Dear Charles” didn’t either 
w ind up in the red after its Broad- 
way run. and who dares say it did? 
'Note: Variety, in the issue of 
* e b. 2, had the temerity to quote 
(Continued on page 63) i 


Carmichael Biopic 

Hollywood. Feb. 15. 

Indie producer-agent £ddie Sher- 
man is putting together a Hoagy 

Carmichael film package, probably 
titled ‘‘Star Dust.” from his big 
hit of the same name. 

It’s in the same pattern of the up- 
coming Danny Kaye (Paramount) 
picture on the life of Red Nichols 
(‘‘and his 5 Pennies”), when he 
was a prime exponent of the Dixie- 
land jazz style. Carmichael biopic 
likewise proposes to show some- 
body like Frank Sinatra or Johnnie 
Ray (tentative casting) playing Bix 
Beiderbecke, among other contem- 
porary musicians of Carmichael's 
early days at Indiana U. 

Murrow to ‘See’ 

La Scala ‘Porgy’ 

Ed Murrow has two camera 
crews standing by at CBS-TV in 
New York, awaiting final word 
which will send them hopping to 
Italy to film the opening of “Porgy 
and Bess” at La Scala Opera House 
in Milan the night of Feb. 21. It’ll 
be done at a regular half-hour “See 
It Now” presentation the following 
Tuesday night. 

Everything’s been cleared for the 
N.Y.-to-Milan junket except au- 
thorization from the George Gersh- 
win estate to film the event, which 
will be one of the highlights of the 
La Scala season. Final sanction, 
however, is expected momentarily. 
Murrow will accompany the group 
for the on-the-spot filmed pickup. 

Seaton Wittily Explains How 
Film Critics’ Intelligence 
And Honesty Fluctuate 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

At the second annual Screen Di- 
rectors’ Guild dinner here Sunday 
(13) for the purpose of bestowing 
SWG’s Film Critics’ Award, direc- 
tor George Seaton waxed witty, 
saying that while recently reading 
the reviews of his Paramount film, 
“The Country Girl,” he made “a 
sudden and startling discovery that 
motion picture critics were begin- 
ning to write far more lucidly and 
intelligently than ever before. I 
discovered that they had, almost 
overnight, become truthful, saga- 
cious, profound, honorable, just, 
witty — with almost unbelievable 
comprehension of the medium in 
which we work.” 

Seaton added that the reviews of 
his picture were so good that they 
could stand the appellation of "lit- 

(Continued on page 61) 


By HY HOLLINGER 

Many Hollywood stars may be 
seeking the opportunity to jump 
on the indie production band- 
wagon, but Glenn Ford wants no 
part of it. Actor, who recently 
signed a new five-year non-exclu- 
sive contract with Metro, can’t see 
why performers want to become 
producers and directors. “It’s hard 
enough just to be an actor,” he 
said. 

In N. Y. for bally work on “The 
Blackboard Jungle” and “Inter- 
rupted Melody,” films he made for 
M-G on a freelance basis before 
inking his new pact, Ford voiced 
his opposition in no uncertain 
terms to actors as producers and 
actors working for indies on a per- 
centage deal. “When you’re a free- 
lance,” he said, “every independ- 
ent producer tries to woo you with 
the old gimmick, ‘We’ll shoot a pic- 
ture for a coupla of grand,’ they 
say, ‘and we’ll set you up for life.’ 
Nobody says I’ve got a good story 
for you* or this picture will do you 
some good. I’m tired of hearing 
people say ‘I’ll make you a mil- 
lionaire.’ Too many actors have 
fallen for this line, figuring they’ll 
get a big piece of the picture.” 

(Another aspect of ‘indie’ pro- 
(Continued on page 61) 

Hip Kids Hook 
Onto ‘The Fish’ | 
As Dance Dish 

The hip kids are in the swim this 
year with “the fish.” Rolling in 
with the rhythm & blues song 
tide, “the fish” is to 1955 what 
the mambo was to 1954 and the 
Lindy hop was to 1934. 

It’s the new dance style which 
was developed in the Harlem hoof- 
ing emporiums a couple of years 
ago. It since has been picked up 
by the kids in all the juke joints 
and seems on its way to becoming 
a new national dance craze. 

Like r&b music, “the fish” prob- 
ably would not go in a finishing 
school. It could be described as a 
sexy bunny-hug, a very slow tempo 
step executed in a three-foot 
square on a packed floor. But even 
if the floor. isn’t packed, the idea 
is to do “the fish” as if it were. 

The lament of a few years ago 
that the kids are no longer dancing 
may soon be switched to the wail 
that “the kids are dancing too 
much.” particularly if they’re do- 
ing “the fish.” If Mark Twain 
called the dancing of his day “con- 
ventionalized pefting,” some adults 
are of the opinion that “the fish” 
may be a form of juvenile delin- 
quency. 

Whatever the moral overtones, 
(Continued on page 61) 


Muggsy’s 35th Anni 

Chicago, Feb. 15. 

Muggsy Spanier celebrates his 
35th anniversary in the music biz 
when he opens here tomorrow 
(Wed.) at the Preview Lounge. 
Spanier launched his career in the 
Windy City 35 years ago with Sig 
Meyer’s band at the White City 
ballroom. 

Some of the musicians tvho 
played in that band with Spanier 
will be on hand for the opening. 


Plan Colorcast 
Of Atomic Blast 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

KTLA will stage the first color- 
cast of an atomic blast, if the net 
works go along with the Los An- 
geles indie on a pooled basis, ac- 
cording to manager Klaus Lands- 
berg. Latter made offer to televise 
the April blast in Nevada in tint to 
Atomic Energy Commission and 
Civilian Defense Chief Val Peter- 
son two months ago. 

It’s now up to the nets whether 
they are sufficiently interested on 
whether there’s such a telecast, 
states Landsberg, who adds KTLA 
has the only color remote unit in 
the West. 

KTLA previously covered blasts 
in black-and-white three times. 
KNXT, Los Angeles Is filming an 
earlier blast this week, but Lands- 
berg claims it’s from Mount 
Charleston, “40 or 50 miles” from 
Yucca Proving Grounds, averring 
the April test is the first with press 
allowed within a few miles of the 
blast. 


By ARTHUR BRONSON 

An interracial opera company- 
half white, half Negro — has been 
touring the South this season with 
marked success. Probably the first, 
and only one, of its kind, the 
troupe has made two tours into 
the mid-South already and pene- 
trates much deeper this spring. 
It’s been well-received, with no 
complications. 

Group has been presenting 
Strauss’ “Salome,” in costume, 
with curtains for main props, with 
17 people onstage, seven of them 
white, 10 Negro. A pianist assists. 
Impresario is Dick Campbell, Har- 
lem concert manager, who headed 
up USO-Camp Shows’ Negro talent 
division during World War II. 

Muriel Rahn, Campbell’s wife, 
who sang the original lead on 
Broadway in “Carmen Jones," is 
the Salome. Doris Doree, former 
Met Opera soprano, sings Herodias. 
Ed Tierney plays Herod and Gene 
Buckley is John the Baptist.’ Camp- 
bell, as producer and manager, also 
plays one of the Jews. Pianist- 
(Continued on page 60) 


Grandmother to Formosa 
As TV Correspondent 

Cleveland, Feb. 15. 

Dorothy Fuldheim, 53 and 
a grandmother, takes off today 
(Tues. ) for Formosa as rep for 
WEWS, Scripps-Howard tv station. 
News analyst, a w.k. personality 
here, will send back daily sound- 
film reports, interviews with U. S. 
naval brass and Chinese National- 
ist officers and chats with north- 
ern Ohioans and western Pennsyl- 
vanians in the area. Station has 
arranged for UP-Movietone to as- 
sign a man and sound camera to 
her for the fortnight’s fling, her 
first in Asia, though she’s a’ 13- 
tinic trekker to Europe. 

Mrs. Fuldheim’s nightly news- 
cast is sponsored by Duquesne 
Brewing Co. of Pittsburgh. 


CHASE HOTEL 

ST. LOUIS 

Currently presents 

Tbe Hour of Charm 

All Girl Orchestra and Choir 
Featuring EVELYN and her Magic Violin 

under the direction of 

PHIL SPITALNY 






2 


MISCELLANY 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


If The Hero Only Kisses His Horse, 
Dames Will Be Sore Every Time 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

It’s the “sox chase” that is the 
requisite of the modern-day mar- 
ket, according to Rudy Mate, direc- 
tor of Pine-Thomas’ “The Far Hori- 
zons,” biopic of the Lewis-Clark 
expedition whiah will hit theatres 
later in the year. 

“Producers of outdoor films, who 
still bel'eve it is better boxoffice 
for the hero to kiss his horse in- 
stead of the girl are seriously gam- 
bling with the possibilities' of los- 
ing their feminine audiences,” he 
reports. 

Femmes, he pointed out, are the 
ones who pull their menfolk out 
of the easy chairs in front of tv 
screens for trins to the first-runs 
and corner movie. Consequently, 
in the director’s opinion, the im- 
petus to leave the house and the 
choice of entertainment falls en- 
tirely to them. 

“The only safe way to avoid 
alienation of woman fans,” he says, 
“is to lay greater stress upon 
femme angles. The girls just won’t 
buy entertainment without a sex 
chase.” 

Mate also doesn’t think it is of 
any great imoortance whether or 
not a producer of a film based upon 
a historical saga holds with ortho- 
dox fidelity to the facts as histori- 
ans have reported them. 

“No one is coing to sit in a 
movie house with an opened h's* 
tory bool; to rheck your facts,” he 
notes. “It is much safer to risk a 
blast from historians by introduc- 
ing romantic interludes into an 
outdoor factual story, than to by- 
pass the femme contingent by pro- 
ducing a film without love scenes.” 

More ’a’ More Permanent 
Palm Springs Residents 

Pa’m Snrings, Feb. 15. 

Edwin H. (Ruddy) Morris is an- 
other to join the permanent resi- 
dence colony in Palm Springs, 
Calif., where he long maintained a 
desert home retreat, but now his 
children arc going to school there 
and he’s building a new and larger 
house. 

Velma and Edwin Silverman 
(Essaness Theatres, Chicago) have 
been longtime PS permanent resi- 
dents because of their children; 
and Bobbie and William Perl- 
berg(-George Seaton Productions) 
now spend more than half the 
week in the desert, especially 
while the new product is being 
readied. Vet Variety columnist 
Frank Scully and his brood also 
have a home here, having lea ned 
that despite his Hollywood Hills 
retreat the Los Angeles smog has 
been injurious to his health. Vet 
burlesque producer Barney Gerard, 
now in films, likewise is a more 
(Continued on page 63) 


Toscy, Marilyn Topping 
Italo Disk Bestsellers 

Rome, Feb. 15. 

Marilyn Monroe and Arturo Tos- 
canini may be an unlikely combo, 
but both names are currently top- 
ping Italy’s disk bestseller lists. 

MM is leading in the pop market 
with her platter coupling of “I’m 
Gonna File My Claim” and “River 
of No Return,” while Toscy, of 
course, is the longhair fave. Both 
are being released by RCA Victor’s 
recently-launched subsid in this 
country. 


Yanks— and Russians— 
’Both Shy on Homor’ 

Honolulu, Feb. 15. 

Americans have lost their sense 
of humor, a condition fertile for 
demagogs, warns Bennett Cerf. 
Publisher-author, addressing a ca- 
pacity lecture audience during his 
two week Isle vacation, said dem- 
agogs — no names were mentioned 
— “can never stand one thing, and 
that’s being laughed at.” 

Cerf fears the American public 
is becoming chained by conformity. 
“Whenever someone says or does 
something different, he’s immedi- 
ately pointed out and branded. If 
we’re going to let self-appointed 
snoopers take away.AlL.the liberties, 
our forefathers fought so hard for, 
there’ll be no individual voices 
left,” he said. “All you'll hear is 
the chanting of the same popular 
song by all.” 

His remedy for international re- 
lations: “get those stony-faced Rus- 
sians to crack their sourpusses, 
then we’ll be able to talk peace.” 

TV ‘fixedfights’ 
Report Faces Probe 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

Senate Interstate Commerce 
Committee has assigned a member 
of its professional staff to look into 
reports of "fixed fights” on tv. 
Committee chairman Warren Mag- 
nuson (D-Wash.) is interested in 
the reports as part of an overall 
concern with programs. There is 
a possibility the committee may 
have some hearings on the subject 
but not in the immediate future. 

Recent ruling by the Supreme 
Court that boxing comes under the 
anti-trust laws, partly because of 
sale of tv rights, gives the com- 
mittee, Magnuson points out, au- 
thority to look into fight shows. 


Flock of Show Biz Books 


The year 1955 looms the peak 
publication annum for show biz 
books. A recent Variety story 
was misinterpreted by some in the 
book trade as referring to ’55 when 
it was actually a roundup of the 
1954 publications. 

Among the new important show 
biz biogs will be Ethel Barrymore’s 
“Memories” (Harper), and “Lau- 
rette,” the story of Laurette Tay- 
lor by Marguerite Courtney, with 
a foreword by Samuel Hopkins 
Adams. Miss Courtney, now a For- 
tune staffer, formerly a story editor 
for Samuel Goldwyn, was herself 
briefly on the stage. She worked 
six years on the Laurette Taylor 
saga. Rinehart is publishing also 
“A story of jazz by the men who 
made it,” called “Hear Me Talkin’ 
to Ya,” edited by Nat (BMI) Sha- 
piro and Nat (Downbeat) Hentoff, 
and covers such personalities as 
Louis Armstrong, Bunk Johnson, 
King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, 
Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, 
Benny Goodman and Dave Bru- 
beck. 

Rinehart will alse bring out 
(Continued on page 54) 


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Regular Subscription Rafts 
One Year — $10.00 Two Years— $18.00 
Canada and Foreign— $1 Additional per Year 

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HORACE HEIDT 


For Swift & Co. 

Offices — J. Walter Thompson, 
Chicago 

N.O. Mardi Gras, 

$5,000,000 Binge 

New Orleans, Feb. 15. 

The revelry, fun and glitter of 
Mardi Gras have already arrived 
in this historic city on the Mis- 
sissippi. Three parades started 
the season on its way Sunday 
(13), opening 10 days of pageants, 
cavorting, caper-cutting and heavy 
nitery and restaurant biz. 

The town is already bulging at 
its seams as visitors continue to 
stream in by airline, -train and mo- 
tor car for the festivities. Hotels, 
motels and auto courts are already 
booked solid and will continue to 
be until after Ash Wednesday. 

From now until next Tuesday 
(22), the big day of masking and 
revelry, Rex and the lesser mon- 
archs will rule over parades night- 
ly and afternoon, followed by elab- 
orate balls and tableaux in Muni- 
cipal Auditorium. The season has 
set a record for balls, some 62 
soirees having been scheduled by 
the various krewes ((Carnival 
clubs). 

Cash registers in the night spots 
and bistros in the leading hotels 
and those in the French Quarter 
along Bourbon street make nice 
melody. The latter spots with 
their striptease shows and Dixie- 
land jazz music have been meccas 
for crowds. 

Bourbon street hasn’t had a shot 
in the arm like this since the Su- 
( Continued on page 63) 

Helen Tranbel Cancels 
Brit. Cafe de Paris Bow 

London, Feb. 15. 

Helen Traubel has cancelled out 
of her Cafe de Paris bow. The 
chanteuse was due to open next 
Monday (21) for a month’s season, 
but has withdrawn in view of tv 
commitments. She didn’t want to 
jeopardize four months in televi- 
sion for four weeks in cabaret. A 
fresh date will be lined up in due 
course. 

Meantime, there is some confu- 
sion in regard to future cabaret 
bookings, mainly due to the uncer- 
tainty of Marlene Dietrich’s re- 
turned date. Carl Brisson has been 
announced for a March 21 opening, 
hut this booking is regarded as 
flexible. Billy de Wolfe has been 
set for May 2. The Cafe de Paris 
is due to shutter for two months 
in August for complete redecora- 
tion. 


Lanza, Liberace Compete 
At 50G Scale in Las Vegas 

Mario Lanza is the latest to go 
in for the Las Vegas gold. He’s 
been signed for the New Frontier 
Hotel for two weeks with a total 
wage scale amounting to $100,000. 
He’ll be in tiie flame financial 
class as Liberace, who will play 
the new Riviera Hotel there, dur- 
ing the same week as Lanza, April 
8. Liberace’s salary has also been 
reported at that figure. 

These figures are high even for 
a town that is now accustomed to 
shelling out king-sized coin for 
headliners. Most of the previous 
top salaries paid out have been 
in the $30,000 class. Eddie Fisher 
turned down a $52,000 offer for a 
Vegas stand. 


Travel Industry Wants Mon. Holidays 
But Show Biz Calls Idea Poisonous 


. ♦ 

Conne-Stephens First 
TV Tenant of 20th-Fox 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

One-year lease on 20th-Fox’s 
Western Ave. studio has been 
taken by Conne-Stephens, Inc., 
which is exiting American Nation- 
al Studios. Move marks first of a 
tv pix company to 20th since th6 
film company revealed it will rent 
space to telefilm producers. It’s a 
straight rental deal with C-S in 
complete charge of its operation as 
in past, William Stephens declares. 

Conne-Stephens leave American 
National Studios (purchased by 
Ziv TV) ahead of sked, and will 
begin shooting their various series 
at the new location Feb. 21. 

Company handles physical pro- 
duction for “Treasury Men in Ac- 
tion,” “Man Behind the Badge,” 
“Dear Phoebe” and “Reader’s Di- 
gest,” also has several pilots and 
plans for additional series. Ziv 
originally had planned to complete 
its moveover to ANS in June, but 
exit of Conne-Stephens now is ex- 
pected to speed up the switch by 
Ziv. 


Peelers New Item 
In Paris Niteries 

Paris, Feb. 15. 

Although the fleshery is a staple 
nitery item here, the last few 
months have seen a sudden growth 
in the popularity of the striptease 
boites that have been mushroom- 
ing recently. It may be the psy- 
chology of packaging or a more 
profound change in the French 
male psyche, but it looks like strip- 
pers are here to stay. This week 
they got the sanction of the high- 
brow Institute Des Beaux Arts. 

Leading strippery is the Crazy 
Horse Saloon with such monick- 
ered chassis-disnlayers as Rita Te- 
kitoff, Kira Cadillac and Rosanna 
Krupp plus a bonafide tassle-twirl- 
er, Miss Pamela. Head of the IBA, 
Edmond Heuze, had a private 
ogling of these gals in action. He 
came out with such statements as 
the fact that they had reminded 
him of sacred Indian dancers, 
voluptuous Gypsy rituals and the 
most refined Japanese geishas. He 
decided to call a special dinner for 
a group of academicians who call 
themselves The Friends of Palais 
Royale. 

It was a big success. The Crazy 
Horse Saloon came off with top 
honors followed by the peelers 
from the Grisbi Club, The Piano 
Club and Chez Renee Bell. Pigalle 
is beginning to look askance at 
these carryings-on. 

The strip has definitely come of 
age here, and a bald headed row 
of academicians is now in the 
offing. 


Priest as Novelist 


By FRANK SCULLY 

Palm Springs, Feb. 15. 

Edward F. Murphy, a Josephite 
Father on the faculty of Xavier 
University, can certainly grind 
them out in his spare time. Han- 
over House has just published his 
“Bride of New Orleans” ($3.75) 
and if ever a novel was pitched 
for pictures this one is it. 

Set in 1727, it deals with a voy- 
age of months from France to 
Louisiana. La Gironde was “carry- 
ing guns, livestock, merchandise 
and girls.” It also was carrying 
priests and nuns, and for them 
taking care of the girls was a full 
time job. Especially Yvonne De- 
lisle. She could get into more es- 
capades than Ava Gardner, Marilyn 
Monroe and Rita Hayworth. 

Story races along and Yvonne 
keeps at least two dance-steps 
ahead of it. Father Murphy wrote 
“Yankee Priest,” “New Psychology 
and Old Religion,” and St. Thom- 
as’s Political Theories and Democ- 
racy,” but you would never guess 
it from “Bride of New Orleans.” 
He also wrote “The Scarlet Lily,” 
but he has managed to keep 
Yvonne from going quite that far. 

This one will leave the Legion 
of Decency open-mouthed and 
Imute, its blue pencil paralyzed. 


Washington, Feb. 15. 
National Association of Travel 
Organizations is pushing a program 
for more legal holidays on Mon- 
days which will probably bring it 
into direct conflict with theatre 
and other amusement' interests. 

Idea of holiday Mondays, of 
course, is to create long weekends, 
thereby encouraging families to 
take more weekend vacation trips. 
This could adversely affect the 
weekend hlz on which motion pic- 
tures and legit theatres (and cafes) 
count so heavily for Income. 

The National Association of 
Travel Organizations is sponsor- 
ing bills to be Introduced in several 
legislatures this year, designating 
three or four specific Mondays as 
holidays. The measures would make 
the third Monday in February 
“President’s Day”; celebrate Mem- 
orial Day each year on the last 
Monday in May; Independence 
Day, instead of falling on July 4th, 
would be on the first Monday in 
July; Thanksgiving Day would de- 
sert Thursdays and fall on the 
fourth Monday in November. 

Along with Labor Day, which is 
always a Monday, this would make 
five long weekends each year. 

While the Massachusetts legisla- 
ture voted for three Monday holi- 
days— President’s Day, Memorial 
day and Columbus Day (second 
Monday in October)— the bill does 
not become effective until two- 
thirds of the states also -vote these 
Monday holidays. 

This is the big hurdle, according 
to the Association of Travel Organ- 
izations, which looks on New York 
State to get it past that stumbling 
block. The association argues that 
if New York creates regular Mon- 
day legal holidays, it will close the 
stoqk markets in New York City 
and other parts of the state. This, 
in turn, would close stock markets 
in other states and influence those 
states to join the movement. 

So Let’s Face It, Fellas; 
Bosoms Are Still in By 
Paris Fashion Decree 

By LUCETTE CARON # 

Paris, Feb. 8. 

Dior is always expected to create 
a sensation, but after lifting wom- 
en’s skirts and getting rid of their 
bosoms, what is left? “After six 
months in prison busts are out,” 
shrieks the British press but, ex- 
cept for some daring evening 
dresses where the pushed-up 
bosom is raised above the plunging 
neckline, let’s face it, the bosom is 
still in. 

This season, Dior merely “plays 
around with the waist.” In geo- 
metric language, his flat H girl be- 
comes a flat A girl. It is a good 
visual symbol: the rigid bars of 
the H cave in at the top, flare at 
the bottom, giving more ease, while 
the wandering middle bar goes up 
and down according to the mood or 
fancy. Dior has avoided industrial 
disaster for the trade by not upset- 
ting the silhouet but by subtly de- 
veloping last season’s line with 
enough clever details to make 
news. 

His A girls with small shoulders, 
slim long sweater-bodices and slen- 
der or flaring skirts compete with 
soft feminine women in gay printed 
flowing chiffons. Colors, details, 
fabrics are just right; his noon-to- 
( Continued on page 63) 

✓ ■ ■ ■ ■■■- 

Farrell’s ’Studs Lonigan’ 
Trilogy Into UA Film 

"Studs Lonigan,” James T. Far- 
rell’s novel about an Irish-Ameri- 
can youth’s growing up in a down- 
beat Chicago environment, is to be 
brought to the screen under a deal 
disclosed in N. Y. yesterday (Tues.) 
by Arthur B. Krim, president of 
United Artists. Film is to be made 
independently by Lew Kerncr, 
who’s had various tv and pic posts 
in past, for UA release. 

Parties to the deal in addition 
to Krim and Kerner are Farrell 
and Vanguard Press, publishers or 
the “Lonigan” trilogy. Project is 
to cover all three books, the first 
of which, ’’Young Lonigan,” was 
written 25 years ago by the then 
25-year^old Farrell. Properly had 
been the subject of some contro- 
versy because of its moral and re- 
ligioso angles. 




» > 


Wednesday, February 16, 1953 


PICTURES 


STUDIO ‘DICTATORS’ IN FADE 


‘King and T as 65m Roadshow; 
20th-Fox Experiments Satisfactory 


Following a gradually developing 
trend to roadshows, 20th-Fox has 
slated its “The King and I” musical 
to be made in a new widescreen 
version utilizing 65m film. Pic, due 
to go before the cameras this year, 
will also be shot in Cinemascope 
for subsequent general release. 

In disclosing this in N. Y. yes- 
terday (Tues.), Spyros P. Skouras, 
20th prexy, confirmed that his com- 
pany had been conducting exten- 
sive tests with 65m film and that' 
they had been satisfactory. System 
involved is an improved version 
of 20th’s old Grandeur wide-gauge 
film which underwent several de- 
velopment stages but never 
reached fruition. 

Skouras said that it was natural 
-4e-tbmk.ia terms of roadshows for 
top budget films and that this was 
particularly true of “The Greatest 
Story Ever Told” which 20th in- 
tends to make. There is every in- 
dication that this property, too, 
will be filmed in double version. 

Choice of “The King and I” to 
lead off 20th’s roadshow parade 
in a new process was discussed in 
N. Y. last week by Skouras and 
Darryl F. Zanuck, 20th production 
topper. It is a curious coincidence 
— if it is a coincidence — that this 
will be the second Rodgers & Ham- 
merstein musical to be given the 
wide film treatment. Magna Thea- 
tre Corp. will be out first with 
“Oklahoma,” shot in the Todd-AO 
process, which also uses 70m film 
at the projector. 

Skouras stressed that Cinema- 
Scope was in for a great deal of 
improvement via a series of new 
lenses, but called “erroneous” a 
(Continued on page 16) 


OH, TO BE A MONEY 
WRITER THIS SEASON 

Example of the hefty coin film 
companies are shelling out for lit- 
erary properties in their scramble 
for pre-sold yarns is* pointed up in 
two recent Metro acquisitions. 

M-G plunked down $300,000 for 
Robert Ruark’s upcoming novel, 
“Something of Value.” Price in- 
cludes Ruark’s services as technical 
adviser on the film. In addition, 
Ruark stands to land more coin 
from Metro if the book sells over 
a certain stipulated figure. 

For the film rights to Rocky Gra 
ziano’s biographical tome, “Some- 
body Up There Likes Me,” the film 
company paid a straight $230,000. 


Loud Peal For 
Religioso ‘Peter’ 

Longrange exploitation program 
for “A Man Called Peter,” de- 
scribed as originating “from the 
grass roots up,” is being mapped 
by 20th-Fox. Film is the com- 
pany’s Easter release and will 
open in 350 situations over that 
holiday. 

Following powwows at the stu- 
dio and in N. Y., $500,000 has been 
budgeted to “sell” the pic which 
stars Richard Todd in the biog- 
raphy of Peter Marshall, former 
chaplain of the U. S. Senate. 

There’ll be preview showings of 
the film in 60 keys and Charles Ein- 
feld, 20th’s ad-pub topper, is send- 
ing 12 speakers into the field to 
discuss the picture. 20th is sink- 
ing heavy coin into mag ads, in- 
cluding religious publications. 
Campaign for the. bestseller is be- 
ing launched well ahead of re- 
lease in this instance, with DeLuxe 
Labs working overtime to turn out 
the prints. 

Council of Churches is being har- 
nessed to help plug “Peter.” Co- 
operation to be extended by 10,000 
secretaries of the Council in the 
field was discussed in N. Y. yes- 
terday (Tues.) by Mrs. Jesse Bader 
of the Council of Churches and 
Arthur DeBra, ccommunity rela- 
tions director of the Motion Pic- 
ture Assn, of America. 


CAMERAMAN'S WIDOW SUES 


Charges Navy Negligence Caused 
Fatal Crash of Helicopter 


NBC Rents Skit 
From ’37 RKO Pic; 
$1,000, Plus Plug 

In a unique deal, NBC has 
bought the rights to reproduce a 
sketch from “New Faces of 1937,” 
RKO film which had Milton Berle, 

the late Joe Penner and Harriet 
Hilliard in the leads. This is be- 
lieved the first time that only a 
portion of a feature film is involv- 
ed in such a tv arrangement. 

Terms provide for payment of 
$1,000 to the picture company plus 
a plug for the current release of 
“Underwater!” NBC takes the right 
to televersion the sketch both Hve 
and on kinescope. It’s to be part 
of a Max Liebman network pro- 
duction on Feb. 27. 

Lever Bros, and Paramount have 
a deal giving Lever right to adapt 
for tv Par features in full. 


Los Angeles. Feb. 15. 

Mrs. Ila Kunkel, widow of 20th- 
Fox cameraman Louis Ernest Kun- 
kel, filed suit for $150,000 against 
the U. S. Government in Federal 
Court, charging that negligence 
was the cause of her late husband’s 
death. 

Kunkel, serving as an aerial 
photographer, was killed Feb. 11, 
1954, when a U. S. Navy helicopter 
crashed after taking off from 
U.S.s. Boxer. She also asks for 
$900 in funeral expenses. 


VALUE LINE SERVICE 
NOTES FILM COMEBACK 

That professional Wall Streeters 
are continuing to look kindly upon 
the picture business is reflected 
in an analysis by Value Line, stock 
market sheet published by Arnold 
Bernhard & Co., investment advis- 
ers. Two theatre chains are given 
unusually strong endorsement. 

“Here, at last, is a chance to say 
something bullish” about the pic 
industry, states Value Line. It adds: 
“The action pictures are emerging 
from shadow cast over them by 
television. Marvelous to report, 
they find they can still make 
money. 

“Yet the stock market, if no 
longer depressed over their future, 
is at least still sober about it — in 
contrast to its goofy attitude about 
equities in general. The movie 
stocks sell on a good yield basis 
currently and over the three-to 
five-year pull offer one of the best 
opportunities for wide apprecia- 
tion. Stanley Warner and National 
Theatres have especially great 
potentiality from current price to 
the years 1958-60.” 

Over a recent period several 
stock appraisers have been high on 
pic issues and have made a similar 
point. While film prices have been 
on the incline they still have not 
jumped as strongly as stocks in 
other industries. The reason, say 
some observers, is that investors 
are wary of the “speculative” na- 
ture of the picture business. 


Branson, Wolff to L.A. 

Walter Branson, RKO global 
sales manager, and Robert S. 
Wolff, managing director in the 
United Kingdom, left N. Y. Mon- 
day (14) for Coast conferences with 
RKO president James R. Grainger. 

They'll be at the studio about a 
week. 




America’s motion picture indus- 
try is enjoying its biggest boom in 
a generation while at the same 
time going contrary to the trends 
which today characterize U.S. big 
business. The Hollywood film 
studios are breaking down, and 
away from the “absolutism” and 
“giantism” which is so apparent on 
all sides. Current film prosperity 
coincides with the mushrooming of 
many newf relatively small and 
relatively “independent” producers 
turning out one or two features 
annually. 

Seldom has Hollywood been so 
charged with energy and creativity. 
In New York distribution circles 
this is being explained as due, in 
part, to the recently-created favor- 
able climate for the gifted free- 
lance entrepreneur. “Producer” 
nowadays often means a director, 
a writer,' an ambitious, tax-moti- 
vated star. So successfully have 
they vitalized and fertilized Holly- 
wood output that there is talk 
that the long reign of the indivi- 
dual studio Napoleon, who used to 
put his personal thumb-mark on all 
product, is coming to an end. 

With the increasing number of 
deals the studios are making with 
indie producers and the top film 
firms more and more assuming the 
role of bankers, the position of the 
overall production chief is seen 
undergoing a major shift. 

Almost every Hollywood studio 
is now committed to some sort of 
partnership arrangement, either 
(Continued on page 13) 


Editorials Urge Citizens 
Not to Allow Theatre 
Closing; 'Bad for Biz’ 

Minneapolis, Feb. 15. 

With temperatures as low as 40 
below zero aggravating television’s 
stay-at-home effect on the boxof- 
fice, there’s currently a concerted 
move on Minnesota small town 
newspapers’ part to rally public 
support for the communities’ film 
theatres so that threatened shut- 
terings may be averted. 

Sheets are coming to the show- 
houses’ aid with editorials that 
(Continued bn page 61) 


lew York Ballyhooligans Find Stars’ 
No-One-Studio Status Confusing 


FLA. PROD. CO. INKS 
REP RELEASE DEAL 

Empire Studios of- Orlando, Fla., 
which recently delivered “Yellow- 
neck,” its first production, to Re- 
public Pictures, will turn out three 
additional films for Rep release in 
the 1955-’56 season. Deal was dis- 
closed last week by Rep prez Her- 
bert- J. Yates. 

Lensed in the Everglades, “Yel- 
lowneck” will have a dual unveil- 
ing in Florida early in March. Pic- 
ture opens at the Astor Theatre, 
Orlando, March 3 and at the State 
in St. Petersburg on March 4. 


TV Writers Get 
1955 Brush From 
Their New Guild 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Writers Guild of America, suc- 
cessor to the Screen Writers Guild, 
has made no provision for televi- 
sion scribblers in the annual 
awards dinner set for Feb. 28 at 
the Moulin Rouge here. But tv 
writers can attend as paying guests. 

This is the 1955 version of a ro- 
mance that has petered out. Year 
ago. and for some time past, SWG 
romanced video authors who were 
then being counter-romanced by 
the rump organization, Television 
Writers of America, (now extinct) 
which threw the monkeywrench 
which helped split the Authors 
League of America, of which SWG 
was then an affiliate. 

Television writers in this area 
may (or may not) stage their own 
dinner in June — and not include 
screen scribes. 

As for the current screen writing 
nominations, Paramount led with 
four, while Metro had three; 20th- 
Fox and Columbia, each two, RKO, 
United Artists and Warner Bros., 
one each. 

For the first time there were 
(Continued on page 15) 


National Boxoffice Survey 

Severe Cold Still Hamper* Trade; ‘Toko-H* 1st For 
Third Time,. ‘Battle’ 2d, ‘Girl’ 3d, Russell 4th 


Continued severe cold again is 
cutting into film biz in many sec- 
tions of country this stanza, but it 
is not slowing up big money pix. 
Situation is helped some by fact 
that three new, strong films are 
entering b.o. sweepstakes currently. 

“Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) still 
is in No. 1 spot, but is being 
closely pressed by newcomer “Bat- 
tle Cry” (WB). Latter is a very big 
second-place winner, being one of 
best productions at the wickets for 
WB in some time. In present ses- 
sion, “Cry” looks to rack up around 
$215,000 gross in key cities covered 
by Variety. 

“Country Girl” (Par), launched 
In only five keys, is showing such 
strength it is easily copping third 
position. “Underwater” (RKO), 
third new entrant, is carrying off 
fourth place, Jape Russell starrer 
just getting started. “20,000 Leagues 
Under Sea” (BV), in face of this 
new competition, still is holding 
up in fifth spot. 

“Cinerama” (Indie) is finishing 
sixth, with "The Racers (20th), a 
newcomer, landing seventh posi- 
tion. “Green Fire” (M-G), with a 
flock of additional, stronger dates, 
is winding in eighth. 

“Far Country” (U), another 
newie, will take ninth place while 
“Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G) is 
10th. “Vera Cruz” (UA) and “Sign 
of Pagan” (U) rofind out the Golden 
Dozen in that sequence. “So This 
Is Paris” (U) and “Violent Men” 
(Col) ara the runnerup pix this 


week. 

“Cinerama Holiday” (Indie), sec- 
ond Cinerama production, shapes 
as standout newcomer. It is capac- 
ity on first four days in N. Y. and 
terrific in Detroit, first two keys 
where launched so far. “Long Gray 
Line” (Col), also new, is big in 
N.Y. at Capitol and sock in Wash- 
ington, where ace new pic. 

“Camille” (M-G) (reissue) has 
finished its second record week at 
N. Y. Normandie. “They Were So 
Young” (Lip) is rated fair in K.C. 
“White Feather” (20th), also new 
looms okay in Cleveland, and slow 
in Chi and Balto. 

“6 Bridges to Cross” (U) con- 
tinues doing nicely in several keys. 
"3-Ring Circus” (Par) shapes solid 
in Chi. “Prince of Players” (20th), 
mild in Balto and Denver currently, 
is scant in Toronto and Washing- 
ton. 

“Tonight’s the Night" (AA) 
looms okay in Balto. “Aida” (IFE) 
still is fine in Chi, N. Y. and L. A. 
“Francis Joins Wacs” (U) shapes 
oke in Cincy. 

"Many Rivers to 'Cross” (M-G) 
is rated fair in Cleveland and 
Louisville. “Carmen Jones” (20th), 
wow in Toronto, looks good in St. 
Louis. 

“Women’s ^risbn" (Col), stout in 
Buffalo, is modest in Philly. “Bare- 
foot Contessa” (UA) shapes okay in 
Cincy. 

( Complete Boxoffice Reports on 
Pages 8-9) 


Freelance status of numerous 
Hollywood stars as well as stepup 
in loanout deals is causing a head* 
ache for.N. Y. film publicity staff- 
ers. Dual and 'often multi-alle- 
giance of many players to various 
studios frequently finds the pub- 
licists vying for their services to 
plug particular pictures in personal 
interviews and radio-tv appear- 
ances. In addition, a freelancer is 
not always available when needed 
for preem bally since the perform- 
er may be working at that time 
for a rival studio or in a personal 
tv program. Or the player may 
come to N. Y. to discover that two 
pictures in which he or she appears 
is opening simultaneously. 

The problem then arises as to 
which company to favor. Usually, 
the star takes the easy way out, 
going all out for the studio that 
pays the expenses for the eastern 
trip. 

Previous to Hollywood’s trend to 
freelancing, ballyhoo work present- 
ed no difficulty since urffier terms 
of the star’s contract with the stu- 
dio, it was part of the job. Now 
performers can be more selective, 
accepting the offer of the studio 
which presents a better deal in the 
way of expenses or outright pay- 
(Continued on page 20) 


Oomphless Oscar 
Bores B’way Boys 

“Next time there’s a show like 
this let’s do it ourselves, or not at 
all.” 

This, in a nutshell, was the re- 
action Monday (14) among N. Y. 
film company execs to Saturday’s 
90-minute NBC telecast of the 
Academy Award nominations from 
the Coast. 

Opinion generally ranged from a 
moderate “it was just dull” to 
more impassioned comment along 
the lines that the industry, and the 
Academy particularly, suffered 
from the lack of dignity anH imagi- 
(Continued on page 18) 



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Vol. 197 NO, 11 

INDEX 

Bills 54 

Chatter 62 

Concert-Opera 60 

Film Reviews 6 

House Reviews 55 

Inside Legit 56 

Inside Pics 10 

Inside Radio-TV 34 

International 12 

Legitimate 56 

Literati 61 

Music 39 

New Acts 55 

Night Club Reviews 49 

Obituaries 63 

PipfiirpQ ^ 

Radio-Video-TV Films ! . ! 21 

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Vaudeville 49 

Wall Street 10 




DAILY VARIETY 

(Published In Hollywood by 
Daily Variety. Ltd.) 

819 a year. 820 Foreign 








4 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


Feared V, Gets ‘B’ Legion Tag; 
Delayed Grable Film Into Roxy 


Columbia over the past week * 
won a "B” rating from the Na- 
tional Legion of Decency for its 
"Three for the Show,” Cinema- 
Scope musical starring Betty 
Grable, Jack Lemmon and Marge 
and Gower Champion. Film is now 
set to open at N. Y.’s Roxy Thea- 
tre Feb. 24. 

Following a screening of "Show” 
some time ago, the Legion ex- 
pressed disapproval of the pic, 
thus raising the threat of a "C” 
(for condemned) classification. It’s 
understood that Col made some 
minor revisions in the film hav- 
ing the effect of toning down the 
bigamy angle in the story line and 
the Legion’s “B" resulted. 

This classification means the 
film is "morally objectionable in 
part for all,” according to the Le- 
gion’s standards. The Catholic 
reviewing group stated: "This film 
contains a frivolous treatment of 
marriage and flippant attitudes to- 
ward purity, together with sug- 
gestive situations, indecent cos- 
tuming and dancing.” The "C” 
would have enjoined Catholics 
from seeing the film in accordance 
with their annual Legion pledge. 

The Roxy booking is a switch in 
that "Show” is the first Col entry 
to play that house since "It Had 
to Be Yeu” in 1947. The Roxy, 
which is National Theatres’ only 
N. Y. outlet, has been playing 
20th-Fox product almost exclu- 
sively in recent years. 


SPRING IS EXPECTED; 
DRIVE-INS INCREASE 

Minneapolis, Feb. 15.' 

At a time when the temperatures 
are dipping from 20 to 40 below 
sero in territory where outdoor ex- 
hibition is limited to about four 
months of dependable weather, an- 
nouncements of new drive-in thea- 
tre construction continue. 

A trio of Minneapolis Theatre 
Supply Co. execs already has 
started to build one at Puma, S. D., 
with 600 speakers and C'Scope and 
other wide screen equipment. The 
partners are Charles Creamer, Rob- 
ert Lahti and Robert Lundquist. 

At Watertown, S. D., Al Fritz, 
owner of the four-wall house, is 
building a 500-car outdoor theatre 
to be equipped for C’Scope. 

Plans also have been revealed for 
still another Twin Cities’ area 
ozoner to boost the total to 11 and 
several more throughout Minne- 
sota. 

It’s now indicated that there may 
be 150 such outdoor theatres in 
operation in the territory when 
May rolls around. 


Fonda As Producer 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Indie film producers increase. 
Latest is Henry Fonda who has 
closed a deal with United Artists 
to make six pictures for United Ar- 
tists release over a three-year 
period. 

Fonda has agreed to appear in 
at least three of the six pictures. 
His latest job as a film actor was 
in "Mister Roberts,” his first thes- 
pian chore in seven years. 


Cheesecake, Beefcake 
Exploit ‘Deadly’ as UA 
Revives Spillane’s Dames 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

United Artists again will send 
out a troupe of Spillane’s Dames to 
bally its upcoming release of Park- 
lane's "Kiss Me Deadly.” Company 
previously sponsored a similar 
tour of four femmes for Parklane’s 
earlier "The Long Wait,” W'hich 
paid for both in newspaper space 
and grosses. Troupe of six gals 
heads out in mid-March. 

The plan is to aim at a cheese- 
cake 'policy in exploiting picture. 
To date, 21 femmes in picture have 
made leg and bust shots in the gal- 
lery, with more to come this week. 

UA field men will be armed with 
at least 250 pix of gals in an ad- 
vance campaign that will be 
sparked in N. Y. by Mori Krushen’s 
UA exploitation dept. Parklane 
and UA currently are processing 
more than 100 requests from news- 
papers and mag editors for leggy, 
busty photographs. 

Ralph Meeker, who portrays 
j Spillane’s Mike Hammer character 
i in pic, also is being poised for a 
beefcake campaign aimed at femme 
! audience. His physique gained 
; considerable prominence in the 
i East with his stage performance in 
; "Picnic,” and UA now hopes to 
cash in on his muscles. 


Statesrighters 

Ask TV Rights 
To Theatre Pix 

States rights distributors, in mak- 
ing deals with independent produ- 
cers, are asking and receiving the 
tv sales rights for the pictures in 
their particular territories. In many 
instances, the contract between 
the local distrib and the indie pro- 
ducer allows the distrib to sell a 
picture to tv stations in the terri- 
tory after an 18-month period. 

The states Tighter, if he feels 
there are theatrical possibilities re- 
maining after the 18-month stanza, 
can ask for an extension of the 
video availability. This is usually 
granted by mutual consent until the deal “about to be signed.” accord- 
distrib has exhausted all possible to Nicholas M. Schenck, presi- 
theatrical bookings in the area. 


DAVID 0. SELZNICK’S 
DUO SET AT METRO 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 
David O. Selznick, producer of 
"Gone With the Wind,” is going 
to produce for Metro through a 


Brandt Settles Florida 
Theatre Broker’s Suit 

A breach of contract suit in 
which the Florida realty firm of 
Lujacks, Inc., sought $400,000 dam- 
ages from New York theatre exec 
Harry Brandt was settled and dis- 
continued last week according to 

E apers filed in N.Y. Federal fcourt. 

ifscontinuance came as Judge 
John C. Knox was conducting pre- 
trial hearings on the case. 

Long pending action stems from 
Lujacks’ claim that Brandt reneged 
on leasing a theatre in Coral 
Gables, Fla., which the realty out- 
fit allegedly undertook to build on 
strength of Brandt's promise to 
rent the house. Terms of the set- 
tlement were undisclosed. 


PHOTOPLAY BESTOWS 51 
AWARDS AT BANQUET 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

June Allyson and William Holden 
and Universal’s "The Magnificent 
Obsession” won top annual Photo- 
play magazine Gold Medal Awards 
at the Bevhills Hotel last week. 
Some 500 were present, with Dick 
Powell emceeing black-tie event. 

A total of 51 awards were handed 
out, including the top winners. 
Awards were made for the 10 most 
popular actors and actresses, the 
10 most promising actors and ac- 
tresses, the 10 most popular pic- 
tures of 1954, and "those whose 
outstanding achievements have 
brought a special renown to the in- 
dustry during the past year.” 

Miss Allyson was present to pick 
up her own medal but Holden, lo- 
cationing in Hong Kong for 20th’s 
"A Many Splendored Thing,” was 
repped by Paramount board chair- 
man Adolph Zukor; who read a 
cable from the actor. James Stew- 
art also sent a taped message back 
from the Orient, where he is vaca- 
tioning, in lieu of appearing for an 
award. 


dent of the company. 

Deal calls for two pictures, not 
including "War and Peace,” pro- 
duction of which is still hanging 
fire. Two films will be made on the 
RKO-Pathe lot, utilizing Metro tal- 
ent, both here and abroad. 

This will be Selznick’s fourth 
association with Metro. Back in 
1925 he joined the story depart- 
ment, later producing "Dinner at 
Eight,” "David Copperfield,” 
"Dancing Lady,” "Viva Villa," 
“Manhattan Melodrama,” "Anna 
Karenina” and “A Tale of Two 
Cities.” 

He made "Gone” as an indie with 
a partial financing deal with 
Metro. 


Detroit's Best New Faces 

Detroit, Feb. 15. 

Grace Kelly was voted the best 
"New Face” of 1954 by Detroit area 
exhibitors and moviegoers in the 
annual Detroit Free Press "New 

Faces . . . Going Places” film-page 
feature. Jack Palance took second 
place honors. 

Previous winners have been 
Piper Laurie, Jeff Chandler, Mari- 
lyn Monore, Marge and Gower 
Champion, Robert Wagner and 
Susan Ball. 


Gloria Pali's Taxi Suit 

Los Angeles, Feb. 15. 

Screen and tv actress Gloria 
Pall (Miss Voluptua) filed suit in 
Superior Court for $31,000 dam- 
ages against the Yellow Cab Co. of 
California, a taxi driver and 10 
John Does. 

Plaintiff claims she suffered seri- 
ous injuries in a traffic accident 
last March 17. She asks $25,000 
general damages, and the rest for 
medical expenses, loss of income 
and damage to her car. 


Blumofe Wings West 

Robert F. Blumofe, United Art- 
ists v.p. in charge of Coast opera- 
tions. winged back to Hollywood 
yesterday (Tues.). 

He arrived in N. Y. Monday fol- 
lowing an eight-week survey of in- 
die production In Europe. 


When Is Travel Deductible? 

:By ERNEST D. LOEWENWARTER, CPA = 


Traveling expenses will be al- 
lowed if they are necessary and 
reasonable and in judging them, 
all the conditions and circum- 
stances must be taken into account. 
A theatrical producer was allowed 
the cost of frequent trips to view 
amateur performances. However, 
in another case, the cost of a 
writer’s meals and lodging on 
trips made to gather material for 
his work has been disallowed to 
the extent that they exceeded ex- 


Hollywood expenses while fulfilling 
a motion picture contract. 

But the question of when one 
is "away from home” is not so 
easily answered. In a very recent 
court decision a circus employee 
was denied a deduction for meals 
and lodging while on tours. He 
performed in about 50 different 
cities during the year, although he 
stayed with friends in California 
between tours and actually owned 
a house there at one time. The 


penditures ordinarily required for court held that his home was wher- 


such purposes at home. A motion 
picture producer - writer - director 
was allowed part of the cost of a 
pleasure trip to the Pacific North- 
west, where he was able to show 
that he took advantage of the trip 
to obtain and develop material for 
motion pictures. 

The third test of the deductibil- 
ity of traveling expenses requires 
that they be incurred away from 
home. The absence from home 
may be temporary and the trans- 
portation and hotel costs may still 
. be deductible. An actress who lived 
jin San Francisco was allowed her 


ever the circus happened to be and 
he could not deduct the cost of 
staying at hotels and eating his 
meals at restaurants. 

Cites Travel Expenses 
A distinction is now drawn be- 
tween transportation expenses and 
the cost of meals and lodgings, both 
of which have always been, and 
still are valid expense deductions. 

Transportation expenses of an 
employee, which are ordinary and 
necessary and are paid or incurred 
in pursuit of a trade or business 
may now be taken as a direct de- 
(Continued on page 15) 


i: New York Sound Track ;; 

7 + ♦♦♦♦♦»♦»+♦ ♦+»♦♦♦ ♦♦♦»♦ »♦♦♦♦»♦♦♦ ♦ ♦*♦♦♦♦ M 44V’ 

Richard Sale and his wife, Mary Loos, arrived in Gotham on the 
United States yesterday (Tues.) following work on "Gentlemen Marry 
Brunettes,” lensed in France and England for United Artists release. 
Sale directed and co-authored the script with Miss Loos . . . Gordon 
Scott, the latest "Tarzan," in town from the Coast for the press rounds. 

Murray Silverstone, 20th-Fox International prexy, leaving next week 
for a two-months tour of Latin America . . . Variety Club of N.Y. 
yesterday (Tues.) cited actress Susan Ball as “an outstanding fellow 
member of the entertainment industry” . . . Paris Theatre, plush East 
side artie, is undergoing redecorating and refurbishing. House preems 
the French "Wages of Fear” today . . . Republic prez Herbert J. Yates 
circulating copies of a telegram he received from F. H. Ricketson Jr„ 
head of Fox Inter-Mountain Theatres, on the preem of "Timberjack” 
in Missoula, Mont. It’s a 30,000-population town but the film festivities, 
drawing also on outside areas, had an audience of 50,000, wired Ricket- 
son. 

AI Sindlinger of Philadelphia may be called as the expert witness 
when the Schine Theatres start their defense in Buffalo against the 
D. of Justice. He’d testify on how hard it recently was to dispose of 
film theatres. Sam Shain suggested Sindlinger’s employment by Schine 
. . . Warner Bros, sales chief Ben Kalmenson leaves for the Coast 
today (Wed.) for confabs with studio execs. He’ll be accompanied by 
William Zimmerman, who is partnered with Gottfried Reinhardt in the 
production of "Rosalinda,” which WB is partially financing and re- 
leasing. 


Deplores Any New Gangster Cycle 


Flick Ducks Comment on ‘New York Confidential* 
But Sees Trend to Glorify Underworld Types 


Legion Eyes Cinerama 

Confirmation is not forth- 
coming but the Legion of De- 
cency has under consideration 
a rap against the Lido, Paris 
night club scene in the new 
“Cinerama Holiday” current at 
the Warner, N. Y. 

Angle of objection is ob- 
scure, possibly relating to the 
young husband chucking his 
wife to attend the show. Actual 
didoes seem tame to most 
circles. 


Zanuck Product 
Expansion Okay, 
He Checks O’Seas 

Directors of 20th-Fox in N.Y. last 
week (11) approved plans by Dar- 
ryl F. Zanuck, 20th production 
topper to raise from 16 to 22 the 
number of CinemaScope pix to be 
turned out by the studio in 1955. 
Production planning will actually 
be geared to 24 or 26 films, it’s in- 
dicated. 

The board also approved the al- 
location of "several million dol- 
lars” (Coast sources put it a.t 
$1,000,000) to retool the company’s 
Western Ave. studio in Hollywood 
for tv production. Project is being 
headed by Sid Rogell, the studio’s 
exec production topper. 20th has 
already started renting out space 
and is expected eventually to make 
its own tv pix. 

Upped production sked for 1955 
involves an increase of $13,000,000 
over prior budgets, the studio now' 
earmarking $50,000,000 for the 22 
productions, all of them In color 
and CinemaScope, 

Following the board meet, Zan- 
uck over the weekend left for 

(Continued on page 54) 


L. A. to N. Y. 

Irving Allen 
Suzan Ball 
A. R. Broccoli 
Cab Calloway 
Richard Conte 
John Ericson 
Glenn Ford 
Henry Ginsberg 
Susan Hayward 
Sonja Henie 
William Ross Howard 
Irene 

George Jessel 
Peg La Centra 
Dorothy Lamour 
Janet Leigh 
Mitchell Leisen 
Richard Long 
Tony Martin 
Jesse T. Mills 
Jerry Pickman 
Gordon Scott 
Don Sharpe 
William Tuttle 
Benay Venuta 
Janet Waldo 


There’s concern in some quarters 
over the possibility that another 
cycle of gangster features may be 
in the making. 

Attention specifically centers on 
Edward Small’s Warner Bros, re- 
lease, "New York Confidential,” 

which reportedly has been the sub- 
ject of conversations between WB 
execs and Hugh M. Flick, the N. Y. 
censor. Flick, whose power doesn't 
extend to this subject, is said to 
have pointed out to WB the harm- 
ful effects of such a film in which, 
as he sees it, syndicate gangsterism 
is portrayed with a degree of sym- 
pathy. 

"The Big Combo” a new r Allied 
release has a "torture” scene, in 
gangster style, plugging a radio 
full blast into the ear of victim. 
Also forcing a man to swallow a 
full bottle of hair tonic. 

While refusing to discuss this 
specific picture. Flick said last week 
that he had noted an increasing 
number of Hollywood films accent- 
ing underworld violence. "Some- 
times,” he said, “these pictures 
seem to be inviting a certain 
amount of admiration for the un- 
derworld code among these hood- 
lums who’ll shoot down their best 
friend because ‘the organization* 
demands it. And more and more 
there is a tendency to portray law 
enforcement agencies as weak and 
ineffective.” 

Revival of a gangster cycle. If it 
materializes, is seen as causing 
trouble in the foreign market and 

(Continued on page 20) 


Europe to N. Y. 

Simon Boosey 
Tom Curtiss 
Fred Feldkamp 
Laszlo Halasz 
Gianna Jenco 
Laurier Lister 
Mary Loos 
Richard Sale 
Louis Vaudable 

N. Y. to Europe 

Richard L. Coe 
Joan Diener 
Roy Disney 
Alfred Drake 
Glynis Johns 
Herman Levin 
Albert Marre 
Peter Moore 
Doretta Morrow 
William Steinberg 
Robert Taylor 
Ursula Thiess 
Cesare Vallettl 

N. Y. to L. A. 

Robert F. Blumofe 
Walter Branson 
Richard Conte 
James A. Doolittle 
Nina Foch 
Sam Handelsman 
Mervin Houser 
Ben Kalmenson 
Milton R. Rackmil 
Gene Tierney 
Robert S. Wolff 
William Zimmerman 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


PICTURES 


NO SLIP IN THE BONANZA 


Five-Year Gross Contrasts 

Following table shows the trends in gross revenue accruing to 
various film and theatre companies over the past five-year span. 
It’s important to note that the drop in the circuit tallies was due 
to shrinkage of theatre holdings in accordance with divorcement 
and divestiture court decrees, and does not reflect business con- 
ditions. 

1950 1953 1954 

Col $ 57,200,000 $ 60,300,000 $ 80,200,000 

Loew’s • 179,300,000 177,600,000 183,100,000 

Nat’l* 67,800.000 63,900,000 64,400,000 

Par 81,800,000 110,300,000 115,000,000 

SW 71,200,000 48.900,000 66,200,000 

20th 90,800,000 105,700,000 107,000,000 

U 55,600,000 70,50(XOOO 77,900,000 

WB 68,400,000 68,900,000 70,100,000 

Totals- $672,100,000 $716,100,000 $763,900,000 

The 1964 figures are estimates in the cases of Paramount and 
20th-Fox. Intentionally omitted from the list is American Broad- 
casting-Paramount Theatres because the AB-PT merger made com- 
parisons impossible. 


DCA Label For Big Product Only; 
Spartan Subsid For B’ Features 


Distributors Corp. of America. •*- 
the Fred Schwartz production-dis- 
tribution firm, has organized a sub- 
sidiary distribution firm known as 

Spartan Pictures. Purpose of the 
new company is to handle lower 
case product which DCA prefers 
not to be directly connected with. 
DCA, formed by a group of exhibi- 
tors for the purpose of helping to 
ease the product shortage, has set 
as its aim the production and dis- 
tribution of top-draw product, i.e., 
the type of films that have grossed 
top money in recent months. Hence 
DCA’s desire not to be identified 
with product that normally would 
fall in the second half of dual bills. 

First film to be released under 
the Spartan label will be “Devil 
Girl From Mars.” Picture was 
shown last week to a number of 
DCA’s affiliated states rights dis- 
tribs who will also handle the Spar- 
tan product. The existence of the 
new company so far has not been 
officially announced. 

Meanwhile, DCA will hold its 
Initial stockholders meeting at the 
Sheraton Astor, N. Y. today (Wed.). 
Stockholders will elect a board of 
directors which, in turn, will select 
the general executive officers of 
the firm for the coming year. 

Session coincides with DCA’s 
first major release, “Long John Sil- 
ver,” produced by Joseph Kaufman. 

A second film, “The Stranger’s 
Hand,” a British film, opened yes- 
terday (Tues.) at the Plaza, N. Y. 
DCA currently has in production 
for 1955 release “I Am a Camera,” 
a Remus Production being pro- 
duced in London; "Finian’s Rain- 
bow,” the Broadway musical being 
made into a feature-length cartoon, 
and “Lelia,” based on Andre Maur- 
ois’ biography of George Sand. 

In pre-production status are “The 
Viking,” in association with Milo 
Frank; “The Surviviors,” to be 
done by John and Roy Boulting, 
and “The Way We Are,” starring 
Joan Crawford, to be produced and 
directed by Robert Aldrich. 



‘GAME OF LOVE’ DRAWS 
LEGION CONDEMNATION 

“Game of Love,” French film 
distributed in the U. S. by Times 
Film Corp., has been “condemned” 
by tne National Legion of Decency. 
Pic is the subject of censorship 
rows in both Pennsylvania and 
Maryland. 

The Legion’s objection was 
stated as follows: “This picture, 
in the story it tells, condones im- 
moral actions. Moreover, in treat- 
ment, it seriously offends Christian 
and traditional standards of moral- 
ity and decency by reason of gross- 
ly suggestive dialog, costuming 
and situations.” 


Wagner’s Added Chores 

Washington, Feb. 15. 
Gerald Wagner, general manager 
of the Dupont and Playhouse Thea- 
tres, has been named coordinator 
of promotion and advertising of 
City Investing Co. interests in 
Washington. He’ll continue as man- 
ager of the two theatres. 

The other interests of City here 
include the National Theatre, legit 
house; Washington division of the 
Wilson Line of excursion steamers; 
and Marshall Hall Amusement 
Park, in Maryland. 


Nominations For 
Upcoming Oscars 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Columbia romped across finish 
line in Oscar derby nominations 
two ahead of Paramount, for total 
22 for five pix against Par’s 20 six 
pix. While pair look set to battle 
out for first-place in 27th aflnual 
Academy sweepstakes, 20th-Fox 
and Warners are close contenders 
with 18 apiece in third place tie. 
Former 10 pix, latter seven. 

Metro trailed for total 15 on six 
pix: 

Columbia’s “Waterfront” Is far 
in lead in point of nominations on 
single picture, for tremendous 12. 
Its “Mutiny,” Par’s “Country” 
follow with seven each, while 
WB’s “Star.” “High, Mighty” 
scored six apiece. MG’s “Executive 
(Continued on page 16) 


Columbia’s net profit 6t $2,823,- 
000 for the six months ended last 
Dee. 25 was the highest In the com- 
pany’s history for a half-year 
period. Paramount in 1955 will out- 
gross 1954, president Barney Bala- 
ban has predicted. Warner’s latest 
quarterly report showed a 60% 
improvement. Statements from 
various other film outfits have 
reflected a fancy earnings upbeat. 

In view of the foregoing, it’s no 
secret that profits in the picture 
business have been on the upgrade, 
at least as pertaining to the large 
companies. A rundown on gross 
business shows that streamlined 
economics within the industry it- 
self is not the sole reason behind 
the upswing. Also, importantly: 
the public is shelling out more 
coin for its pic entertainment. 
According to trade statisticians, the 
pickup is in most parts of the 
U. S., while territories abroad afe 
either running at an even keel or 
also showing gains. 

Regarded as meaningful, too, is 
the fact that some companies have 
made substantial cuts in produc- 
tion over the past five-year span, 
yet total revenues have gone up. 
The public is paying more to see 
fewer films, according to certain 
N. Y. execs. 

(Theatremen at various levels 
have a different version. They’re 
beefing that the major companies 
are taking a greater percentage of 
the boxoffice gross as film rental 
and this also is a reason why their 
gross incomes are higher.) 

In any event, the total worldwide 
business racked up by eight com- 
panies — estimated in a couple of 
instances — amounted to $763,900,- 
000 in fiscal 1954, against $7,161,- 
000 in 1953 and $6,721,000 in 1950. 

Most spectacular climb has been 
at Columbia where the overall take 
of $57,200,000 in 1950 was followed 
by a slight dip in 1951, some im- 
provement in 1952 and 1953 and 
then, in 1954, a record of $80, 
200,000. 

Industry economists also are im- 
pressed with the fiscal perform- 
ance of National Theatres. This 
outfit was called upon by court 
decree to dispose of several dozen 
houses but the gross has held up 
well and the net income has been 
strengthening over the past four 
years. 


It Was 'The River of No Return, 
Ruler s Estate Claims in 784G Suit 


Biggest backer of “The River,'* 
a United Artists release which 
Oriental-International Films Inc. 
produced in India some four years 
ago, was the late Maharaja Shri 
Bhojrajji Saheb who made six 
foans to O-I totalling $450,778. 
Disclosure of the potentate’s pen- 
chant for film financing came to 
light this week when the City 
Bank Farmers Trust Co., as ancil- 
lary administrators of the estate 
of His Highness, served summons 

on O-I by publication in accord- 
ance with an order signed by N. Y. 
Supreme Court Justice Benjamin 
•F. Schreiber. 

Summons, it developed, was a 
routine move on the part of the 
bank’s counsel, Shearman & Ster- 
ling & Wright, to force O-I and 
three other defendants to appear 
in Supreme Court to answer 
charges that the Maharaja never 
recovered as much as a rupee from 
his six loans. Aside from O-I the 
bank's suit also names Common- 
wealth Pictures Corp., CPC prez 
Arthur U. Wetzel and O-I head 
James K. McEldowney. 

All told, the action seeks $784,- 
483 from the defendants. Aggre- 
earnings for a half-year period in gate sum includes original loans 
the company’s history, Columbia of $450,778, plus $283,705 which 
this week reported a net profit af- are said to be "available receipts” 
ter all taxes of $2,823,000. equal on “The River” since 1951, and 
to $3.40 per common share, for the $50,000 for “consequential” dam- 


‘Are You a Sex Maniac?’ 

Conneaut, O., Feb. 15. 

It was zero weather but the 
appearance of pickets in front 
of a theatre here playing 
RKO’s “The French Line” un- 
doubtedly boosted the boxof- 
fice to the biggest Friday night 
the house has had in a long 
time. The pickets carried signs 
reading “Are You a Sex 
Maniac. Too?” and “Do You 
' Have No Code of Morals?” It 
packed ’em in and manager 
Harry Buck was so grateful he ✓ 
gave hot coffee to the freezing 
pickets. 

Interviewed by a reporter, 
the pickets said the picture 
was being picketed all over the 
state. But no other exhibitor 
in Ohio has reported any pick- 
eting. 


Columbia’s ^-Yr. 
Equals $3.40 Per 

Representing the strongest 


Hall’s Metro Till Easter 

Metro has the Radio City Music 
Hall, N. Y., tied up until Easter 
with three pictures in a row. 

“Jupiter’s Darling” opens tomor- 
row (Thurs.) to be followed by “Hit 
the Deck” and “The Glass Slipper.” 
Latter will be the Easter show. 


six months ended Dec. 25. 1954 
The profit before taxes amounted 
to $5,153,000. 

Col, for the corresponding period 
a year ago, had a net of $1,910,000 


ages. Maharaja, who was a ruler 
in Gondal state. Saurashtra, ap- 
parently had his first financial con- 
tact with “The River” in August. 
1949. At that time O-T borrowed 


after taxes, equal to $2.24 per com- $209,000 from him and promised 
mon share. The gross profit for to re-pay the principal in 10 years 
this period (before taxes, that is) In negotiating the Aue 1949 
was *4.759,000. The per-share j l0 ». cU taf O I pfedged that 
earnings for both periods are thta note was t0 have priority and 
based on 794 236 shares of com- ; n0 profits , , h w ould 

m °The S new °p“u?e, said Co,. 1 .?»«.' «"* Maharaja 

were prepared by the company p 


and subject to yearly audit 

Col’s gain over the past year 


Following month the 
ruler loaned O-I £11.707 ($25,755) 
and in February, 1950, advanced 


» *«».. u n inc $83,600. He forked over $62,700 in 

was seen particularly significant > March. 1950 Final two * lo £J $ 

$41,800 and $20,900, respectively. 


since 1953 proved a banner year, 
bringing $80,000,000 in record 
gross revenue. 


Fleming’s Overseas Films 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Rhonda Fleming will star in 
three French-made pictures, under 
a deal now being finalized by pro- 
ducer Nat Wachsbarger of Sinag 
Productions in Paris. Actress, who 
made two foreign films last year, 
recently completed “Simeramis” 
for the producer, in which she co- 
starred with Ricardo Montalban. 

Initialer under new pact prob- 
ably will be “Duo,” to tee off in 
the late spring. 


YANK PIX WITH B.O. ZIP PUSH BRITISH 
PRODUCT INTO U.S. BIZ DIP; ‘ARTIES’ HIT 


Port Clinton Repeals 3% 

Port Clinton, O., Feb. 15. 

City Council voted to repeal the 
town’s 3% amusement tax in effect 
since 1947. 

The vote was 4-1, with two mem- 
bers absent. 


Current spate of Hollywood b.o. 
pix poses quite a dilemma for the 
British product which has strength- 
ened its foothold in the U. S. mar- 
ket since the war. 

Where, in the past, a British pic 
of the “commercial” type, i.e., one 
with a booking potential in the 
regular houses, stood a good chance 
of exhib attention, today it has to 
play second fiddle to the bigger — 
and from a b.o. viewpoint certainly 
better — American entries. 

At the same time, the “artier” 
British films, so often the delight 
of the critics, that ordinarily go 
into the specialized houses, are 
suffering too. As American indus- 
try observes it, the sureseater audi- 
ence is gradually beating back to 
the regular houses. The reason: 
better films, plus more intriguing 
subjects. 

“There was a time when an art 
theatre would do business by mere- 
ly billing an ‘interesting’ film. To- 
day, it has to be a lot more than 
just ‘interesting’ to do business,” 
was one comment. 


Upshot of all this is that British 
producers and particularly J. Ar- 
thur Rank, who has made an earn- 
est attempt at commercializing 
some of his pix for the U. S., are 
in something of a fix. “They’re 
damned if they do and damned 
if they don’t,” one distrib exec 
‘It's a difficult position for 
them to be in.” ^ 

Example of a supposedly “com- 
mercial” British picture not doing 
the expected business was “West 
of Zanzibar,” an African adven- 
ture film made by Rank, which Uni- 
versal opened at the World The- 
atre, N. Y., a sometime art nouse 
which has more or less special- 
ized in exploitation pix. Booked 
into the World as an experiment, 
“Zanzibar” was disappointing. 

While U execs, who handle the 
Rank product, keep diplomatically 
mum, observers at the other com- 
panies are quite willing to size up 
the situation. “Under present cir- 
cumstances, with a lot of Ameri- 
can ‘A’ product bidding for the the- 
atres' interest, the socalkd ‘com- 


mercial’ British film becomes just 
another picture,” said one. “It just 
takes its place in the line. There 
was a time when some oldfashioned 
type of showmanship could be ap- 
plied here, with theatre fronts fixed 
up, etc. But this doesn’t go over 
so much any more.” 

If anything has helped the Brit- 
ish it’s Hollywood’s own tendency 
to take its cameras abroad. An in- 
creasing number of American pix 
use foreign locales and, perforce, 
foreign players and foreign ac- 
cents. It’s felt that, as American 
audiences get accustomed to this, 
it’ll be easier to overcome th" ac- 
cent barrier in the British imports. 

At U there’s now an unques- 
tioned tendency to concentrate on 
“commercial” Rank films, <wen 
though the difficulties of selling 
them are clearly realized. The 
company hasn’t taken on a “small” 
Rank film for distribution in quite 


were both arranged on May 5. 
1950. 

Interest at 5% 

Maharaja, who died in 1952, al- 
legedly was deprived of “The Riv- 
er’s” $283,705 receipts through 
certain moves of Commonwealth, 
Wetzel and McEldowncy. Action 
charges that these defendants in- 
duced O-I to breach the agree- 
ment to turn over the film’s profits 
to the potentate and instead paid 
the receipts to themselves. Also 
due the estate, the papers assert, 
is interest at 5% from 1950 on the 
$83,600 loan. 

Based on a story by Rumer God- 
den, "The River” was produced by 
Jean Renoir for McEldowney’s 
Oriental-International Films. Re- 
noir directed a cast headed by 
Nora Swinburne, Esmond Knight, 
Arthur Shields and Thomas E. 
Breen. Technicolor lensing was 
done by Claude Renoir. 


LIFT ‘OBSCENE’ FILM 
BAN, COURT ASKED 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

The U. S. Supreme Court was 
asked today (Tues.) to declare as 
illegal the banning of a film on 
grounds of obscenity. Action stems 
from the Chicago police censor’s 
tabu on “The Miracle” for the 
stated reason that the picture is 
“obscene.” Legalistic row that fol- 
lowed reached the Illinois Supreme 
Court which upheld the police ac- 
tion. 

Charles Liebman, in behalf of 
the film, and the American Civil 
Liberties Union joined in the U. S. 
Supreme Court petition for rever- 
sal of this rule. They point to the 
N. Y. censorship case involving the 
same pic. In this, “Miracle” was 


a while, Rank — very likely with U nixed on grounds it was “sacri- 
concurrence — preferring to try his ligeous” but, on appeal, the na- 
luck wsth the indies on that type tion’s highest tribunal found this 
of product. I term too vague and lifted the ban. 




FILftf REVIEWS 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


Three (or (he Show 

(MUSICAL-COLOR-C’SC<^PE) 

Elaborately staged comedy 
tuner in the old Betty Grable 
tradition. Okay b.o. draw. 


makes a shambles of the video 
spectacles, but even so there may 
come a point of no return. Mean- 
while, "Three for the Show" ought 
to keep ’em happy. Hift. 


Columbia release of Joule Taps pro- 
duction. Stars Betty Grable. Marge & 
Cower Champion. Jack Lemmon; features 
Mv run McCormick. Paul Harvey. Robert 
Bice. Hal K.. Dawson. Directed by H. C. 
Potter. Sc-reenplay. Edward Hope and 
Leonard Stern: from a W. Somerset 
Maugham play; camera (Technicolor). 
Arthur Arling; editor. Viola Lawrence; 
choreography. Jack Cole; original music 
and arrangements, Gcorga Dunlng; art 
director, Walter Holscher. Tradeshown 
In N. V. Dec. 8. ’54. Running time. *3 
MINS. 

Julie . . Betty Grable 

C.wen Howard Marge Champion 

Vernon Lowndes Gower Champion 1 

Marty Stewart Jack Lemmon 

Mike Hudson Myron McCormick 

General Wh rton Paul Harvey 

Sergeant O’Hallihan B,ce 

Theatre Treasurer Hal K. Dawson 


Th<* blaHM Slipper 

(MUSIC— COLOR) 


The Cinderella fairy tale 
brought to life with whimsical 
charm, but moot b.o. prospects. 


Hollywood, Feb. 14. 

Metro release of Edwin H. Knopf pro- 
duction. Stars Leslie Caron. Michael 
Wilding; features Keenan Wynn. Estelle 
Winwood. Elsa lanchester, Barry Jones. 
Amanda Blake. Lurene Tuttle. Lisa Dan- 
iels. Directed by Charles Walters. Screen- 
play. ballet librettos and lyrics by Helen 
Deutsch; camera (Eastman Color). Arthur 
E. \ * 1 1 in- editor. Ferris Webster: ballets 
by Koland Petit, featuring Ballet de 
Paris; music. Bromislau Kaper. Previewed 
I Feb. 9, '53. Running time. 93 MINS. 

Ella Leslie Caron 

Prince Charles Michael Wilding 

Kovin Keenan Wynn 

V'rs. Toquet Estelle Winwood 

Widow Sunder Elsa Lanchester 

Duke Barry Jones 

l’-irdena Amanda Blake 


Cousin Loulou Lurene Tuttle 

Tchara Liliane Montevecchi 

Ballet dc Paris 

(Aspect ratio: 1.75.1) 


The topsy-tui'vy world of show 
biz gets another lively going over 

in "Three For The Show.” Colum- 

bin’s new' entry in the CinemaScope ! Scrufina Lisa Daniels 

sweepstakes. A whacky comedy, 
tailor-made to the talents of a good 
cast, it scores primarily in the 
song-and-dance department where 
the screen comes alive with a 
couple of highpowered and elabo- 
rately conceived production num* G1 „ s S i ippt . v " towards those tick- 

* 5ers - , !ct buyers who prefer to go outside 

Mostly this is Betty Grable s j regular types of screenfare for 
picture, and there’s no question \ their film entertainment. They 
that, despite the passing years, I should find it a beguiling 93 min- 
she’s still an entertainer with u t es but, unfortunately for its box- 
plenty of oomph who can put over office chances, the fantasy does 
a routine with sock impact. She j no t have the kind of popular ap- 


A whimsical treatment of the 
Cinderella fairy tale slants "The 


gets plenty strong support from 
the dance team of Marge & Gower 
Champion who also double in brass 
in speaking parts. Miss Champion 
is cute and very appealing. Jack 
Lemmon, a comedian who knows 
how to punch across a line when 
handed one. is a big asset to the 
show but unfortunately isn’t given 
enough of a chance to do his stuff. 

Main trouble with the film is that 
it’s woefully lacking in the story 
department. For a comedy it’s also 
surprisingly short of good laugh 
lines. Based on a W. Somerset 
Maugham play and adapted for the 
screen by Edward Hope and Leon- 
ard Stern, "Three For the Show” 
uses a theme that must have been 
knocking around Hollywood since 
the nickelodeon days. 

It’s about the fellow who goes 
to war and is reported dead. The 
wife, in this instance a famous 
musical star, marries his • best 
friend. Hubby number one returns, 
presenting his wife with g situa- 
tion in which she must choose be- 
tween two husbands. It takes Miss 
Grable an hour and a half to make 
up her mind, with Marge Champion 
waiting on the sidelines to catch 
one of the boys on the rebound. 

To overcome this thin story, 
pioducer Jonie Taps and director 
II. C. Potter have put the accent 
on the song-and-dance end, and 
here no effort has been spared to 
till every inch of the wide screen 
with production values. 

Some of the sets are stunning 
and the music, including two 
George and Ira Gershwin numbers, 
is pleasant and well integrated. 
There’s a succession of such se- 
quences in which the Champions 
larticuiarly do outstanding work. 
Dream sequence, with Miss Grable 
ording it over a male harem, has 
:ine hoofing to the tune of Hoagy 
Carmichael’s and Harold Adam- 
son's "Down Boy.” Another dream 
scene stars the Champions in a 
fine bit of interpretive dancing 
that’s a delight to the pye. 

For the most part, the transition 
from musical to story Is done 
smoothly and with a degree of 
logic due to the show biz back- 
ground which calls for a theatre 
setting. There’s one bit of non- 
sense in the Grable apartment, 
involving the principals chasing 
one another, that Just doesn’t come 
off. Jack Coles choreography 
otherwise is excellent. 

Among the songs heard ih the 
film are "Someone to Watch Over 
Me,” and "I’ve Got a Crush on 
You,” both by George and Ira 
Gershwin; “How Come You Do Me 
Like You Do,” by Gene Austin and 
Hoy Bergerc; Lester Lee and Ned 
Washington’s "Which One?” and 
“I’ve Been Kissed Before,” by Bob 
Bussell and Lee, which Miss Grable 
gives a sexy and appealing treat- 
ment. 

In the smaller parts, Myron Mc- 
Cormick is okay as the legit pro- 
ducer. Paul Harvey as an air force 
general trying to straighten out 
Miss Grable’s marital dilemma does 
a routine takeoff. Robert Bice and 
Hal K. Dawson are okay in small 
roles. Potter’s direction has merit 
and keeps the picture properly 
paced. Technicolor hues are par- 
ticularly good in this one and 
Arthur Ailing’s lensing shows up 
C’Scope to best advantage. 

Question might be asked how 
long audiences will hold still for 
those big-scale dance routines. 
Color and the widescreen notwith- 
standing. the public is being fed 
a good deal, of this on tv. There’s 
no question that the theatre screen 


beauty fits the character, but Wild- 
ing does not seem happily cast in 
his character, nor does it get over 
to the viewer. Estelle Winwood is 
quite effective as the pixilated 
worker of seeming magic. Others 
in the cast seem to be present only 
because there are characters to be 
filled. They include Keenan Wynn, 
as the prince’s friend; Barry Jones, 
the duke; Elsa Lanchester, the 
stepmother; Amanda Blake and 
Lisa Daniels, the selfish stepsis- 
ters, and Lurene Tuttie as the aunt 
with a past. 

Where “Slipper” makes its best 
points is in the Bronislau Kaper 
score and in the ballets staged by 
Roland Petit with the Ballet de 
Paris. Particularly earning atten- 
tion is the “Kitchen Ballet.” Also 
good is the allegorical death theme 
of the "Tehara Ballet.” the final of 
three ballets done in dream se- 
quences. “Take My Love” is a song 
with rhythmic appeal presented by 
itself and as a background theme 
throughout the footage. The ballet 
librettos and the lyrics for “Take” 
w'ere written by Miss Deutsch, with 
Kaper doing the music. 

The special, although limited, ap- 
peal of the picture benefits by 
Charles Walters* direction of the 
Edwin H. Knopf production, and 
the eye appeal is enhanced by the 
Eastman Kodak Color photography 
by Arthur E. Arling, the costuming 
of Helen Rose and Walter Plun- 
kett, the art direction and set deco- 
rations that frame the action. 

Brog. 


Deal that will make the general 
theatre patron lay his cash down 
at tlie wickets. With special han- 
dling, it may do okay in some sure- 
scatcr dates, but the b.o. prospects 
are moot. 

Without making too strong a 
comparison with “Lili,” a previous 
small-show'case click turned out by 
the principals connected with this 
offering, it is probable the makers 
figured on approaching the previ- 
ous film’s sureseater success. While 
"Slipper” has charm and a some- 
what similar ugly duckling-love 
triumphant plot, it has neither 
the tremendous heart impact of 
"Lili” nor sufficient freshness of 
1 theme treatment to duplicate that 
! pic’s acceptance. 

I The Cinderella fairy tale, as re- 
] membered by all, is enacted in the 
] Helen Deutsch screenplay, telling 
how the poor, mistreated girl man- 
ages to overcome circumstance and 
the shoddy attentions of stepmoth- 
er and stepsisters to win the hand- 
some prince who lives in the vil- 
lage castle. The magic wishing 
Hour of midnight is retained and, 
i by implication only, the magic 
coach and its horses formed from 
a pumpkin and mice, and the fairy 
godmother, here seen as a pixilat- 
ed old woman w ? ho makes dreams 
come true by a practical approach. 

Leslie Caron, as drab and dirty 
as any scullery maid could have 
even been, is the Cinderella who 
rides to the castle on her dreams, 
magically whisked into an enchant- 
ingly gowned, diademed princess fit 
j for the prince played by Michael 
, Wilding. Her particular ability to 
be transformed from ugliness into 


Xotv York ( wnfidcntial 


Well-fashioned crime melo- 
drama with good <iast and per- 
formances to rate its bookings 
and an okay payoff in the reg- 
ular program market. 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Warner Bros, release of Edward Small 
(Clarence Greene) production. Start 
Broderick Crawford. Richard Conte. 
Marilyn Maxwell. Anne Bancroft, J. Car- 
rol Naish; features Onslow Stevens. Barry 
Kelley, Mike Mazurki, Celia Lovsky, Her- 
bert Heyrt. Directed by Russell Rouse. 
Original screenplay, Greene and Rouse; 
suggested by the bestseller by Jack Lait 
and Lee Mortimer; camera. Edward Fitz- 
gerald; editor. Grant Whytock; music, 
Joseph Mullendore. Previewed Feb. 8, '55. 
Running time, 17 MINS. 

Charles Lupo Broderick Crawford 

Nick Magellan Richard Conte 

Iris Palmer Marilyn Maxwell 

Katherine Lupo Anne Bancroft 

Ben Dagajanian J. Carrol Naith 

Johnny Achilles Onslow Stevens 

Frawley Barry Kelley 

Arnie Wendler Mike Mazurki 

Mama Lupo Celia Lovsky 

James Marshall Herbert Heyes 

Morris Franklin Steven Geray 

Whitey Bill Phillips 

Glno Henry Kulky 

Martinelli Nestor Paiva 

Datista Joe Vitale 

Sumak Carl Milletaire 

Paul Williamson William Forrest 

Waluska . Ian Keith 

Judge Kincaid Charles Evans 

Hartmann Mickey Simpson 

District Attorney Rossi Tom Powers 

Ferrari Lee Trent 

Larry Lennie Bremen 

Shorty John Doucette 

Dr. Ludlow Frank Ferguson 

Mrs. Wesley Hope Landon 

Senor Fortunio Bonanova 

( Aspect ratio: 1.85-1) 


thanks to a well-fashioned story 
and good performances by a cast 
of familiar names. While a tough, 
no-punches-pulled melodrama, if 
relies more on logical development 
for effect than on unsoundly 
motivated bare-knuckles action. It 
is an okay offering for the market. 

Some seasoned players who know 
their way around In this type of 
plot, plus direction that makes its 
points without hammering them, 
contribute to the entertainment 
aims of the Warner Brog. release. 
Film was made idependently by 
Clarence Greene and Russell Rouse 
for Edward Small. Producer 
Greene and director Rouse did the 
original script, suggested by the 
bestseller by Jack Lait and Lee 
Mortimer, so the events dealt with- 
in the plot have an authentic ring, 
whether or not probable in real 
life. 

Story tells of the rise of Richard 
Conte, ambitious triggerman, in 
the big syndicate said to control all 
crime under the chairmanship of 
Broderick Crawford. Pleased with 
the dispatch with which Conte 
takes care of his first murder as- 
signment, the big boss pushes the 
killer up rapidly. Now the syndi- 
cate is purported to work to con- 
trol its empire of legitimate and 
illegitimate businesses backgrounds 
the action - as murders go on and 
big money rolls into the coffers. 
No one gets bigger than the syn- 
dicate, however, and when an in- 
vestigation started by crimebusters 
reaches to Crawford, the board 
members order his execution, 
which Conte carries out efficiently 
and is then rubbed out himself be- 
cause by now he knows too much. 

Conte does a topnotch job of 
making a coldblooded killer seem 
real and Crawford is good as the 
chairman of the crime board, as is 
Marilyn Maxwell as his girl friend. 
Anne Bancroft, showing continuing 
progress and talent, scores with a 
standout performance of Brod- 
erick’s unhappy daughter. J. Car- 
rol Naish, Onslow Stevens and Bar- 
ry Kelley, executives in the syn- 
dicate, are most effective. Notable 
in other roles are Mike Mazurki, 
Celia Lovsky, Herbert Hayes, 
Steven Gray, Bill Phillips, Henry 
Kulky, Nestor Paiva. Joe Vitale, 
Carl Milletaire and William For- 
rest. 

Edward Fitzgerald’s lensing and 
the Joseph Mullendore music are 
keyed to the melodramatics. Edit- 
ing and other teehneal assists are 
good. Brog. 

EmnI of Kdon 

(C’SCOPE— COLOR 


Among the crime exposes cur- 
rently hitting the film market, 
"New York Confidential” stacks up 
as one of the better-made entries, 


Par’s Touching Kid Film For UN 

It was a smart public relations move on the part of Paramount 
when it agreed to produce "Assignment Children,” a 20-minute 
Tecluiicolor film in which Danny Kaye shows what the United 
Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund is doing to im- 
prove the health of the world’s underprivileged children. For 
not only does this fine documentary reflect credit upon Par and 
Kaye but it must enhance the prestige of the film industry 
generally. 

Kaye, who conceived the film during a visit to UN headquarters 
in New York some 18 months ago, enlisted the aid of Par’s Adolph 
Zukor, Barney Balaban and Y. Frank Freeman in .supporting the 
project. Par bore the expense of sending a camera crew to Asia, 
w here scenes were lensed in six countries. 

Simultaneous screenings of "Children” were held last Wed. (9) 
in the UN’s General Assembly Hall and the Par studio on the 
('oast for reps of the press, radio and tv. At the UN preview 
Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold praised Kaye and his as- 
sociates at Par for their contributions to UNICEF. Also unstinting 
in their thanks w’ere Mrs. Guido Pantaleoni, chairman of the U. S. 
Committee for UNICEF, and Dr. Balachandra Rajan, chairman 
of UNICEF’s executive board. 

As for the film itself, this tw'o-reeler provides audiences with, 
first-hand knowledge of what UNICEF is doing in 88 countries 
although only six lands are actually covered by Kaye and his 
camera crew. His itinerary is a broad one — swinging from India 
and Burma to Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand. Whether 
its a Burmese tot or a Korean waif, Kaye has a way with children 
to judge by the smiles and laughter which greet him. 

“There’s no pilch for funds,” Kaye says in his commentary, 
“nobody’s going to take a collection ...” But the impression the 
general public gets from watching on-the-spot feedings of Korean 
children from UNICEF powdered milk, the inoculation of Thai 
children to cure yaws, vaccination of Burmese and Indian moppets 
to halt tuberculosis etc. will aid UNICEF far more than a monetary 
contribution. 

It’s anticipated that first prints of the film w’ill be released in the 
U. S. and Canada about March 15. Around the same time screen- 
ings will also start in Australia and New Zealand to aid the UN 
Appeal for Children campaigns. Paramount is distributing the 
two-reeler in 17 countries on a non-profit' basis. Exhibitors will be 
asked to pay only a nominal rental fee to help defray production 
and distribution experises. Par is donating all net proceeds to 
the Children’s Fund. Gilb. 


Class screen treatment of the 
somber dramatics from John 
Steinbeck 7 s novel; special han- 
dling will develop b.o. poten- 
tial. 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Warner Bros, release of Elia Kazan 
production. Stars Julie Harris. Janies 
Dean, Raymond Massey; features Burl 
Ives. Richard Davalos. Jo Van Fleet, 
Albert Dekker, Lois Smith. Harold Gor- 
don. Timothy Carey. Mario Siletti. Lonny 
Chapman. Nick Dennis. Directed by 
Kazan. Screenplay. Paul Osborn; camera. 
(WamcrColor). Ted McCord: editor, Owen 
Marks; music, Leonard Rosenman. Pre- 
viewed Feb. 2, '53. Running time, 114 
MINS. 

Abra Julie Harris 

Cal Trask James Dean 

Adam Trask Raymond Massey 

Sam Burl Ives 

Aron Trask Richard Davalos 

Jo Van Fleet 

WU1 Albert Dekker 

Ann Lois Smith 

Mr. Albrecht Harold Gordon 

Jo* Timothy Carey 

Piseora Mario Siletti 

R°y, • • Lanny Chapman 

Rantani Nick Dennis 


of mood, rather than the regUsrn 
of life, that predominates. 

Much pro and eon probably will 
develop about James Dean, un- 
known to whom Kazan gives a full- 
scale introduction. It is no credit 
to Kazan that Dean seems required 
to play his lead character as though 
he were straight out of a Marlon 
Brando mold. Just how flexible his 
talent is will have to be judged on 
future screen roles, although he 
has a basic appeal that manages to 
get through to the viewer despite 
the heavy burden of carboning an- 
other’s acting style in voice and 
mannerisms. It should be interest- 
ing to see what he can do as Dean. 

Only the latter part of the Stein- 
bt\’c novel is used in the Paul Os- 
born screenplay, which picks up 
the principals in this Salinas Val- 
ley melodrama at the 'time the tw in 
i sons of a lettuce farmer* are grad- 
i uating in the 1917 class at high- 
school. One son is neurotic, fancies 
himself unloved, while the other is 
likeable, well - adjusted, normal 
youth, interested in his girl and the 
development of his father’s acreage. 

The principal dramatic problem 
posed is getting the neurotic 
straightened out before he com- 
pletely destroys himself and those 
who care for him. That this is 
eventually brought about, in the 
concluding scene, keeps the picture 
from being entirely downbeat, but 
this uplift comes after he has vir- 
tually wrecked his brother’s moral 
fiber, taken the latter's girl and 
caused his father to have a stroke 
that leaves him paralyzed and fac- 
ing slow death. Not overlooked as 
a creator of turmoil in the youth 
is his discovery that his mother, 
j believed long dead, is a madam 
operating a house in Monterey and 
j he uses this as an excuse for some 
I of his wildness. 

Julie Harris, well-known stage 
star, gives her particular style to 
an effective portrayal of the girl 
j torn between the love offered by 
the good brother and the instinct 
awakened in her by the neurotic. 
Richard Davalos film debuts as the 
normal son and w'ins sympathy 
with an excellent performance. 
Raymond Massey is fine as the rc- 
i ligious father who finds it difficult 
to understand the need that Dean, 
j his neurotic son, has for affection. 

Burl Ives, the sheriff: Jo Van 
Fleet, the mother; Albert Dekker, 
a promoter; Harold Gordon. Ger- 
man-born neighbor who feels the 
i hatred of Huns caused by World 
War I; Timothy Carey and Lonny 
Chapman are among those con- 
tributing good support. Lois Smith 
merits special mention for the im- 
portance she gives the small part 
of a slattern in the house run by 
the mother. 

The presentation is a pictorial 
standout by virtue of the splendid 
CinemaScope lensing in Warner- 
Color by Ted McCord. Effective 
also are the Leonard Rosenman 
score, the art direction by James 
Basevi and Malcolm Bert, the set 
decorations by George James Hop- 
kins, the editing by Owen Marks 
and the other technical credits. 

Brog. 


Powerfully somber dramatics 
have been captured from the pages 
of John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” 
and put on film by Elia Kazan. It 
is a tour de force for the director’s 
penchant for hard-hitting forays 
with life, and as such undoubtedly 
will be counted among his best 
screen efforts. Whether the type of 
heavy melodrama represented here 
will be entirely satisfying screen- 
fare for the majority is not an easy 
guess. Right kind of exploitation 
could push it to a successful re- 
lease. 

It has no top screen names to 
help sell tickets or to attract the 
casual theatregoer. Thus, it seems 
to demand special treatment via 
showcase runs and other attention- 
focusing handling to prep it for 
regular release. There is material 
in the Steinbeck tale that lends it- 
self to the kind of fulsome exploi- 
tation that lures the morbidly 
curious. , 

For the Kazan followers the pic- 
ture has quite a bit to offer, for 
every scene is stamped with his 
style. The student of drama will 
be rewarded, too. To these it will 
not matter much that Kazan often 
allows style to get in the way. be- 
cause the technique will be more 
important. Others will find that, 
while the subject matter is real 
enough, this concern with tech- 
nique prevents it from taking on 
a full-bodied semblance to life. 
Here, it’s the staging of a realism 


New Orleans 
UneenNoretl 


Pseudo-documentary m e 1 o- 
drama for programmer book- 
ings. Only fair entertainment 
in its class. 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Columbia release of Sam Kalzman pro* 
<lucl u>n. Slara Arthur Franz. Beverly Gar- 
land: features Helene Stanton, Michael 
Ansara. Stacy Harris, Mike Mazurai. W il- 
liam Henry, Michael Granger. Frankie 
Ray, Edwin Stafford Nelson. Directed by 
William Castle. Screenplay, Orville II. 
Hampton, Lewis Meltzer; story. Orville 

H. Hampton; camera, Henry Freullch; 
editors. Gene Havlick. A1 Clark: music 
conducted by Mischa Bakalelnikoff. Pre- 
viewed Feb. 10, '55. Running time, 7* 
MINS. 

Dan Corbett Arthur Franz 

Marie Reilly Beverly Garland 

Alma Mae Helene Stanton 

Zero Saxon Michael Ansara 

Scrappy Durant Stacy Harris 

Mike Mike Mazurki 

Joe Reilly William Henry 

Jack Petty Michael Graneer 

Deuce Frankie Ray 

Charlie Edwin Stafford Nelson 

Ralph Dupas Ralph Dupas 

Pete Heerman Pete Herman 

Wayne Brandon . Judge Walter B. Hamlin 
Al Chittenden A1 Chittenden 

(Aspect ratio: 1.85-1 ^ 


A familiar story of racketeering 
and strongarm tactics among long- 
shore unions is told in a pseudo- 
documentary style in “New Or- 
leans Uncensored.” The entertain- 
ment that results is only fair at 
best. 

Much of the film was lensed 
dockside in New Orleans and 
around other picturesque sites 
in the Gulf port city, but 
there’s nothing much else about 
the picture that’s real as the 
script by Orville H. Hampton and 
Lewis Meltzer is unfolded under 
William Castle’s direction. 

Arthur Franz is the male lead, 
playing a young Navy vet who 
comes to the southern city to buy 
a surplus LCI and gets a dock job 
to help pay for it. It isn’t long be- 
fore he sees things not to his lik- 
( Continued on page 16) 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


UKaTETY 


PICTURES 


7 


HOW OLD IS YOUR AUDIENCE 


Titles Too Close Clip Boxoffice 


Many Example* of Similarity in Wording — Confuse* 
Fans, Complicate* Ad-Pub Task . 


Similarity of titles of a number 
of pictures currently in release is 
not only causing confusion* among 
patrons, but is also seen as hurting 
the boxoffice potential of the pic- 
tures involved. A film fan who 
does not pay careful attention to 
titles, it's pointed out, may feel 
that he’s seen a certain picture 
simply because the title* sound 
alike. 

As an example of the sound 
alikes, there’s “The Bridges at 
Toko-ri“ <Par), “Six Bridges to 
Cross” (U*. and “Many Rivers to 
Cross” (Metro). Then there’s 
“Deep in My Heart” (Metro and 
“Young at Heart” (WB). All of 
these films were in release during 
the same two-month period. In 
some cases, one of the films was 
playing in key first-run situations 
while another of a similar title was 
hitting sub-run dates. On other 
occasions, two sound alikes were 
playing theatres in the same 
status at the same time. 

Situation not only makes it dif- 
ficult for the pub-ad staffers to 
obtain identification for particular 
films but can seriously damage the 
b.o. take of a theatre. Acting on 
the reports or word-of-mouth of the 
value of one picture, a film fan can 
accidentally plunk down coin to 
see the film h£“ didn’t want to. 
It makes for bad public relations 
and can sour the public, which is 
again becoming film conscious, on 
Hollywood’s output. If 'a fan sees 
the wrong picture, his normal re- 
action can be “What was all the 
shouting about?” While the title 
bureau of the Motion Picture Assn, 
of America protects producers on 
specific title selections, it appa- 
rently has no jurisdiction on simi- 
lar sounding ones. It appears to 
be up to the individual film com- 
panies to space the releases so as 
to avoid the confusion. 

The similar titles mentioned be- 
fore are only a sampling. There 
are many others and no one ap- 
parently is making any effort to 
correct the situation. Just to 
name a few, for example, there’s 
“Battle Cry” (WR> and “Battle 
Taxi” lUA>; “Operation Manhunt” 
(UA> and “African Manhunt” 
(Hep); “That Lady” (20th i and 
“Strange Lady in Town” (WB); 
“Violent Men" (Col) and “Violent 
Saturday” (20th); “Hell’s Outpost” 
(Rep) and “Hell’s Island” (Par), 
and “Last Time I Saw Paris” 
(Metro) and “So This Is Paris” 
(U). 



Columbia has won the battle of 
the Broadway banners after a week 
of military maneuvering. With the 
aid of the U. S. Army recruitment 
service, Col was able to string a 
banner across the Main Stem near 
the Capitol Theatre where “The 
Long Gray Line” is currently play- 
ing. 

Without being (outwardly) smug 
about it. Col pluggers outwitted 
their 20th-Fox counterparts in get- 
ting permission from city author- 
ities to put up the display. 

Originally, 20th had a banner 
strung across the avenue further 
up the street for “The Racers” at 
the Roxy, but was forced tg take 
it down when Col beefed that it 
couldn't receive similar permission. 
Rather than be accused of dis- 
crimination. the office of Borough 
President Hulan Jack nixed the 
banners of both film companies. 

Col, however, had an ace in the 
liole. It enlisted the aid of the U. S. 
Army, and after an Army official 
made the necessary call, there was 
the “Gray Line” banner across 
Broadway. Why was the Col taan- 
uer finally okayed? Well, it was 
tied in with the Army’s recruit- 
ment program. Sharing honors with 
‘ Cray Line” on the airborne ban- 
ner was “Join the U. S. Army.” 
-hth, unfortunately, had no military 
'jacking, being tied in its aerial 
display with the Auio Sports Show 
al Madison Square Garden. 


N.Y. D1STRIBS SET 

BOLIVIA DIVISION 

Film companies in N. Y. yester- 
day (Tues.) reached virtual agree- 
ment on a formula for the divvying 
up of 300 Bolivian licenses. Ar- 
rangement Is unusual only in that 
it inv&lves equal distribution of 
half the permits among the 10 Mo- 
tion Picture Export Assn, member 
companies. 

Purpose of the even split of the 
150 licenses was to insure a mini 
mum allotment to the smaller out- 
fits. The remaining 150 permits are 
being divvied up according to the 
local billing ratio. 


Turner Strums 
Love Poem To 
Those Reissues 

“If there’s a product shortage, 
what’s wrong with the films in the 
vaults?” asks Terry Turner, in 

charge of motion picture* exploita- 
tion fqr theatres for General Tele- 
radio. Turner, longtime RKO ex- 
ploitation chief before shifting to 
GT, feels “there’s more gold in 
the vaults than on the lots.” 

Admitting that there are many 
pictures that might be dated pow, 
he insists, However, that there* are 
numerous exploitation type films 
which, properly ballyhooed, can 
bring in hefty coin in today’s mar- 
ket. He maintains there are many 
prison pictures, westerns, and ac- 
tion costumers (dealing with the 
northwest mounted v police, for ex- 
ample) that can attract the pub- 
lic’s fancy at this time. 

Turner backs his argument on 
the value of many of the oldies by 
pointing out that there’s been two 
new generations since many of the 
films were released. “To these 
people,” he said, “these would be 
new pictures.” 

Discounting the exhibitor oppo- 
sition to rereleases and the prices 
charged for them, Turner asked, 
“If he gets money at the boxoffice, 
why shouldn't he pay what they’re 
worth?” “There are many big 
films in the vaults gathering dust,” 
he said, “when they should be out 
earning money.” 

He cited the example of “King 
Kong.” which he exploited while 
at RKO. The 20-year-old film was 
resurrected two years ago and, 
backed by the radio-tv saturation 
campaign created by Turner, 
earned over $2,000,000. In its 
original release it brought in only 
$750,000. He also pointed to the 
success of Walt Disney in bring- 
ing back at intervals “Snow White 
and . the Seven Dwarfs.” Turner 
said it earned $2,000,000 both in 
its third and fourth rereleases. 

Turner also deplored the policy 
of the film companies of using 
radio-tv saturations for only 
“freak” pictures. “They feel it’s 
the only thing that can be done 
successfully'. They won’t give 
something else a chance.” Return- 
ing to his pitch for the airing of 
the oldies, Turner said it might be 
a good idea for the major distribs 
to form subsidiary companies 
which would devote full time to 
the release of the top pictures In 
the vaults. Although companies 
schedule many reissues, he. said, 
they haven’t the full time to de- 
vote to proper selling or exploita- 
tion. The sales manager, he said, 
often feels it Interferes with the 
flow of his regular product and the 
pub-ad staff Is too busy working 
on the new pictures. “You’d be 
surprised,” he said, “how much 
extra money can be earned if some 
attention were given to these 
films.” 


U.S. AGE GROUPS 
SHIFTING FAST 

Significant changes in the age 
groups and the educational level 
of the U. S. public were pointed 
up in a recent N. Y. speech by 
Arno H. Johnson, v.p. and director 
of research of the J. Walter Thomp- 
son ad agency. 

Johnson cited statistics to»prove 
that, between 1940 and 1955 (July) 
there would be a 33.5% overall in- 
crease in population, the under five 
age group showing the greatest 
gain (67%) followed by the group 
of 60 or over (53%). In the im- 
portant “teen-age” category— from 
10 to 19 years of age — the per- 
centage rise was the smallest of any 
group, only 2%. 

As for the educational level of 
the public, a potentially important 
factor in the planning of produc- 
tion and also at the ad-pub end, 
Johnson found that, as of July, 
1955, 42% of the total adult pop- 
ulation of this country would be 
highschool graduates with four 
years of highschool or beyond. As 
of that date, Johnson figures show 
there’ll be 44,000,000 highschool 
graduates of 20 years or over, an 
increase of 90% over 1940 and of 
clt^se to 500% over 1930. 

The statistics worked up by the 
ad agency exec from official gov- 
ernment and other sources point up 
the lack of this type of information 
available to the pic biz. While there 
have been frequent calls from film 
industry personalities in all branch- 
es of the business for a “get to 
know your audience” setup within 
the industry, the possibilities for 
such a move are now as remote as 
ever. The Motion Picture Assn, of 
America at one time had a statis- 
tical bureau under Robert Cham- 
bers but gave it up. 

Johnson’s rundown found that 
there are now 64% more children 
under 10 than there were in 1940. 
With youngsters under five increas- 
ing 67% (to an estimated 19,000,- 
000 by next July), the child popu- 
lation in the ages of five to nine 
has gone up 61% over 1940 (to 17,- 
200 , 000 ). 

The most sizable age groups in a 
total population of 166,000,000 falls 
between the ages of 20 to 39 (46,- 
300,000) and from 40 to 59 (38,- 
000,000), the latter representing a 
26% increase over 1940. 

Johnson’s speech, given before 
the ‘ Drug, Chemical and Allied 
Trades section of the N. Y. Board 
of Trade, also noted the constant 
increase in the population’s dis- 
cretionary spending power. He 
pointed out that, in the period from 
1950 through 1954, the number of 
consumer spending units in the 
$4,000 to $7,500 a .year grou p had 
grown from ll,600JW‘ta““*#£QQ,- 
000, a 71% increase. The number 
over $7,500 rose to 6.100,000 from 
2,700,000, a 126% rise. 


Guinness To Paris’ a Unique Gamble 
At Fine Arts; Must Run at Least 3 Mos. 


WB SELLS MAUGHAM’S 
‘VILLA’ TO ROME INDIE 

Longtime Warner Bros, story 
editor Jake Wilk has agented a WB 
property for his alma mammy stu- 
dio, now that he is doing an in- 
dependent story brokerage busi- 
ness, by disposing of Somerset 
Maugham’s “Up At The Villa” to 
Peter Moore. Latter will produce 
it independently in Rome for 
Lorenzo Productions, in three ver. 
sions — French, Italian and English. 
Joan Fontaine and Sir Cedric 
Hardwicke are slated for the cast 
toppers and Henry Fonda is being 
negotiated. 

Incidentally, Wilk bought the 
Maugham novel for WB when he 
was with the studio. Wilk’s initial 
deal was setting the Henry Gins- 
berg-Edna Ferber-George Stevens 
package of Miss Ferber’s novel, 
“Giant,” also for WB release. Gins- 
berg is currently in New York on 
business. 


Skouras Behind 
Cultural Center 
In Jerusalem 

Designed to serve as a focal 
point for interfaith work with 
youth in Israel, a $250,000 Inter 
national Cultural Center is to be 
constructed in Jerusalem by Chil- 
dren to Palestine, a Christian- 
Jewish organization working in 
child rehabilitation, Spyros P. 

Skouras, 20th-Fox prez, disclosed 
in N. Y. yesterday (Tues.). 

Skouras said the center would 
be a five-story tower building with 
study rooms, exhibition halls, a 
library and auditorium, standing 
just beyond the walls of old Jeru- 
salem. The cornerstone for the 
building Is expected to be laid in 
late spring or earily summer. 

Proceeds from “The Magnetic 
Tide,” a tinter about the Holy 
Land and a worldwide 20th re- 
lease, are being contributed * to 
speed construction of the center, 

Skouras said. The film was made 
by Dorothy Silverstone, a member 
of the National Committee of Chil- 
dren to Palestine and committee 
chairman of the International Cul- 
ture Center for Youth. Mrs. Sil- 
verstone is the wife of Murray Sil- 
verstone, 20th International prexy, 
who has been an ardent supporter 
of the project. 

Skouras told the press at a re- ll5n , . it _ . , 

ception at 20th that the center j P rin ls for the leehni pic 
would create both a training pro- | , ““ “ ~ 

gram for teachers and a focal $peCial Handling Set 


In a major test of the theory 
that what may be routine product 
abroad can shape up as sock b.o. 
in the U. S., Frank Kassler has 
booked the British “To Paris With 
Love” into the Fine Arts Theatre, 
N. Y., at one of the highest theatre 
guarantees ever accorded an Alec 
Guinness film In advance of re- 
lease. 

Fine Arts owner Richard Davis, 
confirming the booking this week, 
said he had high confidence in the 
Guinness starrer which, he added, 
would have to have a minimum 
run of over three months to allow 
him to break even. The 470-seat 
Fine Arts, one of the plush East- 
side arties, opened with a Guin- 
ness picture, “The Lavender Hill 
Mbb,” which played there for close 
to nine months. Since then it’s 
played a number of other Guin- 
ness vehicles, such as “The Pro- 
moter” and “The Detective.” 

History of “To Paris With Love” 
is one of garftbles for high stakes 
and the success or failure of the 
film may have significant bearings 
on future British film 'distribution 
in the U. S. It was acquired by 
Kassler, partner with circuit owner 
Walter Reade in Continental Dis- 
tributing Inc., for an unprece- 
dented advance cash guarantee of 
$375,000, paid to J. Arthur Rank. 

Since the film is in Technicolor, 
Kassler figures he’ll have to add 
another $150,000 or so in expenses 
for prints, etc Under their deal 
with Rank, -which set another 
precedent inasmuch as Continental 
snatched the pic away from Uni- 
versal, the Kassier-Reade combo 
is to hand Rank 45% of their take 
after recoupment of the $375,000. 
Continental is to meet all expenses 
out of its remaining 55%. 

Accordingly, Kassler said “Paris” 
would have to gross at least $800,- 
000 before he starts to break even. 
The only other Guinness film 
that’s ventured into these rental 
regions has been “The Captain’s 
Paradise” on which United Artists 
reports a take of just over $1,000.- 
000. Difference, of course, is that 
UA commands major distribution 
facilities whereas Continental is an 
indie outfit. Kessler said Monday 
(14) that he intended to add sales 
reps in Chicago and Los Angeles. 

“To Paris With Love,” which 
received mediocre notices from 
the British crix, is the first pic to 
go out under the Kassler-Readc 
“Continental” plan, involving an 
exhib buying co-op. Participating 
theatremerT. who*re charge^ on a 
prorata basis, supervise sales in 
their areas. Continental acquired 
western hemisphere rights to the 
tinter (excluding Canada) while it 
was still in production. It’ll open 
at the Fine Arts in April and Kass- 
ler said he had several other key 
city dates all set. He’s planning on 


point for inter-faith work in Israel. 


Metro Receptive To 'Right’ Outsiders 


Selznick Deal Plu* Ball-Arnaz Indicate* Departure 
From Supposed Tradition 


“If something good comes up, 
we ll consider it.” Statement by a 
top Metro executive who partici- 
pated in the negotfations with 
David O. Selznick sums up M-G’s 
attitude toward additional partner- 
ship arrangements with outside 
producers. With Selznick and Desi- 
lu (Lucille Ball and Desi Amaz) 
now in the Metro fold, it's obvious 
that the studio is ready and will- 
ing to listen to the overtures of 
others. 

The same executive, who prefers 
that his name not be used, has long 
indicated that Metro, contrary to 
popular opinion, is not averse to 
making outside deals. However, he 
stressed that M-G would only en- 
ter top-draw production co-partner- 
ships. 

Under the deal with Selznick, 


completed last week in Miami 
whgre prexy Nicholas M. Schenck 
is vacationing, Metro will finance 
and release two large-scale films 
to be made by the Selznick Co. 
Deal with Selznick has been brew- 
ing for some time. It originally in- 
volved a co-production of “War 
and Peace,” but in light of Mike 
Todd’s intention to proceed witM 
his Todd-AO version of the Tolstoy 
classic and the equally-determined 
move by Italo producers Ponti-de 
Laurentiis to go ahead with their 
“War and Peace,” Metro and Selz- 
nick may drop their project. 

Two stories that Selznick will 
make for M-G have not been deter- 
mined yet. Selznick, it’s indicated, 
will retain his present staff, but 
will utilize some Metro personali- 
ties and facilities both in the U. S. 
and abroad. 


For ‘Blackboard Jungle’; 
Seek Right Ad Copy 

“The Blackboard Jungle,” Metro’s 
screen version of Evan Hunter’s 
novel of juvenile delinquency, has 
been pulled out of regular re- 
lease and is slated for special 
handling. Picture was originally 
set for general release date in 
March. 

New policy calls for a number 
of test engagements, with Loew’s 
State. N. Y., getting the film March 
17. On the basis of the test runs, 
during which different advertising 
and publicity campaigns will be 
tried out, M-G’s sales department 
will determine how the film can be 
sold to obtain the best results. In 
a sense, test will be similar to those 
followed by Metro for “Lili” and 
“Julius Caesar,” both of which re- 
ceived the special handling treat- 
ment. 

Two other upcoming Metro films 
are also down for similar experi- 
mental engagements before the 
final sales policy Lb set. They are 
“The Prodigal” and “Interrupted 
Melody.” 




8 


PICTURE (GROSSES 


Wednesday, February 16, 19.‘>5 


New Pix Fail to Bolster LA. But 


'Aida Lusty $8,000; 'Battle’ Brisk 
39G, 2d, ‘Toko-n Tall 12G, ‘Girl’ 10G 


Los Angeles, Feb. 15. 

New openers this week failed to 
provide much b.o. steam so that 
the major portion of trade still 
coming from several stout hold- 
over and extended-run pix. How- 
ever, total take looks to run ahead 
of same frame last year. 

“Aida.” showcasing in small- 
seater Four Star, is rated good 
$8,000 or near in initial round but 
three other new entries are all 
thin. “Had Dav at Black Rock” 
looks mild $14,500 in two theatres. 
“10 Wanted Men” with “Women’s 
Prison" is slim $18,000 in two 
houses while “Mau-Mau” looms 
slow $12,000, also in two. 

Second week of “Battle Cry” 
shapes stout $39,000. “Bridges at 
Toko-ri” is good $12,000 in fourth, 
“Leagues Under Sea” neat $10,- 
000 for eighth and “Country Girl” 
good $10,000. aNo eighth. 

Estimates for This Week 

Four Star <900; 90-$1.50)— 

“Aida” (IFE). Good $8,000. Last 
week, “Detective” (Col) (7th wk), 
$2 800 

State, Hawaii (UATC-G&S) 
(2,404; 1.106; 80-$l 50>— "Bad Day 
Black Rock” <M-G> and “Jungle 
Gents” ( AA) (State only). Mild 
$14,500. Last week. Hawaii, 
“Green Fire” (M-G) (4th wk), 
$1,600. 

Hillstreet, Pantages <RKO) 2,752, 
2.812; 80-$1.25>— “10 Wanted Men” 
(Col) and “Women’s Prison” (Col). 
Slim $ 1 8,000. Last week, “Phffft” 
(Col) and “Pirates Tripoli” (Col) 
(3d wk-5 days', $10,900. 

Orpheum, Hollywood (Metropol- 
ltan-FWC) (2.213; 756; 80-$1.10)— 
“Mau-Mau” (Indie) and “The In- 
truder” (Indie). Slow $12,000. Last 
week, Orphem. “Sign of Pagan” 
(U> and "Fast, Furious” (Indie) <2d 
wk». $5,300. 

Downtown Paramount, Egyptian 

(ABPT-UATC) (3.200; 1.536; $1- 

$1.50) — “Battle Cry” iWBi (2d wk). 
Stout $39,000. Last week, $56,100. 

Warner Downtown, Wiltern (SW) 
(1.757; 2.344; 80-$l. 25)—' “Amer- 
icano” (RKO) and “Target Earth” 
(AA) (2d wk). Light $1(7000. L^st 
week, with Hollywood, $27,900. 

Ritz. New Fox (FWC) (1.363; 965: 
80-$1.25) — “6 Bridges” (U> and 
“Meet Keystone Kops” <U) (2d wk). 
Thin $6,000. Last week, with State, 
$ 21 , 200 . 

Los Angeles, Vogue, Loyola. Up- 
town (FWC) <2.097; 885; 1.248; 

1,715; $1-$1. 50)— “Barefoot Con- 

tessa” (UA> and "Operation Man- 
hunt” (UA) (2d wk). Just Oke $22,- 
000. Last week. $33,200. 

Fine Arts (FWC) <631; $1-$1.50) 
— “Hulot’s Holiday” <GBD) <3d wk). 
Brisk $6,500. Last week, $7,100. 

Hollywood Paramount (F&M) 
(1,430; $1-$1.50>— “Bridges Toko- 
Ri” (Par) (4th wk). Good $12,000. 
Last week. $16,000. 

Chinese (FWC) (1,905; $1-$1.75) 

(Continued on page 15) 


Broadway Grosses 

Estimated Total Gross 
This Week $494,800 

(Based on 21 theatres.) 

Last Year $552,100 

( Based on 22 theatres.) 



’Battle’ Bangup $18,000, 
Seattle; ‘Rock’ NSH 7G 

Seattle, Feb. 15. 

“Battle Cry” is outstanding here 
currently, with a great session at 
Paramount. “The Racers” is sur- 
prisingly big at Coliseum but “Bad 
Day at Black Rock” looms only 
light at Music Hall. “Smoke Sig- 
nal” still is good for second round 
at Blue Mouse. Other first runs 
have new bills. 

Estimates for This Week 

Blue Mouse (Hamrick) <800; 90- 
$1.25) — “Smoke Signal” (U) (2d 

wk). Good $3,000 in 4 days. Last 
week. $4,500. 

Coliseum (Evergreen) (1,829; 75- 
$1.25)— “Racers” (20th) and “Bow- 
ery to Bagdad” (AA). Big $13,000. 
Last week, “Black Tuesday” (UA) 
and “Jesse James’ Women” (UA), 
$9,200. 

Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) <2,500; 
$1-$1.25) — “Cry Vengeance” (AA) 
and “Treasure Ruby Hills” (AA). 
Sad $5,000. Last week, “Battle 
Taxi” (UA) and “White Orchid" 
tUA), $4,500 in 6 days. 

Music Hall (Hamrick) (2.300; 90- 
$1.25) — "Bad Day at Black Rock” 
(M-G) and “Jamboree” (Indie). 
Light $7,000 or less. Last week, 
“Green Fire” (M-G) and “Atomic 
Kid" (Rep), $8,800 in 8 days. 

Orpheum (Hamrick) (2,700; 75- 
$1» — “6 Bridges To Cross” (U) and 
“A &C. Meet Keystone Cops” (U* 
<2d wk). Oke $2,000 in 2 days. 
Forced out by Symphony booking. 
Last week. $7,000. 

Paramount (Evergreen) (3.039; 
$l-$1.25i— “Battle Cry” (WB). 
Great $18,000. Last week, “Vera 
Cruz” (UA). (3d wk), $9,300. 


‘Girl’ Record 30G, 
Hub; ‘Sea 

Boston, Feb. 15. 

Two widely divergent pix are 
creating plenty of wicket activity 
here this week with “20,000 
Leagues Under Sea” shaping very 
big at the Memorial while "The 
Country Girl” looks headed for a 
record-breaking opener at the 
Astor. Other newcomers, “Green 
Fire” at the Orpheum and State 
and “The Americano” at the Pil- 
grim are only so-so. “Bridges at 
Toko-ri” is holding up strongly in 
second frame at the Met but “The 
Racers” in second week at the 
Paramount and Fepwav looms mild. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (B&Q) (1,500; 75-$1.25)— 

| “Country Girl” (Pah). Headed tor 
a record-breaking $30,000 or near. 
Last week, “Prince of Piayers” 
(20th) (3d wk), $4,600. • 

Beacon Hill (Beacon Hill) <800; 
74-$1.25) — “Romeo and Juliet” 
(UA) (8th wk). Off to about $3,000 
in final frame. Last week, $4,200. 

Cinerama (Cinerama Produc- 
tions) (1.354; $1.20-$2.85)— “Cine- 
rama” (Indie) (59th wk). Strong 
$18,000. Last week, same. 

Fenway (NET) (1,373; 50-90)— 
"The Racers" (20th) and “Black 
13” (20th) (2d wk). Sluggish $3,000 
following $4,800 opener. 

Memorial (RKO) (3,000; 75-$1.25) 
— "Leagues Under Sea” <BV). 
Smash $40,000 shapes. Last week. 
“6 Bridges To Cross” (U) and 
“Killer Leopard” (AA) (3d wk), 
$ 20 , 000 . 

Metropolitan (NET) (4,367) 60- 
$1) — "Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) 
and “Other Woman” (20th) (2d wdc). 
Nifty $22,500 following $38,000 in 
first. 

Orpheum (Loew’s) (3,000; 60-$l) 
— “Green Fire” (M-G) and “The 
White Orchid” (UA). Not too good 
at $15,000 or near. Last week, 
“Many Rivers To Cross” (M-G) and 
“Operation Manhunt” (UA), $16,- 
500. 

Paramount (NET) ' (1,700; 50-90) 
—“The Racers” (20th) and “Black 
13” (20th) (2d wk). Mild $9,000 
after $14,300 first week. 

Pilgrim (ATC) <1,000; 65-95) — 
“The Americano” (RKO) and “This 
is My Love” (RKO). Oke $11,000. 
Last week, sub-runs. 

State (Loew’s) (3,500; 60-$l) — 
“Green Fire” (M-G) and “White 
Orchid” (UA). Fair $10,000. Last 
week, “Many Rivers to Cross” 
(M-G) and “Operation Manhunt” 
(UA), same. 


‘GIRL’ MIGHTY (26,000 
IN BUFF.; RUSSELL 14G 

Buffalo, £eb. 15. 

Big news here this round is the 
terrific take being registered by 
“Country Girl” at the Paramount. 
“Underwater!” also looms bright at 
Century while “Women’s Prison” 
is rated stout at Lafayette. “Battle 
Cry” still is fancy in second session 
at the Center. 

Estimates for This Week 

Buffalo (Loew's) .(3.000; 60-95)— 
“Vera Cruz” (UA) (2d wk). Off to 
good $10,000 or less. Last week, 
$ 20 , 000 . 

Paramount (Par) (3,000; 50-$l) — 
“Country Girl” (Par). Shapes sock- 
eroo $26,000 or near. Last week. 
"Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) and 
“Trouble in Glen” (Rep) (3d wk), 
$12,000 in 8 days at $1 top. 

Center (Par) (2.000; 60-$l) — “Bat- 
tle Cry” (WB) <2d wk). Fine $17,- 
OOO.^Last week, $25,200. 

Lafayette (Basil) <3,000; 50-80) — 
“Women’s Prison” (Col) and “Bam- 
boo Prison” (Col). Stout $12,000 
or better. Last week. “6 Bridges 
to Cross” <U> and "Carolina Can- 
non Ball” (U), $9,000. 

Century (Buhawk) <3,000; 60-85) 
—“Underwater!” (*RKO). Sparkling 
$14,000. Last week, “They Were 
So Young” (Lip) and “Outlaw’s 
Daughter” (20th), $9,500. 


Holiday’ Terrif 



Tops Det. 


Detroit, Feb. 15. 

A cold wave has taken some of 
(he steam out of downtown film at- 
tendance, but three spots look 
warm nevertheless. "Cinerama 
Holiday” is rolling to a tremend- 
ous first week at the Music Hall. 
"Violent Men” shapes strong at 
Palms while “Bridges at Toko-ri" 
is solid in second round at the 
Michigan. "The Racers” at the 
Fox is fair in second week while 
“20.000 Leagues Under Sea” 
shapes okay in eighth round. 

Estimatestfor This Week 

Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000; $1- 

$1.25)— “The Racers” (20th) (2d 
wk). Oke $19,000. Last week, 
$23,000. 

Michigan (United Detroit) (4,000; 
95-$1.25)— "Bridges at Toko-ri” 
(Par) (2d wk). Solid $24,000. Last 
week, $39,000. 

Palms (UD) (2,961; 95-$1.25)— 
“Violent Men” (Col) and “Mambo 
Prison” (UA). Smash $27,000. 
Last week, “Sign of Pagan” <U) 
(3d w’k), $9,000. 

Madison (UD) (1.900; 95-$1.25)— 
“Leagues Under Sea” <BV) <8th 
wk). Okay $7,000. Last week, 
$ 10 , 000 . 

Broad way-Capitol (UD) (3,500; 
80-$l)— "Twist of Fate” <UA) and 
“White Orchird” tUA). Slow $8,- 
000. Last week, “6 Bridges to 
Cross" (U) and “Bowery to Bag- 
dad” (AA), (2d wk), $14,000. 

United Artist* (UA) (1,938; 80- 
$1) — "Tonight’s the Night”’ <AA) 
and “Holly and Ivy” (AA). Minor 
$7,500. Last week, “Prince of 
Players” (20th), $3,500. 

Adams (Balaban) (1,700; 80- 
— “So This Is Paris” <U) (2d w 
Oke $6,500. Last week, $8,000. 

Music Hall (Cinerama Produc- 
tions) (1,194; $1.40-$2.65)— “Cine- 
rama Holiday” (Indie). Terrfic 
$30,000. Last week, “Cinerama” 
(Indie) <99th wk), $29,000. 


-fl> 

vk). 


'Battle’ Giant $20,000, Mpk; 'Xmas 
lO^G in 2d, 'Underwater!’ Okay 10G 


Minneapolis, Feb. 15. 

With 20 •> below - zero tempera- 
tures and snowstorms, the box- 
office here naturally is suffering. 
This cold, bad even for this frigid 
neck of woods, is doing plenty of 
damage to such outstanding en- 
tries as “Battle Cry” and “Under- 
water!” While obviously being 
trimmed, ‘Cry’ still looks great at 
Radio City. Latter at Orpheum 
shapes oke but considerably below 
hopes. "Reap Wild Wind” looms 
good at Lyric. “Cinerama” is in 
its 44th amazing week. “White 
Christmas” still is great in second 
round at the State. 

Estimates for This Week 

Century (S-W) (1,140; $1.75- 

$2.65) — “Cinerama” (Indie) (44th 
wk). Party bookings helping this 
recordbreaker to combat the cold. 
Great $12,000. Last week, $13,000. 

Gopher (Berger) (1,000; 65-85) — 
“Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G) 
(2d wk). Strong $4,600. Last week, 
$ 6 , 200 . 

Lyric (Par) <1.000; 65-85)— “Reap 
Wild Wind” (Par) (reissue). Cast 


Near-Zero Hurts Cincy Biz Albeit 
Underwater!’ Big 13G; ‘Francis’ 7G 


Key City Grosses 

Estimated Total Gross 
This Week $2,656,800 

( Based on 24 cities and 228 
theatres, chiefly ftrst runs, in- 
cluding N. Y.) 

Total Gross Same Week 

Last Year $2,588,200 

l Based on 23 cities and 216 
theatres.) 


lineup helping this oldie. Good 
$4,500. Last week, “Carmen Jones” 
(20th) <3d wk), $4,000 at 85c-$l. 

Radio City (Par) (4,100; 85-$l)— 
“Battle Cry” (WB). Giant $20,000. 
Last week, “Prince of Players” 
(20th), sad $4,500 in 6 days. 

RKO-Orpheum (RKO) (2,800; 
85-$ 1) — “Underwater!” RKO). 
Showing much strength in face of 
temperatures. Okay $10,000. Last 
week. “Destry” <U), $6,000 at 

65-85c. 

RKO-Pan (RKO) (1,600; 65-85)— 
"Women’s Prison” (Col) and “Bam- 
boo Prison” (Col). Sturdy with 
$6,000. Last week, “6 Bridges to 
Cross” (U) «2d wk), $5,500. 

State (Par) (2.300; 85-$l)— 

“White Christmas” (Par) (2d wk). 
A winner here as elsewhere. Great 
$10,500. Last week. $18,000. 

World (Mann) (400; 65-$1.20)— 
“Little Kidnappers” (UA). Highly 
praised, but one of chief sufferers 
from sub-zero weather. Fairish 
$2,500. Last week, “The Detec- 
tive” (Col) (2d wk), $2,900 in 6 
days. 


‘Battle’ Boffo 36G, 
Frisco; Pagan 12G 

San Francisco. Feb. 15. 

Not many new films being 
launched here this stanza, and the 
overall total reflects it. "Battle 
Cry” shapes sockeroo at Para- 
mount to pace field. “Sign of 
Pagan” looks best of holdovers, 
with fancy takings in second 
round at Golden Gate. “Many 
Rivers To Cross” is only fairly 
good at Warfield. 

Estimates for This Week 

Golden Gate (RKO) (2,859; 90- 
$1 25)— “Sign of Pagan” <U> and 
“African Adventure” (RKO) < 
wk). Fancy $12,000 or hear. Last 
week, $27,000. 

Fox (FWC) (4.651; $1.25-$1.50)— 
“Racers” (20th) and “Sleeping 
Tiger” t Indie) (2d wk). Off to slow 
$12,000 or close. Last week, 
$ 20 , 000 . 

Warfield (Loew's) (2,656; 65-90) 
— “Many Rivers To Cross" (M-G). 
Fairly good $15,000. Last week, 
“Bad Dav Black Rock” (M-G) (2d 
wk», $8,000. 

Paramount (Par) (2,646; 90-$l) — 
“Battle Cry” <WB). Mighty $36,- 
000. Last week. “Bridges at Toko- 
ri” (Par) (3d wk), $14,000. 

St. Francis (Par) <1.400; $1-$1.25) 
— "Tonight's Night” <AA) and 
“Mighty Fortress” (Indie). Fine 
$8,000. Last week. “Violent Men” 
(Col) and “Women’s Prison” (Col) 
(3d wk), $7,500. 

Orpheum (Cinerama Theatre, 
Calif.) (1,458; $1.75-$2.65)— “Cine- 
rama” (Indie) (59th wk). Big $18,- 
500. Last week, $20,000. 


Cincinnati, Feb. 15. 

Three days of near-zero tempera- 
tures sloughed film business over 
the weekend. Notwithstanding this 
obstacle, not a single loser is being 
chalked up at major houses. 
“Underwater!” heads the newcom- 
ers with a big Palace figure. Albee 
looms okay with "Green Fire.” 
“Francis Joins Wacs” shapes nice 
at the Grand. “Barefoot Contessa” 
is oke In third Keith w’eek. 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) <3,100; 75-90)— 

I "Green Fire” (M-G). Okay $10,500. 
;Last week, “Silver Chalice” (WB'. 
! $11,500. 

Capitol (Ohio Cinema Corp ) 
(1,376; $1.20-$2.65) — “Cinerama” 
(Indie) (35th wk). Looks like, fancy 
•$15,000 after last week’s $14,700. 
Cold spell crimped city trade and 
'caused cancellation of out-of-town 
reservations. 

Grand (RKO) (1,400; 50-84) — 
; “Francis Joins Wacs” <U) and 
, "Naked Alibi” (U). Okay $7,000. 
Last week, “So This Is Paris” <U) 
and “Dawn at Socorro” <U), $7,700. 

Keith’s (Shor) (1,500; 75-$ 1 .25 — 
(“Barefoot Contessa” (UA) (3d wk). 
| Favorable $6,000 after $10,000 
! second round. 

Palace (RKO) (2.600; 75-90) — 
| "Underwater!” (RKO). Big $13,000 
• or near. Last week, “Many Rivers 
To Cross” (M-G), $10,500. 


"d j ‘Underwater!’ Slick 11G, 
Balto; ‘Country’ Hot 6G, 

' ‘Cruz’ Rousing 12G, 2d 

Baltimore, Feb. 15. 
Snow and near-zero tempera- 
tures are sloughing pix grosses 
here this round. Despite unfavor- 
able weather, “Underwater!” is 
nice at Keith’s. “Prince of Play- 
ers” is slow at the New\ Second 
round qf "Battle Cry” remains 
stout at the Stanley. “Far Coun- 
try” is rated sturdy at Mayfair. 
Estimates for This Week 

Century (Loew’s-UA) <3.000; 25- 
65-95)— "Vera Cruz” (UA) (2d wk). 
Brisk $12,000. Last week. $16,500. 

Cinema (Schwaber) (466; 50-$l) 
— “Ugetsu” (Indie). Steady $4,000. 
Last week, “Inspector Calls” <In- 
I die) (2d wk), $1,800. 

Film Centre (Rappaport) <960; 
50-$l) — “Tonight’s Night” (AA) 
United Artists (No. Coast) (1.207; ; ‘2d wk). Okay $4,000. Last week, 
70-$l>— "Vera Cruz” (UA) (8th wk). ; $4,600. 

Trim $6,500. Last week, $8,200. 

Stagedoor (A-R) (400: $1-$1.25) — 

“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) <8th wk. 

Fine $3,400. Last week, $3,200. 

Larkin (Rosener) <400; $1) — “Mr. 

Hulot’s Holiday” (GBD) »8th wk). 

Fine $2,200. Last week, same. 

Clay (Rosener) <400-$l) — "Little 
Kidnappers” (Indie) (8th wk). 

Good $2,300. Last W’eek, $2,200. 

Vogue (S. F. Theatres) (377-$l) — 

“Pickwick Papers” (Indie) <2d wk). 

Good $2,400. Last week, $2,800. 

‘Cruz’ Crisp $32,000 In 
Phitly; Russell Hep 20G, 

‘Girl’ 30G, ‘Country’ 21G 

Philadelphia, Feb. 15* 

“Vera Cruz” is setting a burning 
pace here this round despite a sleet 
storm and new cold wave. It looks 
great at Mastbaum. “Country Girl” 
is pressing the leader with virtual- 
ly capacity at night shows for a 
terrific second session at the Mid- 
town. “Underwater!” looms brisk 
at Goldman. “Green Fire” caught 
on at the World. “Far Country” 
shapes about par at Stanley. 

Estimates for This Week 

Arcadia (S&S) (625; 99-$1.35)— 

“Deep in Heart” (M-G) (8th wk). 

Sturdy $6,800. Last week, $7,000. 

Boyd (SW) (1,430; $1.25-$2.60)— 

“Cinerama” (Indie) (71st-final wk). 

Smash $$26,800. Last week, 

$24,300. 

Fox (20th) (2.250; 90-$1.40)— 

“Racers” (20th). Mild $17,000. Last 
week. “Prince of Players” (20th) 

(2d wk), $9,000 in 4 days. 

Goldman (Goldman) (1,200; 65- 
$1.30) — “Underwater!” (RKO). 

Brisk $20,000 for Jane Russell star- 
rer. Last week, “Americano” 

(RKO). $17,000. 

Mastbaum (SW) (4,370; 75-$1.30) 

— “Vera Cruz” (UA). Great $32- 
000. Last week, “Bad Day at Black 
Rock” (M-G) (2d wk), $11,500. 

Midtown (Goldman) (1.000; 74- 
$1.49) — "Country Girl” (Par) (2d 
wk). Socko $30,000. Last week, 

$36,000. 

Randolph (Goldman) (2,500; 75- 
$1.40) — “Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) 

<4th wk>. Good $13,000 or close. 

Last week, $19,000. 

Stanley (SWl <2.900; 74-$1.40)— 

(Continued on page 15) 


Hippodrome (Rappaport) (2,100; 
50-$l) — “Sign of Pagan” <U>. 
Opens tomorrow (Wed). Eighth 
round of "20,000 Leagues” <BV) 
was fair $5,000. 

Keith’s (Fruchtman) (2,400: 35- 
$1)— “Underwater!" (RKO). Pleas- 
ing $11,000. Last week. “Black 
Tuesday” (UA) (2d wk). $5,000. 

Little (Rappaport) (310; 50-$l) — 
“French Touch” (Indie). Starts to- 
morrow (Wed.). "Trouble In 
Store” (Indie) lean $2,500. 

Mayfair (Hicks) (980; 25-70)— 
“Far Country” (U). Sturdy $6,000 
or near. Last week, “3 Hours To 
Kill” (Col), $3,000. 

New (Fruchtman) (1.800; 35-$l) 
— “Prince of Players” (20th). Very 
slow at $4,500. Last w'eek. “Car- 
men Jones” (20th) (3d wk). $6,500. 

Playhouse (Schwaber) <320; .50- 
$1) — “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday” <GBD) 
<5th wk). Ebbing to $3,300 after 
$3,800 in fourth. 

Stanley (WB) (3,200; 35-$D— 
“Battle Cry” (WB) (2d wk). Still 
sockeroo at $16,000 after record 
$27,000 opener. 

Town Rappaport) (1.600; 35-80) 
— “6 Bridges To Cross” <U). Starts 
today (Tues.). In ahead, “White 
Feather” <20tft), drab $5,500. 


‘Underwater!’ Lush 11G, 
Port; ‘Battle’ Boff 13G 

Portland, Ore., Feb. 15. 

“Underwater!” at the Broadway 
and "Battle Cry” at the Fox are 
the leaders here this round. Both 
are very big. “Bridges at Toko-ri 
still shapes stout in second Para- 
mount stanza. “The Racers” is 
rated nice at Orpheum. 

Estimates for This Week 

Broadway (Parker) (1.890; SI* 
$1.25 — “Underwater!” (RKO) anil 
"Passion” (RKO). Tall $11,000. 
Last week, “Many Rfvers To Cross 
<M-G) and “El Alamein” (Col», 
$10 200 

Fox (Evergreen) (1,535> $1-$1 25) 
—“Battle Cry” (WB). Smash Sm* 
000 or a bit better. Last week. 
“Black Tuesday” (UA) and “Jesse 
James’ Women” (UA), $4,400. 

Guild (Indie) (400; $D— “Bread, 
Love. Dreams” (IFE) (2d wk). Ok-jy 
$2,000. Last week. $3,600. 

Liberty (Hamrick) (1,875; $»' 
(Continued on page 15) 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


PICTURE GROSSES 


9 


Below-Zero Clips Chi; 'Circus Phis 
Gaylords Stout $54,000, '6 Bridges 
Sturdy 14G, 2d, 'Sea OK 16G, 8th 


Chicago, Feb. 15. 

Biz here this round is levelling 
off to a sluggish level with few ma- 
jor openfers, a plethora of end-of- 
run holdovers and weekend sub- 
zero temperatures contributing to 
downbeat. 

Onlv big opener is ‘’3-Ring Cir- 
cus” at the Chicago, with The Gay- 
lords heading stageshow combo 
shapes sturdy $54,000. “Cattle 
Queen of Montana” and “Master- 
^on of Kansas” at Roosevelt looms 
hefty $23,000. ‘‘Big Day” at Car- 
negie looks torrid $4,600. 

In second week at Grand, “6 
Bridges To Cross” and “Pirates of 
Tripoli” continues big. “White 
Feather” at McVickers is dullish 
in same session. “Mile. Gobette” 
at Ziegfeld is holding nicely in 
second stanza. Third round of 
“Sign of Pagan” is rated fair at 
United Artists. “Bad Day at Black 
Rock” looks so-so at the Woods, 
also third. 

“20,000 Leagues Under Sea” is 
satisfactory at State-Lake in 
eighth week. “Detective” is hold- 
ing up nicely at Surf for same 
stanza. “Aida” looks tall at World 
i'n eighth frame. "This Is Cine- 
rama” is holding strongly in 81st 
canto at PrJ-ice. 

EstmiiAes for This Week 

Carnegie (Telem’t) (480; 951 — 
“Big Day” (Iudie). Hotsy $4,600. 
Last week. “Ugetsu” (Indie) (4th 
wk\ $2,500. 

Chicago <B&K) (3,900; 98-$1.50> 
— “3-Ring Circus” (Par) with The 
Gaylords helming vaude. Solid 
$54,000. Last week. “Bridges At 
Toko-ri” (Par> with Sarah Vaughan 
topping stageshow (3d wk), $49,- 
000 . 

Grand (Nomikos) (1,200; 98- 

$1.25)— “6 Bridges To Cross” <U> 
and “Pirates of Tripoli” (Col) (2d 
wk 1 . Potent $14,000.- Last week, 
$ 21 , 000 . 

Loop (Telem’t) (606; 90-$1.25i— 
“Dead Reckoning” (Col) and “I 
Am The Law” (Col) (reissues). 
Dull $7,000. Last week, “Secret of 
Incas” <Par), $7,80(k 

McVickers (JL & S) (2.200; 65- 
$1.25'— “White Feather” (20th) (2d 
wk'. Slow $14,500. Last week, 
$17,000. 

Oriental (Indie) (3.400; 98-$1.25) 
— “Violent Men” (Col) (3d wk). 
Sluggish $15,000. Last week, $16,- 
000 . 

Palace (Eitel) (1,484; $1.25-$3.40> 
— “Cinerama” (Indie) (81st wk', 
Nifty $27,000. Last week, $26,500. 

Roosevelt <B&K> (1,400; 65-98)— 
“Cattle Queen Montana” (RKO) 
and “Masterson of Kansas” (Col). 
Tall $23,000. Last week, “Women’s 
Prison” (Col) and “Human Desire” 
(Col) (2d wk), $15,000. 

State-Lake (B&K) (2,400; 65-98) 
— “Leagues Under Sea” (BV) (8th 
wk). Okay $16,000. Last week, 
$18,000. 

Surf < II&E Balaban) (685; 95)— 
“Detective” (Col) (8th wk). Neat 
$3,000. Last week, $3,500. 

United Artists (B&K) (1,700; 98- 
$1.25»— “Sign of Pagan” (U) (3d 
wk'. Fair $13,000. Last week, 
$14,000. 

Woods (Essaness) (1,206; 98- 

$1.25>— “Bad Day at Black Rock” 
(M-G) (3d wk). So-so $16,000. 
Last week. $18,000. 

World (Indie) (697; 98)— “Aida” 
(IFE) (8th wk). Lusty $4,500. Last 
week. $6,500. 

Ziegfeld (Lopert) (430; 98) — 

“Mile. Gobette” (Indie). Nice 
$7,700. Last week, $8,300. 

‘Girl’ Record $21,000 In 
Cleve.; ’Battle’ Socko At 
22G, ‘Rivers’ Slow 10G 


Estimates Are Net 

Film gross estimates as re- 
ported herewith from the vari- 
ous key cities, art net; i.e., 
without usual tax. Distrib- 
utors share on net take, when 
playing percentage, hence the 
estimated figures are net in- 
come. 

The parenthetic admission 
prices, how’ever, as indicated, 
include the U. S. amusement 
tax. 

'Country’ Bright 
$11,000, Indpls. 

Indianapolis, Feb., 15. 
Firstrun biz is okay this stanza 
considering weather, which dipped 
below zero three straight days. 
"Far Country” at Circle, is leading 
town with a nifty figure. "The 
Racers” at Indiana also is good but 
“Violent Men” at Loew’s is just 
okay. 

Estimates for This Week 
Circle (Cockrill-Dolle) (2,800; 50- 
85)— "Far Country” (U). Nifty 
$11,000. Last week, “Bridges at 
Toko-ri” (Par) (2d wk), $11,500 
after great $16,000 opener. 

Indiana (C-D) (3,200; 50-85)— 
"The Racers” (20th). Good $10,000. 
Last week, “Silver Chalice” (WB), 
$ 11 , 000 . 

Loew’s (Loew’s) (2,427; 50-80) — 
“Violent Men” (Col) and “Bamboo 
Prison” (Col). Okay $9,000. Last 
week, “Many Rivers To Cross” 
(M-G) and “Golden Mistress” (UA), 
$11,500. 

Lyric (C-D) (1,600; 35-70)— 

“Private Hell” (FM) and “Utopia” 
(Indie). Fair $4,500, with All-Star 
Jamboree replacing second feature 
Sunday only at $1.25. Last week, 
“Yellow Mountain” (U) and “Can- 
nibal Attack” (Col), $5,000, same 
setup. 

Year’s Coldest Hits K.C.; 
’Battle Cry’ Socko 16G, 
‘So Young’ Fair $12,000 

Kansas City, Feb. 15. 
With the season’s coldest tem- 
peratures here, the weather is tak- 
ing a toll at the boxoffice all over 
this week. “Battle Cry” at Para- 
mount will make a dent in the 
atmosphere, with a sock total and 
holdover. “They Were So Young” 
is getting a notable play at four 
Fox Midwest houses. Missouri 
shapes moderate with "Black Tues- 
day.” Holdover list is strong with 
“Far Country” at tffe Orpheum and 
“Green Fire” at the Roxy shaping 
up best. 

Estimates for This Week 
Glen (Dickinson) (.750; 75-$l) — 
“Manon” (Indie) (2d wk). Light 
$700. Last week, $1,000. 

Midland (Loew’s) (3,500; 60-80)— 
"Violent Men” (Col) and “3 Hours 
To Kill” (Col) (2d wk). Fairish 
$6,000. Last week, $8,500. 

Missouri (RKOI (2,650; 50-80)— 
"Black Tuesday” (UA) and "Snow 
Creature” (UA). Medium $5,500. 
Last week, “West of Zanzibar” (U) 
and Jamboree” (Indie) $5,000. 

Orpheum (Fox Midwest) (1,913; 
75-$l)— “Far Country” (U) (2d wk). 
Okay $6,000. May hold. Last 
week, coupled with Fairway and 
Granada Theatres in triple day- 
and-date setup, fat $14,000 despite 
snowstorm. 


Cleveland, Feb. 15. 

Sock reaction, with lobby traffic- 
jams over weekend, marks preem 
of “Country Girl,” threatening to 
smash Stillman’s b.o. record. Tele- 
cast of Academy award nomina- 
tions was perfectly timed to pro- 
vide a strong hypo. “Battle Cry” 
,s another smasheroo at Allen, 
moving so rabidly it gave some 
other houses a drubbing. “White 
f^fher” i s ordinary at Hipp. 

Bridges at Toko-ri” Ig stout on 
moveover to the Ohio. 


Estimates for This Week 

AHen (S-W) (3,000; 70-$l> 

Hattie Cry” (WB). Spraying fir 
works to land smash $22,000. La 
week. “Fire Over Africa” (Col) ar 
t hey Rode West” (Col), $9,006 
Hipp (Teem’t) (3,700; 60-90) - 
White Feather” (20th). Ordinal 
(Continued on page 15» 


Paramount (United Par) (1,900; 
75-$l) — “Battle Cry” (WB). Socko 
$16,000. Holds. Last week, “Bridges 
at Toko-ri” (Par) (3d wk), fancy 
$9,000 in 8 days. 

Roxy (Durwood) (879; 70-90) — 
“Green Fire” (M-G) (2d wk). Strong 
$4,500. . May stay. Last week, 
$ 6 , 000 . 

Tower, Uptown, Fairway, Gra- 
nada (Fox Midwest) (2,100; 2.043; 
700; 1.217; 65-85)— "They Were So 
Young” (Lip) and “Cry Vengeance” 
(AA). Fair $12,000. Last week, 
Tower and Uptown coupled with 
"Abbott. Costello Meet Keystone 
Kops” (U) and "Atomic Kid’’ (Rep), 
$7,000. 

Vocue (Golden) (550; 75-$l) — 
“Detective” (Col) (8th wk) and 
"Four Poster” (Col) (2d run). Down 
to $900, and ends run. Last week, 

$ 1 , 000 , 


‘Fire’ Mildish $11,000, 

St. L.; ‘Athena’ Fine 9G 


St. Louis, Feb. 15. 

After frigid spell of last week, 
firstrun biz still is below normal. 
“Green Fire,” best of newcomers, 
is only fairish at Loew’s. "Athena” 
and “Crest of Wave” combo is 
rated nice at Orpheum. “Carmen 
Jones” shapes good in second 
frame at the St. Louis. “Bread, 
Love and Dreams” still is fancy in 
third Shady Oak round. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador (Indie) (1,400; $1.20- 
$2.40) — "Cinerama” (Indie) (55th 
wk). Good $16,000. Last week, 
$17 000 

Fox (F&M) (5,000; 75) — “Far 
Country” (U) and “West Zanzibar” 
(U). Opens tonight (Tues.). Last 
week, “Underwater!” (RKO) and 
"Private Hell 36” (FM), swell 

$19,000. 

Loew’s (Loew’s) (3,172; 50-85) — 
"Green Fire” (M-G) and “Steel 
Cage” (UA>. Fair $11,000. Last 
week, “Vera Cruz” (UA) (3d wk), 
$10,500. 

Orpheum (Loew’s) (1,400; 60-85) 
— “Crest of Wave”. (M-G) and 
“Athena” (M-G). Nice $9,000. Last 
week. "Leagues Under Sea” (BV) 
(7th wk), ,$8,000. 

Pageant (St. L. Amus.) (1,000; 
82) — "Daughters of Destiny” (In- 
die). Fine $3,000. * Last week, 
“Fighting Pimpernel” (Indie), 
$ 2 , 000 . 

Richmond (St. L. Amus.) (400; 
82) — “Daughters of Destiny” (In- 
die). Big $2,500. Last week, “Fight- 
ing Pimpernel” (Indie), $1,500. 

St. Louis (St. L. Amus.) (4,000; 
75) — “Carmen Jones” (20th) (2d 
wk). Good $10,500 after $16,000 in 

firef frAITIP 

Shady Oak (St. L. Amus.) (800; 
82) — “Bread, Love, Dreams” (IFE) 
(3d wk>. Nice $3,000. Last week, 
$4,000. 


Gray Line’ Smash 

$28,000, D.C. Ace 

Washington, Feb. ,15. 

For the second consecutive week, 
the weatherman dealt the main 
stem b.o. a crippling blow in form 
of season's worst blizzard and 
severe cold. “Battle Cry” looks 
solid in second week in two spots. 
Estimates of loss due to Friday’s 
(11) storm ran from 35% to 75%. 
Out in front is “Long Gray Line” 
at RKO Keith’s. Launched by a 
brilliant preem attended by Fii^t 
Lady, this looms socko in this 
service-conscious town. “Bad Day 
at Black Rock” is fairly nice at Pal- 
ace. “Country Girl” still is great 
in second Trans-Lux round. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador (SW> (1,400; 90- 

$1.25)— "Battle Cry” (WB) (2d wk). 
Solid $7,000. Holds. Last week, 
$14,000, new house record. 

Capitol (Loew’s) (3.434; 75-$l)— 
"Carmen Jones” (20th) <3d wk). 
Nosedived to slight $9,000 after 
$14,000 last week. 

Columbia (Loew’s) (1,174; 66-85) 
— “Prince of Players” (20th). Scant 
$6,000. Last week, ”6 Bridges to 
Cross” (U) (2d wk), $7,000 in 8 
days. 

Dupont (Lopert) (372; 65-$l) — 
“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (8th wk). 
Good $5,000. Last week, $4,000. 
Stays another. 

Keith’s (RKO) (1.939; 75-$ 1>— 
“Long Gray Line” (Col). Sock $28.- 
000 despite weather. Last week. 
“Leagues Under Sea” (BV) (7th 
wk), $6,000 in 4 days. 

Metropolitan (SW> (1.200; 90- 
$1.25)— “Battle Cry” (WB) (2d wk). 

(Continued on page 15) 


‘Racers’ Nice 12G, Prov.; 
Toko-ri’ Same, ‘Fire’ 11G 

Providence, Feb. 15. 

Over average biz is reported all 
around this week with Majestic’s 
“The Racers” .and Strand’s 
“Bridges At Toko-ri” standout. 
State’s “Green Fire” is passable as 
RKO Albee’s “Americano.” 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) (2,200; 50-75)— 
"Americano” (RKO) and “Steel 
Cage” (RKO). Good $8,000. Last 
week “Destry” (U) and “Pride of 
the Blue Grass” (AA). $7,000. 

Majestic (Fay) (2,200; 70-90)— 
“Racers” (20th t and “Devil's Har- 
bor” (20th). Nice $12,000. Last 
week. “Sign of Pagan” <U) and 
“West of Zanzibar” (U>. $13,000. 

State (Loew’s) (3,200; 50-75) — 
“Green Fire” (M-G) and “Steel 
Cage” (UA). Fair $11,000. Last 
week, “Many Rivers to Cross” 
(M-G) and “Crest of Wave” (M-G), 
$14,000. 

Strand (Silverman) (2.200; 50-75) 
— “Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par). 
Smash $12,000. Last week, “Reap 
Wild Wind” (Par) (reissue), $6,500. 


Snow, Cold Slough N.Y.; 'Line’ Smooth 
45G, 'Holiday Huge $46,600, Russell 
25G, 'Pagan’ Fat 24G, ‘Country’ 14G 


Rain and snow last Friday (ID. 
followed by near-zero weather over 
the past weekend, is putting a 
crimp in Broadway firstrun busi- 
ness this session. All-night snow- 
fall Monday (14), which carried 
over to yesterday (Tues.), did not 
help the boxoffice since making 
driving conditions worse. About 
the only cheerful item was the 
launching of several strong, new 
films. 

“Long Gray Line” is heading for 
a good, but still disappointing $45.. 
000 on first week ending today 
(Wed.) at the Capitol. Severe cold 
Saturday and Sunday naturally 
hurt, as it did with all newcomers. 
“Sign of Pagan,” opening Satur- 
day, looks to hit a brisk $24,000 
opening week at the State. “Cin- 
erama Holiday” did a capacity 
$46,600 at the Warner on first 13 
performances, with crix raves ob- 
viously helping. 

“Underwater!” is likely to wind 
its initial stanza with a nice $25- 
000 at the Mayfair. “Far Country.” 
also launched in the severe cold 
last Saturday, is heading for a 
solid $14,000 at the Globe. 

Second week of “Battle Cry” at 
the Paramount wound up with big 
$57,000. and continues indefinitely. 
“Camille” held up in amazing fash- 
ion in initial holdover round at the 
Normandie with $17,300. making 
the second record week at this 
arty house. 

“Bad Day at Black Rock” is down 
to mild $11,000 for second session 
at the Rivoli. “Bridges at Toko-ri” 
with stageshow is dipping to fair 
$105,000 in fourth (final) week at 
the Music Hall. “Jupiter’s Darling" 
opens tomorrow (Thurs.). 

Ace longrun. “Country Girl.” 
still is smash with $28,000 probable 
for current (9th) stanza at the Cri- 
terion. Another big extended-run- 
ner, “20,000 Leagues Under Sea.” 
is holding at big $24,500 in eighth 
round at the Astor. 

The Roxy brings in “White 
Feather” today (Wed.) with “Three 
For Show," a Columbia pic. set to 
follow Feb. 24. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (City Inv. (1,300; 75-$1.75> 
— “Leagues Under Sea” (BV) (8th 
wk). Current round finishing today 
(Wed.) looks to hit solid $24,500 
after $28,000 for seventh week. 
Stays on. 

Little Carnegie (L. Carnegie) 
(550; $1.25-$2.20)— “Aida” (IFE) 

(14th wk). Present session winding 
today (Wed.) likely will hold at 
good $4,800 after $5,400 for 13th 
week. Stays around for several 
weeks longer, with “One Summer 
of Happiness” (Indie) pencilled to 
follow. 

Baronet (Reade) (430; 90-$ 1.55) 
— “Game of Love” (Indie) (10th 
wk). The ninth stanza ended yes- 
terday (Tues.) was good $4,800 
after $5,200 for eight. Holds. 

Capitol (Loew’s) (4,800; 85-$2.20) 
— "Long Gray Line” (Col). Head- 
ing for big $45,000 or c’ose in 
first week ending today (Wed.). In 
ahead, "Vera Cruz” (UA) (7th wk- 
5 days), was $8,000 but winding 
a highly profitable extended-run. 
only final few weeks hitting skids. 

Criterion (Moss) (1,700; 75-$2.20> 
— “Country Girl” (Par) (9th wk). 
Current session finishing today 
(Wed.) is holding with socko $28,- 
000 a'fter $32,000 for eighth frame. 
Stavs on indef. 

Fine Arts (Davis) (468; 90-$ 1.80) 
— “Holiday For Henrietta” (Arde) 
(4th wk). Third stanza ended Mon- 
day (14) held at big $8,300 after 
$10,300 for second week. Stays on 
indef. 

Globe (Brandt) (1.500; 70-$1.50) 
— “Far Country” (U). Heading for 
sturdy $14,000 in first frame end- 
ing Friday (18). Holding. In ahead. 
“Cattle Queen Montana” (RKO) 
(3d wk-11 days). $10,000 with a 
great lift from preview of “Coun- 
try” on Friday (11). 

Guild (Guild) (450; $1-S1.75) — 
“Gate of Hell” (Indie) (10th wk). 
Ninth round finished Monday (14) 
held with great $13,000 after $15.- 
000 for eighth week. Continues on 
indefinitely. 

Mayfair (Brandt) (1,736; 79-$1.80> 
—“Underwater!” (RKO) (2d wk). 
Landed fine $25,000 or thereabouts 
in first session concluded yesterday 
(Tues.). Holds on. In ahead. “Amer- 
icano” (RKO) (3d wk), $5,500. 

Normandie (Trans-Lux) (592;. 
$1.15-$1.65> — ‘ “Camille” (M-G) (re- 
issue) (3d wk). Initial holdover 
round finished Monday (14) held 
at $17,300, record second week, 
after new all-time high of $21,000 
opening stanza. 

Rivoli (UAT) (2,092; 85-$2)— 

“Bad Day at Black RoeR” CM-G) 


(3d wk). Second week ended Mon- 
day (14) slipped to mild $11,000 
after $21,000 opening frame. 

Palace (RKO) (1,700; 50-$1.60>— 
“So This Is Paris” (U) and vaude- 
ville. Looks to hit lively $23,500 
in week finishing tomorrow 
(Thurs.). In ahead, “Women’s 
Prison” (Col) and vaude $23,500 
for 9 days. 

Paramount (ABC-Par) (3.664; 
85-$1.75)— “Battle Cry” (WB) (3d- 
final wk>. Initial holdover session 
ended last night (Tues.) held with 
great $57,000. First week was 
$80,000, below hopes but plenty 
sock. 

Paris (Pathe Cinema) (568; 90- 
$1.80) — “Wages of Fear” (Indie), 
Opens today (Wed.). Last week, 
“Animal Farm” (Indie) (7th wk), 
okay $5,500 after $6,200 for sixth. 

Radio City Music Hall (Rocke- 
fellers) (6.200; 95-$2.75) — ‘ “Bridges 
at Toko-ri” (Par) and stageshow 
(4th-final wk). Looks to land fair 
$105,000 in final stanza ending to- 
day (Wed.), very nice run for this 
time of year. Third week was 
$120,000. “Jupiter’s Darling” 
(M-G) opens tomorrow (Thurs.). 

Roxy (Nat’l. Th.) (5.717; 65-$2.40) 
— “White Feather” (20th). Opens 
today (Wed.). Last week, “The 
Racers” (20th) (2d wk-5days), was 
only light $23,000 after $44,000 
opener, aided by preview on Feb. 
10. Present lineup calls for “Three 
For Show” (Col) to open Feb. 24, 
first outside pic to play here in 
some time. 

State (Loew’s l (3.450; 78-$1.75) 
— “Sign of Pagan” (U>. Heading 
for brisk $24,000 or near in first 
stanza ending Friday (18). Holds. 
In ahead. “Violent Men” (Col) (3d 
wk-10 days), $13,000 after two nice 
previous weeks. 

Sutton (R&B) (561; $1-$1.80)— 
“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (9th wk). 
Eighth round finished yesterday 
(Tues.) was $6,500 after $8,500 for 
seventh. 

Trans-Lux 52nd St. (T-L) (540; 
$1-$1.50)— “Tonight’s the Night” 
(AA) (8th-flnal wk). Slipping to 
light $3,000 or near in week end- 
ing today (16) after $3,600 in sev- 
enth round. “Doctor tn House” 
(Rep) opens tomorrow (Thurs.). 

Victoria (City Inv.) (1.060; 50- 
$1.75) — "Unchained” (WB) <3d-fi- 
nal wk). Staying a extra day to 
open “N.Y. Confidential” (WB) on 
Friday (18). Sagging to slim $5,000 
or close in final eight days. Second 
week was $7,000. 

Warner (Cinerama Prod.) (1,600; 
$1.20-$3.30)— “Cinerama Holiday” 
(Indie) (2d wk). Opening abbre- 
viated session (week ends here on 
Saturday) soared to huge $46,600, 
covering first four days, ended 
last Saturday (12), for 13 perform- 
ances. All house records were 
smashed Sunday (13), with three 
shows. Initial full week ends 
next Saturday. In ahead, “Cine- 
rama” (Indie) (87th wk-8 days). 
$51,800. * 

’Carmen’ Torrid $18,000, 
Toronto; ‘Rock’ Oke 14G, 
‘Sea’ 25G, ‘Country’ 9G 

Toronto, Feb. 15. 

Socko newcomers currently are 
“Carmen Joges” and “Bad Day at 
Black Rock.” “20,000 Leagues Un- 
der Sea” continues to top the town 
in second stanza at Imperial. Ter- 
rific biz with early a.m. lineups for 
this pic mark the holdover round. 
“Desiree” is also holding hefty in 
second frame at two-house combo 
as is “Far Country” at the Uptown. 
However, “Prince of Players,” be- 
ing released here under tag of 
“King of Broadway,” shapes sad at 
Odeon, some blaming switch in 
title. 

Estimates for This Week 

Christie, Hyland (Hank) (848; 
1,354; 75-$l) — “Lease of Life” 
(Rank). Nice $6,000. Last week, 
"Romeo and Juliet” (Rank), (2d 
wk), $5,000. 

Downtown, Glendale, Scarboro, 
State, Westwood (Taylor) (1,050; 
955; 698; 694; 975; 40-70)— “Sitting 
Bull” (UA) and “Diamond Wizard” 
(UA). Nice $14,000. Last week, 
"Atomic Kid” (Rep) and “Cry 
Vengeance (AA), $10,500. 

Eglinton, University (FP) (1.080; 
1,558; 75-$l > — “Desiree” (20th) 
(2d wk). Big $10,000. Last week, 
$14,000. 

Imperial (FP) (3,373; 60-$l)— 
(Continued on page 16) 



10 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


CURRENTLY TRAPPED IN 16 M ANTITRUST, 
PRODUCERS SHY FROM FEE-TV STAND 


By FRED HIFT 

Role the motion pic biz can be 
expected to play in making any 
subscription-tv system a going con- 
cern shapes up as one of the key 
factors once the Federal Communi- 
cations Commission has settled 
some of the other basic issues in- 
volved. 

In inviting public comment on 
various toll-tv aspects, the FCC last 
week specifically sought “Informa- 
tion disclosing the role to be played 
by the motion picture industry in 
subscription television.” 

This request, and the importance 
that attaches to it, is seen as bring- 
ing to a head the producer-distribs’ 
problem of whether or not to come 
out into the open with their views 
on the subject. There’s been plenty 
of discussion of it privately among 
execs and some top production per- 
sonalities are known to be highly 
enthused over the prospects of 
what has been billed as “a new 
electronic distribution system.” 

At the same time, very little has 
been said publicly, the primary rea- 
son being the 16m antitrust suit 
against the companies, which 
charges them with conspiracy in 
the 16m field, including the release 
to television. William C. Gehring, 
assistant general sales manager at 
20th-Fox, last week told the Allied 
convention in St. Louis that his 
company wouldn’t play ball with 
toll-tv unless ordered to do so by 
the government. “Our stake is with 
the exhibitors,” he declared. 

Producers ‘Show Me’ 

Attitude of many in production- 
distribution seems to be one of 
"show me.” They’re understand- 
* ably intrigued by paper plans for 
subscription-tv, just as exhibs are 
understandably frightened, but 
that’s just about it. Many pertinent 
questions are being asked aS to the 
why and wherefores of fee-tv and 
the film men also are taking into 
account that there may be a con- 
siderable difference between the 
way the parlor b.o. looks now and 
the way it may look after the FCC 
gets through with it. 

There is a considerable area of 
agreement that the exhibitor argu- 
ment argainst toll-tv so far hasn’t 
been of a quality to make much of 
an impression on the FCC; that it’s 
over-emotional and open to a 
charge of selfish interest. At the 
same time, the 'theatres’ view still 
registers considerable impact on 
the distribs who, for the most part, 
are currently thinking of the prob- 
lem in terms of customer relations. 

Splits COMPO 

The difference in attitude already 
has caused a serious split within 
COMPO, where exhibition asked 
the companies to go along in hand- 
ling the whole toll issue via the 
p.r. agency. Distribs, on advice of 
their lawyers, refused. Allied board 
in St. Louis last week took the po- 
sition that COMPO’s stand on toll- 
tv was “erroneous.” 

Something of a puzzler at the 
moment is the policy pursued by 
Paramount, which owns Telemeter, 
•the third of the pay-as-you-see sys- 
tem now on the market. Unlike 
Zenith and Skiatron, Telemeter to 
date has tested on closed-circuit 
feed only. Paul McNamara, Tele- 
meter v.p., commented last week — 
in welcoming FCC action — that it 
was “the proper way of establish- 
ing a sound and practical method 
of pay-as-you-see television.” 

Question of what toll-tv would or 
could do for the film biz would 
make a good topic for a debating 
society. Proponents of the home 
b.o. say it not only would triple 
and quadruple the potential gross 
of any given top picture, but it 
would also cue vast expansion in 
Hollywood due to the much great- 
er product demand. Matty Fox, prez 
of Skiatron-TV, recently estimated 
that the value of the studios’ old 
negative libraries would go up any- 
where near $300,000,000 and $400,- 
000 , 000 . 

Exhibs Truly Alarmed 

Exhibs, who stand to be hurt 
most if toll-tv arrives and proves 
successful, take a very different 
view. They argue that pay-as-you- 
see, using the "free” air to sell its 
programs, is “unfair” competition 
and that, in harming the theatres, 
it would also harm the neighbor- 
hood and downtown merchants. 
Iheatremen also have questioned 
the technical adequacy of the vari- 
ous toll-tv systems. 

Exec of one of the fee-tv setups 


was moved to ask recently why, 
if the exhibs didn’t think toll-tv 
would work, they were so worried 
about it. He, too, thought t^iat ex- 
hibs were primarily concerned with 
the possibility of a shift of the b.o. 
into the home rather than with the 
welfare and the interests of tv set 
owners. 

Sharp attack on exhibs was con- 
tained in a letter written last week 
to FCC chairman George McCon- 
naughey by Byron Bentley of the 
National Theatre Arts Council. He 
said they were “the only ones con- 
cerned with our entertainment in- 
dustry who create nothing, who live 
on the creativity of others.” He 
charged that, for their selfish bene- 
fit, exhibs were limiting the crea- 
tive potential of all stage and film 
producers, by permitting them no 
outlet but film theatres. 

Philosophical Point 

Another observation came last 
week from Arthur Levey, prez of 
Skiatron Electronics & TV Corp. 
“Every innovation has had to as- 
sert itself in the face of stubborn 
opposition favoring the status quo,” 
he commented. “It is no different 
with subscription-television. It will 
cause a certain amount of disloca- 
tion, and some people may get 
hurt. It is decidedly not a pleasant 
prospect for the vested interests 
and they are reacting with expect- 
ed violence. What they fail to say 
— even though they may see it — is 
that boxoffiee television in the 
home will be of vast benefit not 
only to the tv industry, but to the 
nation at large. The final . . . bene- 
ficiary of toll-tv is still going to be 
the public.” 


TOA Board Okays 
Arbiter Plan 

Washington. Feb. 15. 

Theatre Owners of America 
board, meeting here today (Tues.), 
approved “in principle” a draft of 
an industry arbitration plan which 
had been negotiated by TOA reps 
and the film companies* and which 
had been reduced to writing by 
Adolph Schimel, Universal general 
counsel. The draft was relayed to 
the board by Herman Levy, TOA 
counsel. 

Officials of the theatre organiza- 
tion said two points require further 
clarification but added they’re 
hopeful that the full system will 
be worked out shortly for deter- 
mination of intra-trade grievances. 

Levy refused to say whether 
film rentals are still excluded as 
an arbitrable subject or whether 
the - distributors, who have been 
against the arbitration of rentals, 
have had some change of heart on 
this point. Allied States has been 
remaining aloof from all arbitra- 
tion discussions for the professed 
reason that rentals have been 
barred. 

Some form of conclusive action 
is expected Thursday (18) at a N. Y. 
meeting of delegates from TOA, 
the Motion Picture Assn, of Amer- 
ica, Metropolitan Motion Picture 
Theatres Assn, and the Inde- 
pendent Theatre Owners Assn. 


Reducers Sue for Film 

Los Angeles, Feb. 15. 

General Film Laboratories, to- 
gether with Arthur V. Jones and 
Arthur V. Jones Productions, was 
named in a claim and delivery suit 
filed in Superior Court by Bernard 
H. and Sally A. Stauffer, operators 
of the Stauffer reducing system. 

Plaintiffs are asking recovery of 
2000 feet of film or $10,000, esti- 
mated value of footage, which com- 
plaint alleges the defendants re- 
fused to turn over. Subject is used 
to sell customers on the system. 


Judge Anxious 
For 16 m Action 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

The Justice Dept, is anxious to 
get the, show on the road and he 
himseli is anxious to try the case 
in 1955 if at all possible, Federal 
Judge Harry C. Westover stated 
here last week in granting a mo- 
tion to add six theatre orgs to the 
list of defendants in the govern- 
ment’s 16m antitrust suit against 
the major companies. 

The suit was filed last July and 
at the outset included Theatre 
Owners of America. Now named 
co-conspirators in the amendment 
to the suit approved by the judge 
are Allied, Independent Theatre 
Owners Assn., Metropolitan Mo- 
tion Picture Theatres Assn., South- 
ern California TOA, the Pacific 
Coast Conference of Independent 
Theatre Owners and COMPO. 

Objecting to the amendment. 
Homer I. Mitchell, attorney for 
Warner Bros., 20th-Fox and Uni- 
versal, claimed that it would in- 
crease the defendants’ burden and 
make necessary extension of the 
Sept. 6 trial date. Judge West- 
over told Mitchell he could move 
for a later trial date on March 10 
when the Government is due to 
disclose its documentary evidence. 

Blacklist and boycott are charged 
by the Government in an amended 
complaint signed by Federal Judge 
Harry C. Westover, in Justice 
Dept.’s 16m anti-trust suit against 
major film companies and seven 
theatre organizations. Amendment 
includes the names of six exhib 
orgs which Government asserts are 
“co-conspirators.” 

“The defendants,” according to 
amendment, “have maintained an 
intricate system to police and en- 
force, and with the assistance of 
the co-conspirators have policed 
and enforced the license restric- 
tions imposed on exhibitors of 16m 
feature films, and have blacklisted 
or boycotted exhibitors who disre- 
gard such restrictions.” 

Named as co-conspirators in 
amended complaint, joining Thea- 
tre Owners of America, previously 
named, are Allied States Assn, of 
Motion Picture Exhibitors, Inde- 
pendent Theatre Owners Assn., 
Inc., Metropolitan Motion Picture 
Theatres Assn., Inc., Southern Cal- 
ifornia TOA, Pacific Coast Confer- 
ence of Independent Theatre Own- 
ers and COMPO. 


Inside Stuff— Pictures 

Abe Montague, Columbia v.p.-sales manager, and Abe Schneider, 
v.p.-treasurer. have cut down on their respective holdings of Col stock. 
Montague sold 1.300 shares of the common, reducing his holdings to 
13,661. Schneider sold 1,000 shares and gifted 907, • lowering his 
ownership to 18,569 shares. In other stock activity, A. Louis Oresman 
board member of RKO Theatres, gifted 11,200 shares of the chain’s 
common securities and now owns 31,356 shares. 


Newly formed Outdoor Amusements, Inc., closed a rental deal for 
the use of Ray Corrigan’s film location ranch and tourist drawing card 
in the nearby Hollywood hills, known as Corriganville. Herbert R. 
Ebenstein, head of the new company, said new sound stages and pro- 
duction equipment will be added to the 2,000-acre ranch, with David 
Miller remaining as manager. 


[Can’t Tell the Players Without Program Notes] 

Resume of Home-Toll TV Systems 

There are currently three systems of subscription-tv on the market, 
two of which — Zenith’s Phonevision ond Skiatron’s Subscriber- Vision— . 
have applied to the FCC for commercial authorization. The third. 
International Telemeter’s Telemeter system (in which Paramount has 
a 50% interest), so far has been restricted to a closed-circuit test in 
Palm Springs, Cal. 

Following are the details on the three systems: 

(1) Phonevision. Like Subscriber-Vision, it is an over-the-air type 
of transmission. Originally conceived — and tested — with the use of 
telephone lines. Zenith now has six different systems in mind and is 
betting primarily on a* method involving transmission of a coded signal 
which is “decoded” at the set via a special gadget attached to it. 

Zenith and Teco, Inc. filed a joint substitute petition for immediate 
authorization of toll-tv with the FCC on Nov. 29, 1954. As a result 
of this petition, now denied, Zenith for months has been the prime 
target of exhibs and other critics of pay-as-you-see. One of the criti- 
cisms levelled against the Zenith bid was that the Phonevision system 
tested some years back in Chicago and using phone lines wasn't the 
same system for which authorization was now being sought. 

(2) Subscriber-Vision, for which a petition for rule-making proceed- 
ings was filed with the FCC Sept. 13, 1954 by Skiatron TV, the operat- 
ing company owmed by Matthew Fox. Subscriber-Vision patents are 
owned by Skiatron Electronics & TV Corp. which participates to the 
extent of 5% of the gross of the operating company. 

The Skiatron petition specifically asked that toll-tv be limited for 
the first three years to UHF channels only for a period of a maximum 
35 hours a week. 

Subscriber-Vision involves "scrambling” of the image at the trans- 
mitter. The jittery image steadies when a thin decoder card is 
Inserted into a decoding unit at the receiver and the proper selection 
is made via a selector button on the decoder. As in the Zenith system, 
the air code can be varied at will to prevent programming “pirating.” 

Subscriber-Vision has been seen by members of the FCC and its 
engineering staff and also has had a semi-public demonstration in 
N. .Y. It has been field-tested continuously in N. Y. in conjunction 
with station WOR-TV. 

(3) Telemeter. This is truly the coin-box system. It was tested 
during the winter of 1953-54 in Palm Springs, Cal. with each set in- 
dividually connected to a mountaintop antenna which relayed special 
programs. Coinbox attached to the receiver shows the type of show 
telecast and the price. The Palm Springs test was discontinued, the 
official explanation being that an insufficient number of feature pix 
were available for it. 

Zenith and Skiatron aren’t the only ones to seek FCC authorization 
of toll-tv. Since 1952, a number of UHF stations also have requested 
rule changes and modifications to allow subscription-tv service. 

Analysis of CinemaScope Grosses 
Shows Smaller Situations Upsurge 


Technicolor has no current plans to back indie film production, Dr. 
Herbert T. Kalmus, tint company prexy, reported, nor is it getting 
ready to unveil a new horizontal camera along the lines of Par’s Vista- 
Vision, according to reports. Exec specifically mentioned “Porgy and 
Bess,” which Blevins Davis and Robert Breen will produce in Europe. 

A default judgment of $245,172 against Jesse L. Lasky Productions 
Inc., was awarded Bank of America National Trust & Savings Assn, 
by Los Angeles Superior Judge Arnold Praeger. 

Sum is balance due on a promissory note signed for financing of 
“The Miracle of the Bells.” 


Smaller situations are the prime 
beneficiaries of upped b.o. returns 
on CinemaScope pix, a detailed 
comparison study by 20th-Fox 
shows. Cumulative rental increases 
on six CinemaScopers, when 
matched against a top-bracketed 
2-D feature, range anywhere from 
159% to 192% with “The Robe” 
and from 56% to 134% without it. 

Survey, matching the playoff — 
theatre-by-theatre and run for run 
— on the C’Scope sextet and the 
2-D pic in six exchanges, offers the 
first clearcut indication of the pull- 
ing power of the widescreen medi- 
um in various types of theatres. 

CinemaScopers used were 
“The Robe,” “Hyw to Marry a Mil- 
lionaire,” “River of No Return,” 
“Three Coins in the Fountain,” 
“Demetrius” and "Broken Lance.” 
The 2-D key was "With a Song in 
My Heart,” which had 17,000 
bookings and grossed $3,275,000. 
The six territories involved — Al- 
bany, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, 
Philadelphia and Dallas — repre- 
sent 20.31% of the national deliv- 
ery, and hold 2,122 C’Scope possi- 
bilities, i.e., 22.88% of the total 
U. S. and Canadian market. 

To get its answers, 20th broke 
down the exchanges into indoor 
theatres and drive-in and then pro.- 
ceeded to divvy up the four-wall- 
ers into four income categories. It 
found the following: 

Class 1 (theatres paying $200 or 
more for “Song In My Heart”)— 
Where “Song” earned an aggregate 
film rental of $2,262,429. the Cine- 
maScopers in the same situations 
netted 20th $5,867,475, an increase, 
of 159.34%. Excluding "The Robe,” 
which launched the C’Scope era 
and was an extraordinary grosser, 
the CinemaScope total still was 
56% ahead of the 2-D showing. 

Theatres in class 1 represent the 
“class” account. There were 559 of 
them that paid more than $200 for 
“Song” and 96% of these are 
equipped for CinemaScope projec- 
tion, the large majority of them — 
361 — also for stereophonic sound. 
Potential expansion in that cate- 
gory runs to 20 theatres that paid 
a film rental on “Song” of $5,488. 
Assuming that the ratio of increase 
would be maintained, that would 
add up to $8,000 per C’Scope pic. 

Class 2 (theatres that paid be- 
tween $100 and $199 for “Song”)— 
Where “Song” accumulated $221,- 
273 of film rental in bookings were 
comparisons were possible, the 
C’Scope lineup brought 20th $499,- 
;803, an increase of 125.88%. Not 


counting "The Robe,” the upped 
take amounted to 75.48%. 

The study snowed a total of 478 
bookings for a rental of $66,181 for 
“Song” in that theatre category, 
representing 1.03% of the total 
filnl rental. However, only 116 of 
the 478 situations have stereo 
sound, the rest — 266 — are equipped 
for optical only. Expansion poten- 
tial is 96 theatres (or 20%). These 
96 paid 20th $12,775 for “Song.” 
Allowing a 50% increase for 
C’Scope, that would figure to about 
$20,000 per picture. 

Class 3 (theatres that paid be- 
tween $50 and $99 for “Song”) — 
Where “Song” accumulated $89- 
745, the cumulative CinemaScope 
rentals ran to $212,825, a 137.14% 
increase. Again without “The 
Robe,” that’s a rental boost of 
89.56%. In that category, 371 
houses, or 61.6% of the theatres in 
that group, can show CinemaScope. 
Overwhelmingly fitted for optical 
sound only (306), they provided 
$41,500 aggregate film rental for 
“Song,” or .064% of the total. 

Class 4 (theatres that paid $49 to 
minimum for “Song”) — Where 
“Song”* earned 20th $22,680, the 
C’Scope releases racked up $66,- 
283, a 192.3% increase. Not count- 
ing “The Robe,” the increase still 
ran to 134.8%. 

As for the drive-ins, where 
C’Scope installations are lagging 
behind the four-wallers, the study 
found that "the potential for ex- 
pansion of CinemaScope installa- 
tions is greatest in this group for 
an inestimable amount of film 
rental based on results so far.” 

Where it was possible to match 
drive-in performances of "Song” 
and the six CinmeaScopers. 20th 
found C’Scope ahead by 116.6% 
with "The Robe” and 95.6% ex- 
cluding that top grosser. 

Survey said it was "safe to as- 
sume” that percentage increases in 
all types theatres could be propect- 
ed to the rest of the domestic mar- 
ket. 


Blame Arsonist For 

$60,000 Texas Blaze 

Corpus Christi, Feb. 15. 

The $60,000 fire which razed the 
Avalon Theatre here was "definite- 
ly a case of arson,” according to lo- 
cal police. Wadded newspapers 
were found under the house’s 
screen. Screen was destroyed but 
did not create enough heat to ig- 
nite the wood on the stage and 
ceiling. 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 I'^&IETY PICTURES 11 

* .++>♦♦•♦44 4 ♦+ 4 -» 44+»»»4 ♦♦♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦■ ♦ ♦♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦ 

j Lines Closing For Fee-Day (May 9) Battle 

■ 

o Home Toll; Glad To Get A ‘Hearing’ ; 

o *, Film Exhibs: Glad For Time To Muster Ranks ;; 

444444444 4444444444 4 4 4 4 4 4 44444444444444 44444 - 


The Federal .Communications Commission emerged as 
everyone’s fairhaired boy last week, but for very dif- 
ferent reasons, as it initiated rule-making proceedings 
on the controversial issue of authorizing subscription- 
television (home-toll) as a commercial service. 

The Commission invited written comments on a series 
of basic questions !‘in order that all interested parties 
may have the opportunity of submitting. their views with 
respect to this matter and that the Commission may be 
apprised of such views prior to taking further action.” 

At the same time, the FCC turned down the Zenith 
Radio Corp.’s bid for immediate authorization of a pay- 
as-you-see service. ‘The Commission does not believe 
that it would be appropriate at this time to authorize 
subscription television operations on a case-to-case basis 
as requested by Zenith Radio Corp. and Teco. Inc.,” the 
Commission’s statement read. It added that before 
the FCC ‘‘would adopt such a significant change as sub- 
scription television . .. . the matter should be considered 
in a general rtile-making proceeding in which all phases 
of the problem may be afforded detailed and careful 
consideration.” 

Deadline for the submission of the written comments 
is May 9. Comments in reply to the original comments 
must be filed before June 9. After that, the Commission 
will determine what course to follow, i.e. whether to hold 
public hearings, arrange tests, etc. 

| Fee -TV Operators Generally Pleased | 

Proponents of the two toll-tv systems that have appli- 
cations for licenses pending before the Commission — 
Zenith and Skiatron TV — noted that the FCC was in fact 
arranging for what they considered a “paper hearing.” 
They expressed their conviction that, if a public hearing 
was skedded after May, it would be a brief one. They 
shrugged off as insignificant, and “fully expected,” the 
FCC’s refusal to move immediately — and without a hear- 
ing — on the Zenith petition. 

| Another Timid Step In A Timid Pol icy? 

Other observers, reading mostly between the lines, 
saw the FCC announcement as another cautious step 
along a very cautious course set by the Commission in 
dealing with the whole fee-tv problem. They noted wih 
interest the FCC’s self-posed question re its own com- 
petence in the toll-tv field. Also not to be ignored are 
the various Congressional committees that have shown 
an interest in the issue which many consider far more 
complex and explosive than the hard-fought controversy 
over CBS vs. RCA color television. 

There is a feeling that, while the Commission’s move 
last week has definitely started the ball rolling, it will 
continue to juggle the hot toll potato until either forced 
to act on it or be relieved of the responsibility by the 
Congress. It is there that many see the real battle shap- 
ing up. the reasoning being that it provides more ample 
room for the pro and anti forces to lobby for their re- 
spective causes. 

Arthur Levey, president of Skiatron Electronics & TV 
Corp., which owns the patents to the Subscriber-Vision 
system of pay-as-you-see, said the FCC action should be 
welcomed “with relief and utmost enthusiasm by all those 
who have the true interests of the television industry 
at 'heart.” Levey added that, merely by tackling the 
issue, the Commission was taking “a giant step forward.” 

At Zenith, prexy Eugene F. McDonald also praised the 


FCC move, declaring that it would ventilate the fee-tv 
proponents’ arguments “with a minimum of delay.” 

For precisely the opposite reasons, the exhibitors’ Joint 
Committee on Toll-TV also praised the position taken by 
the FCC. “Such an investigation will disclose the tre- 
mendous latent opposition on the part of the public as 
television setowners, the television industry, Hollywood 
and other interested parties,” stated co-chairmen True- 
man Rembusch and Alfred Starr. They added that FCC 
members “are to be congratulated on their democratic 
approach to a controversial and little-understood issue.” 

On the FCC itself, there was a lone dissenter to the 
decision to stall on any speedy course for considering the 
merits of toll-tv. Commissioner Frieda Hennock, while 
calling the majority decision to consider pev-tv “salu- 
tary,” added that, in her opinion, the Commission couldn’t 
depend on written comments alone to make up its mind. 
She urged that hearings be held “without delay” and 
prior to the filing of written comments. 

The comments requested by the FCC fall into three 
categories (1) Questions of law’. (2) Questions of fact. 
(3> Questions and issues relating to the public interest 
considerations. 

FCC Aftks: Prove We Have Authority [ 

In category one the Commission invited briefs or memo- 
randa of law on such bisic issues as whether or not it 
is seen having the authority under the Communications 
Act of 1934 to authorize and regulate toll-tv and. if the 
view was negative, w'hat amendments to the Act would 
be requiried to bring pay-as-you-see within its legal orbit. 
Furthermore, whether subscription tv constitutes “broad- 
casting” within the meaning of the Act and whether it 
constitutes a common carrier or not. Also brought up 
was the question of whether the Commission had the 
right to assign regular telecasting channels to fee-tv. 

Category two covered a range of questions of a tech- 
nical and economic nature. Category three involved 
queries on specific aspects of operation and programming 
and the projected relationship between “free” and toll 
television. Particularly significant was the invite to 
comment on “The impact that subscription television will 
have on advertiser-sponsored broadcasting” and the vital 
question of whether there should be a single system of 
operations (as in color tv* or whether general standards, 
allowing a number of systems, should be established. 
Also brought up was the situation that would be created 
in one-station markets. 

Where Would Hollywood and Webs Stand? 

In category two, the FCC inquired into two key factors 
that are likely to shape the future of any b.o. in the 
home: The role to be played by the film industry and 
by the tv networks. 

Position of the theatremen, of course, is quile clear. 
Exhibs heaved a big sigh of relief as the FCC alleviated 
their fears that it might give Zenith the go-ahead without 
preliminaries. Their statement said toll-tv would turn 
the public air into a commodity that would then be sold 
to tv set-owners. It. stressed that the theatres aren’t 
opposed to pay-as-you-see as long as it didn’t use the 
“free air” and that in fact it could be instituted immedi- 
ately if low-cost coaxial lines were used. While this is 
the case in theatre-tv, the proposal is called “impractical” 
by spokesmen for the companies seeking to introduce toll- 
tv in t he home. 

Position of the producer-distribs vs. pay-as-you-see 


hasn't been stated clearly except in one or two instances. 
It’s acknowledged, however, that there are production fig- 
ures who are considerably interested in the potential of 
home-toll. 

- As for the networks, the FCC acknowledged that it had 
a letter from the National Assn, of Radio and Television 
Broadcasters, objecting to any immediate authorization 
oL fee-tv as proposed by Zenith. This letter recently was 
the subject of an acid communication from McDonald ta 
the NARTB’s Harold F. Fellows in which McDonald ac- 
cused Fellows of being influenced by the major nets 
which, he said, are motivated by the same interests 
as the exhibs, i.e. to prevent competition. This was 
denied by Fellows. 

j RGA Denies Any Interest | 

While there have been persistent reports that RCA, 
too, is at work on a toll-tv system, they have been denied. 

* And David Sarnoft, RCA board chairman, on more than 
one occasion, has indicated he doesn’t think much oi the 
home b.o. idea. 

As for the advertising agencies, a spokesman for the 
American Assn, of Advertising Agencies said in N. Y. 
last week that his group hadn’t as yet given serious 
thought to the issues involved in toll-tv. He added that 
the AAAA board ^ould be expected to take up the matter 
in the near future. 

“Tne one question that occurs to me right off is whether 
or not the introduction of subscription television would 
really eliminate all advertising,” he said. “I should think 
that, if advertising is retained on the toll-tv programs, 
the fee to the subscribers might be lowered considerably.” 

Some Admen ami Sportsmen Approve | 

Heads of one or two of the major advertising agencies, 
as well as several prominent figures in the sports world, 
have publicly embraced the idea of a home b.o. for tv. 
The argument has also been made that it would create 
a sound economic base for a much larger tv network. 

In his comments on the FCC move, Skiatron’s Levey 
urged the tv nets to “come off their high horse” and 
face the economic facts. “They are today the absolute 
masters over what the public shall see.” he said. “It 
all goes under the heading of ‘free’ television. Their 
argument seems to be: The shows may not be so good, 
but why look a gift horse in the mouth? This kind of 
reasoning is fallacious and dangerous, and in the long 
run it deceives no one. Consistent devotion to the lowest 
common taste denominator has never paid off and is 
gradually losing the broadcasters their vast new audi- 
ence.” I^ve.v deplored the “lack of imagination” ir. cur- 
rent programming, declaring that the public was "ready 
for something new and exciting.” 

Legit Echo Favorable to Fee-TV f 

Subscription-tv also gained further support from a 
legit group, the National Theatre Arts Council. Urging 
the FCCMo move at the earliest possible moment, Byron 
Bentley, the Council’s prexy, wrote FCC chairman George 
McConnaughey, that toll-tv would give Broadway pro- 
ducers their first “opportunity to benefit from the 
mechanical syndication of their own creative efforts.” 

“Instead of seeing their work given national distribu- 
tion almost exclusively through movie theatres, they will 
be able to put their p*ays directly into the nation’s homes 
for the enjoyment of millions who can never otherwise 
see a Broadway play,” he said. 


Set 28 Indie Deals in Six Weeks! 


United Artists* Recent Commitments Alone Exceed 
Total Annual Features of Any One Studio 


Lining up talent and properties in 
diversified deals and with incredi- 
ble speed. United Artists within 
only the past six weeks has en- 
tered contracts for the production 
by independent filmmakers of 28 
pictures. If they’re all made, the 
program would numerically sur- 
pass a full year’s release schedule 
turned out by anyone of several of 
the major studios. 

As far back as the records show, 
such a concentration of tieups w’ith 
different producers in such a lim- 
ited time period is without prece- 
dent. UA currently is well-heeled 
with product; the new deals, of 
course, are designed to provide a 
supply for the future. 

There’s always a chance, natur- 
ally, that the new setups will not 
pan out as blueprinted, that a mul- 
tiple-pic arrangement might be 
terminated after delivery of only 
one film. But since UA is taking 
on a large part of the responsibility 
for raising the production money, 
chances are that at least a good . 
part of the 28-p:c lineup will go be- , 
fore the cameras. 


in “Mr. Roberts” and “Caine Mu- 
j tiny Court Martial” and expected 
lidded prominence through the 
i Warner release of the “Roberts” 
i filmization*. 

j Fonda is to star in at least three 
of the UA pix and all six are to be 
skedded for release over a three- 
year period. 

UA recently tied in with Kirk 
I Douglas on a similar six-film deal, 

! the product to be made by Bryna 
i Productions, Douglas’ own com- 
pany. First set is “The Indian 
Fighter,” a western staring* 
Douglas to roll April 1, with Wil- 
liam Schorr to produce for Byma. 

Pine-Thomas Tie 
William Pine and William Thom- 
as. having ended a 14-year associa- 
tion at Paramount (which has four 
of their films awaiting release*, are 
slated to produce up to three for 
UA this year and possibly others 
later. First two properties on the 
P-T roster are “Lincoln Mc- 
Keever,” from the Eleazar Lipsky 
novel, and “Mountains Have No 
Shadows,” from a novel by Owen 
Cameron. , 


Substantially, the new deals give ; 
added impetus to the trend toward ! 
more indie production. Latest ex- 
ample of this is the formation by 
actor Henry Fonda of his own com- , 
pany to lens six pix for UA release. ; 
1 Fonda is now rated as a “hotter” J 
property than ever because of the , 
stature he gained via stage work i 

1 1 i > » u<n 


Samuel Goldwyn Jr. has three 
to do for UA. He makes his debut 
as a producer with the first, 
“Sharkfighters,” an o r i g i n a 1 
screenplay by Jo and Art Napo- 
leon, which goes before the cam- 
eras March 1. Sabre Productions, 
headed by Vic Orsatti, Frank 
Seltzer and Joseph Newman, are Jo , 
. > v •! t ,<T I !• * < '< ■' ol. * * ‘ ( b ,• 


shoot two this year under their 
deal with the company, titled 
“Flight from Hong Kong” and "Mr. 
Tex.” 

Mankiewicz and Krasna 

As president of Figaro, Inc., 
Joseph L. Mankiewicz has pacted 
to deliver four, pix to UA, two of 
which he’ll write and produce. 
First is to be “The Story of Goya.” 
to be locationed in Spain* But 
chances are that Mankiewicz will 
not get underway with this project 
until late this year because of his 
“Guys and Dolls” directorial com- 
mitment with Samuel Goldwyn. 

Norman Krasna is down for two 
UA entries, both of which he’s to 
write, produce and direct. First, 
“Ambassador’s Daughter,” will be 
made in Paris. First two projects 
by .Crown Productions are now be- 
ing shaped, these being “A Killer 
Is Loose” and “A Kiss Before Dy- 
ing.” Partnered in Crown are 
Robert Jacks, Robert Goldstein, 
Spyros S. Skouras and Plato 
Skouras. 


Neal East Up at Par 

Neal East, who has been associ- 
ated with Paramount since 1921, 
has been promoted from Par's as- 
sistant western division manager 
to western division sales manager, 
effective March 1. 

Exec’s appointment is the result 
of the retirement of George A. 
Smith, a vet of 33 years at Par. 
Smith, whose decision to bow oul 
was accepted “with great regret” 
by distribution chief A. W. Schwal- 
berg, has worked for Par in To- 
ronto. Winnipeg, Milwaukee. Cin- 
cinnati, San Francisco and L. A. 
He moved up to the division post 
in 1941. 


Fewer Releases But More Ads; 
Magazines Get 19% More Film 
Copy; Sunday Supps Slashed 


Bigger Shortage of Pix 
In Britain Feared As 
Result of Metro Edict 

London, Feb. 15. 

If the decision of Metro not to 
issue widescreen prints of its Cine- 
mascope productions next year is 
followed by other majors, British 
exhibitors fear that the product 
shortage may be accentuated for a 
majority of theatres. They are, 
therefore, to refer the matter to 
the Board of Trade, and seek its 
support for insuring a steady sup- 
ply of product. 

In a report submitted to last 
week’s general council, the CEA 
executive committee points out 
that only 20% of UK theatres have 
been retooled for C’Scope. It also 
suggests that if Metro adheres to 
its policy this would seem to ex- 
clude their product from an im- 
portant portion of the market. 

It was suggested by one theatre 
owner that if this policy became 
general, a number of small thea- 
tre owners, who would never be 
able to install Cinemascope, would 
have to go out of business “merely 
because monopolies would not 


Despite an appreciable drop in 
the number of releases, the film 
companies during the first 11 
months of 1954 increased their 
magazine advertising by 19% over 
the prior year. At the same time 
they sank 28% less coin into 
Sunday newspaper supplement 
ads. 

Statistics compiled by the Pub- 
lishers Information Bureau put 
the newspaper ad outlay of the 
companies for the January 
through November ’54 period at 
Sl2.386.165, an increase of $375,007 
over their 1953 expenditure of 
I $2,011,158. Supplement cutback is 
reflected in the $88,895 drop in 
1954 from the $321,835 spent on 
ads there in '53. Figures for De- 
cember ’54 aren’t available as yet. 

Companies registering increases 
in their mag ad expenditures in- 
cluded Columbia, Metro, 20th-Fox, 
Universal and Warner Bros., with 
U registering the sharpest boost 
($277,090). Paramount. Republic 
and United Artists stayed the 
I same, and RKO dropped by a siz- 
able margin, reflecting the lack of 
releases. 

As for the supplements, only 
20th registered an increase. 

, Loew’s, RKO, Republic, UA and 
WB showed no change in ’54 from 
’53. Universal. Columbia, Par 
dropped, with Col cutting out the 


cater for them.” 

. J • c i II I J ) •» ) l I If V I t 


I supplements altogether last year. 

i i j ir 1 J jIi tr; .1 “ * > * ■> ' • * 


12 


INTERNATIONAL 


'VA«I*TV‘»* LONDON OMICB 
• tt. Martin a Placr Tratalsar tamra 


Eady Pool Income Declines As 
British Films Gain at Boxoffice 


London, Feb. 8. ♦ 

As British films continue to earn 
more at the boxoffice in the home 
market, the income of the Eady 
pool appears to be on the decline, 
with a consequent drop in the 
extra coin accruing to local pro- 
ducers. This dual trend is currently 
disturbing the British Film Pro- 
ducers Assn., which, while grati- 


New Wilder Play For 
Int’l Edinburgh Fete 


Jeannie Carson Hit 

In British Musical 

Glasgow, Feb. 8. 

Jeannie Carson, recently in the 
U.S. for a Max Liebman tv stint, 
is scoring a solid hit at King’s 
Theatre here as star of the British 
musical, “Love From Judy." She 
garnered top notices from crix for 
her portrayal of the role of Jeru- 
she Abbott, poor little orphan gal 
projected into American college 
girls* society through, an unknown 
benefactor. 

Star is accompanied here by her 
husband-manager, ex-vaude per- 
former Bill Lowe. "Judy" is di- 
rected by Charles Hickman. Cana- 
dian-born Bill O’Connor makes a 
debonair Jervis Pendleton. Miss 
Carson exits the show after its 


Edinburgh, Feb. 8. 

New play by Thornton Wilder, 
especially commissioned by the 
Edinburgh Festival Society, will 
fied that local product is proving have its world preem on apron 
more financially successful, is con- : stage of the ancient Assembly Hall 
cerned over the fact that there’s here during this fall’s world arts 
less money in the Eady kitty. Also, j junket Tagged “A Life in the 

r„ t^sxssa shareout i sssa-w, <*,0 

On a year-round average, the 1 and directed by Tyrone Guthrie. 

Eady Fund yielded a bonus dis- j Cast will be beaded by Irene 
tribution last year for all British j Worth. 

pix including those made here with Last act of the play has just 
Yank coin) of 34%. But in the first j been delivered to the International 
quarter of the current Eady year, 
from Aug. 1 last, the distribution 
was cut to 23%. During that period 
a lower rate of Eady levy was in 
operation, pending the conclusion 
of the existing three-year pact. In 
the subsequent nine weeks, up to 
Dec. 25. there has been a mod- 
erate improvement in Eady income. 

As a result, the distribution has 
been upped to 26%. 

Before jumping to any conclu- 
sions, the producers are waiting to 
see whether the decline is purely 
seasonal or whether the estimate 
of an annual Eady income of 
$8,100,000 is likely to be proved 
wrong. In the first tw-o weeks of 
the new’ year, there has been a 
healthier intake into the Fund, and 
the receipts are way ahead for the 
corresponding period in 1954. In 
the fortnight ended last Jan. 14, 
the Eady Pool netted $316,000 
against a weekly average of $128,- 
000 in the previous nine weeks and 
$126,000 in the preceding quarter. 

Meantime, the rentals earned by 
British pix are running substan- 
tially ahead of the previous year, 
although earnings for shorts have 
dipped heavily. In the 21 weeks up 
to last Dec. 25, feature film rentals 
soared to $17,940,000, nearly $1,- 
300.000 above the income for the 
same period in 1953. 


Teahouse,’ Moon’ Rated Hits Among 
Five New Legit Entries in Paris 


Festival authorities by Wilder. 
His last piece, written ip 1942, 
was "Skin of Our Teeth.” which 
won the Pulitzer Prize in America. 
Play will run for three weeks in 
the Assembly Hall, which is nor- 
mally used for Shakespearean pro- 
ductions and Scot oldies. Wilder’s 
"The Matchmaker,” in a new ver- 
sion, "opened at last fall’s Edin- 
burgh Festival. 


VIENNA OPERA BOW 
WILL BE TELEVISED 


British Quota 
Hike Forecast 


London, Feb. 8. 

Although for the time being they 
have to remain content with a 30% 
British film quota, local producers 
see in the reduced volume of im- 
ports from Hollywood a prospect 
that the percentage may have to be 
adjusted in their favor. Before 
the Board of Trade confirmed last 
month that the quota would con- 
tinue on the 30% level for the year 
beginning Oct. 1 next, the British 
Film Producers Assn, submitted a 
firm estimate of 75 British pix 


W. German Film Board 
Rejects British ’Romeo’ 
After ‘Waterfront’ Ban 

Frankfurt, Feb. 15. 

The bad taste left in the mouths 
of the West German film press by 
the West German Classification 
Board’s rejection of “On the Wa- 
terfront" (Col), subsequently okayed 
by the board, has been renewed 
by the board’s lack of approval on 
J. Arthur Rank’s ‘’Romeo and Ju- 
liet.” “Romeo" won the top award 
at the Venice Film Fest. Second 
award went to “Waterfront.” 

The German board’s approval of 
a film as “valuable” means that 
the picture is eligible for a 3% 
reduction of the amusement tax 
throughout Germany. Columbia 
won this finally on “Waterfront.” 
Hence, the J. Arthur Rank officials 
have applied for a second showing 
of “Romeo” before the Board in 
the hopes of changing its opinion. 

The German press has been com- 
plaining lustily about the board’s 
alleged inaccurate judgment, which 
has extended to according the 
“valuable” approval to such pic- 
tures as “Bread, Love and Fan- 
tasy,” the Gina Lollobrigida star- 
rer, and other U. S. and foreign 


Paris, Feb. 15. 

Latest batch of legit openings 
here, five in all, adds three more 
likely successes to • rather full 
season. Two are U. S. plays, one 
is a reprise of an adaptation of an 
old Elizabethan classic and two are 
new Gallic offerings. 

Ironically enough the hits are 
the revival of “Volpone" and the 
two U. S. entries, “Mooa Is Blue" 
and “Teahouse of August Moon." 
The two French entries look likely 
in for fair to short-lived runs. 

The Jean-Louis Barrault-Made- 
leine Co. can seem to do no wrong 
this season with another good 
grossing addition to their reper- 
toire probable in the restaging of 
the Jules Rom^in-Stefan Zweig 
version of “Volpone." 

Barrault has tried to be faithful 
to his predecessor’s modeling of 
the play Ijyt its overall entertain- 
ment value is high. Solid crix ap- 
praisal make this another hit. 

“Archibald," by Jean-Marc Lan- 
dier, looks to be a short-termer at 
the Studio Des Champs-Elysees. 
This is a palling bit of theatre, and 
one wonders why it was staged. 

Louis Vemeuil’s last play, “Les 
3 Messieurs De Bois-Gillaume.” at 
the Varietes, is primarily a show- 
I case for the tour-de-force of char- 
acter compositions by Fernand 
Paris. Feb. 8. Gravey. This looks to have a mod- 
Reopening of the Bal Tabarin by erate run on the Gravey name but 

with chances for the U. S. nil. 


Jose Ferrer to London 
For Filming of ‘Heroes’ 

London, Feb. 8. 

Kurt Frings has been here for 
the past week finalizing arrange- 
ments for Jose Ferrer’s commit- 
ments on “Cockleshell Heroes” to 
be made for Warwick Films and 
for “Matador,” to be lensed later 
in the year in Spain. Ferrer is due 
here April 1 for his "Cockleshell” 
chore and will be arriving with 
Rosemary Clooney who is being 
paged for a Palladium engagement. 
The Warwick pic is to be distrib- 
uted through Columbia. 

Filming of “Matador” represents 
a three-way coproduction and dis- 
tribution tieup between Columbia, 
Allied Artists and Mike Franko- 
vich. Latter is head of Film Loca- 
tions, which has just lensed the 
Jean Simmons-Stewart Granger 
starrer, “Rebound.” for Columbia. 

Tabarin Bow 
Off Till Nov. 


the Pierre-Louis Guerin Lido Syn- 
dicate has been put off until next 
November, instead of the planned 
July reprise when the tourist 
influx was expected to put this 
fame-name nitery back on the 
scene here. The recent expense and 
time for mounting the new Lido 
show, “Desires.” the taking over 
of the Moulin Rouge with a new 
production envelope in the making 
plus plans for the reconversion of 
the Empire Theatre to a music 
hall next September were among 
the factors which helped push back 


Cl ... . . , , . , the Tabarin reopening. Also the 

."^ S ^: h i C . h ,A e !. m : n .? ly „ *5* 552 ! facelifting work is running over- 


the educational value and signif- 


likely to be available. That figure j icance of “Romeo.’ 


had been whittled down from 110 
“probables" submitted by member 
companies. 

On the original expectation of 
110, some producers favored mak- 
ing an immediate pitch for a raised 
quota, but the BFPA has aban- 
doned its earlier stand of using 
the quota as an incentive lever. It 
prefers the more cautious policy of 
matching the percentage to the 
output. 

It does believe, however, that as 


Vienna, Feb. 8. 

Austria will not miss the oppor- 
tunity of telecasting the opening 
of the newly constructive State 
Opera (Nov. 5) with its own com- 
pany,” Cobinetmember Ernst Wald- 
brunn announced at the opening 
ceremany of a new short wave sta- I the Hollywood output declines, there 
ti°n in Klagenfurt, capital of will be a bigger margin of screen- 
Carinthia. time for British filmmakers to fill. 

This came even as a big surprise Also that unless a universal policy 
to the most optimistic television 0 f lon&runs is introduced, the 
people in this country. The fact British quota may have to be hiked. 

that $1,500,000 has been earmarked I 

from the 1955 budget for cultural | 

purposes had led to reports that Rp PA Rprnmmpmlc Nour 
something big is being planned, 1 1,1 1 n I'CLUUllllCllUb 11CW 

and Waldbrunn revealed that a 
company is being formed to take 
care of this special event. 

Tele situation in Austria is 
unique in that sets in Upper Aus- 
tria. Salzburg and Tyrol receive 
the Bavarian stations strongly. 


Despite the board’s sanction, the 
film has been doing great business 
since its Christmas opening in the 
key cities of Germany. The Prot- 
estant Film Guild picked it as the 
best film for the month of January. 
At the Bambi Theatre here, inter- 
est is so high that both tire original 
version and the dubbed German 
version are being shown. 


BRIT. TECHNI NET UP, 


Glasgow Rep Group May 
Lose 10-Year-Old Home 

Glasgow, Feb. 8. 

Glasgow ’s Citizens’ Theatre, lead- 
ing legit group, is threatened with 
eviction from the home it has occu- 
pied for the last 10 years in the 
old Princess’s music hall in the 
Gorbals district here. 

Group’s lease of the theatre ex- 
pires jn May. and the trustees of 
a city infirmary, who own the 
property, are anxious to sell. 


Aspect Ratio For Pix 

London, Feb. 15. 

In a bid to achieve standardiza- 
tion in production, the British 
Film Producers Assn, has adopted 
a recommendation that all pix, 
other than those in CinemaScope, 
should be made with an aspect ra- 
tio of 1: 1.75. They would then be 


| ir*rn nil/l/V TA 070/ i ma ^ e ** a two-year stint was an 
Lit* 13 UlYY I 1 U l. l/o easy choice. Lido Syndicate is also 
t a r k ic V I casting about lor a possible tenant 
London, reb. 15. idea for their ipng-vacant Ambas- 
Net profit of Technicolor, Ltd., I sadeurs Club, and also planning 
has jumped $78,000 to a total of j name toppers for the forthcoming 
SI. 013. 000. As a consequence, the | reopening of the large Empire as 
dividend distribution has been a vaude house, 
upped from 25% to 27%. The re- 
sults for the year ended Nov. 30 
last also reveal an increased out- 
put from 197,442,926 feet in 1953 
to 205,064.553 feet last year. 

Gross, profit was down $475,000 
at $2,044,000, but the improved 


Luc’s Version of ‘Moon” Scores 
Jean-Bernard Luc has given F. 
Hugh Herbert’s “The Moon Is 
Blue” an inventive transposition. 
It looks to tenant the Theatre 
Michel for the remainder of the 
season and well into the next one. 
This has bright pacing, many 
clever lines and makes the subject 
more heavyweight than it seems. 
With the fine reviews, and blessed 
with gay performances, especially 
from a bright newcomer, Evelyne 
Gabrielli, this seems sure of suc- 
cess. 

Albert Husson’s “Teahouse of 
the August Moon." at the Theatre 
Montparnasse, emerges as an able, 
faithful transcription of the John 
Patrick original. It is engaging 
and entertaining enough to be sure 
.. . , , . , : of a longrun at this house. Mar- 

the one-year run he had previously i euerite jamois has seemingly seen 
announced. This would give the the oriKinal judging from her stag- 
two big specs, fab and Lido, one However it seems to lack 

year difference in now mounting, some anima tion and the more ro- 
and make easier the herculean task bust poetic charm 0 f its original, 
of $ene Fraday in his direction Tbis fable has that p0 p look 
•“^talent turnover about it and WO rd-of-mouth and 

With the present Lido entry run- i the crix here will make this staff 
mng to SRO nightly, the decision | for p fuI1 seaS ort. It will probably 


time. 

W’ith the Tabarin show, which 
will be called "Vive Montmartre,” 
coming in November, Guerin has 
decided to run both his Lido and 
Tab on a two-year basis instead of 


Mex Songwriters Sign 
Peace Pact With Exhjbs 


Mexico City, Feb. 8. 

n ...... Exhibitors throughout Mexico , - , , 4 

overall results stem from lower avoided a total-closure strike and HMaricet make the plant-loving psy 


provision for taxation, just over 
$1,000,000 as against $1,500,000 in 
the previous year. 


suited for showing at ratios of n r n* A 

from 1: 1 66 to 1: 1 85. depending fc. fcurOBeail HC DOttlS 
on the proportions of the theMre . r 

In Berlin; ‘Desert’ Big 


Honolulu’s ‘Fishhead’ 
Earns $75,000 Per Yr. 

Honolulu, Feb. 8. 

Long-pending move has switched 
Hal Lewis, Hawaii’s top money 
disk jock, from KHON to KGU, 
NBC affiliate and the All-Islands 
Network. Lewis continues in the 
5;30 a.m. (they wake up early in 
Hawaii) to 9 a.m. slot. 

Better known as “J. Akuhead Pu- 
pu>,” which translates more or 
less as "Crazy Fishhead.” he is 


screen. 

According to the BFPA. a survey 
indicates that structurally all film 
theatres in the country cou)d show 
pix on the 1: 1.66 ratio while 77% 
could accommodate films at 1: 1.75. 
Only 25% are capable of projecting 
at 1: 1.85. 

The report to the BFPA, pre- 
pared by its Camera Technical 
Committee, was designed to avoid 
confusion among film-makers and 
to give a lead to equipment manu- 
facturers as well as assisting exhib- 
itors. 


U Signs 2 Ace Mex City Spots 

Mexico City, Feb. 8. 

Cine Real Cinema and Cine de 
las Americas, top firstruns here, 
have inked a pact with Universal 
to play three of C’Seope pix in 
each house during 1955. 

Deal was inked by Al Lowe, U 


anthing but that, being in the Latin America supervisor, during 


$75,000 a year bracket. New- af- 
filiation started last Feb. 7 with 36 
sponsors. 


his stopover here on his way to 
Buenos Aires, and Alfredo Hol- 
guin, local Universal i ianager. 


Berlin, Feb. 8.* 

The start of February sees a 
variety of foreign films running in 
West Berlin’s preem house area. 
After a long time an East Euro- 
pean film, “Eagles, Wolves, Adven- 
tures,” from Hungary was preemed 
at Bonbonniere. France, currently 
has three pix running here. 

Latest U. S. preem here was 
“Garden of Evil” (20th) at Film- 
theatre Berlin. It received only 
average reviews. Most successful 
grossers for January in West Ger- 
many’s most important key cities 
were “08/15" (Gloria), "Ten On 
Every Finger" (Herzog), both Ger- 
man films; and Walt Disney’s “Liv- 
ing Desert." 

Most talked-about German pix 
here is still "Canaris,” now in its 
sixth week at Gloria-Palast. It 
probably will emerge as one of 
this country’s biggest postwar 
grossers. For all of Germany the 
film was seen by 3.000,000 patrons 
J within three weeks. 


mad^ seemingly permanent peace 
with the national songwriters and 
music composers union via a 
unique deal. They agreed to allow 
the unionists the total income from 
two patron seats in all cinemas as 
royalty payment on music used in 
films they exhibit. 

The dispute, w-hich had the 
trade worried, was arbitrated by 
t h e National Cinematographic 
Board. Unionists also accepted 
lump sum payment of $24,000 as 
royalties on their music used in 
foreign pix playing Mexico. 


go well into the next, too. Although 
the stage is not the size called for 
in this airy piece. Felix Labisse’s 
colorful functional bamboo-styled 
sets are fine and help give this 
breadth and space. 

Acting is uneven, with Jacques 
Hilling, as Sakini the interpreter, 
lacking the rascally, likeable guile 
handed this pivotal role by prede- 
cessors. However, he adds a note 
of blandness to make the charac- 
ter acceptable. A comely Japa- 
nese actress. Yoko Tfini, is a per- 
fect Geisha girl. Albert Remy and 


M-G’s London Reshuffle 

London, Feb. 15. 

In an executive reshuffle at 
Metro’s London office last week, 
Douglas King was named sales 
manager, succeeding Edward Han- 
cock, with F. Bond upped to as- 
sistant sales chief. New appoint- 
ments took effect last Monday (7). 

F. D. Russell-Roberts assumes 
complete charge of 16m* operations 
and Eric Finch moves from that 
division to become assistant man- 
ager of the circuits department. 
Other staff switches include the 
appointment of J, W. Brereton as 


chiatrist and the peripatetic Col- 
onel sound and rounded roles. 

BBC TO DEFY EQUITY 
CLOSED SHOP DEMAND 

London, Feb. 15 
The BBC has decided to defy the 
closed shop demand made by Brit- 
ish Actors Eouity. Last month the 
thesper’s union warned the state 
radio and tv webs that ita members 
would decline engagements with 
non-card holders. A BBC spokes- 
man, replying to the Equity closed- 
shop demand, said last week that if 
union members decline an engage- 
ment or withdraw frori? rehearsals 
in breach of contract, they would 
have no alternative but to cancel 
the program and replace it by an- 
other. 

After insisting that acceptance of 
the Equity demand would narrow 
their choice of contributors and 
restrict the range, quality and 
variety of the programs, the BBC 
executive insisted that it was not 
prepared to become recruiting 
agents for any organization. If the 
BBC yvas to agree, it would become 
an agency compelling non-mem- 


administrative assistant to the _ 

managing director and Ronald Lee beis of Equity to apply for mem 
as director of exploitation. j bership. 



Wednesday, February 16, 1935 




PICTURES 


‘All Other Efforts Failed,’ Sez Allied 


studio ‘Dictators’ I Doubt Congress Would Fa Prices; 


So Seeks ‘Sympathy’ of Government 

St. Louis, Feb. 19. . cept with top level executives. 


Allied States Assn, board in 
convention here last week, directed 
its Emergency Defense Committee 
to seek the introduction into and 
passage by Congress of a bill to 
regulate film prices as approved 
by the delegates to Allied's 1954 
Milwaukee convention. Following 
the reading of the interim report 
of the Emergency Defense Com- 
mittee based upon a survey made 
in mid-September the board's de- 
cision to seek legislative relief was 
based upon the conviction that all 
other measures for preserving the 
theatres have failed and that as of 
this date no alternative to legisla- 
tion is in sight. 

Allied leaders are of the opinion 
that the interest and sympathy of 
Congress can be gained because 
of the crisis that has arisen in the 
motion picture industry does not 
involve merely a dispute between 
the distributors and the exhibitors 
over the price of films but involves 
the arbitrary curtailment of pro- 
duction and the creation of a 
starved market which enables the 
film companies to Impose upon the 
theatres film rentals so exhorbi- 
tant and conditions of license so 
onerous as to threaten the forced 
closing of upwards of 5,200 sub-run 
and smalltown theatres, which the 
resultant loss to American econo- 
my from the destruction of Invest- 
ments and unemployment. 

Allied’s board considered Wil- 
bur Snaper's report on COMPO and 
approved all actions of COMPO 
up to this time and went on rec- 
ord of continuing to support that 
organization. The board took the 
position that COMPO in the field 
of public relations should take a 
positive stand In support of the 
fight against home toll television 
regardless of the adverse position 
taken by its distributor members. 
It was decided that the Allied rep- 
resentatives of COMPO must insist 
that it exercise rigid economies in 
its administration and that the 
funds of COMPO be so budgeted 
in order that the entire cost of the 
audience poll campaign can be 
made without additional assess- 
ment of the exhibitors. 

COMPO Infringing! 

A resolution was adopted by the 
Board that National COMPO shall 
not sanction its regional units, 
such as the one in Texas and the 
new’ one planned for the Rocky 
Mountain area, to infringe on the 
proper functions of Allied and 
TOA regional units. 

Approval was recorded for the 
position of the Southern California 
Theatres Assn, with regard to the 
acquisition of drive-in theatres by 
the major theatre chains and the 
view was expressed that the Dept, 
of Justice should take a firm stand 
in opposition to any such attempts 
to circumvent the consent decree 
that curtailed the theatreowning 
activities of the defendant film 
companies and their theatre affili- 
ates. 

Following speeches against 
home-toll video by Trueman T. 
Rembusch, former prez of Allied 
States, and Harold Wolff, New York, 
public relations director for the 
Joint Committee on Toll TV, a res- 
olution in support of their views 
was adopted. 

Ruben Shore of Cincinnati, treas- 
urer of Allied States, was elected 
to the presidency of Allied suc- 
ceeding Ben Marcus of Milwaukee, 
who declined a second term. Mar- 
cus will continue as a director of 
the National body. Other officers 
chosen were Abram F. Myers, 
Washington, general counsel and 
chairman of the board; Julius Gor- 
don, Beaumont, secretary; William 
Carroll, Indianapolis, recording 
secretary, and Irving Dollinger. 
Linden, N. J., treasurer. 

Sorry — Says Shore 

In his talk to the 800 delegates 
to the second annual convention. 
Shore said that conditions within 
the industry have worsened since 
the Milwaukee convention and as 
a result "We have been faced with 
the necessity" of turning to Uncle 
Sam, 

Marcus declared "Congressional 
legislation is not the thing we 
"anted. We were forced into it 
as the last resort for relief. Na- 
tional Allied will not go into the 
Proposed roundtable discussion ex- 


such as presidents and the highest 
salesmen who have been author- 
ized to act definitely and finally at 
the conferences. In other words 
we want conferences that will work 
out an equitable and reasonable 
solutions once they are held." 

The antitrust suit (16m.) In 
which National Allied has been 
made co-conspirator was discussed 
but no action taken, Marcus, ex- 
plaining this matter said, "We feel 
that our position is just and en- 
tirely within our constitutional 
rights of free speech and strictly 
in accordance with the best tradi- 
tions of the American system of 
free enterprise. We can’t afford 
to see films given away free for 
which we have to charge our pa- 
trons when we exhibit them in our 
theatres." 

Forums on drive-in tower con- 
struction, and widening of existing 
towers and various phases of con- 
cession practice were discussed. 

Roundtable powwows with top- 
level execs of production and dis- 
tribution assought by Allied, may 
become a reality within a few 
weeks, according to William C. 
Gehring, asst. gen. sales mgr. of 
20th Century - Fox. Gehring an- 
swered the criticism of Ben Mar- 
cus of A1 Lichtman’s belief that 
the creation of an arbitration with- 
in the industry should be accom- 
plished before undertaking the 
roundtable conferences, asserting 
that while Allied leaders and mem- 
bers regard arbitration as "not im- 
portant," there are a vast number 
of exhibitors who do agree that 
arbitration Is essential and that it 
should prove of great benefit to 
the entire film industry. 

He added that the final draft of 
the proposed arbitration plan was 
prepared at a meeting held during 
the convention and it should ob- 
tain the necessary legal clearance 
for the final action on the new sys- 
tem. Turning to the 20th-Fox po- 
sition in its dealings with exhibitors 
of all sizes and classifications, Geh- 
ring pointed out the company’s sell- 
ing policy is flexible and that it is 
willing to sell on any fair basis 
where the exhibitor is willing to 
be fair; either flat rental, percent- 
age of the gross, or a flat rental 
against a percentage of the gross. 

He later stressed the importance 
to both production and distribution 
that the exhibitor end of the busi- 
ness must be healthy. He said, 
"You can’t beat the Yankees with 
the minor league teams,” adding 
"exhibition must be successful down 
to the very bottom. Let’s stop 
holding meetings of fear, and in- 
stead go bravely forth to combat 
any competition. Provide better 
entertainment on your own screens 
than the public can get anywhere 
else." 

Touching on the threat of new 
Federal laws and the industry liti- 
gation that may result he said, "Go 
forth from this meeting to a court 
if you feel that this is the thing 
to do. Maybe you will find some 
judge who can make better pic- 
tures and sell them to you for a 
lower price than we can afford to. 
And If you do find such a judge, 
20th Century-Fox will hire him to 
make its pictures. And until you 
do find him, let’s not stop making 
good pictures. Let’s do a good job 
together." 

‘Poor Get Poorer* 

Minneapolis, Feb. 19. 

Inasmuch as distributors "refuse 
to see the light and unswervingly 
are determined to get all the traffic 
will bear," small town and larger 
city subsequent run theatres con- 
tinue to be doomed to extinction 
in increasing numbers, North Cen- 
tral Allied’s board of directors 
were told by Bennie Berger, NCA 
president. 

Current Increasing trend of per- 
manent theatre shutterings appar- 
ently can be arrested only by some 
sort of federal legislation which 
would require distributors to make 
all picture available for the lesser 
theatres at prices the latter can 
afford to pay, declared Berger. 

Back from the St. Louis meeting 
of the national Allied States board 
of which he’s a member, Berger 
urged his own directors to enlist 
immediately in a move for correc- 
tive federal legislation aiming for 
smaller exhibitor relief. 

“The rich get richer and the poor 
poorer," Berger told his directors. 


ssa Continued from mo S 

with indie producers or with tal- 
ent. The development is an off- 
shoot of the film biz’s new era— 
the era of concentration on “big" 
pictures. Th$ increasing demand 
among exhibitors for blockbuster 
product and the b.o. result of the 
“big" pictures has convinced the 
majors that this type of operation 
brings the best payoff. However, 
the contract stable Is not always 
loaded with the talent capable of 
turning the "big" boxoffice win- 
ners. Hence, of necessity, the film 
companies have had to acquire the 
services of topnotch outsiders, 
either as individuals or as part of 
package deals. 

The trend had its origin at the 
inception of the industry’s econ- 
omy wave when business started 
to decline after the post-war peak. 
Options and contracts of high- 
priced talent, directors, and pro- 
ducers were not renewed. Without 
a studio affiliation, these individu- 
als organized their own companies 
and sought distribution deals with 
smaller outfits. This move played 
a large part in the tremendous 
buildup of United Artists which 
proved a haven for the so-called 
"unemployed" Hollywoodites. 

The resurgence of the film in- 
dustry and its desire to offer only 
superior product placed the former 
“letout" employee* again in the po- 
sition of being in demand. How - 1 
ever, few were willing to accept 
straight salary contracts, demand- 
ing an equity interest in the results 
of their work. In addition, the stu- 
dios were reluctant to return again 
to the system of having high-priced 
talent on the payroll on a yearly 
basis, preferring a percentage ar- 
rangement on a one or multi-pic- 
ture deal. 

With so many outsiders now 
headquartering at each of the stu- 
dios, the authority of the produc- 
tion topper, it's figured, will either 
lessen or change materially. In 
some instances, as in the cases of 
Warner Bros.' Jack Warner, Co- 
lumbia’s Harry Cohn, and 26th- 
Fox’s Darryl F. Januck, the produc- 
tion chief may be the key figure 
in instigating and negotiating the 
outside deals. The extent of su- 
pervision each will have over the 
actual making of a picture will de- 
pend, of course, on the nature of 
the contract with the independent 
producer. However, most indies, 
while they may agree on original 
story approval, are asking, and 
some are getting, a complete free 
hand in production. 

Partnership Deals 

In other cases, the New York 
executives may be the prime forces 
behind each partnership deal. The 
studio topper, in these instances, 
may have no control whatever over 
the indie working on the lot. His 
job will continue to be the super- 
vision of the home-grown product. 
It may be considered economically 
wise, for example, to have the pro- 
duction topper devote himself to 
careful supervision of each “big" 
studio film, while name outsiders 
give equal full attention to other 
important pictures which will be 
released under the studio banner. 

When each studio was turning 
out 48 or more pictures annually 
on an assembly-line basis, it was 
considered essential to have an 
overall production overseer — to 
keep things in line. Under the cur- 
rently-developing system, however, 
the need for the old-line boss ap- 
pears to be diminishing. Indie pro- 
ducers, left on their own, have 
come up with a solid array of b.o. 
films in recent years. In fact, the 
majority of the big clicks and 
award winners recently have ema- 
nated from partnership deals. 

The film companies apparently 
will continue to provide the finan- 
cing, either all or pari*; will pro- 
vide the studio facilities charged 
off on a rental basis, and will han- 
dle the release, first taking their 
distribution costs and then sharing 
the profits with the indie. It ap- 
parently makes for a good setup 
under today’s market conditions 
and the high cost of making pic- 
tures. 

With Metro, the last holdout 
against partnership arrangements, 
taking the plunge via deals with 
Desilu Productions (Lucille Ball 
and Desl Arnaz) and David O. Selz- 
nick, the new method of operation 
is expected to pick up momentum. 
The deals with Desilu and Selznick 
are seen as forerunners of similar 
arrangements of the same kind by 
Metro. Warner Bros., Columbia, 
20th-Fox, Paramount, Universal, 
and RKO already have numerous 
partnership arrangements. 


Meanwhile Allied Euphemizes 
‘Regulation’ Into ‘Intercession’ 


DENIES SIDE-LINE 

Theatre Manager Under Arrest 
As Accused Burglar 

Rutland, Vt., Feb. 15. 

Edward Dowling. 25. manager of 
the Paramount theatre, was re- 
leased under $1,500 bail after 
pleading not guilty in Municipal 
Court here to a charge of breaking 
into a Rutland sports equipment 
establishment. 

Police said cameras and photo- 
graphic equipment worth $650 
were recovered in Dowling’s apart- 
ment and from two juveniles also 
apprehended in the case. 

Davis Again Raps 
U.S. Pix Reception 

Sydney, Feb. 8. 

John Davis, J. Arthur Rank exec, 
here for a short stay to o.o. Rank 
pix prospects, including the stake 
the company has in Greater Union, 
was hosted last week at a film 
industry luncheon attended by 400. 
Davis said his company’s product 

had won world acclaim in competi- 
tion with all comers, except ita the 
U.S. He claimed that despite Amer- 
ica’s rep for being the home of 
showmanship, exhibitors there re- 
fused to "try anything new," ap- 
parently meaning British story 
ideas, stars, humor, producers, 
et al. 

Theatremen in the U. S. wanted 
such factors "established" before 
they’d take a chance on them, 
according to Davis. However, their 
cold shoulder to British product 
was not giving the American pub- 
lic a chance to create new marquee 
strength. 

The exec indicated earlier that 
JARO had no illusions about the 
need for a loop in the U. S. as 
outlets, and that the company was 
pursuing a longterm policy in this 
regard. » 

He nominated the biggest money- 
making pic in the United Kingdom 
market yet turned out by a British 
studio, was JARO’s "Doctor in the 
House,” released in the U. S. by 
Republic. The distrib’s cut from 
rentals to date wa3 around $1,125,- 
000, a figure topped only by "Gone 
With the Wind" (M-G) and "Best 
Years of Lives" (RKO). 

U.S. INFO AGENCY SEEKS 
$88,500,000 BUDGET 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

The U. S. Information Agency, 
with its Voice of America and mo- 
tion picture programs, should be 
strengthened and should receive 
its full $88,500,000 budget request, 
the U. S. Advisory Commission on 
Information told Congress last 
week. 

While stating there has been con- 
siderable improvement in USIA, 
the five-man Presidential Commis- 
sion said in its semiannual board 
that the Iron Curtain nations have 
greatly stepped up their propa- 
ganda activities and are "wheeling 
up the big guns in thq ideological 
field. This is a situation that can- 
not be Ignored." 

Report also recommends that 
USIA close down operations where 
there is little need and concentrate 
on urgent areas; and try harder for 
the cooperation of American pri- 
vate Industry, allotting more of its 
funds for liaison in that respect. 
Congress was urged to establish a 
joint committee on international 
information, composed of members 
of the House Foreign Affairs and 
the Senate Foreign Relations Com- 
mittees; and diplomatic status and 
passports were recommended for 
more overseas USIA personnel. 
The reports recommends some 
“representation” funds for the 
agency, a minimum of $150,000 for 
the first year. This is for entertain- 
j ment purposes. 


Whether a bill to regulate the 
film industry ever emerges from 
its efforts is not the prime concern 
of Allied States Assn., although 
the Emergency Defense Committee 
was given the greenlight by the 
board last week at its St. Louis 
meeting to press for introduction 
and passage of Federal legislation. 
Allied leaders prefer the use of 
the term “Government interces- 
sion” rather than "Government 
regulation.” 

Allied toppers privately share 
the opinion of many other indus- 
tryites that the chance of getting 
Congress to pass a bill regulating 
film prices, as proposed by board 
chairman Abram F. Myers, are ex- 
tremely slim, particularly since 
support for regulation will come 
only from a small minority of 
pixites. 

Purpose of Allied’s decision to 
pitch strongly for Government in- 
tervention is to bring out into the 
open the entire subject of distribu- 
tor-exhibitor relations. If Allied 
succeeds in getting a bill intro- 
duced by a friendly Congressman 
and subsequently an airing before 
a Congressional committee, it feels 
it can present a good case to Con- 
gress and to the public the plight 
of the smalltown exhibitor. 

Allied’s big argument, if the bill 
should ever reach the hearing 
stage, will be the contention that 
the distributors are«siphoning off 
the gains of the recent cut in the 
Federal admission tax. Point will 
be hammered that the tax relief 
was designed as an aid to the 
smalltown and neighborhood exhib- 
itor and that distributors, by in- 
creasing their prices for films, are 
confiscating the relief “ordered” by 
the Government. Behind Allied’s 
thinking is the hope that a hearing 
will succeed in bringing industry 
prexies and sales managers to 
Washington to answer queries re- 
lating to charges the exhib organi- 
zation has made in recent years. 

Although the Allied board has 
given the Emergency Defense Com- 
mittee the "go ahead” signal, it has 
left the group with an "out,” the 
escape hatch being the proposed 
roundtable session between exhib- 
itors and distributors on the film 
rental question. Retiring Allied 
prexy Ben Marcus declared at the 
conclusion of the three-day board 
meeting that if the rental problem 
can be solved as a result of the 
distrib-exhib conclave, the pro- 
posed Federal bill could be 
dropped. However, he stressed that 
there would be no delay in prepa- 
ration of the bill and the EDC 
would proceed with efforts to get 
it introduced in Congress as or- 
dered by the board. 

Marcus was assured via tele- 
phone by 20th-Fox distribution 
chief Al Lichtman, originator of 
the roundtable idea, that he would 
make every effort to organize a 
conclave of exhib reps and film 
company prexies and sales man- 
agers. Later William C. Gehring, 
20th’s assistant general sales man- 
ager, told the Allied Drive-In The. 
atres convention, which convened 
after the board meet, that the 
roundtable session would take 
place within the next three weeks. 
"That meeting we believe will be 
good for all of us,” Gehring said. 

In justifying its decision to go 
to the Government, Allied’s board 
declared that the film companies 
have steadily raised their prices 
since April l,.have attempted to 
establish 50% of the gross as a 
standard price for pictures, and by 
demanding double weekends, ad- 
vanced admission prices, and other 
terms have nullified the Intent of 
the tax relief measure. Board said 
It had arrived at Its decision re- 
, luctantly and with the conviction 
that all other efforts for the pres- 
ervation of the small theatres had 
failed. The belief was expressed 
that the sympathy of Congress 
could be gained because it involves 
not only a dispute over the price 
of film but also arbitrary curtail- 
ment of production and the crea- 
tion of a starved market. These 
conditions, the board said, threat- 
ened the closing of at least 5.000 
sub-run and smalltown theatres 
with the resulting loss to the 
American economy in the destruc- 
tion of investments and accom- 
panying unemployment. 


14 


PtotiEfr 


We«1n<»fl<1ay, February 16, 1955 



iliii 


•.vMvXvX-X- 

V 




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Written 

by the 
women 
who 

loved him! 


.Vv.-xyA; 


HgiSl 


From the book by CATHERINE MARSHALL 



Wetlncmlay, February 16, 1953 


Hollywood Production Pulse 


ALIJEI) ARTISTS 


Starts, This Year 5 

This Date, Last Year 0 


"TIMESLIP" 

(Shooting in England* 

Prod.— A. C. Snowden 
Dir. — Ken Hughes 

Cine Nelson. Faith Domergue. Joseph 
Tonicity. Vic Terry. Donald Gray. 
Peter Arne 
(Started Feb. 4* 


COLUMBIA 


Starts, This Year 

.. 3 

This Date, Last Year. .. . 

.. 3 

"CALICO PONY" 


Prod.- Ted Richmond 
Dir. — George Sherman 
Van Heflin. Joan Woodward. Phil Carey. 
Kavmond Burr. Allison Hayes. Rich- 
ard Webb. Jean Willes, Steve Raines. 
Nancy Kulp. Myron Healey. Juney 
Ellis. Jimmy Hawkins 
(Started Jan. 18* 


METRO 

Starts, This Year 0 

This Date, Last Year 0 


"IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER" 

I’rod. — Arthur Freed 

Dir. — Gena Kelly, Stanley Donen 

Gene Kelly. Cyd Chariase. Dan Dailey. 

Michael Kidd. Dolores Gray 
(Started Oct. 13) 

"LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME" 

Prod. — Joe Pasternak 
Dir —Charles Vidor 

Doris Day, James Cagney. Cameron 
Mitchell. Robert Keith. Harry Bcl- 
laver. Tom Tully. Robert Dix, James 
Drury 

(Started Dec. 6) 

"KING'S THIEF" 

Prod. — Edwin H. Knopf 
Dir. — Robert C. Leonard 
Ann Blyth, Edmund Purdom, David 
Niven. George Sanders. Roger Moore, 
John Dehner. Iaobel Elsom. Tudor 
Owen. Owen McGlveney 
(Started Dec. 27* 


PARAMOUNT 


Starts, This Year. 0 

This Date, Last Year I 


"THE TEN COMMANDMENTS" 

(Shooting in Egypt) 

Prod.-Dir.— Cecil B. DeMille 
Asst.— Henry Wilcoxon 
Charlton Heston. Vul Brynner. Anne 
Baxter. Yvonne De Carlo. Debra 
Paget. Nina Foch. Edward G. Robin 
son. -Sir Cedric Hardwieke. Vincent 
Price. John Carradine. John Derek. 
Olive Deering 
(Started Oct. 14) 

"THE COURT JESTER" 

(Dena Productions) 
l’i od-Dtr.— Norman Panama. Melvin 
Frank 

Danny Kaye. Glynis Johns. Angela Lans 
bury. Basil Rathbone, Cecil Parker. 
Mildred Natwick. Edward Ashley. Mi- 
chael Pate. Allan Napier, Patrick 
Aherne. Lewis Martin. Noel Drayton 
Robert Middleton. Richard Kean. Rus- 
sell Galge. Leo Britt. Larry Pennell 
(Started Nov. 22) 

"THE VAGABOND KINO" 

Prod. — Pat Duggan 
Dir. — Michael Curtiz 

Kathryn Grayson, Oreste Kirkop, Sir 
Cecil Hardwieke, Walter Hampden, 
Rita Moreno. Phyllis Newman. Jack 
Lord, David Nillo, Sam Schwartz. Lea 
lie Nielsen, Frances Lansing. Richard 
Tone, Albie CHye. Florence Sundstrom 
(Started Dec. 27) 


RKO 

Starts, This Year 0 

This Date, Last Year 0 


REPUBLIC 


Starts, This Year 

... 3 

This Date, Last Year.. 

... 1 

"A FOREIGN ADVENTURE" 


(Shooting in Nassau. Bahama Islands) 
Assoc. Prod. Dir. — Edward Ludwig 
Yvonne do Carlo. Howard Duff. Zach- 
ary Scott. Kurt Kasznar. Barbara 
O’Neil. Frieda Inescourt 
(Started Jan. 2ti) 

"THE BIG JACKPOT" 


Assoc. Prod. — William J. O'Sullivan 

Dir. — William Witney 

Victor MrLaglen. John Baer. Kathleen 
Crowley 

20th CENTURY-FOX 

Starts , This Year 

... 1 

This Date, Last Year. . . 

... 0 

"HOUSE OP BAMBOO" 


(Shooting in Tokyo) 

Prod. — Buddy Adler 

Dir.— Samuel Fuller 

Robert Ryan. Robert Stack, 
Yaraaguchi 
(Started Feb. 3) 

Shirley 

UNIVERSAL 


Starts, This Year 

... 4 

This Date, Last Year. . . 

... 4 


"THE PRIVATE WAR OF MAJOR 
BENSON" 

" Prod. — Howard Pine 
Dir. — Jerry Hopper 

Charlton Heston, Julie Adams. William 
Demarest. Sal Mineo. Tim Considine. 
Donald Keeler. Nana Bryant. Mary 
Field. Tim Hovey 
(Started Jan. 24> 

"THE SPOILERS" 

Prod. — Ross Hunter 
Dir. — Jesse Ilibbs 

Anne Baxter. Jeff Chandler. Rory Cal 
houn, Ray Danton. John Mclntire. 
Benton Reid. Wallace Ford. Rulb 
Donnelly. Barbara Britton 
(Started Jan. 31). 

"THE RAWHIDE YEARS" 

Prod. — Stanley Rubin 

Dir. — William A. Wellman 

John Wayne. Lauren Bacall. Paul Fix. 

Anita Ekberg 
(Started Feb. 14) 


WARNER BROS. 


Starts, This Year , 2 

This Date, Last Year 1 


"BLOOD ALLEY" 

Prod. — Batjac Productions 
Dir. — William A. Wellman 
John Wayne. Lauren Bacall. Paul Fix. 

Anita Ekberg 
(Started Jan. 10) 


INDEPENDENT 


"THE BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN" 

(U.A. Release) 

(Nassour Studios) 

(Locationing in Meiflco) 

Prod.— William & Edward Nassour 
Dir. — Edward Nassour 
Guy Madison. Patricia Medina. Eduardo 
Norriega. Carlos Rivas. Julio Villar- 
real. Pascual Garcia Pena. Lupe Car- 
ries. Manuel Arvide. Jose Chavez. 
Margarito Luna. Roberto Contreras, 
Loba Negro. Jorge Trevino, Armando 
Gutierrez 
(Started Jan. 10) 

"BRASS RING" 

Prod. — Edward Small 
Dir. — Maxwell Shane 
Farley Grander. Anthony Quinn. Anne 
Bancroft. Peter Graves 
(Started Feb. 2) 


TV Writers Get Brushoff 


Continued from page 3 


double-headed nominees, Ernest 
Lehman rating the, nod for his 
screenplay of “Executive Suite” 
and collab on “Sabrina.” and Albert 
llackett and Frances Goodrich, for 
their screenplays of “The Long, 
Long Trailer” and “Seven Brides 
for Seven Brothers.” 

More than 750 members of the 
screenwriter branch of WGA se- 
lected from the 257 American- 
made features released In 1954, five 
nominees in each of three divisions 
—best written U. S. drama, com- 
edy and musical. 

Nominated for best comedy: “It 
Should Happen to You,” story and 
screenplay by Garson Kanin; 
‘ Knock on Wood.” screenplay, Nor- 
man Panama and Melvin Frank; 
“ Hie Long, Long Trailer,” screen- 
play, Goodrich and Hackett, from 
novel by Clinton Twlss; Sabrina,” 
screenplay by Billy Wilder, Samuel 
1 aylor. Ernest Lehman, from play 
* v Taylor, and “Susan Slept Here,” 
screenplay by Alex Gottlieb, from 
Play, “Susan,” by Gottlieb and 
Sieve Fisher. 

Best drama: “The Barefoot Con- 


tessa,” story and screenplay, Jo- 
seph L. Mankiewicz; “The Country 
Girl,” George Seaton, from play by 

Clifford Odets; “Executive Suite,” 
Lehman, from tome by Cameron 
Hawley; “On the Waterfront,” story 
and screenplay, Budd Schulberg, 
from articles by Malcolm Johnson; 
“Rear Window,” John Michael 
Hayes, from story by Cornell Wool- 
rich. 

Best musical: “Carmen Jones,” 
screenplay by Harry Kleiner, book 

and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein 
2d; “The Glenn Miller Story,” writ- 
ten by Valentine Davies and Oscar 
Brodney; “Seven Brides for Seven 
Brothers," screenplay by Goodrich 
and Hackett and Dorothy Kingsley, 
from story by Stephen Vincent 
Benet; “A Star Is Born,” screen- 
play by Moss Hart, based on Doro- 
thy Parker, Alan Campbell, Robert 
Carson screenplay from story by 
William Wellman and Carson, and 
“There’s No Business Like Show 
Business,” screenplay by Phoebe 
and Ilcnry Ephron. from story by 
the late Lamar Trotli. 1 


P'Rkiety 

‘BATTLE CRY’ HOT 25G, 
DENVER; RUSSELL 16G 

Denver, Feb. 15. 

Holdovers are back in foreranks 
here again this stanza. “Battle Cry” 
is taking top money, being rated 
big at the Centre, and holds. 
“Underwater!” looms sock at Or- 
plieum. “Bridges at Toko-ri” shapes 
tall in third session at Denham, 
and stays over again. “Green Fire” 
is only fair at Paramount. 
Estimates for This Week 

Aladdin (Fox) (1.400; 70-$l) — 
“Prince of Players” (20th). Mild 
$2,500. Last week, “Shield for 
Murder” (UA) and “White Orchid” 
(UA). $3,000. 

Centre (Fox) <1,247; 60-$l) — 
“Battle Cry” (WB). Big $25,000. 
Stays. Last week. “Silver Chalice” 
(WB) (2d wk>, $11,000. 

Denham (Coekiill) (1.750; 60-$l) 
— “Bridges at Toko-ri” <Par) (3d 
wk). Tall $14,500. Holds. Last 
week. $18,000. 

Denver (Fox) (2,525; 50-85) — 
“Racers” (20th) and “Other 
Woman” (20th) (2d wk). Fair $6,000 
in 3 days. Last week. $13,000. 

Esquire (Fox) (742; 75-$l) — 

“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (3d wk). 
Poor $2,000. Last week, $2,500. 

Orpheum (RKO) (2,525; 60-$l) — 
“Underwater!” (RKO) and “Hell's 
Outpost” (Rep). Sock $16,000 for 
Jane Russell starrer. Holds over. 
Last week. “Americano” (RKO) and 
“Trouble in Store” llndie), $10,500. 

Paramount iWolfoerg) (2,200; 50- 
85)— “Green Fire” (M-G) and 
“Steel Cage” (UA). Fair $10,000 or 
near. Last week, “So This Is Paris” 
<U) and “4 Guns to Border” (U), 
$13,000. 

Vogue (Pike) (442; 74-90) — “Big 
Day” (Indie). Fine $2,500. Stays. 
Last? week, “Bellissima” (IFE), 
$ 1 , 000 . 


Travel Deductions 

Continued from page 4 

duction from compensation to de- 
termine adjusted gross income, and 
in addition, an employee may claim 
the so-called “standard deduction” 
of 10?fr o* his adjusted gross in- 
come, subject of course to the 
maximum $1,000 limitation. Note: 
Formerly he was limited to a 
choice between claiming his item- 
ized expenses or the standard 
deduction. 

Transportation expenses are re- 
stricted to a narrow concept which 
includes only the cost of transport- 
ing the employee from one place 
to another when he is not away 
from home, and does not include 
meals and lodging. It does, how- 
ever, include all transportation ex- 
penses for which he is not reim- 
bursed, including the business use 
of his automobile. 

The second benefit is available 
to “outside salesmen” only. To de- 
termine adjusted gross income they 
may deduct from their compensa- 
tion all ordinary and necessary 
expenses Including both transporta- 
tion and meals and lodging paid or 
incurred during the year in carry- 
ing on their trade or business. They 
may also claim the “standard de- 
duction” which many of them for- 
merly lost if they deducted their 
business expenses. “Outside sales- 
men” are defined as full time sales- 
men who solicit business away 
from the employer’s place of busi- 
ness, but incidental activities at 
the employer’s place of business 
will not bar the use of this valuable 
new deduction. This benefit re- 
moves the former discrimination 
against salesmen who by claiming 
their detailed business expenses 
lost the benefit of the standard 
deduction. 

Traveling expenses are allowable 
deductions from taxable income 
provided they satisfy three condi- 
tions: 

(1) They must be Incurred In 
pursuit of the taxpayer’s trade or 
business, or that of his employer. 

(2) They must be necessary and 
reasonable, as that term is gener- 
ally understood and may^include 
such Items as transportation, food 
and lodging expenses. 

(3) The expense must be in- 
curred while away from home. 

Failure to meet any one of these 
three conditions will disqualify the 
deduction. 

Traveling expense deductions 
were disallowed in an important 
tax case, because they included 
transportation from the taxpayer’s 
place of residence to a distant 
place of employment. This tax- 
payer’s hotel accommodations and 
meals were also disallowed because 
4he place of residence was his per- 
sonal choice and the traveling ex- 
pense was not required in pursuit 
of his business. i 


PICTURES IS 


Picture Grosses 


TORONTO 

(Continued from page 9) 
“Leagues Under Sea” (BV) (2d 
wk). Smash $25,000 on six-a-duy. 
Last week, $29,500. 

International (Taylor) (805; 50- 
80) — “Belles St. Trinian’s” (IFD> 
(8th wk). Hep $3,000. Last week, 
same. 

Locw’s (Loew’s) (2,090; 60-$l) — 
“Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G). 
Tall $14,000 or over. Last week, 
“Vera Cruz” (UA) (3d wk). $8,500. 

Odeon tRank) (2,380; 60-$l)— 
“Prince of Players” (20th). Sad 
$6,000. Last week, “Violent Men” 
(Col), $10,000. 

Shea’s (FP) (2,386; 75-$l)— 

“Carmen Jones” (20th). Wham 
$18,000. Last week, “Drum Beat ’ 
IWB) (2d wk>, $4,500 for three 
days. 

Townc (Taylor) (693; 60-90) — 
“Loves of Verdi” (Cardinal). 
Hefty $6,000. Last week, “Vanish- 
ing Prairie” (Disney) (7th wk), 
$3,500. 

Uptown (Loew’s) (2,745; 60-80) — 
“Far Country” (U) (2d wk). Still 
neat at $9,000 or close. Last week, 
$ 12 , 000 . 

‘BATTLE’ WHAM 10G, 
L’VILLE; ‘COUNTRY’ 12G 

Louisville. Feb. 15. 

“Battle Cry” $1 top entry at 
Mary Anderson, looks to make the 
big noise at the wickets this week. 
Hit town simultaneously with cold- 
est temperatures of the season, but 
patrons flocked in regardless. 
Near-zero readings hurt all around 
but overall biz is not too bad. 
“Far Country” at the Rialto is 
sturdy but “Many Rivers to Cross” 
at State is only fair. 

Estimates for This Week 

Kentucky (Switow) (1,000; 50-75) 
—“Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) (2d 
wk>. Holding around for oke 
$6,000. Last week, great $10,000. 

Mary Anderson (People’s) (1,000; 
75-$l> — “Battle Cry” (WB). This 
one looks to hit huge $10,000 or 
over. Last w eek, “Saratoga Trunk” 
(WB) and “Big Sleep” (WB) (re- 
issues), $4,500. 

Rialto (Fourth Avenue) (3,000; 
50-75) — “Far Country” (U). Sturdy 
$12,000 or close. Last week. “20,- 
000 Leagues Under Sea” (BV) (2d 
wk), $15,000. 

State (United Artists) (3.000; 50- 
75) — “Many Rivers to Cross” (M-G) 
and “MiRhty Fortress” (Indie). 
Fair $9,000. Last week, “Bad Day 
at Black Rock” (M-G) and “Oper- 
ation Manhunt” (UA), $7,500. 


WASHINGTON 

(Continued from page 9) 
S'rong $12,000. Stays on. Last 
$24,800, new high here. 

Palace (Loew’s) (2.370; 70-95)— 
“Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G). 
Nice $16,000. Holds. Last week, 
“Vera Cruz” (UA) (3d wk), $13,000 
in 8 days. 

Playhouse (Lopert) (435; 70-$ 1) 
—“Sign of Pagan” (U) (8th-final 
wk). Oke $3,000. Last week. $3,000 

Warner (SW) (1,300; $1.20-$2.40) 
— “Cinerama” (Indie) (66th wk). 
Soaring to hefty $13,000. Last 
week. $10,500. 

Trans-Lux (T-L) (600; 70-$l) — 
“Country Girl” (Par) (2d wk). Off 
to $16,000 as result of Friday wash- 
out, but still terrific. Last week 
$ 21 , 000 . 


PORTLAND, ORE. 

(Continued from page 8) 

$1.25) — “Vera Cruz” (UA) and “Re- 
turn To Treasure Island” (UA) (3d 
wk). First pic to hold for a third 
week at house for long time, 
“Cruz” still is loud $7,000 in 6 
days. Last week. $9,000. 

Orpheum (Evergreen) (1,600; $1- 
$1.25)— “Racers” (20th) and “Black 
13” (20th). Nice $9,000. Last week. 
“Women’s Prison” (Col) and “Mas- 
terson of Kansas” (Col), $5,400. 

Paramount (Port-Par) (3.400; $1- 
$1.25)— “Bridges At Toko-ri” (Par) 
(2d wk). Stout $12,000. Last week. 
$ 22 , 000 . 


PHILADELPHIA 

(Continued from page 8) 

“Far Country” (U). Okay $21,000 
or close. Last week, “6 Bridges to 
Cross” (U) (2d wk), $18,000. 

Stanton (SW) (1,473; 50-99)— 
“Women’s Prison” (Col) and “Bam- 
boo Prison” (Col) (2d wk). Modest 
$7,000. Last week, $14,500. 

Trans-Lux (T-L) (500; 99-51.50) 
— “Camille” (M-G) (reissue) (2d 
wk). Neat $5,000. Last week, 
$7,500. 

Viking (Sley) (1,000; 74-$1.50)— 
“Last Time Saw Paris” <M-G) (9th 
wk). Oke $6,500. Last week. $9,000. 

Trans-Lux World (T-L) (604; 99- 
$1.50) — “Green Fire” (M-G). 
Bright $7,000. Last week, “Aida” 
(IFE) (7th wk), $2,500. 


‘TOKO-RI’ TALL 18G, 
OMAHA; RUSSELL 7G 

Omaha. Feb. 15. 

Old man winter last weekend 
again chilled what loomed as the 
best firstrun lineup in some time, 
although “Bridges At Toko-ri” at 
Orpheum shapes- big. “Under- 
water!” at Brandeis and “So This 
Is Paris” at the Omaha are also 
hotsy. Exhibs figure it would have 
been a terrific session at all spots 
if below-zero weather hadn’t set 
in. 

Estimates for This Week 

Brandeis (RKO) (1,100; 65-85)— 
“Underwater!” (RKO) and “Sleep- 
ing Tiger” (Indie). Socko $7,000 
for Jane Russell starrer. Last week, 
“Violent Men” (Col) and “Pirates 
of Tripoli” (Col) (2d wk), $4,000. 

Omaha (Tristates) (2,000; 65-85) 
—“So This Is Paris’’ (U> ar.d “Hell 
Ra ders of Deep” (Indie). Big 
$7,000 or near. Last week. “The 
Raid” (20th) and “Outlaw’s Daugh- 
ter” (20th), $6,000. 

Orpheum (Tristates) (2,890; 70- 
90) — “Bridges At Toko-ri” (Par). 
Big $18,000, with in-person stint 
by Charles McGraw opening day 
helping. Last week, “Vera Cruz” 
(UA) (2d wk). $8,500. 

State (Goldberg) (875; 55-90)— 
“Green Fire” (M-G). Nifty $7,000. 
Last week, “Carmen Jones” (20th) 
(2d wk), $4,000. 

‘Fire’ Fancy $20,000, 
Mont’l; ‘Wild Wind’ 6G 

Montreal, Feb. 15. 

All dcluxers were hurt by zero 
weather over weekend. “Green 
Fire” at Capitol shapes as best 
newcomer with a solid total. “Reap 
Wi'd Wind” is doing okay for an 
oldie at Orpheum. “Hajji Baba” Is 
only fair at Princess. Third session 
of “No Business Like Show Busi- 
ress” still is fine in third Palace 
round. 

Estimates for This Week 

Palace (C.T.) (2.625; 60-$l) — 
“Show- Business” (20th) (3d w-k). 
Fine $14,000 after $19,000 second 
round. 

Capitol (C.T.) (2,422; 45-75) — 
“Green Fire” (M-G). Fancy $20,- 
000. Last week, “Drum Beat” 
(WB). $15,000. 

Princess (C.T.) (2,131; 40-65) — 
“Hajji Baba” (20th). Fair $10,000. 
Last week, ‘‘Down 3 Dark Streets” 
(UA), same. 

Loew’s (Q.T.) (2,847; 60-$l) — 
“Last Time Saw Paris” (M-G) (2d 
wk). Good $20,000 after $26,000 
opening week. 

Orpheum (C.T.) (1.048; 40-65)— 
“Reap Wild Wind” (Par) and 
“Cleopatra” (Par) (reissues). Okay 
$6,000. Last week. “Other Woman” 
<20th) and “Devil’s Harbor” (20th), 
$5,000. 

CLEVELAND 

(Continued from page 9) 

$12,000. Last week, “Violent Men” 
(Col) (2d wk), $11,000. 

Lower Mali (Community) (585; 
60-90) — “Earrings Madame De” 
(Indie). Oke $2,800. Last week, “Le 
Plaisir” (Indie) (2d wk). $2,000. 

Ohio (Loew’s) (1,200; 60-90) — 
“Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) (m.o ). 
Stout $7,000 on third downtown 
week. Last week. “Aida” (IFE) (3d 
wk). $6,000. 

Palace (RKO) (3,287; 60-90) — 
"Cattle Queen Montana” (RKO). 
Slow $7,000. Last week. “6 Bridges 
to Cross” (U>, $14,000. 

State (Loew’s) (3,500; 60-90) — 
“Many Rivers To Cross” (M-Co). 
Fair $10,000. Last week. “Bridges 
at Toko-ri” (Par) (2d wk). $14,000. 

Stillman (Loew’s) (2,700; 60-$l) 
— “Country Girl” (Par). Going for 
championship take at huge $21,000. 
Last week, “Battle Taxi” (UA), 
$5,000. 


LOS ANGELES 

(Continued from page 8) 

— “Show Business” (20th) (8th wk>. 
Moderate $8,500. Last week. $9,400. 

Fox Wlishire (FWC> (2,296; $1- 
$1.50)— “20.000 Leagues” (BV) <8lh 
wk). Neat $10,000. Last week, 
$12,700 , ' 

Warner Beverly (SW) (1.612; 90- 
$1.50)— "Country Gin”* (Par) <8th 
wk). Good $10,000. Last week, 
$10,500. 

El Rey (FWC) (8G1; SI $1.50) — 
“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (8th wk). 
Scant $1,300. Last week. $1,900. 

Warner Hollywood (SW) <1.364; 
$1.20-$2.65) — “Cinerama” (Indie) 
(94th wk). Into current frame Sun- 
day (13) after nifty $23,800 last 
week. 

Vagabond (Rosener) (390; $1.50) 
— “Gate of Hell” (Indie) (5th wk). 
, Good $4,000. Last week, $4,400. 


16 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


Film Reviews 

S Continued from p age € a 


»« Orleans 
I'neenNored 

ing in the way Michael Ansara. a 
racketeer who has managed to get 
control of most dock hiring, oper- 
ates his business of jobs, smug- 
gling and looting. When a friend 
is killed and the death of another, 
is arranged, Franz goes to the au- 
thorities, sets a trap by planting a 
small transmitter-oscillator in some i 
stolen cargo and the gang is broken 
up. 

Adding to the documentary ef- 
fect tried for is the appearance of 
union leaders and civic officials of 
New Orleans in the picture. It 
should at least register some busi- 
ness for bookings in that city 
through this casting. Franz gives 
his character a workmanlike job 
and Ansara is a thorough villain, 
abetted in the strong arm work by 
Mike Mazurki and some others, 
none of whom are believable. The 
two femmes, Beverly Garland and 
Helene Stanton, both have some 
good moments but are generally 
lost in the material, as are Stacy 
Harris and William Henry. 

Henry Freulich’s photography is 
good and the other technical cred- i 
Its measure up. Broy. . 


Captain Light foot 

(CSCOPE-COLOR) 


Formula period swashbuckler, 
lensed In Ireland with Rock 
Hudson title-roling to help 
program market prospects. 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Universal release of Boss Hunter pro- 
duction. Stars Rock Hudson, Barbara 
Hush, .Teff Morrow; features Kathleen 
K.van, Finlay Currie. Denis O'Dea. Geof- 
frey Toome. Directed by Douglas Sirk. 
Screenplay, W. R. Burnett, Oscar Brod- 
ney; story and adaptation. Burnett; cam- 
era (Technicolor). IrvinK GlassberK; edi- 
tor, Frank Gross; music supervision. 
Joseph Gershenson. Previewed Feb. 7. '55. 
Running time, 91 MINS. 

Michael Rock Hudson 

Aga Barbara Rush 

Doherty Jeff Morrow 

Lady Ann Kathleen Ryan 

Callahan Finlay Currie 

Regis Denis O’Dea 

Captain Hood Geoffrey Toome 

Lord Glen Hilton Edwards 

Waitress Sheila Brennan 

Brady Harry Goldblatt 

Shanley Charles Fitzsimons 

Lord Clonmell Christopher Casson 

Trim Philip O'Flynn 

Tim Keenan Shay Gorman 

High Steward Kenneth MacDonald 

Claeett Robert Bernal 

Cathy Louise Studley 

Tuer O’Brien James Devlin 

Willie the Goat .* Mike Nolan 

Big Tom . Edward Aylward 

English Gentleman . Lord Mount Charles 
English Lady Lady Mount Charles 


Tlt<» fllig Combo 


Grim meller of honest cop 
versus syndicate for the action 
trade. 


Hollywood, Feb. 10. 

Allied Artists release of Security-Tneo- 
dora (Sidney Harmon) production. Stars 
Cornel Wilde. Richard Conte, D’ian Don- 
lecy, Jean Wallace; features Robert 
Middleton. Lee Van Cleef. Earl Holliman. 
Helen Walker, Jry Adler. John Hoyt. Ted 
De Corsia. Helene Stanton. Directed by 
Joseph Lewis. Written by Philip Yordan; 
camera. John Alton: editor, Robert Eisen; 
music, David Raksin: piano soloist. Jacob 
Gimpel. Previewed Feb. 8, ’55. Running I 


time. 84 NUNS. 


Diamond • 


Drown 


McClure .... 


Susan 

Jean Wallace 

Peterson . . . 

Robert Middleton 

Fante ..... 

.... Lee Van ClecC 

Mingo ....... 

... Earl Holliman 

Alicia 

... Helen W Iker 

Sam Hill . 


Drever .... 


Hettini 

Ted De Corsia 

Kit a 

.... Helene Stanton 

Audubon 


Doctor 

Whit Hissell 

Hennie Smith . 


Youn*! Detective 


l.ab Technician 

.... James McC illicit 

Photo Technician . . 


Malloy 


Nurse 


Detective 


Hotel Clerk 


(Aspect ratto: 1.85-1) 

i 

This is another 

saga of the honest 


cop who lets nothing sway him 
from the self-uppointied task of 
smashing a crime syndicate and its 
leader. It is done with grim melo- ; 
dramatics that are hard-hitting i 
despite a rambling, not too credible 
plot, and is cut out to order for j 
the meller fan who likes his action 
rough and raw. In that market it 
should do okay. 

In this stress on the seamier side | 
of gangland and its denizens, the ; 
Security-Theodora production 
which Allied Artists is releasing ! 
gets too realistic. One torture 
scene in particular will shock the 
sensibilities and cause near-nausea. 
After honest cop Cornel Wilde has 
been tormented by gangster Rich- 
ard Conte via a hearing aid 
plugged in bis ear while the re- 
ceiver is held to a radio going full 
blast, the cold-blooded crook forces 
the contents of a large bottle of 
hair tonic clown the victim’s throat. 
The moronic fringe of sadists will 
enjoy this, and all the little kid- 
dies will be sick to their stomachs. 

Since Philip Yordan’s original 
screenplay doesn’t follow a credible 
line, there’s not much sense to the 
torture scene, nor to most of the 
motivations used to plot the course | 
of this shocker. Even after Wilde i 
has been subjected to the indigni- 1 
ties by Conte and his strongarm 
hoys, Brian Donlevy, Lee Van , 
Cleef and Earl Holliman, pic has | 
you believe lie still can’t bring the | 
hood to justice. In addition to his 
desire to get Conte. Wilde also has ! 
a desire for the crook’s girlfriend, | 
Jean Wallace, hut it takes some do- j 
ing to get her to escape theganpster. j 
Alter she does, and with the help 
of some hearsay evidence from , 
Conte’s wife, Helen Walker, the 


Some formula period swash- 
buckling is indulged in in this cos- 
tume action drama, but it’s prettily 
dressed in CinemaSeope and Tech- 
nicolor. with authentic Irish lo- 
cales, and has the name of Rock 
Hudson heading the cast to help 
it get by in the general program 1 
market. 

Producer Ross Hunter sent cast 
and camera crew to Ireland for on- 
the-scene lensing. but as far as the : 
entertainment results are con- 
cerned, the trip was hardly worth- 
while. Other than authenticity of 
settings for the period plot, the 
picture is a mild affair that man- 
ages to be no more than just fair 
escapism, with neither perform- 
ances nor direction adding any 
distinction to the commonplace 
plotting. 

Hudson is seen as a young Irish 
hothead who joins up with Jeff 
Morrow, a rebel leader, falls in 
love with the lattpr’s spitfire 
daughter, Barbara Rush, and gen- 
erally indulges in some incredible 
heroics that climax with his escape 
from prison in time to tend to the 
patriot forces until Morrow can 
recover from wounds sustained in 
similar derring-do. Script by W. 
R. Burnett and Oscar Brodney is 
given to a lot of high-flown dialog, 
delivered in an assortment of 
stagey Irish brogues, about the 
rebellion against the English. The 
talk keeps the film’s pace slow as 
directed by Douglas Sirk. 

The three stars can’t do much to 
make their characters credible and 
most of the featured and support- 
ing performances are in keeping. 
Of the featured players, Kathleen 
Ryan does the most to make her 
role of Lady Ann, Morrow’s be- 
loved. believeable. 

Photographically, Irving Glass- 
berg’s CinemaSeope lensing pro- 
vides visual beauty, showing the 
Irish landscapes and ancient build- 
ings to advantage. The background 
score, supervised bv Joseph Ger- 
shenson, points up the Irish flavor. 

Brog. 


TnrzHviN Hidden Jungle 


Stock entry In this longlived 
series; interduces well-muscled 
Gordon Scott as the new Tar- 
zan. 


RKO release of Sol Lesser production. 
Stars Gordon Scott, Vera Miles. Peter 
Van Eyck; features Jack Elam, Charles 
•■'rcderlcks and Zippy (chimp). Directed 
h.v Harold Schuster. Screenplay, William 
Lively; suggested by the Edrar Rice Bur- 
roughs character; camera. William Whit- 
ley; editor. Leon Barsha: music. Paul 
Sawtell. Previewed Feb. 10. '55. Running 
time. 73 MINS. 


Tarzan 

Jill Hardy \ . 
Dr. Celliers . . 

Burger 

Chcta . ...... 

DeGroot 

Reeves 

Johnson 

Malenki 

Witch Doctor* 

Sum a 

Makuma 

Lucky 


Gordon Scott I 

Vera Miles 

. . . Peter Van Eyck 

Jack Elam 

Zippy 

Charles Fredericks 
. . . Richard Reeves 

Don Beddoe 

Ike Jones 

. . . Jester Hairston 
. . . Madie Norman t 

Rex Ingram I 

. Lucky I 


(Aspect ratio 1.33-1) 


justice when an elephant stampede 
tramples them to death. Interven- 
ing footage shows them accom- 
panying a United Nations doctor 
who thinks they are cameramen, 
into savage country where he is 
the only white allowed. Their pur- 
pose is to drive the vast number 
of animals out of this territory so 
they can slaughter them without 
fear of the natives. 

Tarzan defeats this intention, 
simultaneously saving the doctor 
and the latter’s nurse, but it ap- 
pears to be more play-acting than 
for real insofar as the spectator is 
concerned. Harold Schuster’s di- 
rection rarely rises above the 
script deficiencies, and the inser- 
tion of stock animal footage fails 
to match the quality of the footage 
proper. 

Vera Miles is the pretty nurse 
and Peter Van Eyck is good in his 
jungle doctor impersonation. Jack 
Elan and Charles Fredericks are 
well cast as the hOnters. Zippy, a 
new Cheta, and another chimp, 
Lucky, are the real cutie6 of this 
show. Ike Jones handles his native 
role well. 

Sol Lesser’s production is stand- 
ard for the series and technical 
credits are ditto. Whit. 


Di«* liolilene Pest 

(The Golden Pestilence) 
(GERMAN) 

Frankfurt, Feb. 8. 

Allianz release of Occident production. 
Stars Ivan Desny, Gertrud Kuckelmann, 
Karlheinz Bohm. Directed by John 
Brahm. Screenplay by Dieter Werner 
after an idea of fierhard Buehholz and 
Kurt Fischer; camera. Klaus von Kauten- 
feld; music. Hans-Martin Majeswki. At 
Zeil Theatre, Frankfurt. Running time, 
94 MINS. 

Richard Hartwig Ivan Desny 

Franziskn Hellmer.. Gertrud Kuckelmann 

Karl Hellmer Karlheinz Bohm 

Wenzeslaw Kolowrat Wilfried Seyferth 


This film is notable for two rea- 
sons. It is the first film directed 
in Germany by the Hollywood 
megger John Brahm. Secondly, it 
excited flurries of protest here 
from groups who maintained in 
advance that the film was un-Amer- 
ican. As a result of this, U S. sol- 
diers were not permitted to play 
themselves in it. 

However, the pic has much 
more anti-German and pro-Ameri- 
can implication. The plot concerns 
a small German village in which 
a huge U.S. regiment is stationed, 
with the resultant effect on the 
lives of the townpeople. Eager to 
get the GI’s money, they overprice 
junky souvenirs, open a casino- 
nightclub, offer camp followers. 
Also dope is for sale although the 
only purchaser of the latter is 
clearly shown as a German. 

Into this comes Ivan Hesny, 
German-born lad who has become 
a U.S. soldier. He is on leave at 
home to see his sweetheart, Ger- 
trud Kuckelmann. Her brother 
has become leader of the gang 
preying on the U.S. troops, steal- 
ing tires and gas from the soldiers. 

Pic bogs down because the char- 
acters seem poorly motivated, with 
both Desny and Karlheinz Bohm 
in the leads fighting hard with un- 
convincing dialog. 

Action takes place mainly in the 
Gl-filled casino, with a band and 
vocal background for the gangster 
plottings. Highpoint of laughter is 
a nightclub act of two femme 
wrestlers battling in the mud. 

It is too bad Brahm wasn’t given 
a better script for his first German 
venture because this one doesn’t 
give him much chance. Music of 
film is a pleasant diversion. 

Haze. 


* Acad Nominees 

3 ^— Continued from pane 5 

Suite.” ‘‘Seven Brides” both copped 
five. Par’s "Rear Window,” Metro’s 
“Brigadoon” four each. 

Largest number of nominations 
in the top brackets was chalked up 
by Columbia, with two Best Actor, 
two Best Picture, four Supporting 
Actor, one Supporting Actress and 
one Best Director. Paramount 
placed with two Best Actress, one 
Best Actor, one Best Picture and 
two Best Director. Warners: one 
Best Actor and Best Actress each, 
two Supporting Actress and one 
Best Director. 

Twentieth-Fox’s entry in the 
high echelons: one Best Actress, 


cop’s crusade ends successfully. 

Performances are in keeping ; 
with the barc-knuckle direction by 
Joseph Lewis and, .on that score, 
are good. Tlm.se mentioned project 
the story’s toughness effectively 
and there are some good assists to 
the mclodramatics, notably from 
Helene Stanton, very good as a 
chorus cutie who loves Wilde and 
dies because of it; .lay Adler. John 
Hoyt, Ted De Corsia and Robert 
Middleton. 

Lowkey photography by John Al- 
lon and a noisy, jazzy score by 
David Raksin are in keeping with 
tlie film’s tough mood. Brog. 


"Tarzan’s Hidden Jungle” is a 
stock entry in the Edgar Rice Bur- 
rough apeman marathon produced 
by Sol Lesser and serves to in- 
troduce a new title hero. Gordon 
Scott, succeeding Lex Barker who 
last played the character, is a well- 
muscled man hut seldom convinc- 
ing in the part. 

As usual, Tarzan is right there | 
pitching to save the beasts of the i 
jungle in this William Lively i 
screenplay. A pair of hunters, who 1 
have a contract to deliver fats, ! 
skins, heads and ivory, are the 1 
i heavies, and they receive rough i 


one Best Picture and one Support- 
ing Actress. Metro: one Best Pic- 
ture and one Supporting Actress; 
United Artists: one Best Actor and 
one Supporting Actor; Universal- 
International; one Best Actress. 

Academy members will start 
screening nominated pix for all 
categories on Feb. 20 at the Acad- 
emy Awards Theatre, with winners 
to be announced March 30 at Hol- 
lywood Pantagcs Theatre. Only 
Academy members will vote, al- 
though a total of 13.438 members 
of the film industry participated : 
in nominations. 


Briefs From the Lots 

< , < > 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Sheree North’s player option 
picked up for another year by 20th- 
Fox . . . U bought "The Tender 
Kill,” an original by Peter B. 
Brooke, and assigned Howard Pine 
as producer . . . John Ford’s son, 
Pat, joined C. V. Whitney Pictures, 
Inc., as production assistant to 
Merian C. Cooper, in charge of 
production . . . U disclosed that its 
"Second Greatest Sex” will be 
filmed in CinemaSeope . . . Joseph 
Tomalty drew a role in Allied Art- 
ists’ "Time Slip” . . . Edmond 
O’Brien will costar with Jack 
Webb and Janet Leigh in “Pete 
Kelley’s Blues,” which Webb will 
produce lor Warners . . . Next star- 
rer for Joel McCrea at Allied Art- 
ists will be "The First Texan,” a 
yarn about Sam Houston written 
by Daniel B. Ullman . . . James 
Mason bought screen rights to 
"Three For the Money,” a novel 
by James McConnaughey. 

New indie company, headed by 
Robert L. Jacks, goes into produc- 
tion in June with "A Kiss Before 
Dving,” followed by "A Killer Is 
Loose” . . . William Schoor will 
produce "The Indian Fighter,” first 
of six films to be made by Kirk 
Douglas’s Byrna Productions for 
United Artists” release . . . Wayne 
Morris and Paul Picerni drew fea- 
tured roles in Allied Artists’ ‘‘Lord 
of the Jungle,” 12th in the series 
starring Johnny Sheffield . . . 
Metro signed Queenie Leonard for 
a featured part in "The King’s 
Thief” . . . Allied Artists currently 
has six film editors at work: Wil- 
liam Austin on "Wichita;” John 
Fuller on "Spy Chasers;” Neal 
Brunnenkant on "African Fury;” 
Maurice Wright on "Dark Ven- 
ture;” Ace Herman on "Las Vegas 
Shakedown” and Geoff Haller on 
Time Slip.” 

Herbert Marshall and Robert 
Douglas are raising beards to play 
in “Sir Walter Raleigh” at 20th- 
Fox . . . UI signed Richard Wid- 
mark to star on a participation 
basis in "Fort Starvation,” to be 
produced by Aaron Rosenberg . . . 
Elvord Eiseman ankled Metro to 
join Samuel Goldwyn as a color 
consultant on "Guys and Dolls” 
. . . Gloria Pall, (recently Voluptua 
on television) signed for a top role 
in "The Big Jackpot” at Republic 
, . . Martha Hyer will co-star with 
Donald O’Connor and the Talking 
Mule in U’s "Francis Joins the 
Navy” . . , Republic picked up 
options on composer R. Dale Butts 
and cameraman John Bussell . . . 
Justice Watson joined the cast of 
"Illegal” at Warners . . . Jack 
Kosslyn signed as drama coach in 
U’s school of motion picture 
drama . . . Betty Comden and 
Adolph Green checked in at Metro 
to script the Arthur Freed produc- 
tion, "The Cole Porter Cavalcade.” 

Jane Withers emerges from re- 
tirement, first time since 1947, for 
a lead role in George Stevens* 
"Giant” . . . Hal Wallis inked 
Stuart N. Lake to pen script of 
"Gunfight at the OK^ Corral” . . . 
Virginia Mayo swings over to 20th- 
Fox on loanout from Warners to 
co-star in "Pink Tights” as a 
Broadway musical star . . . Richard 
Brooks slated to do screen treat- 
ment of "The Last Hunt” for Metro 
. . . Nat (King) Cole’s voice will 
be heard singing ' I’d Rather Have 
the Blues” in Parklane’s "Kiss Me 
Deadly” . . . Sheree North takes 
over for the third time a role 
originally slated for Marilyn Mon- 
roe, in 20th's "Woman of the 
Woods,” which Richard Egan will 
co-star . . . Virginia Mayo’s male 
lead in Warners’ "Black Pearls” 
will be Lance Fuller . . . Chips 
Rafferty, Down Under producer, 
wants Ann Sheridan to play oppo- 
site Richard Boone in his upcom- 
ing indie, "The Headhunters,” 
made in New Guinea . . . director 
Robert Parrish and seripter Mau- 
rice Zimin to El Paso for confabs 
with author Thomas Lea on his 
“The Wonderful Country” . , . 
Robert L. Lippert, Jr„ will make 
“Charge of the Rurales” as a co- 
production effort with a Guate- 
malan film company . . . Phil Carey 
goes to Japan to join star cast of 
Columbia’s "The Gentle Wolf- 
hound” . . . Hugo Fregonese bought 
original screenplay tagged "Zaino” 
for co-production in Spain this 
summer . . . Allan Dwan scouting 
locations for Ben BAgeaus’ "Call 
of the Tropics” in Acapulco . . . 
Skedded March 1 start of Samuel 
Goldwyn’s "Guys and Dolls” post- 
poned two weeks while director- 
scripter Joseph Mankiewicz re- 
covers from emergency appendec- 
tomy. 

Raoul W r alsh will direct "The 
Tall Men," (’lark Gable-Jane Rus- 
sell starrer, at 20th-Fox, starting 


late March . . . Paramount bought 
“The Sons of Katie Elder,” saga 
of Texas by Talbot Jennings, and 
handed for production to Samuel 
J. Briskin . . . Benedict Bogeaus 
inked British thesp David Farrar 

to co-star with Virginia Mayo and 
Lance Fuller in “Black Pearls,” 
RKO release ... Ed Beloln wiil 
make a pitch for Corine Calvet 
when she returns from Italy next 
month for his indie film, "Bright 
Waters,” and also is dickering with 
Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones 
for other leads in musical . . . 
Warners is allowing pactee Dennis 
Hopper to retain the $500 fee for 
his loanout to "The Loretta Young 
Show” in addition to his regular 
$200 weekly paycheck. 

David Lewis’ first assignment 
under his new producer pact at 
Metro will be "Raintree County.” 
which Millard Kaufman will script. 
. . . Margia Dean reoptioned by 
producer Earle Lyon and director 
Richard Bartlett for another L&B 
production this year, following 
their current "The Lonesome 
Trail” . . . Sol Fielding, ex-Metro 
producer, optioned more than 100 
Lord Dunsany works for future the- 
atrical releases . . . Metro handed 
John Houseman and Vincente Min- 
nelli the producer and director 
chores, respectively, on “Lust for 
Life,” upcoming Van Gogh biopic. 
. . . Marlin Skiles will score Allied 
Artists’ “Spy Chasers” . . . Irving 
H. Levin, FRO prexy, returned 
from scouting locations in Hawaii 
for Hal E. Chester’s "The Smoul- 
dering Sea” . . . Ellen Corby into 
U’s "Illegal” . . . Leonard Mudie 
and William Phipps added to cast 
of Allied Artists’ ‘‘Lord of the 
Jungle.” 

Van Johnson will co-star with 
Jane Wyman in Warners’ "Miracle 
in the Rain,” rolling early Spring. 
. . . George Cukor inked to ex- 
clusive long-term director’s ticket 
by Metro, for whom he’ll next do 
"Bhowani Junction” . . . Harold 
Hecht returned from finalizing 
arrangements to shoot "Trapeze,” 
Burt Lancaster starrer, in London 
and on the Continent, in which 
Gina Lollobrigida will co-star. 
. . . Irwin Shaw will screenplay 
Warwick’s "Fire Down Below” . . . 
Robert Mitchum’s co-star in Sam- 
uel Goldwyn, Jr.’s "The Deadly 
Peacemaker” will be Jan Sterling. 
. . . Robert Nunes set to handle 
producer reins on William F. 
Broidy’s "Women’s Reformatory,” 
for Allied Artists release . . . Re- 
public producer William O’Sullivan 
spotted 11-year-old newsboy Jimmy 
Grohman at studio’s front gate and 
cast him for a part with Victor 
McLaglen in "The Big Jackpot.” 


‘King and I’ 

Continued from page 3 ——3 

report that 20th had developed a 
camera capable of duplicating an 
image of Todd-AO height with a 
single strip of 35m film. Skouras 
did say that CinemaSeope was very 
flexible and would prove itself that 
way. 

Regarding 20th’s tv plans. Skou- 
ras indicated that the company 
may start turning out its own tv 
pix “within three or four months” 
or earlier. He has lined up a num- 
ber of important story properties 
and said there were no limita- 
tions on the number of video films 
the studio’s Western Ave. lot will 
turn out. Facilities also will be 
rented out to indie tv producers. 
The 20th prexy said he didn’t 
think his company would set up a 
special sales org to peddle its tv 
product. Exec to head up the entire 
setup, saleswise and otherwise, Is 
currently being mulled. 

Roadshow biz for the widescreen- 
ers, which started with Cinerama 
and continued with CinemaSeope 
in its early days, gets another boost 
from "Oklahoma,” due to bow at 
the Rivoli, N. Y., in March or April. 
Cinerama at the moment is show- 
ing in 16 U. S. houses. "Oklahoma * 
is expected to get roadshow treat- 
ment in some 40 spots and Mike 
Todd has similar plans for his up- 
coming "Around the World in 80 
Days.” Todd AO features can he 
"stepped down” to a lesser ratio 
for general distribution. 


("King and I” was originally 
made by 20th as a dramatic vehicle, 
"Anna and the King of Siam,” star - 
ring Rex Harrison and Irene 
Dunne. R&H later turned it into 
their hit stage musical. Now 20 th 
is cashing in on its original prop- 
erty, remaking it as a tuner). 





Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


17 



ANOTHER RECORD 


DOROTHY 


ORIGINAL MUSIC 
BY MAX STEINER 


• DIRECTED BY 


SCREEN PLAY BY 


Stereophonic Sound 




IJllJJl 

iM 


WarnerColor 











18 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February '16, 1955 


Clips From Film Row 

% 


NEW YORK 

David D. Horne elected veepee 
in charge of sales for Grun-Bal 
Cinema Titles Inc. 

Fin? Arts Films picked up U.S. 
distribution rights to "Rosanna,” a 
Salvador Elizondo production star- 
ring Rossana Podesta. 

G-B-D international Releasing 
Corp. set its French import, "Mr. 
Hulot’s Holiday,” for distribution 
in the Dallas and Oklahoma City 
exchange areas through Herman 
Beiersdorf Distributing Co. 

PHILADELPHIA 

Mel Fox bought Olympia Lakes, 
N. J.. and plans to add name dance 
hands ;nd entertaisment to his 
proposed drive-in. 

The Goldie Hyman Estate sold 
the Cameo, northeast Philly nabe, 
to Joseph Lombardi, et al. House 
will continue as film house. 

The Keswick Thckre, Glenside. 
Pa., closed for two years following 
a fire, sold and will be reopened 
by Mel Koff, Glendale Amus. Corp. 

James Henwood, assistant man- 
ager at C9th Street Theatre, Upper 
Darby, Pa., entered the U.S. Army. 

Dante Theatre Co., which oper- 
ates the Dante ancl the Bell, re- 
opening the Sherwood, West Philly 
nabe. . 

Bromley Theatre, Harold Eskin s 
North Philly house, being re- 
modeled into a dance hall. 

Elmer Hollander returned to 
territory as special rep for Distrib- 
utors Corp. of America. 

William Goldman and Lawrence 
Shubert Lawrence, former owners 
of Erlangcr Theatre, took new lease 
on house and plan to use it for 
roadshows and special attractions. 


manager of Queen Theatre at 
Merkle. 

William Lewis, who has managed 
the Melba, Rialto and Capitol The- 
atres here, named new manager of 
Cinerama Theatre here. He suc- 
ceeds Paul Swater who is being 
moved to the Cinerama Theatre 
soon to be opened in Buffalo, N.Y. 

A. T. Boren resigned as city 
manager of the East Texas The- 
atres, Inc., at Henderson. Frank 
Gillespie of Rusk transferred to 
take over duties of Boren. James 
Pryor was named to succeed Gil- 
lispie. 

Sherman L. Hart will replace 
Robert Mann as manager of the 
three Athens theatres. Mann goes 
to the Rio Grande district as man- 
ager of eight houses of the 
Owen Killingsworth estate. 

Mission Theatre property at El 
Paso, sold by Mission Theatres to 
Henry S. Lavis and Sam Weiss for 
$ 20 , 000 . 


CHICAGO 

Roseland Theatre, Roseland, 111., 
Skokie Theatre, Skokie, 111., and 
the Armitage, Chicago, joined Al- 
lied Theatres of Illinois, and now 
will be served by the Allied Buy- 
ing and Booking Dept., it was an- 
nounced by Jack Kirsch, Allied 
prexy. 

Hock Hudson to be feted by New 
Trier Township High School ihe 
attended there) in conjunction 
with the Chicago preem of “Cap- 
tain Lightfoot." 

Max Roth of Capitol Films ac- 
quired the midwest franchise for 
"Martin Luther” popscale show- 
ings. 

Charles Teitel back from N.Y. 
where he acquired “Gate of Hell," 
Japanese pic, to follow “Aida” into 
the World. 

SMPTE convention set for the 
ST. LOUIS Drake Hotel in April. 

„ , D . . • „ ! Universal ran ads for "6 Bridges 

, in P «?t n Tonic ! to Cross" in general news section 

develop 1 <7 acres in St. Lou s n f i n „ a i ciwiotc ratho** thm ymnep. 


of local sheets rather than amuse- 
meilt pages to lure the average 
non-cinema patron. 

CpI. Richard Bregenzer, B&K 
staffer, to resume with circuit 
March 1 after his Army discharge. 

"Country Girl .” which goes into 
the United Artists Feb. 17, gets 
added bally from Grace Kelly who 
will be in city for preem. 

Van Nomikos into Billings Me- 
morial Hospital for observation. 

Dave Wallerstein, B&K veepee, 
chairman of Brotherhood Week 
and Harold Stevens, Paramount, 
distributor chairman, met with 
committee members last Tuesday 
(8) to plan drive kickoff. 


MINNEAPOLIS 


county, with new homes, a 10-acre 
shopping center and a parking lot 
for 500 autos. 

Howard F. Busey sold his inter- 
est in the F.l Fran Theatres, (which 
owned and operated houses in 
Jacksonville. Benton ancl Marion, 

Ill.^to his associate, Benjamin M. 

Montes, who will continue to run 
the houses. 

Joe Beckett, who bought the 
Park Valley, Park, Mo., from the 
Mounds estate last November, in- 
stalled Ben Beckett as manager. 

C. K. Paisley relighted his Mark 
Twain. Perry, Mo. Houses was 
shuttered last December. 

Howard Spiess is new booker and 
buyer for the Midwest theatres 
owned by the Phil Smith interests 
in Boston. Spiess will headquarter 
in St. Louis. 

The old Avenue Theatre building 
in downtown East St. Louis, once 
operated by the late Joe Erber and 
Phd Cohen as a vauder, will be 
razed to make way for a new mod- 
ern building by the new owner, the 
Ruttenherg Building Corp., Chi- 
cago. The house, dark for months, 
was bought in 1951 by the Chicago 
company for a reported $285,000. 

DALLAS 

Max Utay took over operation 
of Ewing Theatre he’re through 
purchase of the property. He re- 
opened house with a dual policy. 

Jacksboro Drive-In, Fort Worth, 
operated by Ezell & Associates, is 
being enlarged to a 1,500-car ca- 
pacity. 

Albert Flores, from the Unviersal 
exchange, added as booker at the 
Metro exhange. 

Rodney Kempf, former assistant 
manager of the Empire, San An- 
tonio, operated by Trans-Texas 
Theatres, joined the Marines. 

Osar Garza, who formerly 
managed Rex Theatre at Mission, 
opened the Rex in San Juan, where 
he will feature Spanish language 
films. 

Texas Theatre at Smithville re- 1 for an undisclosed sum. 
opened by G. A. Lockwood, man- 
ager, after being closed for face- 
lifting. 

A reeent fire caused $40,000 dam- 
age to the Airway Theatre here. 


at St. Paul Paramount outgrossed 
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” 
which had chalked up biggest re- 
cent years' take at house. 

Amazing "Mr. Hulot’s Holiday” 
went into seventh week at local 
fine arts Westgate, where it’s hav- 
ing firstrun here. 

Harry B. French, United Para- 
mount Theatres p^exy here, still 
confined to his home by virus ail- 
ment. 

Martin Lebedoff, circuit owner, 
considering offer to join coaching 
staff of professional Los Angeles 
Rams of which his sidekick, Sid 
Gillman of Minneapolis, was re- 
cently appointed head coach. 


PITTSBURGH 

Louis E. Ilanna Theatre Serv- 
ice merged with the Bert M. Stearn 
Cooperative outfit, Riving combo 
representation for 135 accounts in 
western Pennsylvania and West 
Virginia. Hanna office will be 
abandoned, with headquarters be- 
ing maintained at Co-Op. 

Pete DeFazio, former WB sales- 
man here, returned to his home 
town as salesman for Par, having 
been transferred from that com- 
pany’s Indianapalis office; will 
covc-r the Main Line and Erie ter- 
ritories. 

Ellis Brothers, owners and oper- 
ators of Ellis Drive-In near Clarks- 
burg, W. Va., bought the Sunset 
Drive-In at Meadowbrook from 
Alex Silay and Steve Medve, Jr. 

Rivoli in Altoona leased by Saul 
I. Perilman and his associates from 
Ray Allison, who is retiring from 
exhibition and moving to Florida. 
Perilman group also acquired the 
Penn in Blairsville recently. He’s 
leaving his WB sales post here and 
will move to Altoona. 

Tom Morris returned to his old 
job of manager at the Melrose af- 
ter two years in the service. 

Marshall Peterson, an executive 
of the Union City Theatre Corp., 
which has operated the Palace in 
Union City since 1927, sold house 
to Eugene Gallagher of James 
town, N.Y. 

Lawrence Carettie resigned as 
booker for Cooperative Theatres to 
join WB as its salesman in West 
Virginia. Main Line and Erie 
areas, formerly covered by Saul I. 
Perilman, who quit recently, will 
be taken over by David Weir, who 
has been handling West Virginia. 

Eastwood Theatre’s years-old 
conspiracy suit against a flock of 
distributors, which was scheduled 
for hearing Feb. 15 in Federal 
Court, postponed for four months. 

Tristate Drive-In Theatres Assn., 
elected Jack Judd, manager of Col 
exchange, to board of directors and 
reelected Joe Volpe, Gabe Rubin 
and Jimmy Nash Sr. 

Jack Dolde, who was assistant 
manager at the Ritz before he went 
into the service two years ago, is 
back and has been named assistant 
to Walter Kessler at the Broad, 
Columbus, O. 


North Central Allied to hold its 
annual convention at Hotel Nicol- 
let here May 2-3, a week earlier 
than originally planned. 

Norman Levinson from Chicago 
appointed Metro exploitcer out of 
Minneapolis, succeeding Harry 
Sears, who resigned to join Film- 
mack. 

United Artists here in second 
place in third division for third lap 
of Robert S. Benjamin sales drive. 

Nothing affecting film biz 
dropped into hopper as yet at Min- 
nesota state legislature session. 

Recent cinema collections for 
Northwest Variety club heart hos- 
pital now total $19,000, with 238 
of 447 participating houses report- 
ing. 

RKO exploiteer Ralph Banghart 
here engineering publicity cam- 
paigns for "Underwater” and 
"Americano. ,, 

Jack Cohen, one-time 20th-Fox 
branch manager and more recent- 
ly in business for himself, back 
with film company as salesman out 
of Kansas City. 

Two of St. Paul’s largest deluxe 
nabe houses changed hands re- 
cently. Maitland Frosch and S. P. 
Jones, St. Paul manufacturer, 
acquired the lease on the im- 
portant St. Paul Midtown theatre 


LOS ANGELES 

Metropolitan Theatres * Corp., 
which already owns two houses in 
Santa Barbara, acquired two others 
and an eight-story office and store 
building via purchase of all theatre 
interests of the Stanley-Warner 
Circuit there. Deal for 1.700-seat 
Granada and 900-seat California 
theatres has been under way since 
last fall. 

The Iris on Hollywood Blvd., 
refurbished and equipped to handle 
any type projection, has reopened. 


Martin Lebedoff, local exhibitor, 
bought the Capitol, another St. 
Paul nabe, from United Paramount. 

Norm Levinson, assistant man- 
ager of Loew’s Poll theatre, Hart- 


Inside of house was gutted and ; ford. Conn., installed as Metro ex- 


roof collapsed. 


ploiteer out of Minneapolis by 


William O’Donnell, general man- i Ivan Fuldauer, division exploiteer, 
ager of Trans-Texas Theatres, has here to get him started, 
announced that circuit’s Capitol | Bennie Berger, local circuit 
Theatre at Amarillo will not be re- owner, made deal for conversion 


built. It was recently destroyed by 
fire. 

A new 500-car ozoner, the San 
Marcos Drive-In, opened by Bob 
and Leroy Ottvvell at San Marcos. 
M. E. Hamm bought the Texan 


of one of his two Fergus Falls, 
Minn., conventional theatres, the 
"B” house, for commercial pur- 
poses. Berger had operated house 
for 19 years. 

„ , Fay Dressell, RKO branch man- 

Theatre at Mesquite. He recently ager. under observation in St. 
sold the Hunt and Trail Drive-In Mary’s hospital 


REGINA, SASK. 

Drive-ins on the wideopen 
prairies of Saskatchewan now num- 
ber 37 according to latest count. 
Three of them are near here and 
three are located near Saskatoon, 
the largest cities in the province. 

Lawrence Koshieff has opened 
the Lux, a 350-seat house at Hines 
Creek, Alta. House is built so seat- 
ing can be boosted to 420. 

Built at a cost of $200,000, the 
Tower Theatre has been opened in 
Yorkton, Sask., by Provincial Labor 
Minister C. C. Williams. Theatre 
is owned by Nathan Rothstein, 

E resident of Rothstein Theatres, 
td., and his son, Dave, of Win- 
nipeg. Roy Smith is manager of 
house. It is the Rothsteins’ 12th 
theatre in western Canada. 


which he owned and operated at 
Greenville, Tex. 


DES MOINES 

Personnel changes at Tri-States 
Theatre Corp. here transfer Bill 
Gardner, formerly manager of 
Strand, Waterloo, Iowa, to Des 
Moines as house manager of the 
Des Moines theatre. Don Nei- 
baum, a new man with company, 
will manage the Strand, Waterloo. 

Ted Emerson, who has been 
manager of the Omaha, Omaha, is 
retiring, with Carl Hoffman, for- 
merly part-time manager at the 
Hiland, nabe in Des Moines, will 
Watertown’s (S.D.) Junior Cham- succeeding Emerson in Omaha. 


ber of Commerce voted Al Fritz, 


Robert Hodge, recently dis- cinema owner, "boss of year!” 


Charged from the Air Force, nowi 11 White Christmas’' in first week » hood house. 


Richard Wilson named manager 
of Tri-States’ Ingersoll, neighbor- 


Amusement Stock Quotations 

(N.Y. Stock Exchange i 


For Week Ending Tuesday (15) 

Net 


1954-’55 

Weekly Vol.Weekly 

Weekly 

Tues. 

Chans e 

Hi*h 

Low 

in 100s 

High 

Low 

Close 

for week 

27 % 

14% 

Am Br-Par Th 500 

27% 

25% 

27% - 

4-1% 

941/4 

41% 

CBS, "A” ... 22 

90% 

85% 

88% 

4-174 

9334 

41% 

CBS, "B” ... 19 

88% 

84% 

87% 

43% 

391/4 

19% 

Col. Pix 162 

38% 

/ 36 

37% „ 

41 

18% 

91/4 

Decca 406 

16% 

1474 

16% 

41% 

7 4 3/4 

46% 

Eastman Kdk. Ill 

70 

68 

69% 

41% 

22 

13% 

Loew’s 820 

21 

19% 

2034 \ 

4 1 

1<H4 

6% 

Nat. Thea. .. 158 

10 

9 >4 

934 

4 % 

40% 

26% 

Paramount . . 77 

39% 

38% 

38% 

— 

39% 

28 

Philco 98 

37% 

36% 

37% 

4 % 

42ii 

22% 

RCA . . . . 371 

42 

40% 

4134 

41% 

874 

2% 

RKO Piets. . . 56 

7% 

7% 

7 3 4 


10% 

4% 

RKO Thea. . . 129 

9% 

9% 

9% 

4 1 4 

7 V4 

3 

Republic . . . 157 

7% 

634 

7% 

4 % 

143,4 

10% 

Rep., pfd. ... 9 

14% 

14% 

14% 

— 

21% 

11% 

Stanley War. 219 

22% 

21% 

22 

4 % 

31% 

18% 

20th-Fox .... 252 

293/4 

28% 

29 

4 % 

32V4 

18% 

Univ. Pix. ... 49 

3034 

28% 

30% 

41 

91 

63% 

Univ., pfd. ..*100 

8874 

8874 

8874 

—1% 

21% 

13% 

Warner Bros.. 106 

19% 

18% 

19 

4 % 

96 

63% 

Zenith 102 

91 

88% 

90% 

42 



A merlcnn Stock Exchange 



6 

3% 

Allied Artists 57 

5% 

474 

5 

— % 

11% 

934 

Ail’d Art., pfd. 30 

11% 

1074 

11 

— % 

16% 

9% 

Du Mont ... 249 

15V4 

147k 

15% 


16% 

113/4 

Technicolor . 192 

153/4 

15% 

15% 

_ 

4% 

2% 

Trans-Lux ... 12 

374 

3% 

374 

4 % 



Over-the-Counter Securities 







Bid 

Ask 


Capitol Records 


. 16% 

17% 

_* 

Chesapeake Industries 


. 4% 

5 

4 % 

Cinerama Inc 


. 2% 

3 

— % 

Cinerama 

Prod 


. 5% 

6 

— % 

Official Films 


. 374 

474 

4 % 

Polaroid . . 



. 4"" 

49 


Skiatron 



. 4% 

474 

4 % 

U. A. 

Theatres 


. 16% 

18% 

4 74 

Walt 

Disney 


. 20% 

22 

— % 


(Quotations furnished by Dreyfus A Co.t 


* Actual volume. 


Oomphless Oscar 

_ Continued from pace 3 . 

nation in the proceedings. With 
very few exceptions, execs opined 
that it was a mistake to let an 
“outsider” produce a show such as 
this. The nominations program 
was bankrolled by Oldsmobile. 

One or two of the N. Y. ad-pub 
toppers took the view that, what- 
ever its shortcomings, the awards 
show served an "upbeat” purpose 
in that it stimulated interest in pix, 
the industry and its personalities. 
They felt, too, that the individual 
plugs on the program afforded mil- 
lions worth of free publicity. "It 
was a shot in the arm either way 
you look at it,” was one comment. 

That this feeling was not gener- 
ally shared was obvious from the 
tenor of other comments. 

"What’s the use of putting on a 
personality show when half the 
personalities you expect to see 
aren’t there,” asked one exec. "The 
whole thing produced the impres- 
sion that the film colony just 
wasn’t interested in what was going 
on. It was a sad spectacle.” 

Another observed that the pro- 
gram seriously detracted from the 
public’s interest in the actual "Os- 
car” awards ceremonies in March, 
which also will be televised. 
"We’ve got to be able to do better 
than that.” he said. "People just 
aren’t interested in a lot of 
strangers getting up and being 
nominated for something that no- 
body really understands what it’s 
all about. The technical awards 
are part of the Academy, of course, 
but why bore a nationwide pub- 
lic with them. All they want to 
see are the stars and maybe the 
directors. An hour’s show could 
well have taken care of that.” 

There was much unfavorable 
comment about Louella Parsons 
whose on-camera behavior ap- 
peared to elicit considerable view- 
er amusement mixed with em- 
barrassment. Jack Webb’s m.c. 
chores came In for praise. 

Again and again the view was 
expressed by industryites in N. Y. 
that the industry should make at 
least an initial effort to produce 
its own Academy show. "It’s a 
shame to waste such an Important 
public relations event without 
bringing to it the kind of know- 
how which only Hollywood has,” 
said one exec. 

While this sentiment was widely 
echoed, at least one dissenter 
thought the industry could never 
get together on such a project, and 
that it was just as well to let an 
outsider do the job. "At least then 
there’s none of the inevitable 
wrangling over who’s first, second 
or third.” he observed. 

Saturday s show was seen by a 


I American Broadcasting, 
Stanley Hold Up Well 
In Slack Stock Market 

By MIKE WEAR 

Stock market was a rather dis- 
appointing affair for many issues 
last week. Most issues in the 
Amusement Group held firm but 
did not get far although American 
Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres 
and Stanley-Warner went to new 
high ground. Otherwise film 
shares made little progress. Stan- 
ley-Warner new peak apparently 
was predicated on the generally 
good reaction to "Cinerama Holi- 
day” at the N. Y. Warner, indicat- 
ing a big audience for this second 
release in the Fred Waller process. 

Despite the fact that it has been 
making fresh highs week after 
week, ABC-Par again pushed ahead 
to 27%, another new peak during 
the past week. Stock was up near- 
ly one point for the session. Op- 
timistic reports regarding the 
company’s future admittedly are 
back of this continued enthusiasm 
for the shares. 

ABC-Par net for 1954 is ex- 
pected to show $1.10 or thereabouts 
per common share which covers 
the present $1 per year dividend. 
However, recent advances by the 
stock apparently are based on fu- 
ture income prospects. While the 
first quarter this year is only about 
half completed, Wall Street hears 
that the March quarter would run 
far ahead of 1954. One report 
was that this first quarter alone 
would easily top the 40c. showed 
for the first two quarters last year. 

General Precision Equipment 
continued at recent amazingly 
high levels, holding around 57 and 
58 to wind up practically un- 
changed. RCA held near the old 
high of 42%. National Theatres 
displayed great strength despite a 
disappointing earnings statement, 
finishing most daily sessions near 
10, just fractionally away frem 
the 1954-55 high. 

Paramount Pictures improved 
on additional activity. Universal 
held better than most film issues 
outside of Par. Decca was up more 
tharf a point on the week. 

Technicolor had a sharp if small 
runup early in the week, and held 
much of its gain around 15%. EMI 
continued near the year’s high of 
536. Shares of this company have 
continued near the year’s high af- 
ter the offer to buy Capitol Records 
control was announced several 
weeks ago. 


surprisingly large number of 
people in the film companies and 
in exhibition. On the whole, their 
reaction was the same — it was 
quite a disappointment. 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 




RUSSELL DOWNING 

Managing Director of 
Radio City Music Hall 


THE BIGGEST PICTURE FOR THE BIGGEST THEATRE I 

When the Music Hall seehs an attraction for the most important 
playing time of the year, the Easter holidays, it selects the finest 
entertainment the industry can offer. All over the nation too, M-G-M's 
• "THE GLASS SLIPPER" will enthrall audiences at Easter time. 

☆ 





Af-G-M presents tlru 
perfect entertainment 
for the Easter holiJai 


It is predicted tha[ 
Leslie Caron *s new 
picture will be on 
10 Best lists, just 

ttr •/.*# 

a§ Li II was . 


A screenful of romance, music, spectacle 
in radiant COLOR starring 


Keenan WYNN • Estelle WINWOOD • Elsa LANCHESTER • Barry JONES 

Written For tlie Screen hy HELEN DEUTSCH • Ballet* l>y ROLAND PETIT • Featuring BALLET d# PARIS • Photographed in EASTMAN COLOR 

Directed hy CHARLES WALTERS • Produced hy EDWIN H. KNOPF 


(Artilable in Pe raped* Stereophonic or 1 -Channel Sound) 







20 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 16,’ 1955 


PhiDy Poster Case Reaches Top Court 


1942 Consent Decree in Issue as Lawler-Pantzer 
Challenge National Screen Service Sub-License 


-• j!/ S • * 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

The U. S. Supreme Court must 
decide whether the exclusive ar- 
rangement between the eight 
major film distributors and National 
Screen Service, under which NSS 
sub-licenses smaller poster rental 
firms, violates the antitrust laws 
and gives other sub - licensees 
grounds for damage suits. 

The case was brought before the 
High Court last week in the appeal 
of Independent Poster Exchange, 
of Philadelphia, a sub-licensee, 
which claims it was compelled by 
economic pressure to accept a sub- 
license and agree to an NSS con- 
sent decree in 1942. Tl>is ended 
an earlier antitrust suit brought 
by a group of small poster rental 
companies against National Screen 
Service after it had been made 
exclusive distributor of posters by 
Paramount, Loew’s and RKO. 
Subsequently, Columbia, Warners, 
20th, United Artists and Universal 
signed similar agreements. 

In his argument, Francis Ander- 
son, attorney for Independent 
Poster Exchange and its owners, 
Charles Lawler and Mitchell Pant- 
zer, declared his clients took a 
sub-license as their only way to 
stay in business but that it was 
"an enslaving document” which 
limits them to operation in the 
Philadelphia area. 

He said there was a right to sue 
again, despite the 1942 consent 
decree, because of continued anti- 
trust law violation by National 
Screen and because five more 
studios had signed exclusivity 
contracts with NSS subsequent to 
1942. making it a different case. 
He added that the consent decree 
was not a full court determination 
of the facts. 

Earl G. Harrison, attorney for 
the eight distributors, rebutted by 
pointing out that the 1942 treble 
damage suit also asked an injunc- 
tion to prevent any of the remain- 
ing five distributors from signing 
exclusive agreements with NSS. 
Hence, he added, the consent 
decree and sub-lieense also covered 
those firms. 

Louis Nizer, counsel for National 
Screen, took the broad view that 
the 1942 decree estopped Inde- 
pendent Poster from reopening any 
of the issues, since it had been 
okayed voluntarily by Independent. 
He told the court: 

"For 12 years they insisted on 
performance of the contract — tak- 
ing the benefits W'ith one hand, and 
now’ saying there were a lot of 
detrimenfs. They say they were 
obliged to sign by reason of duress. 
This question was first raised six 
years after the agreement. They 
have very slow reflexes.” 

Several questions, by Justices of 
the Supreme Court, hinted at the 
possibility that there might be a 
difference between those defend- 
ants actually in the 1942 decree 
and the other five distributors. This 
might mean that Independent 
could not sue NSS, Loew’s RKO 
and Paramount, but could proceed 

against the other five distributors. 
♦ 

Private Settlement Ends 
Metro Theatres Vs. Loew 

Los Angeles, Feb. 15. 

Appeal in antitrust suit filed by 
Metropolitan Theatres, Inc., 
against Loew’s Inc., and six ma- 
jors was dismissed by Ninth Cir- 
cuit Court because of a compro- 
mise settlement for a "substan- 
tial” undisclosed amount. 

Theatre company in May, 1952, 
filed complaint asking damages of 
$900,000 against the seven majors 
in connection with product for its 
Downtown Orpheum theatre. On 
Oct. 4, 1954, Federal Judge Harry 
C. Westover ordered a directed 
verdict against the plaintiff. 


New York Theatre 


-RADIO CUT MUSIC HUt_ 

Rockefeller Center 

“JUPITER’S DARLING’* 

in CimimSn* and c«<«r starring 
Utfe* WILIIAMS • Howard KEEL 
Margt & Gower CHAMPION • George SANOEKS 
AN M-GM PICTURE 

«nd SHtTACmi SUK m&VTATMN 


Hardly Casual 

. Albany, Feb. 15. 

The longest retord of con- 
tinuous service with a distribu- 
tion company in Albany end- 
ed last week, when Mrs. Marie 
B. Eddy retired as cashier for 
Paramount, after 34 years of 
work. She was succeeded by 
Marge Doran, booker’s secre- 
tary, who is herself rounding 
out a third decade with Para- 
mount. 

Mrs. Eddy was honored at a 
Christmas party. 

‘Gangbusters’ Sets 
Release With 14 
Statesrighters 

General Teleradio, after an 
initial success with states rights 
distribution in the New England 
area, has selected this method of 
releasing "Gangbusters,” its first 
full-length feature, in other sec- 
tions of the country. Except for the 
south, deals have been set with 
some 14 states righters, with GT 
receiving a $300,000 advance. 

Fear that the picture "would fall 
into a slot” and be handled like 
a second feature if given to a major 
distrib led to the decision to re- 
lease the pic via the local distribs. 
In contrast to the deal set with 
states righters, a major distrib 
wanted a 30% distribution fee, plus 
50% of the profits after the pro- 
duction cost was recouped. 

GT. under the direction of Terry 
Turner, will handle the exploita- 
tion of the picture, employing the 
radio-tv saturation technique used 
successfully in the New England 
how. "If it’s treated right.” said 
Turner, "it can come out with ‘A’ 
grosses.” He feels that the states 
righters “will fight like hell” to 
get their money out since thev’ve 
made the advance payment. The 
advertising-exploitation costs. Tur- 
ner indicated, will come off the 
top. 

GT prexv Tom O’Neil (General 
Tire-Mutual Network), seeing the 
potential of theatrical films, in- 
tends to remain in the business, 
according to Turner. Upcoming is 
a dubbed foreign picture which GT 
will also distribute via states 
righters, using a similar radio-tv 
campaign as with "Gangbusters.” 
In addition, O’Neil is considering 
making full-length films from some 
of the Phillips Lord properties he 
acquired. High on the list is a film 
version of "Counterspy.” Also a 
se^es of "Gangbusters” film. 

The "Gangbusters” film cur- 
rently being distributed was origi- 
nally made for television. Several 
sequences were strung together, 
a number of scenes, a prolog, and 
a musical score were added to 
make a 75-minute feature. Accord- 
ing to Turner, the picture won’t 
be released to television for. three 
years. It was produced by Visual 
Drama, a GT subsid. 

RANK EXPANDS THEATRE 
IN NORTHERN IRELAND 

London, Feb. 15. 

A major theatre expansion plan 
by the J. Arthur Rank Organization 
in Northern Ireland developed last 
w'eek. Rank has assumed control 
of 11 picture houses operated by 
Irish Theatres, Ltd., and is to op- 
erate them under a new company 
to be known as Odeon (Northern 
Ireland) Ltd. George Lodge, for- 
merly in charge of booking, is to 
be managing director of the new 
outfit. 

Six of the theatres are in Belfast 
and the remaining five are scat- 
tered in other parts of Northern 
Ireland. The Rank group also re- 
ports that it is obtaining control of 
another theatre now being built at 
Finaghy, and additionally, is to 
build a new first run theatre in Bel- 
fast. 

The Rank development program 
also provides for building a new 
firstrun house in Harlow New 
Town for restoring nine theatres 
damaged during the war. 


ACTIVITIES OF 
VARIETY CLUBSJ 

New Orleans Tent Gets 
Variety Charter No. 45 

New Orleans. 

The newly - organized Variety 
Club of New Orleans, Tent 45, re- 
ceived its charter at ceremonies at 
a banquet at the Jung Hotel last 
week. Charter was presented by 
George Hoover, Miami, Fla., inter- 
national barker, and accepted by 
Page M. Baker, Chief Barker of 
the new tent here. Governor Rob- 
ert Kennon of Louisiana was made 
the first honorary member. 

Hoover and Bob O’Donnell, Dal- 
las, Tex., former international chief 
barker, traced the development of 
the organization. 

Others participating in program 
were Seymour Wefss, Rev. Edward 
F. Murphy, Irwin F. Poche and 
C. A. Dolsen. Rudy Vallee, Ted 
Lewis and Fernanda Montel, cur- 
rently at night spots here, supplied 
the entertainment. 


All Variety Club Tents 
Raised $3,000,000 in ’54 


Minneapolis, Feb. 15. 

Tents of Variety Clubs Interna- 
tional raised and distributed for 
philanthropy a total sum of more 
than $3,000,000 in 1954, it was re- 
vealed here by George Hoover, 
Miami, Fla., its chief barker. He 
was here as guest of honor at local 
Tent No. 12’s 21st birthday dinner. 
Hoover declared that the tent’s 
heart hospital on the Minnesota 
U campus is "one of three out- 
standing charities in all Variety.” 

The Minneapolis Tent now has 
turned over in excess of $800,000 
for the project, one of the world’s 
few hospitals devoted exclusively 
to the treatment of heart ailments 
and research in that field. 

LeRoy J. Miller and Arthur W. 
Anderson, Tent No. 12 Chief Bark- 
er and heart hospital committee 
chairman, respectively, announced 
the club’s 1954 contribution to the 
hospital was more than $70,000. 
It is committed to a $25,000 mini- 
mum contribution. 


Confused Stars 


And That’s That! 

Memphis, Feb. 15. 

Memphis censor czar Lloyd 
Binford is sticking to his "ban- 
ning guns” on Ingrid Bergman 
when he flatly refused to green 
light the 1941 -re-release "Dr. 
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” for 
showing here. 

"The picture 19 alright,” the 
88-year-old censor said, "but 
Miss Bergman is an immoral 
[ woman and we Just don’t want 
any movies with her in the 
cast in this city.” 

N.Y. Variety Tent Vacates 
Little-Used Penthouse, 
Concentrates on Lunches 

Inaugurating a new policy, the 
Variety Club of N. Y. kicked off 
its new season yesterday (Tues.) 
with the first of a series of lunch- 
eon meetings. These sessions, cf 
which four or five will be held 
during the year, will take the 
place of maintaining "expensive 
quarters which are not adequately 
used by the membership.” Previ- 
ous GHQ of the org was a pent- 
house suite In the Hotel Piccadilly. 

Teeoff meeting under new poli- 
cy, held at Toots Shor’s, witnessed 
the election of William J. German 
as chief barker. Edward L. Fabian, 
who left the top post, was named 
first assistant. Other officers elect- 
ed included Larry Morris, second 
assistant; Martin Levine, property 
master, and Jack Hoffberg, dough 
guy. 

Selected canvassmen were 
George W. Brandt, Bernard P. 
Brooks, Emil Friedlander, Leon- 
ard Gruenberg, Harold J. Klein, 
Ira Meinhardt, Maurice J. Miller, 
Charles L. Okun, Harold Rinzler,” 
Jack Rosenfeld, Alfred W. Schwal- 
berg. Cy Seymour, Spyros S. Skou- 
ras, Solomon S. Strausberg, Mor- 
ton Sunshine, Saul Trauner, 
George Waldman, William West- 
phal and Max E. Youngstein. 


JOHN DUERKOP REPS 
CANADA’S BOARD IN N.Y. 

John Duerkop has been appoint- 
ed as the National Film Board of 
Canada’s senior U. S. rep, replac- 
ing Thomas L. Johnston, who is 
transferred to Ottawa to become 
the Board’s information and pro- 
motion division topper. 

Duerkop formerly was in charge 
of the Board’s Chicago office. He’ll 
be succeeded there by W. Dean 
Smith from the Halifax office. 


Continued from page 3 

ment for the personal appear- 
ances. The bally activity gets in- 
volved in many legal aspects, and 
the film companies require the 
stars to sign special p.a. contracts 
or waivers, on occasion, stipulating 
that payment is not forthcoming 
for the work. In most instances, a 
favorable expense arrangement is 
worked out, allowing the perform- 
er to enjoy the sights of N. Y. at 
the expense of a particular studio. 

Perhaps the best example of the 
scramble for the news photo at the 
airport and the film credit was the 
arrival in N. Y. of Grace Kelly not 
too long ago. No less than three 
studios had reps at the airport, and 
a real hassle developed among the 
rivals. Miss Kelly was met by 
Metro, which holds her contract, 
Warner Bros., for whom she made 
"Dial M for Murder,” and Para- 
mount, the studio that starred her 
in "Rear Window.” Only last week 
WB and Metro were in a tug of-war 
for Anne Francis in the interests 
of "Battje Cry” and "Bay Day at 
Black Rock,” respectively, both of 
which preemed in the same week. 

It’s getting so that the ballyhooli- 
gans are getting accustomed to the 
space battle. Sometimes it works 
out for the benefit of all con- 
cerned. In some instances, how- 
ever, one studio has to suffer. 


Gangster Cycle 

SSS Continued from page 4 

harming U. S. prestige abroad. 
Foreign manager of one of the com- 
panies recently commented that too 
many subjects featuring violence in 
contemporary American life were 
being exported. "We’re guilty of it 
ourselves,” he said. "I personally 
know that there are still a lot of 
people in Europe who think you 
can’t walk down a Chicago street 
without danger of being caught in 
the middle of a gang-war.” 


St. Louis Repeals 2-Man 
Ordinance for Booths 

St. Louis, Feb. 15. 

The local Board of Aldermen 
last week passed an ordinance \o- 
viding for one-man operation in 
projection booths of St. Louis pix 
houses and it is anticipated by Hiz- 
zoner Raymond R. Tucker will sign 
the document. The new ordinance 
replaces one that required two men 
in each booth and was enacted into 
law in the 1930’s. The new bill was 
introduced by Alderman William 
Brady who said it was at the re- 
quest of theatre owners. 

The bill was not objected to by 
officers and members of IATSE, 
Local No. 143 which recently 
signed a new-five year with theatre 
owners. The new contract provides 
for one-man projectionists in the 
nabes and small indies in the city 
and adjacent St. Louis County but 
two-man projectionists in the de- 
luxers. 

A retirement fund for projec- 
tionists also is included in the new 
pact with the theatre owners pay- 
ing 5% of the worker’s pay into 
the fund. The details of which are 
now being worked out by repre- 
sentatives of the theatres and the 
union. 


Wren Buys for Viking 

Philadelphia, Feb. 15. 

Jay Wren, film buyer and city 
manager of American Broadcast- 
ing-Paramount’s local theatres, has 
been named general manager and 
film buyer of the Viking, Philly’s 
newest firstrun house, and the su- 
burban Locust Theatre. 

In charge of AB-Par’s local 
houses since February, 1952, W’ren 
previously was ad-pub director and 
film buyer for the Paramount- 
Adams interests in Newark and 
Paterson. N. J. He’ll move into his 
new post March 1 according to 
[ Harry Sley, prez of the Viking 
| Theatre Corp. 


Pre-Sell Testing, 
Nationals Tieup, 
To Run 60 Days 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

A 60-day trial period to deter- 
mine the most advantageous means 
of obtaining pre-selling impact for 
pictures will be conducted by Na- 
tional Theatres in cooperation w ith 
studio publicity departments. Some 
50 cities, ranging upwards from 
20,000 in population, will find the- 
atre managers handling publicity 
planting, instead of studios. 

Notice of the part they are to 
play in the plan was sent in the 
form of a letter to all district man- 
agers by National Theatres prexy 
Elmer C. Rhoden, who committed 
the circuit to the idea after a re- 
cent meeting with studio publicity 
directors and their representatives. 

Rhoden instructed managers that 
the pre-selling job must not be con- 
fined only to pictures to play their 
houses, but that they are to help 
competitors as well so. that a 
thorough test can be made on all 
pictures. 


KIND CENSORS KEY TO 
COAST ART PIX PREEMS 

Reversing what almost amounts 
to a tradition in the foreign film 
field, some of the importers have 
begun to launch their foreign lin- 
gualers on the Coast, working 
their way eastwards until they 
finally hit N.Y. 

Some of the pix handled that 
way, and specifically “One Sum- 
mer of Happiness” and "The Sin- 
ner,” have done well at the b.o., 
with "Summer” particularly gar- 
nering an impressive array of out- 
of-town dates. It still hasn’t hit 
N.Y. 

In the olden days, the indie 
felt that a N.Y. launching was an 
absolute "must” for any foreign 
pic. It’s still that way for the artier 
productions, but the N.Y. censor 
has put a crimp into the style of 
the foreign "exploitation” features. 

"When you have a film like that, 
what’s the use of launching it in 
N.Y., with all the sexy parts cut 
out by’ the censor and the critics 
writing sarcastic reviews,” was one 
comment last week. "It’s better to 
start the picture off out-of-town 
where there are fewer restrictions, 
give it a really big buildup, and 
then bring it into New York." 

Accompanying this kind of rea- 
soning has been the attempt to 
switch ports of entry, too. Latest 
example to get out from under the 
scrutiny of N.Y. Customs offi- 
cials came when "Dominica.” a 
French import, was brought in via 
San Francisco. Government offi- 
cials on the Coast took a dim view 
of nude scenes in the film and 
refused to okay its importation. 

Indies are using other ports, 
however, to get nude sequences 
into the country. In some cases the 
objectionable footage has been cut 
up and sent in via the mails for 
reassembly lat^r on. "The Sinner,” 
for instance, was passed by N.Y. 
Customs without the nude scene 
but later played dates with it. It’s 
agreed that some other ports are 
far more lenient in passing on pic 
imports. 

* 

Reade Cuts Admish For 
Aged in Test to Hike Biz 

Part of a move to encourage 
theatre attendance by people in 
the older age group, Walter Reade 
circuit houses in Plainfield and 
Freehold, N.J., are offering sub- 
stantially reduced admission prices 
for "senior citizens,” i.e. persons 
over 65. 

With the expectation that most 
recipients will be in the limited 
income class, special individual 
discount cards are to be distributed 
to elderly people via welfare 
agencies, recreational groups and 
other orgs working with older age 
groups. 

During the test period, which 
runs through next September, card 
holders will be admitted to all 
Reade theatres in the two N J- 
communities anytime but weekends 
and on holidays at child admission 
prices. If the experiment is suc- 
cessful, it’ll be extended to all 
Reade houses next fall. 



Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


RADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


21 


IT’S GREAT TO 


BE A ‘LIVE* 


October Revolution 

If New York City's Mayor Robert F. Wagner and his supporters 
succeed in pushing through a one-month extension of daylight 
saving time through October, there are apprehensions that it could 
well foment something akin to a revolution on the commercial tv 
front, with the big money spent on video in October at stake. 

While the move to extend daylight saving through October from 
the last Saturday in September would not be too vital to tv if 
limited to N. Y., fears are expressed that Mayor Wagner’s actions 
could well influence the rest of the nation in doing likewise. 

There’s already a precedent in tv for what can happen. Last 
year’s experimental extension in New England not only upset pro- 
gram schedules, since- it threw Boston area reception of network 
shows completely out of kilter, but it hurt locai tv considerably 
since fewer people stayed in the house for pre-dark programs. 

It’s fpared that an end-of-October return to standard time will 
raise havoc with all ratings on before-sundown programming in 
particular, but even more important, may invite a prolongation of 
“summertime thinking” on the part of sponsors, with curtailed 
budgets and extension of hiatus periods and summer replacement 
shows. That any such daylight time extension would invite a tv 
billings decrease is regarded as inevitable. 


Lipton’s You Gotta Be Loyal’ 


Wants No Part of ‘Talent Scouts’ Expanding To Full 

Hour For Wed. Slotting 

. 4 - — 


Although there have been talks 
of expanding Arthur Godfrey’s 
“Talent Scouts” into a full hour 
showcase and shifting it to Wednes- 
day night as replacement for “God- 
frey & Friends” (with Godfrey in- 
stalling his own new half-hour 
show in the Monday 8:30 slot), Lip- 
ton Tea apparently wants no part 
of it. As result, it’s likely that 
nothing will happen. 

Lipton, in fact, feels that it rates 
priority on attention and consid- 
eration, considering the fact that 
it was one of Godfrey’s initial 
sponsors, staying with him through 
the years, and even though “Tal- 
ent Scouts” is a CBS-TV property 
there’s still such a thing as loyalty 
in the medium. 

Several sponsors, ' it’s known, 
have broached Godfrey and CBS 
on maneuvering the shifts. 

Aunt Jenny Folds 
After 18-Year Run 

“Aunt Jenny,” one of the radio 
daytime serial perennials with a 
record of 18 years running time 
behind it. calls it quits after the 
March 11 broadcast, when Lever 
Bros, checks oft the longrunning 
soaper. 

Show has been coming out of the 
Foote, Cone & Belding agency 
stable, with producer Ira Ashley 
checking out when the show folds. 

Agnes Ybung has been playing 
the femme lead for the past three 
years. Prior to that the late Edith 
Spencer played the role for 15 
years. 

Cancellation hits CBS Radio's 
otherwise strong bloc of daytimfe 
soapers that stretches from 11:30 
a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Chrysler’s ‘Lay Off 
The Scary Stuff’ Cues 
‘Climax’ Story Switch 

Assignment of Martin Manulis 
to produce the Thursday night 
“Climax” series on CBS-TV as re- 
placement for Bretaigne Windust 
(Manulis left for the Coast over 
the weekend to take up his new 
chores) will also mark a change in 
the basic format of the hour-long 
show. Because the sponsor, Chrys- 
ler, has been discontent with the 
restrictive suspense-horror formula, 
there will be a drastic switch in 
story material designed to accent 
adventure and emotional climaxes 
rather than stark melodrama. 

Manulis’ initially-produced show, 
scheduled for first Thursday in 
March, will be Ring Lardner’s 
“Champion.” It will be adapted 
by Rod Serling, who wrote the 
widely heralded “Patterns” for 
Kraft “TV Theatre” which was 
repeated live last week. 

New associate producer of 
Climax” series is Edgar Peterson, 


Kenny Delmar’s Soaper 

Kenny Delmar, radio’s Senator 
Claghorn, goes into a regular role 
on the CBS daytimer, “The Second 
Mrs. Burton.” He kicks off in the 
soaper next Wednesday (23) for 
his initial daytime serial stint. 

Delmar has been doing the Am- 
erican Tobacco plugs for the last 
15 years and currently is the 
“voice” of Herbert Tareyton. 


Caesar to NBC: 
Render Unto Me 
Weekly in ’55-’56 

Things have been picking up to 
such an appreciable degree on the 
Monday night 8 to 9 Sid Caesar 
show, particularly since Napettes 
Fabray has solidly entrenched her- 
self in the format, that the comic 
wants to get off the three-weeks 
out-of-four hook and go weekly. 
(Program this season is being pre- 
empted once a month to make room 
for the “Producers Showcase” 
spec.) 

To top it off, Caesar has made it 
emphatic that he wants no part of 
the live-to-film trend and is happy 
the way things are. With Jackie 
Gleason cutting to a half-hour (on 
film ) and Milton Berle threatening 
to do likewise, Caesar may well 
wind up as the only comedian in tv 
doing a regular full hour live 
show. 

Just how NBC will be able to ac- 
commodate Caesar on a four-weeks- 
out-of-four exposure is something 
else again. It would obviously en- 
tail moving the comedian into a 
new time period or, more likely, 
cue a switch in the slotting of 
“Producers Showcase.” which is 
slated to return to the network 
next season. 


COKE'S KING-SIZE 


Launches Four-Market TV Tryout 
Prior to National Campaign 


Coca-Cola, like the cigaret com- 
panies, is on a “king size” tv binge. 
The Coke company has designated 
four markets as tryout spots for 
its upcoming national video cam- 
paign. Although incepted prior to 
the ascendancy of Bill Robinson as 
the new prexy of Coca-Cola, it's ex- 
pected to be accelerated under his 
auspices. 

The new r Coke 10-ounce bottle is 
getting a two-week tryout ride on 
WBNS-TV, Columbus, and will 
move to tu Boston. Detroit has 
been designated to plug the 12- 
ounce size, while the 26-ounce 
“family size” bottle will be “pre- 
tested” in San Francisco. 

Coke’s tv launching of the “king 
size” represents a major move to 
stem sales lags, particularly in the 
supermarkets. 


FILMED SHOWS 
REEULlMTED 

By GEORGE ROSEN 

Don’t be surprised, goes the 
word, if there’s a sharp reversal of 
thinking by the fall and a return 
to live programming on the tv net- 
works. (And as one exec put it: 
“You can’t hardly find those kind 
nomore.”) 

Smack in the midst of the let’s- 
go-film wave that’s gripped the 
comics and program factotums, 
plus the protestations that “it’s 
less killing doing it on celluloid,” 
an air of disquietude and discon- 
tent is beginning to creep into the 
picture. There are ominous signs 
that, as far as network program- 
ming is concerned, film isn’t every- 
thing it’s cracked up to be, residu- 
als or no residuals. 

Stars, sponsors and networks 
alike have been taking stock of 
what’s been happening — or what’s 
about to happen — in terms of can- 
cellations, and are reevaluating 
their thinking. Milton Berle, only 
a few weeks ago taking a vigorous 
stand in defense of his going film 
next season, has just about de- 
cided that the live way is the best, 
after all. And they’re now laying 
odds around NBC that, come Sep- 
tember and the new semester. 
Berle will be checking back 
(though perhaps with less fre- 
quency) in his Tuesday night 8 to 
9 berth, still carrying the live 
torch. 

Thus far only Jackie Gleason, 
of all the major personalities in 
the comedy sweepstakes currently 
doing live shows, is definitely com- 
mitted to transfer to film in the 
fall. And it could well be that, 
despite the let’s-go-film cries that 
have emanated from the Berle- 
George Gobel - Red Buttons-Imo- 
gene Coca, et al. camps, Gleason 
may stand alone in making the 
transition. All . of which would 
make the networks very happy. 

Seeping Into Agencies 

The “new thinking” is also seep- 
ing into the agencies. Take, for 
example, Young & Rubicam, which 
has one of the major stakes in 
half-hour network film program- 
ming. Agency in recent weeks has 
run into cancellation troubles on 
two film fronts (Joan Davis for 
General Electric; “Father Knows 
Best” for Bristol-Myers), with 
probability that GE will also call 
it quits on the Ray Milland film 
show on CBS-TV upon expiration 
of the cycle. Y&R, in a reversal of 
its “film consciousness,” has bought 
a live entry — “Adventure Theatre” 
out of the Talent Associates stable 
— as replacement for “Father.” 
(Y&R now takes pride in recogniz- 
ing as the agency’s basic staples 
such live components as Goodyear 
Television Playhouse. Elgin TV 
Theatre and Arthur Godfrey’s Tal- 
ent Scouts.) 

Then there’s the situation at J 
Walter Thompson agency which is 
more than a little concerned over 
its $3,000,000 tv billings stake in 
the Eastman Kodak “Norby” se- 
ries. JWT, long the champions of 
live programming with its triple 
play parlay of hour-long dramatic 
shows (Luk Video Theatre, Kraft 
Television Theatre and Pond’s 
Theatre) is considering converting 

(Continued on page 36) 

Ike Still Playing The 
Closed-Circuit Circuit 

Time Inc. in association with the 
City of New Orleans is sponsoring 
a closed-circuit address by Presi- 
dent Eisenhower to some 500 busi- 
ness leaders of North and South 
America attending the Inter-Amer- 
ican investment Conference in 
N. O. on Feb. 24. Theatre Network 
Television has been signed to 
handle the details. 

This will be the President’s 
third closed-circuit video appear- 
ance in a period of a month. Last 
week he addressed via closed- 
circuit the American Medical Assn, 
and the American Heritage Founda- 
tion. Event marks Time’s first 
entry in the use of closed-circuit. 


% 



Just Plain Ornery 

Whatever the rating on the 
Kraft Television Theatre re- 
peat of “Patterns” last Wednes- 
day night (9), it will probably 
remain one of the most in- 
triguing secrets of the year. 
General speculation is that, in 
view of the acclaim and un- 
* precedented advertising - pro- 
motion-exploitation, it hit one 
of the high marks in tv this 
season. 

But the fact that Kraft and 
the agency, J. Walter Thomp- 
son, bypassed ordering a Tren- 
dex on the repeat show is 
newsworthy in itself since ob- 
viously it would have given 
them something to crow^bout. 

JWT says it wasn’t even a 
Nielsen night, since it’s the al- 
ternate week that’s tabulated. 


Washington, Feb. 15. 

Outcome of a “right of privacy” 
suit argued here last week before 
Federal Judge Richmond B. Keech 
could seriously affect the legality 
of radio and tv programs based on 
actual court records. 

# The suit was brought by Charles 
Bernstein, a Government worker, 
for $1,000,000 damages against NBC 
for allegedly resurrecting his past 
in a “Big Story” program in 1952. 
Judge Keech, of the U. S. District 
Court, gave two days to arguments 
on a motion by NBC to dismiss the 
case. A kinescope of the program 
involved was screened during the 
proceedings. 

It is expected that Judge Keech 
will hand down his decision in 
about a month and, in view of the 
questions presented, will write a 
lengthy opinion. However, his rul- 
ing will almost certainly be ap- 
pealed and may well rtaeh the Su- 
preme Court. 


Video-To-Legit 
Switch: Paddy’s 
'Bachelor Deal 

In contrast to the legit-to-tv 
swing of the past few seasons 
which found Broadway producers, 
directors, writers, etc., flocking into 
the newer video medium, a tv-to- 
legit reversal now appears to be on 
ta>. 

Paddy Chayefsky, for one. is 
smitten with the Broadway bug. 
Now that his ex-tv vehicle, “Marty,” 
has been transferred to celluloid 
under the Harold Hecht-Burt Lan- 
caster production auspices <it’s 
scheduled to open April 1 at the 
Sutton Theatre, N. Y.), the “TV 
Playhouse” scripter last week ne- 
gotiated a deal for a legit drama 
next season, which Hecht will pro- 
duce. It will mark the first Broad- 
way venture for both. 

Chayefsky’s play will be based 
on his ex-tv entry, “Bachelor 
Party,” "although the entire thing 
will be reconstructed. Delbert 
Mann, who directed all of Chayef- 
sky’s plays on tv and who dittoed 
on the “Marty” film version, will 
probably stage the legiter. 

Also slated for Broadway pres- 
entation next season is a three-act 
comedy to be produced by Marc 
Daniels (the director - producer 
whose credits include, among oth- 
ers, '‘Ford Theatre,” “I Love 
Lucy,” Joan Davis Show). Daniels 
will be associated with Carl Fisher 
in the venture. Play is a postwar 
comedy called “Operation Mad 
Ball,” written by Arthur Carter, 
last represented on Broadway by 
the Dane Clark-starrer, “The Num- 
bers.” 

WABC-TV’s Pre-Preem 
‘Entertainment’ Clients 

“Entertainment,” the two and a 
half hour crossboarder which starts 
on WABC-TV, the ABC-TV Gotham 
flagship, on Feb. 28, has gotten off 
to a quick start sponsorwise. Sta- 
tion has pacted four participating 
bankrollers for a total of 21 spots 
per week thus far, two weeks in 
advance of the kickoff date and a 
week before the outlet starts 
closed-circuit live auditions of the 
show before agency-client per- 
sonnel. 


Bernstein was convicted of mur- 
der in 1933, sentenced to death, 
commuted to a life sentence in 1935 
and pardoned in 1945. It was be- 
cause of the attention directed to 
his ease by Washington Daily News 
reporter Martha Strayer and vari- 
i ous prominent persons who inter- 
ceded that Bernstein was cleared. 

NBC dramatized the case as a 
reporter’s fight to save his life. 

| “Big Story” script used the name 
! of David Crouch and gave Alex- 
andria, Va., as his home. Bern- 
stein is now living in Front Royal, 
i Va., but also has a home in Wash- 
ington. 

Bernstein’s attorneys, Harry 
Warner and Irving Lavine, told the 
court that viewers in the District 
of Columbia and Virginia identified 
Bernstein from the program, al- 
though they were unaware of the 
incidents portrayed. Since he had 
rehabilitated himself and since his 
! name had not appeared in print for 
many years, they argued, his life 
was not “a matter of legitimate 
i public interest with which the pub- 
lic required information.” 

As a result of the telecast, the at- 
torneys asserted, Bernstein has 
been unable to advance himself in 
the government, he has become 
(Continued on page 36) 


Lindsay & Crouse 
'Larceny & Lace 

Taking their cue from the boff 
reaction accorded their hour-long 
j tv version of “Arsenic and Old 
Lace” on the Westinghouse-spon- 
sored “Best of Broadway” CBS-TV 
series last month, producers How- 
ard Lindsay and Russell Crouse are 
currently at work on a weekly 
half-hour series built around the 
original “Arsenic” premise. It’s 
planned as a fall entry for the 
same network. 

New series will be tabbed “Lar- 
ceny and Old Lace." Lindsay & 
Crouse team, who have been in and 
out of CBS-TV projects since the 
web’s initial projection of their 
“Life With Father” (although 
J they’re also tied in with the NBC- 
TV specs), will function in a super- 
visory capacity on both writing and 
I production of the projected new 
| series. 

THELMA RITTER MAY" 
JOIN GLEASON CAST 


Signed for five spots a week is j It’s reported Jackie Gleason is 
Brown & Williamson Tobacco, mulling an expansion of his CBS- 
while Chef Boyardee is in for 10 TV "Honeymooners” cast to include 
a week. Wise Potato Chips and Thelma Ritter because of the wide 
Simplicity Patterns are in for three acclaim accorded her recent ap- 
a week each. Total coin involved pearance opposite Gleason in the 
so far is about a fifth of the total Westinghouse-sponsored "Show 
production cost of the show, with : Off” presentation, 
the station still needing five times 1 Role designed for her would be 
as much in the way of contracts that of his mother-in-law (a role 
to recoup its nut. I she played in “Show Off”). 



22 


RADIO -VIDEO- TV FILMS 


Wednewlay, February 16, 1955 


STANTON’S HURRY-UP AFFIL POWWOW 
BRINGS OUT THE OWNERS THEMSELVES 

- v *■ — - — - — — ... . ■■ . . — 


When CBS prexy Frank Stanton, 
on almost overnight notice, sum- 
moned a representative group ol 
network affiliates to New York Iasi 
week for an emergency powwow in 
the wake of the Plotkin Report anu 
the threat of Congressional inves- 
tigation into network-affiliate re- 
lationship, he brought about per- 
haps the most unusual top-level 
meet in industry annals. 

Those in attendance say that 
never before had they witnessed a 
concentration of broadcast power 
on such a strictly 100% ownership 
level as represented by the 28-af- 
filiate convergence to deplore the 
D. C. currents and their implica- 
tions. i Indicative of the cross^pat- 
tern of stations represented, some 
received as little as $1,0G0 from 
their CBS affiliation last year, with 
others ranging up to $1,000,000 as 
their share of the sponsor spoils.) 

But that they all, with but one 
or two exceptions, put in an ap- 
pearance on such a topmanagement j 
level, reflects the growing concern j 


This, Too, Is Possible 

Does the "other side” rate 
equal time when a controver- 
sial issue is projected on 
closed-circuit, too? 

Interesting question arose 
on Thursday (10) when CBS 
prexy Frank Stanton went on 
a closed-circuit (along with 
Clyde Rember, of KRLD-TV, 
Dallas) to explain to all affili- 
ates the anti-Plotkin Report 
action taken the day previous 
in New York by 28 key affiliate 
members. 

Some were wondering 
whether the pivotal senator for 
the “other side,” Warren G. 
Magnuson, would ask for equal 
c’osed-circuit time. 


over t lie proposals for sweeping 
changes and upsetting the status 
quo. 

The meet was remarkable from 
several other standpoints. With 
many of the station owners in at- 
tendance also doubling as publish- 
ers. some of them hastened home 
to translate their feelings onto the 
editorial pages (a rarity evtn 
among the tv-newspaper monopoly 
boys); others shuttled straight off 
to Washington to register “in per- 
son” protests with their Senators 
and Congressmen; still others took 
to the air to remind the viewers 
that even they have a stake in tfce 
possible consequences of the Plot- 
kin proposals. 

Rome at the meet expressed curi- 
osity as to why NBC has thus f:»r ; 
refrained from lifting its voice. I 
(Represented at the session were 
a few' who also have a stake as NBC 
affiliates as well. Chris J. Witting. 
Westinghouse Broadcasting prexy; 
George B. Storer Sr., etc.) 

The ownership and top levc 1 del- 
egation comorised, among others, 
John W. Runyon, of KRLD-TV, 
(Continued on page 34) 


Reynolds May 
Drop ‘Intrigue’ 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

“Foreign Intrigue” tv series may 
be permanently dropped by Shel- 
don Reynolds, who planed in and 
out from Paris last weekend, after 
completion of his final ’54-’55 
quota in April. 

The producer will then have 156 
episodes and said he doesn’t bo- 
lieve it worth while to continue 
without a national sponsor. Series 
has been on since 1952 with local 
sponsors in each region. 


Kiley’s Canadian 1-Shot 

Richard Kiley, who starred in 
“Kraft Theatre’s” presentations of 
“Patterns” (repeat was last week), 
lias been signed by the Canadian 
Broadcasting Corp. to do a one- 
shot dramatic stint in “The Closing 
Door,’’ an adaptation of actor Alex- 
ander Knox’s Broadway play of 
some years ago. Kiley goes to To- 
ronto Saturday (19) for rehearsals 
for March 1 performance, a one 
hour stanza. 


Jones Report Due 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

Senate Interstate Commerce 
Committee will release the re- 
port of its special counsel Rob- 
ert F. Jones, on staff inquiry 
into UHF problems and net- 
work regulation on Thursday 
(17). 

Report, which will outline 
course for further investiga- 
tion and certain “interim” rec- 
ommendations, will be the sub- 
ject of a news conference 
called by Sen. John W. Briek- 
er, who appointed Jones to 
head up the inquiry when he 
was chairman of the commit- 
tee. 

Committee Chairman War- 
ren Magnuson will transmit 
the report to the FCC f<fr 
comment. 

Runyon Theatre’ 

To CBS-TV; Tune’ 

0 7 ' 

Gets Sponsor Axe 

For the second time this season, 
CBS-TV is going through one of 
those Tinker-to-Evers - to - Chance 
shifts, but this time it involves 
Screen Gems’ “Damon Runyon The- 
atre” vidpixer. “Willy” and “Name 
That Tune.” Come the beginning 
of April, and Anheuser-Busch, 
which bought the Runyon series 
from Screen Gems, moves it into 
Saturdays at IQ: 30 on the web. the 
spot currently occupied by “Willy.” 
The June Havoc starrer moves from 
Saturday to Thursday at 10:30, 
while the current occupant of the 
Thursday time, “Name That Tune,” 
goes phfft. 

Juggling act started when White- 
hall Pharmacal decfded to cancel 
its alternate-week bankrolling of 
I “Tune,” with the network then of- 
fering Carter Products, the other 
sponsor, the option of taking the 
show every week or finding another 
sponsor. Sullivan, Stauffer, Carter’s 
agency, couldn’t fill the bill in 
either respect, so CBS is yanking 
the show, taking the position that 
it doesn’t want to sustain it on al- 
ternate weeks. This opened Thurs- 
day at 10:30 for General Mills to 
move “Willy” from its Saturday 
post, where the millery wasn’t too 
happy with the ratings. And this 
gave Budweiser the slot for the 
Kunyon show-, w'hich the brewery 
i bought a couple of months back in 
' hopes of finding a network slot. 

WJR ‘Sick and Tired’ 

Of CBS ‘Undercutting’ 

In Del; Adjusts Rates 

Detroit, Feb. 15. 
WJR. one of the citadels of radio 
strength with income increasing 
each year despite tv competition, is 
adjusting its nighttime rates down- 
ward — not because it can’t get top 
dollar but because, according to 
station spokesmen, it is tired of 
being undersold by CBS. 

The rate change coincided with 
the signing of WJR’s renewal 
agreement with CBS. The station 
announced: “The disparity between 
|the net rates charged by the net- 
! work for WJR’s facilities and those 
| charged by the station for its fa- 
cilities on a national spot and local 
j basis in the past has created con- 
fusion among advertisers and agen- 
; cies. The present adjustment will 
considerably reduce this disparity.” 

I For the past two years. WJR has 
1 found itself at a competitive dis- 
1 advantage w ith CBS. A spokes- 
j man said many times a prospective 
sponsor has been on the verge of 
signing at WJR rates, when he is 
offered the same slot at cut-rates 
by CBS. So, naturally, he signs 
with CBS. 

Plainly miffed, station spokes- 
men angrily denounce these tactics 
as “selling radio short” and “pull- 
ing the rug out from under us.” 
They say they are determined to 
get the rates do vn so they can do 
business directlj . 

j Daytime rate* remain unchanged 


Lotsa Client Coin For 
‘Morning Show,’ Skinner 

It's a very good jpck-a-doodle-do 
for CBS-TV’s “Morning Show” 
from 7 to 9 and the segueing 
WCBS-TV (N. Y.) George Skinner 
hour. The Jack Parr-headed cross- 
board netw orker has lured the Ken- 
dall Co. into 12 capsule berths 
starting in April, plugging Blue 
Jay Corn & Callouse Remedies, 
Foot Cushions and Foot Powder 
(via Leo Burnett). It’s also grabbed 
the Crane Co. plumbing-heating 
equipment (same agency) for Tues- 
day participations into late July. 

Skinner show has added 18 news 
spots from eight sponsors since 
Jan. 1 as follows: Tide, cross-the- 
board for 13 weeks; Tea. Council, 
two-a-week for 52; Q-T Frosting, 
twice weekly for seven; G. Wash- 
ington Coffee and Bufferin, ditto 
for 13; Golden Gift Orange Juice, 
thrice weekly for 13; Cameo Hos- 
iery, onee-weekly for eight, and 
My-T Fine Pudding, one-a-week for 
13. This brings weekly participa- 
tions to 32 out of a possible 50 to 
put the Skinner session in the 
black. 

What Gives At 
WNEW? Kaland, 
Lambert Exit 

Sudden exiting of Bill Kaland. 
program director at WNEW, N. Y.. 
comes as a major surprise to even 
his closest associates at the station. 
Particularly in view of the fact 
that it followed within a few days 
of the departure of Burt Lambert 
from his longtime key sales berth 
at the lucrative indie station has 

cued considerable speculation as to 
whether the new WNEW regime 
intends to streamline the operation 
in effecting economies. 

Kaland, whose resignation re- 
portedly stems from conflicting 
viewpoints with the management 
on policy, had been in the post tor 
three years, succeeding Dick Pack 
when the latter quit to go with the 
NBC flagship stations in N. Y. Be- 
fitting the high-geared WNEW op- 
eration under the Bernice Judis- 
Ira Herbert managerial helm, Ka- 
land was probably the highest 
priced program director among the 
nation’s indies. 

Similarly Lambert enjoyed a 
major status among salesmen in 
the business. He had been with the 
station since 1940 as asst, sales 
manager. Lambert this week an- 
nounced he was joining Ziv Tele- 
vision Programs operating on a 
high-level sales capacity. 

Kaland's future plans have not 
been determined. His successor at 
WNEW hasn’t been chosen yet. 


BISHOP SHEEN RULES 
OUT SUN. PLAYBACK 

Schenectady, Feb. 15. 

“Life Is Worth Living,” Bishop 
Fulton J. Sheen’s DuMont pro- 
gram, isn’t carried here anymore 
because Bishop Sheen “objected to 
the appearance of his program on 
Sunday.” That, plus the fact that 
Admiral wants to show on live in- 
stead of kinescopcd wherever pos- 
sible, resulted in WRGB-TV’s drop- 
ping the show entirely. 

Disclosure of the Bishop’s atti- 
tude was made in a letter from 
WGRB manager Raymond W. Wel- 
pott to the Rev. Edward J. LaReau, 
Albany Catholic Diocesan director 
of radio-tv, who asked the reason 
the show was dropped. 


73 MORE FOR UNITY 

Unity Television has added 13 
more features to its catalog. Outfit 
is seeking another 39 pix to round 
out a package of 52. 

New baker's dozen is comprised 
of mixed English and domestic cel- 
luloid. 


'Like Romeo & Juliet* 

NBC, in behalf of its radio owned & operated, is finally giving 
“recognition” to an advertising practice that’s been tried and 
found true in merchandising media for some time. It travels under 
the tag of “double exposure,” meaning the coupling of related 
items in commercials. 

Take Campbell’s Soup, for instance. Campbell’s would naturally 
be inclined to link its pitch with crackers. But until now the web 
has had the verboten sign on such “honeymooning with relatives,” 
feeling that the sponsor is merely trying to sneak over a plug that 
isn’t paid for. _ 

Max Buck, who rides herd over the o&o ramparts as merchan- 
dising-ad-promotion director (including, of course, N. Y. key 
WRCA, which is strategic in the coupling conversion), says feel- 
ingly that the “association of ideas” in advertising is one of its 
greatest weapons — “after all, when you think of Romeo you gotta 
think of Juliet,” sez he. Hence the capitulation to “two can live 
as cheaply as one,” although under the greenlight pattern NBC 
figures on luring coin that was never there before. 

NBC’s UHF Buy Blasted as ‘Naked 
Case of Trafficking in Permits’ 


Tint a Chow Wow 

Color tv has become a stim- 
ulus to the appetite. Restaurant 
Management publication, in its 
February edition, ran an inter- 
view with the proprietor of a 
bar and grill using multi- 
chrome, and found out he 
already had not one but two 
sets in use. 

The barkeep (in a N.Y. 
suburb) said biz had increased 
at least 50% since installation 
of tint. He said he had “amaz- 
ing customer response at the 
bar for his color preem (the 
NBC Steve Allen-Judy Holli- 
day spectacular some weeks 
ago), but with only one set, biz 
fell off in the adjoining dining 
room. The next Thursday (nor- 
mally a quiet night at this 
place) the restauranteur 
brought in another receiver 
for a tinted edition of “Ford 
Theatre.” Result: both rooms 
packed solid.” 


Ed Lamb Case 
Sequel To 'Life 
Can Be Beautiful’ 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

The current hearings before 
Examiner Herbert Sharfman on 
Commie charges against broad- 
caster-publisher Edward Lamb are 
producing a series of soap opera 
episodes, with FCC as sponsor. 
The proceedings have taken such 
a turn that it’s difficult to regard 
them any longer as serious. 

With charges by one Government 
witness that she was induced to 
testify against Lamb and bv an- 
other that the FCC didn’t bring 
out all the information he had, a 
pattern of Matusow-like confes- 
sions is emerging as the hearings 
enter into the second week of the 
cross-examination phase. There 
are hints of further developments 
along this line. 

The hearings last week got more 
front page in the newspapers than 
the agency has had since it tried 
to outlaw the giveaway shows six 
years ago. Although the stories 
concerned the revelations of one 
witness, Mrs. Marie Natvir out of 
19 w'ho have testified for tne Gov- 
ernment, they served to convey 
the impression in the public mind 
that the whole case against Lamb 
is built on sand. 

Whether Mrs. Natvig, who now 
(Continued on page 38) 

150G TO BRANHAM 
IN SAN DIEGO SUIT 

San Diego, Feb. 15. 

KFMB and KFMB-TV settled 
its breach of contract suit with 
Branham Co., station r$ps, for 
$150,000, It was disclosed today. 
Windup of suit, filed a year ago 
specified “no publicity.” 

Branham instituted the suit 
when its station rep pact with the 
two stations, which had three 
years to go, was abrogated, and 
awarded to Ed Petry. Petry then 
purchased an interest in the sta- 
tions together with Jack Wrather, 
and Helen Alvarez, when notified 
of replacement at stations. Bran- 
ham filed suit for $400,000. 


WHNC-TV in New Haven, yester- 
day (Mon.) attacked NBC’s pur- 
chase of ultra high outlet WKNB- 
TV in New Britain as “A naked 
case of trafficking in permits." 

In a protest filed with the FCC 
on the network’s application to 
purchase the New Britain station, 
WHNC-TV based its “trafficking* 
charge on accompanying applica- 
tion by WKNB-TV to move its 
transmitter and studio and in- 
cerase its coverage. Present per- 
mit holders of WKNB-TV, said 
WHNC, have “no intention of 
building” in accordance with their 
modification application. 

An NBC basic affiliate, WHNC 
said it has information that if the 
transfer is approved NBC will not 
renew its contract beyond its ex- 
piration date next Oct. 1. That 
will mean substantial loss in in- 
come, it asserted, plus com pet i* 
fion for local and national spot 
business by a station which will 
he closer to New Haven under 
NBC’s plans. 

Opposition was also registered 
on grounds that NBC's New York 
tv station, WRCA -TV, would over- 
lap into areas to be served by 
WKNB-TV. This w'ould be a viola- 
tion of FCC rules prohibiting own- 
ership of two tv stations in the 
same area, WHNC claimed. 

New Haven station further 
charged that if NBC revealed to 
the commission which of RCA s 
stockholders owned more than 1 r 'o 
of its stock it would be found that 
these interests hold more than Vo 
of stock in companies which own 
j several tv stations. This w ould 
; mean, said WHNC, that purchase 
of the New Britain station would 
be in violation of the seven-sta- 
tion ceiling. 

Finally, WHNC pointed to 
RCA’s “extensive history of anti- 
j trust violations” and suit filed 
! last November by the Dept, of 
Justice. Recalling the agency's 
past refusal to issue licenses to 
anti-trust violators, it asked that 
the subject be “fully explored” at 
a hearing on the transfer applica- 
tion. v 


Ted Steele Hits 
Sponsor Jackpot 

WOR-TV’s (N. Y.) Ted Steele 
afternoon strips are finally coming 
into their own commercially. 
Though in the station sked for bet- 
ter than a half-year Steele had 
been troubled by the competition 
from WPIX, the station he quit in 
July and which replaced him with 
the same type casings he had on 
WPIX and now has on WOR-TV. 
How’ever, he's now got 24 bank- 
rollers buying 56 participations a 
week. 

Additionally, the’ new feature 
film stanza (plays on dubbed Italo 
product) has come in for its share 
of biz upbeat, with 19 one-minute 
spots skedded every week. Steele’s 
variety two-hour show, to bring it 
to current status, has in last few 
days added eight new sponsors. His 
5 to 6 p.m teenage program has 
picked up two. 

Cute fillip in new accounts at the 
General Teleradio station is Scaly 
Mattress Co.’s buy into juve show 
“Merry Mailman.” Advertiser, 
heretofore identified solely with 
“big folks” material, has inked f<»r 
three participations a week to push 
i an orthopedic mattress for kids. 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


RADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


25 


‘LATE SHOW’S’ $4,0 00,000 DRAW 

CBS-TV’s Potent Sunday Nite Lineup 
For *55-’56 NBC-TV Sore Spot 


‘Late Show/ Undertaker 

Four years of New York’s seven-a-week “Late Show” on WCBS- 
TV, N. Y., have provided a graveyard for opposing programs or 
moved them from the competing time (varying ’from 11 to 
11:30 p.m. during the span). Major survivor is Steve Allen, for- 
merly 11:20 to midnight, but since last September on a two-ply 
local ( WRCA-TV) and NBC network kick, 11:15 to 11:30 on the 
former, for standby Knickerbocker Beer, and then over the net- 
works to 1 a.m. on a participating basis. 

From February, 1951, to the present, the WRCA exitees have 
been “Broadway Open House,” “Seven At Eleven,” “Cinema Play- 
house," “11th Hour Theatre” and “Morey Amsterdam Show” 
(latter Saturdays only). 

The WABD (DuMont key) mortalities have included “Ring the 
Bell,” “Bill Silbert Show” and “Ernie Kovacs Show,” with latter 
formerly a waker-upper on WCBS-TV who in his career has been 
up against such stalwarts as Milton Berle, the not-so-kind “Uncle” 
w ith scores of corpses laid out on the rival 8 to 9 p.m. Tuesday 
courses. 

WABC-TV (ABC key) has had to knock off such entries as Wres- 
ting, “The Curtain Rises,” “Comedy Circus,” “Talk of the Town” 
and “1 Love Murder.” 

WOR-TV has scrammed its “Starlight Theatre,” “Pin-Up Wife,” 
“TV Nightcap,” “TV Home Town” and “Times Square.” 

WP1X (N. Y. Daily News) tossed in the towel on “Surprise 
Theatre” and “Treasure Chest.” (Station reverted to “Night Owl 

Theatre” which had been on before “Late Show” began. ) 

* - --■ 

Re-Tune of the Native 


NBC Radio*! Newest ‘Lend An Ear* Pitch- 
Offbeat Personalities 


A back-to-back morning parlay 
in fractional time brings a pair of 
nationally noted but contrasting 
“inspirationalists” a commercial 
hold on NRC Radio’s newly won 
capsule circuit. To v.p. Ted Cott it 
signals what may well be the be- 
ginning of a new styled “era of the 
ear” in which offbeat, orthodox 
and “strange to the medium” char- 
acters are expected to ride high as 
salesman for the products pitched. 
Theory here is that, while radio 
ratings are substantially dowfn 
from those reached under the pre- 
tv era, the per-listener “sell” is 
advanced via “personalities with a 
pre-built audience who are be- 
lieved in” and who through books, 
syndicated columns and other 
n^dia carry over their impact into 
radio for ready identification that 
makes the buildup •unnecessary. 

The network’s prime example is 
Mary Margaret McBride, whose 10 
o’clock quickie cross-the-board- 
plus-Saturday is in a state of SRO 
(General Foods, Calgon, Q-Tips 
and Star-Kist, with two doubles 
and a pair of singles). The sixth 
day was added some time back to 
accommodate the waiting list. Col- 
umnist MMM’s segue is clergyman 
Norman Vincent Peale, author of 
the “Power of Positive Thinking,” 
marathon bestseller. Dr. Peale, 
after but three weeks in the 10:05 
to 10:15 slot, has earned a backer 
in Doeskin Tissues which will start 
its schedule in April, when the 
sales end will come under practi- 
cal testing. 

A third possibility to inhabit a 
capsule stanza is Frances Horwich. 
If that works out as talked, she’ll 
do a “Ding Dong” for parents 
while continuing with her morning 
show of that name on the tv net- 
work. 


Coast Beckons 


Hub on Subs 


Ilubbell Robinson, CBS-TV pro- 
gram chieftain, left for the Coast 
over the weekend for huddles w'ith 
Coast program topper Harry Acker- 
man on crystallizing summer subs 
and projecting the fall lineup. One 
of the major decisions will be to 
determine whether to “go film or 
live” on the new Bretaigne Windust 
weekly half-hour ’series to be 
known as “Townspeople.” 

Show is being blueprinted as a 
tv counterpart of Thornton Wil- 
der’s "Our Town” legiter. It will 
have a permanent stock company 
encompassing all elements of a 
•small town. 

Also on the discussion agenda is 
the forthcoming comedy series 
with a Coast Guard background. 


Nags’ Stage Wait 

The horses are gonna wait for 
the hoops. CBS (radio and tv) is 
carrying the Widener Handicap 
and Flamingo Stakes (100G each) 
out of Miami’s Hialeah Park on 
successive Saturdays (19 and 26). 
They’re slotted right after the 
web’s “Big Id” basketball, with 
regular 30-second station break 
following the hoopcast, and with a 
full program to be provided from 
that point to 5“ o’clock. 

There may be a slight hitch 
should the basketball games go into 
overtime. But the hosses have 
promised to stand by with their 
silks and spurs. 



Devil's Theatre’, 
‘Who-Me?’, Others 

On ABC-TV Sled 

It’s audition time at ABC-TV, and 
the w r eb is rolling on four new 
properties, including two which It 
would coproduce with the Theatre 
Guild, for the next month. Two 
Theatre Guild properties, the first 
under its joint programming ven- 
ture with the web, are “Who . . . 
Me?”, a comedy show, and “The 
Devil’s Theatre,” a dramatic an- 
thology with the Devil as host- 
narrator. 

Other slated for the kinescoping 
route are the long-worked-upon 
televersion of “Cafe Istanbul,” 
which Fred Heider and Philip Bar- 
ry Jr. will coproduce Feb. 25 (star 
isn’t signed yet, but Eva Gabor, 
who had been mentioned, is out), 
and a group of three quarter-hour 
auditions of “My True Story” for 
soaper slotting slated to roll March 
8 under Heider’s helming. Web had 
done a half-hour version of “Story,” 
but was unable to sell it. thus de- 
ciding on the strip treatment 

Theatre Guild projects go before 
the cameras in mid-March. No one’s 
been assigned yet to write, produce 
or direct "Who . . .Me?”, which is 
described as a comedy series with 
dramatized vignettes on human 
foibles with only one certtral char- 
acter, a narrator. Gore Vidal will 
script “Devil’s Theatre,” however, 
but no production staff or cast has 
been tapped for that either. Aside 
from thejjp four, the web kinnied 
a Lou Cowan variety stanza two 
weeks ago, “This Is Your Show.” 
the pitch being that the audience 
requests the acts starred. Woody 
Herman is permanent emcee, with 
the rest of the acts requested by 
mail. 


OVER 4-YEflRSPAN 

By LEONARD TRAUBE J 

Everybody wants to get into the 
act, including Jimmy Durante, who 
on Feb. 26 will be starred with 
Terry Moore in “The Great 
Rupert” on “The Late Show” over 
WCBS-TV. That will be the 
fourth anniversary of New York’s 
post — 11 p.m. celluloid colossus 
which is now well over the $1,000,- 
000-per annum gait in gross time 
sales. 

“Rupert” will be a “first N. Y. 
telecast,” one of 824 Gotham 
preems fronted by the CBS flag- 
ship in the four-year span — and 
three-fourths of them were seen 
initially on “Late Show.” (Others 
debuted in the area on the station's 
“Early Show,” another tall grosser 
which will be having its own 
fourth birthday in April.) 

If the 16m reelage on “Late 
Show” were laid end to end. its 
4.370,000 feet would cover about 
825 miles. The total of 1,480 runs 
of feature film (debuting and re- 
prised) were originally brought in 
by the Hollywood studios at pro- 
duction cost estimated at $219,- 
000,000. If the Telepulce averages 
over the four years i\ere translated/! 
into admissions (at two viewers per 
s»t) the audience total achieved by 
the celluloider would be 688,036.- 
000, about equal to New York’s 
Music Hall (6,200 capacity) playing 
to SRO five times daily for 60 years 
plus nine months. 

$600 Per Blurb 

U these figures seem staggering, 
they are hardly more so than the 
participating sponsor setup which 
makes the statistics possible. “Late 
Show” started to keep New York- 
ers up nights on Feb. 28, 1951. For 
two days before that the slot w'as 
untitled, merely ran as a feature 
Aim series that kicked off with the 
first of a package of 51 Eagle Lion 
product distributed * by Flamingo 
Films, with station exclusivity for 
62 weeks. The sk,ein w'as sprung 
with tnree sponsors, Anthracite In- 
stitute, O’Cedar Mops and Life 
mag, at $200 per spot. Couple 
months later, there were 17 partici- 
pants in camp with 35 spots at an 
upped ante of $300 for the 60- 
second plugs. That August, the 
card was kited to $400, and in 
September of 1953 to $450, fol- 
lowed in May of last year to the 
current $600 per blurb. 

As of the anni date, the show' will 
have pushed over 8,120 announce- 
ments encompassing 178 different 
bankrollers, including numerous 
national brands. The current 
February pace adds up to 192 spots, 
topping the $115,000 mark for the 
short month and geared at $1,380,- 
000 or thereabouts annually. In 
the four years, at an average fig- 
ure of, say, $500 per spot, 
“Late Show” has pulled roughly 
$4,000,000. 

The grindery’s annual Telepulse 
has never dropped below 7. First 
full-month measurement (March, 
’51) drew 7.1 to beat the competi- 
tion, whereas in February the sta- 
tion placed sixth among the area’s 
seven operations in the time 
period. For the full baptismal year, 
(Continued on page 38) 


TV ‘Exonerated’ 

Washington, Feb. 15. 
The special Senate Commit- 
tee investigating juvenile de- 
linquency will omit television 
from the subjects covered by 
its report due about the end of 
this month, according to inside 
w'ord here. % 

The former “Hendrickson 
Committee,” now under the 
chairmanship of Sen. Estes Ke- 
fauver (D. Tertn. ), has decided 
it needs more information on 
the impact and effect of tv on 
juveniles. It is planning addi- 
tional hearings, to be followed 
by a separate report dealing 
exclusively with television and 
Juvenile delinquency. 


ACAD NOMINATIONS, 
M&L TOP CBS-TV 

NBC-TV took the Trendex meas- 
ure of CBS-TV on two counts over 
the weekend (12-13). Academy 
Award Nominations, preempting 
the Max Liebman Saturday spec 
time (9 to 10:30 p.m.) under the 
regular Olds sponsorship, aver- 
aged out with a 30.6 while the 
three Columbia shows added up to 
18.3. The Acad clusters for the 
periods were 26.8 vs. 26.6 for Herb 
Shriner’s “Two for the Money,” 
29.5 to 17.9 for “Favorite Husband” 
and 35.5 against 10.5 for “Profes- 
sional Father.” 

Martin Sc Lew-is gave- Colgate 
“Comedy Hour” a comeback in the 
usually losing fight against Ed Sul- 
livan’s ‘^Toast of the Town,” pull- 
ing 36 vs. 27. M Sc L’s last and 
preem - of -season outing a few 
weeks back rated 32.4 to Sullivan’s 
29.9. 


Dems Pick Chi; 

) 

Networks Worry 

About GOP Shift 


Chicago, Feb. 15. 

Network execs are keeping their 
fingers crossed that Republicans 
will ditto the Democrats on choice 
of Chi’s International Amphithea- 
tre as the site of the 1956 Presi- 
dential Convention. Dems yester- 
day (Mon.) officially okayed the 
repeat stand, tentatively set for 
July 23, at commodious Windy City 
hall, site pf both ’52 conclaves. 

Possibility, however remote, that 
the GOP may go-it-alone at Philly 
or San Francisco is sending cold 
chills through the web exchequer 
departments since the costs of 
transplanting the video setups from 
one city to another might nearly 
double the televising nut. 

Republicans are slated to meet 
Thursday (17) to name city with 
expectation they’ll string along 
with the Denis’ choice. Its been 
the custom for party treasurers to 
recommend the same sites to keep 
down the Convention overhead. 
And that goes double lor tele- 
casters. 

For one thing, it would take from 
five to six weeks to effect a trans- 
fer of equipment which in itself 
would cost the networks about 
$250,000, it’s pointed out by web 
spokesmen. And in the event of 
colorcasting the conventions, it 
would necessitate eight weeks of 
equipment transfer. 


Goodson-Todman To 
‘Blow Lid Off Ceiling’ 

In ‘Hit Jackpot’ TV’er 

Goodson-Todman, the qfiizzola 
duo, have a "money is no object” 
predicated on establishing a Croe- 
sus or two in their newest give- 
away design. Latest of their au- 
dience participation hopefuls is a 
“Hit the Jackpot” fandango con- 
verted from their radio show for 
DeSoto-Plymouth but loosened up 
lushfully to allow a clever con- 
testant to walk away with $50,000 
or more. 

MaVk Goodson says this will 
“blow' the lid off the ceiling nor- 
mally topping the big money shows 
and will permit relatively un- 
limited winnings for a contestant.” 
Comedy values will be thrown out 
the window in favor of “Operation 
Fprt Knox” with no (easy) ques- 
tions asked. An emcee is still to 
be chosen. 


“Operation Sunday Night” as 
projected by CBS-TV for next sea- 
son is causing no little concern 
among the rival NBC-TV program 
chieftains, so potent is the Colum- 
bia ’55-’56 blueprint. What makes 
it doubly aggravating for NBC is 
that the crucial 8 to 9 “Comedy 
Hour” segment is still way up in 
the air (although it’s a certainty 
that the present Colgate stanza 
will blow up at the end of the 
season). -.Plus the fact that Gen- 
eral Electric, occupying the 9 p.m. 
CBS-TV slot, never had it so good 
with its Top 10 "GE Theatre” en- 
try, which is causing the rival “TV 
Playhouse” more than a little ap- 
prehension. 

As currently envisioned, the CBS 
Sunday lineup bids fair to take the 
play away from all other nights 
on the Columbia skein, even top- 
ping the heretofore champ Monday 
status. Jack Benny, now that he’s 
riding wide and handsome in tv, 
wants to go weekly next season, 
giving CBS-TV a formidable cur- 
tain-raiser in the 7:30 to 8 slot. 
With Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the 
Town” enviable 8 to 9 status, fol- 
lowed by “GE Theatre,” the suc- 
cession will be even further 
strengthened when the Alfred 
Hitchcock series goes into the 9.30 
to 10 period for Bristol-Myers. All 
of which leaves but the 10 to 10:30 
period in a state of flux and un- 
certainty. The “Father Knows 
Best” film series is the current 
tenant, but this is being axed, with 
plans to substitute a live entry. 
The 10:30 to 11 stretch, of course, 
is all CBS-TV’s, with the still 
potent “What’s My Line.” 

P&G Iffy About 
Fireside Theatre 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Frank Wisbar’s resignation as 
producer-director of “Fireside The- 
atre,” given the Compton agency 
last Dec. 6. has finally been ac- 
cepted and he exits when his pact 
expires Feb. 15. Wisbar has been 
producer-director iof the pioneer 
anthology series for the six years 
of its existence. 

No decision has been reached by 
P&G as to whether it will con- 
tinue “Fireside,” and it’s known 
sponsor has been shopping around 
for top comedians as possible re- 
placement for the anthology series, 
oldest on tv. Another factor in the 
situation is understood to be 
NBC’s intention or reshuffling its 
Tuesday night lineup next season, 
following Buick’s cancellation of 
Milton Berle, currently preceding 
“Fireside” Tuesday nights. 

Wisbar said he will disclose his 
plans in the near future. 


Axe ‘Big Story’ on AM 

Pall Mall Cigs cancels out of 
“Big Story” on NBC Radio as of 
next month. Show has been a long- 
runner for the American Tobacco 
brand. 

PM stays with the tv version as 
1 alternator with Simoniz. 


SCOTCH TAPE CHANGES 
ITS MIND-HALF-WAY 

Minnesota Mining, on behalf of 
its Scotch Tape product, which 
previously had served notice on 
CBS that it was cancelling out of 
its twice-a-week sponsorship of the 
Arthur Godfrey morning show on 
radio and tv, has had a change of 
heart — or at least half a change — 
and has renewed on a once-a-week 
basis. 

Other segment has already been 
sold to Corn Products Refining Co. 


O’Keefe’s Press Nod 

John O’Keefe has succeeded Bill 
Anderson as press chief of WRCA 
and WRCA-TV, the NBC flagships 
in N. Y. Anderson becomes the 
web’s trade press head in the exit 
of Joe Derby, who’s going over 
to Young Sc Rubicam. O’Keefe has 
been with the stations for about 
18 months and all told about five 
years with the web. His aide is 
Miss Pat Richer and there’ll be 
one addition. 

Bob Blake is overall publicity 
director of the owned Sc operated 
and spot sales. 







Wnlneiday, February 16, 1953 


Alabama’s ‘No Star, Black & White 
Spec’ As Salute to Educ’l Network 


Birmingham, Feb. 15. 

A 90-minute Salute to Birming- 
ham’s Arts Festival will be given 
here Friday (18) from 7 to 
8:30 p.m. on channel 7 as a no 
budget, no star, black and white 
spectacular inaugurating the first 
live telecast on the Alabama Edu- 
cational Television Network. 


‘WinkyY New Time 

CBS-TV’s Saturday kidoodler, 
“Winky Dink and You,” goes into 
a new time slot March 5, moving 
over to 11 a.m., with the 10:30 
spot reverting to station time. 
There will be no network service 


Sauter Heads Radio-TV 
For N. Y.'s Red Cross Drive 

James Sauter, president of USO- 
Camp Shows, has been named 
chairman of the radio-television 
division of the Greater New York 
Public Information Committee for 
the 1955 Red Cross Campaign. J. 
Sherwood Smith, chairman of the 
board of Calkins & Holden, is 
chairman of the committee. 

Sauter has headed the radio-tv 
committees of several Red Cross 
and other philanthropic campaigns 
in the past. 


il From the Production Centres |j 



IJV NEW YORK CITY . . . 

Bill Miller, ex-sales mgr. of Chi WBBM and N.Y. WCBS, to CBS spot 
sales as account exec . . . Producer-director Bud Ford of WRCA’s Allyn 
Edwards waker-upper commuting regularly on weekends to Cleveland 
to visit fiancee, with wedding date set for May 14 . . . WCBS’ Jack 
Sterling emceeing beefsteak dinner at Downtown AC. tonight (Wed). 
Station’s John Henry Faulk has heavy sked of personals at food centres 
to tie in with his merchandising kick . . . CBS sales veep John Karol 
unreeling another spiel today (Wed.) at Frisco ad club . . . Longines 
Symphonette on six-week, 39-concert tour . . . CBSports chief John 
Derr to Florida for coverage of Widener and Flamingo stake races at 


More than 100 persons — only j 
two of the performers or produc- | 
ing staff have ever worked on tv \ 
professionally — will appear on this j 
showcase for Alabama creative 
and performing talent The 
camera crew and stage hands — 
all high school hoys trained in a 
closed circuit workshop — will be 
making their debut with this 
show. All 100 are donating their 
services. 

Directing the 90-minute educa- 
tional salute is Rudy Bretz, former 
CBS-TV producer-director now 
program consultant to the Ala- 
bama Network. Producing the 
show for his first video effort is 
newspaper entertainment column- 
ist Fred Woodress. also Variety 
mugg in area. Danny Martin, for- 
mer floor manager at WBRC-TV 
now with WABT part time, is as- 
sisting Bretz end Woodress. 

Program will include excerpts 
from works that won prizes for 
creative artists in the three week 
long Arts Festival which ends the 
day before the telecast. There 
will be a scene from an original 
play, dances from an original 
“Southern” ballet, reading of win- 
ning poems and short story ex- 
cerpts, a first performance of a 
winning musical composition by a 
46-voice college choir and a 
smaller choir doing a winning 
cantata. 

Show will originate from Bir- 
mingham studios of channel 10, 
not yet on air, from Birmingham 
F.xtension Division of U. of Ala- 
bama in town’s medical center. 

Channel 7, soon to be linked 
with Channel 10 in 30 days and 
with Channed 2 in a few months, 
is located atop the highest moun- 
tain in Alabama and has been on 
air with film shows since Jan. 7. 
Reception reaches a 200-mile area 
into Georgia. Tennessee, Florida 
and Mississippi. A cable will link 
the Birmingham studios with a 
microwave relay atop Red Moun- 
tain. From there waves will be 
relayed to Pit. Cheaha location of 
the transmitter. 


before 11 o’clock on that day. 

Incidentally, Harry Prichett, cre- 
ator of “Winky,” and art rep 
Harold Plevin have formed a tv 
package company for animated pro- 
grams and commercials. Prichett 
is former tv art director of Foote, 
Cone & Bolding and the dissolved 
Cecil A Presbrey. The duo have 
devised a new’ method of story- 
board presentation on film. 


Elgin Juve Delinquency 
Airer; Reginald Rose, 
Sidney Lumet Teamup 

Reginald Rose, who’s pitched i 
three perfect teleplay strikes for 
"Studio One” this season (and 
brought in a fourth, a western), 
has turned out his first "outside” 
script, a drama on juvenile delin- 
quency for “Elgin Hour” on ABC- 
TV, March 8. “Elgin” prodqccr 
Herb Brodkin is training his big 
guns on this one, having signed 
Sidney Lumet (cx-"You Are There” 
and now freelancing) to direct and 
John Cassavetes, Robert Preston 
and Glenda Farrell to star. 

Titled “Deliquent.” it’s the story 
of a juvenile delinquent trio who 
plan to murder an old man. No 
documentary style is planned, nor 
will there be any exposition by ex- 
perts — it’s to be a straight dra- 
matic treatment. Delinquency study 
lor "Elgin” has beqji in the works 
for several months now. 


CANTOR, NBC NAMED 
IN ‘BONZO’ LITIGATION 

Two writers have filed suit 
against Eddie Cantor and NBC over 
alleged rifling of their "Bonzo the 
Chimp” character. Suit, filed in 
N. Y. Federal Court, claims unfair 
competition, seeks an injunction 


Schlitz $1,325,000 

Kaycee Ball Pact 

Kansas City, Feb. 15. 

Radio rights to broadcast play- 
by-play of the new Kansas City 
Athletic’s American League Base- 
ball team were sold in a five-year 
package to the Schlitz Brew-ing Co. 

At the rate of $265,000, the pack- 
age figures a $1,325,000 deal, prob- 
ably the largest sports broadcast 
deal ever to set in this area. 

The sale was announced last 
week-end by Erwin C. Uihlein, 
president of Schlitz. and Arnold 
Johnson, president of the Athletics, 
ending a flurry of speculation 
among stations, agencies and spon- i 
sors as to who w ould land the plum. 

The whopping price automatical- 
ly ruled out scads of w'ould-be 
sponsors ^early in the game, the 
field being narrowed to a few’ beer 
accounts in the home stretch. Uih- 
lein said his company would spend 
around $300,000, including the 
rights, the first year in carrying 
out the broadcasts and promoting 
the team. 

Games are to he carried over 
KMBC, with Larry Ray, assisted 
by Merle Harmon, doing the play- 
by-play of both home and away 
games live. KMBC already has 
worked up a regional net of 15 
stations covering Missouri. Kansas, 
Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas to 
carry their reports, and a number 
of othejr stations are expected to 
hook up *by broadcast time. 

Present plans omit television 
from broadcast coverage here this 
year, but Schlitz is given tv rights 
in case there are futher develop- 
ments. 


VALENTINO CUPS 
AS TELEFILM SERIES 


‘Bait-Switch’ Ads 
Blasted by NARTB 

Alerted to “bait-switch” adver- 
tising pitches in radio and tv, the 
Standards of Practice committee of 
the NARTB unanimously adopted a 
resolution Monday (14) condemn- 
ing the gimrpick. Better Business 
Bureaus around the oountry have 
long been attacking the fleece mer- 
chants. In the last few weeks the 
district attorney’s office in Brook- 
lyn as well as the courts there have 
jumped on the practice and invited 
radio-tv executives from every sta- 
tion in the city for a discussion 
aimed at eliminating the "bait- 
switch” breed. 

Text of the NARTB resolution: 
“Bait-switch” advertising is the 
ugly practice of advertising mer- 
chandise or services which the ad- 
vertiser has no intention or desire 
to sell, but which is used to lure 
a prospective customer into the 
purchase of a higher-priced substi- 
tute. 

“Bait-switch” advertising consti- 
tutes a serious threat to the gen- 
eral business and advertising struc- 
ture. Not only does it defraud and 
victimize the public, but its practice 
injures legitimate advertisers and 
advertising media by undermining 
public confidence in the integrity 
of all advertising. 

“For this reason, the NARTB 
Standards and Practice committee 
unreservedly condemns "Bait- 
switch” advertising as inimical to 
the public interest, to legitimate 
advertisers and advertising meth- 
ods and to the American system 
oi free enterprise in* general.” 


preventing the network and Cantor 
from further use of the character 
and also demands $25,000 damages. 

Writers Raphael E. Blau and Ed- 
ward O. (Ted) Berkman, claim they 
originated the "Bonzo” character, 
assigned rights to Universal Pic- 
tures in 1949 for a feature, “Bonzo 
Goes to College,” w'ith all rights 
then reverting back to the scripters 
thereafter. They claim that in May 
of 1953. Cantor used a chimp called 
Bonzo on an NBC “Colgate Comedy 
Hour” and that on May 12, 1954. 
Joan Davis did the same on her "I 
Married Joan.” Injunction would 
prohibit NBC from using the char- 
acter on any of its shows. 


Some of the Rudolph Valentino 
silent pix are going to be incorpo- 
rated in a telefilm series. Sterling 
Television disclosed that "an es- 
tate holding some of his pictures” 
had relinquished excerpts from the 
pix. one of which is 'The Eagle,” 
to be used in the existing “Movie 
Museum” 15-minute string. 

Same type vidfilm treatment is 
about to be given Gloria Swanson 
too. Though she’s been telexposed 
before, the “Museum” pieces date 
back to her Biograph, Keystone 
and early Par days. 

Sterling series. 100 in all to date, 
will make the additional Valentino 
quarter hours tracing “his develop- 
ment as the great lover.” 


__ 

Pitch Switch 

Pitching of sponsor’s products by television stars has become 
accepted practice by now’, but leave it to the telefilm syndicators 
to come up with a new wrinkle. Instead of pitching for the spon- 
sors, the stars are now pitching to the sponsors — the prospective 
sponsors, that is. A couple of syndication firms are now using 
the stars of their new shows to make personal calls on prospective 
bankrolled in local situations to get them to buy the show. 

MCA-TV’s i»yndicati<jn operation has reportedly gotten it down 
to a fine art with Thomas Mitchell and the "Mayor of the Town” 
series, so much so that he makes longdistance phone calls on a 
regular schedule. When MCA-TV field salesmen set up an audi- 
tion with a prospective sponsor, they report back to the *home- 
oflice, and at the hour of the screening, the bankroller gets a 
personal call from Mitchell thanking him for his interest in the 
show and generally buttering him up. When the sponsor is a 
smalltown businessman, he appreciates this personal attention, 
generally to the point of buying the show right then and there. 

NBC Film Division-is approaching it much more subtly. Film 
Division recently scheduled a personal appearance tour for Charles 
McGraw jointly with Paramount Pictures, on which McGraw 
plugged both "The Falcon,” his NBC vidpix entry, and "The Bridges 
at Toko-ri” for Par. Switch is that NBC scheduled the tour to 
include several cities where “Falcon” was not yet sold. Film Divi- 
sion sales chief H. Weller (Jake) Keever reports that Jhe excite- 
ment McGraw created in Dallas was a factor in the wrapup of 
a sale on the program there. Film Division’s considering doing 
the same type of tour with Gene Lockhart on "His Honor, Homer 
Bell,” Lockhart’s comedy series which NBC just started selling. 


Hialeah. Also in Fla. is Robert Q. Lewis, to air his portion of Saturday 
ayemer from Miami Beach . . . Bill Berns’ news-special events crew 
moved into new WRCA-plus-tv quarters, heralding the takeover with 
valentine corsages to all femme employees, with Berns earning a 
kiss-anthemum from publicist Pat Richer . . . Winning contributors of 
gags, poems, music, etc., to Bob Haymet* WCBS’er get lunch for two 
at Patio Bruno *tmd a pair for the Music Hall. Station’s sales mgr., 
Henry Untermeyer, to the midwest for 10 days to visit outlets and 
clients . . . Host Harry Fleetwood of “Music Through the Night” to 
sing in chorus at finale next Tuesday (22) of American Festival of 
Music, with his brother conducting. WRCA all-nighter latches on to 
Jewish tunes and tunesters this month for celebration of 11th annual 
Jewish Music Festival. 

Polly Starbuck resigning as supervisor of originations and cutins for 
ABC-TV join Radio Free Europe in Munich, where she’ll be assistant 
program director of the Czechoslovakian desk . . . WABC deejay Mort 
Lindsey and frau Judy Johnson doing a Sister Kenny Foundation show 
in Nutley, N.J., Saturday eve (19) . . . Paul Blair, who left his sales 
manager post at Ziv Television Programs in 1953, is back with Ziv, 
this time on the radio side as a Chicago salesman for Frederic W. Ziv 
Co., the ET operation . . . Paul Klempner, ex-Gotham Recording, joined 
ABC s sales development department as a presentation writer. 

Edgar Kobak, Advertising Research Foundation prexy, to speak be- 
fore the American Society of Mechanical Engineers today (Wed.) . . . 
Hardy Burt, producer-moderator of "State of the Nation,” will do 
tomorrow (Thur.) and Feb. 24 broadcasts from Formosa . . . Tucker 
Scott is new John Blair sales staffer . . . Norman King yacking a new 
midnight to one ayem WAATcast weekends from the Boulevard, Queens, 
N.Y., nitery and weeknights from Le Cupidon In mid-Manhattan. First 
time the Jersey station has had a N.Y. gab emanation . . . WMGM 
salesman Jerry McCauley and wife have new child, Barbara Ellen . . . 
Jack Beaton to WNEW as salesman .* . . WHLI In Hempstead is using 
three congressmen as regulars on its weekly "Report From Washing- 
ton.” Solons Frank J. Becker and Steven Derounian of Nassau. Stuy- 
vesant Wainwright of Suffolk and Emanuel Celler of Kings County 
o.o. the D.C. scene for the L.I. indie. 

Abe I. Feinberg, who handled theatre bookings for the Comerford 
chain for some 20 years, has set up a casting office to service radio-tv 
producers . . . The CBS "Make Up Your Mind” gives the lie to editors’ 
negative view of radio by breaking into five mags with stories, pic 
layouts, etc. — Coronet, Compact, People Today, Your^ife, and Radio- 
TV Mirror. 

IN CHICAGO . . . 

Patt Barnes, vet radioite. is the new program manager of WISN, 
Milwaukee, and is doubling as a deejay with his own hour-long morning 
show ... Ed Kobak here yesterday (Tues.) for a speech before the 
Women’s Advertising Club . . . Betty Johnson and Dick Noel are making 
audition appearances this week on ABC’s “Breakfast Club” . . . Jim 
Leahy moves up from AM operations at Chi NBC. to become radio-tv 
production assistant . . . ABC newscaster Paul Harvey planes to Sante 
Fe, Feb. 22 to address a joint session of the New Mexico state legis- 
lature . . . Olso Rug firm latched onto the Tuesday and Thursday 
segments of Jim Hurlbui’s 5 p.m. WMAQ newscasts . . . Gene Autry 
winged in over ttfb weekend for a round of Windy City biz huddles 
. . . Mutual’s Fulton Lewis Jr. featured speaker at last week’s Traffic 
Club dinner in honor of Thomas Wilson; founder of the Wilson packing 
firm. WGN farm director Norman Kraeft delivered the Wilson citation 
. . . WMAQ-WNBQ program manager George Heinemann speaks at the 
Northwestern U career conference tomorrow (Thurs.). 

IN WASHINGTON . . . 

New slate for AFTRA local, headed by Frank Marden, WMAL-ABC 
announcer as prexy, is as follows: Harold Stepler, WTOP-CBS, 1st v.p.; 
Jackson Weaver, WMAL, 2d v.p.; Bob Dalton, WTOP, treasurer; and 
Ray Morgan, WTOP, secretary . . . David D. Pritchard, former manager 
of the United Broadcasting Co. here, has joined staff of WDXB. Chat- 
tanooga . . . Thomas L. Dwyer, Jr., ex Wall Street Journal staffer, has 
been named account exec of WTTG-DuMont . . . WWDC-MBS sports- 
caster Bob Wolff will emcee the local observance of the 160th anni ef 
the Naval Supply Corps . , . Richard Rendell, ABC Washington news 
bureau chief, preemed a new five-minute cross-the-boards network 
show, "Personalities in the News,” past week . . . Max Resnick Show.” 
weekly Jewish music program originating at WTTG, has been extended 
to New York station WPIX. 

IN PHILADELPHIA . . . 

Dr. Jack Powell, Temple U. history professor, is subbing on midnight 
commentator and interview session for Steve AlHson, at WPEN. Allison 
is recuping following an operation at University Hospital . . . Joseph T. 
Connolly, v.p. in charge of radio for WCAU, is taking two-week cruise 
of West Indies , . . Ernest Leiss has been named acting supervisor of 
news at WPTZ, following resignation of news director Dick McCutoh- 
eon. Provocative "Telerama," formerly hosted by McCutcheon, will he 
seen "only when there is a story big enough for it,” according io 
program director Stan Lee Broza . . . J. L. Van Volkenburg, CBS-TV 
president and chairman of National Advertising Week, addressed local 
admen at Poor Richard Club (14) . . . Willy Seuren, WTEL, honored 
by German Society of Pennsylvania < 13) for 25 years of broadcasting 
“The German Hour” . . .Tom Moorehead, whose "Stop, Look and 
Listen” was recently axed, preemed new version, "Tom’s Foolery' 'M 

on WFIL-TV, 4-5 p.m WPTZ cowboy star, Rex Trailer debuts with 

Philadelphia Orchestra at children’s concert (19). Trailer has solid 
pa. booking through June. 

IN PITTSBURGH ... 

Leonard A. Kapner, general manager of WCAE, back at his desk 
after three weeks in St. Petersburg . . . Jack Simon, KDKA-TV (line- 
tor, and Vivian Stein, of Brooklyn, will be married in New York Feb- 
26 and honeymoon in Miami Beach . . . Porky Chedwick has returned 
to W1IOD with a daily record show for 45 minutes every afternoon 
at 5:15 . . . Local "Fun to Reduce” troupe, headed by Margaret lirtn 
and including Marlene Gornall, model, and Johnny Mitchell, organist, 
home again after shooting 65 of the telepix series for Guild Films m 
Hollywood . . . Two KDKA-TV staffers, Lew Kleran and Bill F-ccles. 
received their degrees from Pitt, Kieran in engineering and Ecclea 
I in business administration . . . Bill Adler, publisher-editor of the Pi lls ’ 

I (Continued on page 30) 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


It A DIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


25 


CHI 



A COMMUNITY VACUUM 


NBC ‘Hatchet Brigade’ at Work? 

Although no one at NBC will officially confirm it, with queries 
merely bringing a “could be” retort, it’s reported that the NBC 
organization is currently being fine-combed for excess „ baggage in 
personnel in what amounts to a homemade Booz, Allen & Hamil- 
tion "survey.” 

The boys around the network confess to “something going on” 
but appear vague when it comes to pinpointing what’s actually 
happening. Nonetheless, the departure from the network a couple 
weeks back of Fred Shawn, who was in the programming dept, 
(with a 20-year NBC service record) is linked directly with the 
“hidden sleuthers.” Shawn was brought up to N. Y. from Wash- 
ington a few years back. 

It’s reported that a three-man team has been entrusted with the 
task of sifting the network’s various departments to effect neces- 
sary retrenchments. 


Nielsen Going British 


Preps Service For Comm’l TV Setup; Plans Staff of 

400 in England 

♦ 


A. C. Nielsen figures that where 

there’s commercial video there’s 
also got to be a rating service, 
although Britain’s commercial op- 
eration won’t get underway until 
sometime next summer, Nielsen 
launches his formal pitch within 
the next few days. He’s coming 
out with a hardback edition. “Tele- 
vision Audience Research for Great 
Britain.” 

The new book is perhaps the first 
work of any magnitude done about 
tv audience measurement any- 
where. While it is basically a pro- 
motion for Nielsen in Britain, it 
does break down as a text an au- 
dience composition, cost-per 1,000 
buying and aud behavior. 

Nielsen, who was in England last 
spring, huddled with the program 
contractors, as they are called 
there, the Independent Television 
Authority And ad agencies re the 
biz of measurement. As his book 
slates, he intends employing soon 
a stall' of 400 Britishers to handle 
the tv operation. 

MBS Rate Pattern 
On ‘Game of Day 

Hooked for increased rights 
cost. Mutual is trying out a sales 
concept for the upcoming 182 
“Game of the Day” radio broad- 
casts that is unique for any type 
program. Rate card for this sports 
show is most unusual because, as 
more participations are sold, all 
bankrollers will benefit by lower 
charges, i.e., a frequency discount 
based on the number of adver- 
tisers. Furthermore, Mutual will 
knock off the cost even further for 
any one sponsor who buys more 
than one of the nine available par- 
ticipations available per game. 

As it breaks dow*n, if there is 
only one bankroller for the 182 
games <26 weeks, roughly seven 
days for nights! a week) the full 
cost will be $172,900 or $590 per 
game. Figure gradually goes 
down to $236,500 for the whole sea- 
son. or $750 per game. 

Naturally, the web— wanting a 
sponsor for the half a game avail- 

( Continued on page 36) 


MAHAUA REMAINS 
BERTHED ON CHI TV 

Chicago, Feb. 15. 

Although CBS radio has given up 
on Mahalia Jackson after her Sun- 
day night airer failed to spark any 
sponsorship interest, gospel singer 
| s , s, ated to retain her Columbia 
locally via WBBM-TV. Chi 
t- BS vccp H. Leslie Atlass has sent 
"ord down to find a slot for her 
v >t!i a Sunday night at 10 half-hour 
* likely prospect. 

Singer’s local following was 
sampled a couple of weeks back on 
I ’*! station’s Friday night Howard 
Miller show when the audience was 
j* s ked if they’d like to see her on 
her own WBBM-TV program. At- 
ass describes the mail response the 
R'eatest he ever witnessed, with 
iany letters coming in the form of 
m.ii-Rignatured petitions. 


Love That Gobel 

Minneapolis, Feb. 15. 

If there’s any doubt regard- 
ing the extent to which the 
George Gobel Saturday night 
tv show has caught the public’s 
fancy, and especially that of 
the fair sex, here’s some clinch- 
er evidence: One of the sorori- 
ties on the U. of Minnesota 
campus has what is developing 
into an unwritten law. 

It’s that there’s no dating 
until after the show. 


3 Times Around 
For Disney TV’ers 
As Repeat Pattern 

That summer repeat pattern Is 
going to be doubled in spades this 
year by Walt Disney and ABC-TV, 
who will give six “Disneyland” 
shows their third network playoff 
within a year. The plan for third- 
running six of the hour-long “Dis- 
neyland” shows comes as a minor 
^ revolutionary tactic in television, 
where bankrollers have shied away 
from even one repeat of their seg- 
ments. But ABC-TV has signed 
“Disneyland’s” current bankrollers, 
American Motors, American Dairy 
Assn, and Derby Foods for the 10- 
week summer span. 

Disney has made 20 one-hour or- 
iginals for- this season, with the 
soriginal plan to repeat only 16 of 
them, comprising a 36-week season 
which would have ended June 29. 
Major poser of what to install as a 
summer replacement for Disney, 
however, made the web decide on 

(Continued on page 38) 

WSEE-TV Documentary 
Plays Key Erie Role In 
Case Vs. City Officials 

Erie, Pa., Feb. 15. 

A documentary program by 
WSEE-TV here is playing a key 
role in the case against a number 
of former city officials now serv- 
ing prison sentences for bribery 
and corruption. Last week the kin- 
escope, “Spotlight on Corruption,” 
was brought into court on a motion 
by the defense attorney to move 
the case out of Erie ^because of 
“unfavorable publicity” created by 
the show. It’s believed that this 
is the first time a kinescope has 
been used as evidence in any court- 
room. 

Two months ago, former Mayor 
Thomas Flatley; his political cam- 
paign manager. Jack Schwartz; a 
police Inspector and a policeman 
and 22 gamblers were sentenced 
on conspiracy and bribery counts. 
On Jan. 30, the station aired the 
film-and-live documentary, which 
showed films of the actual bribe 
payoffs and tapes of conversations 

I (Continued on page 36) 


HARDHITTING 
STUFF BYPASSED 

By FARRELL P 1SSON 

Chicago. Feb. 15. 

The aborting of WBKB’s pro- 
jected video view of six of the 
Windy City’s top hoodlums has 
served to point up anew the prac- 
tically perfect editorial vacuum 
maintained by the Chi radio-tv sta- 
tions so far as community affairs 
are concerned. With a single sig- 
nificant exception, the electronic 
brethren here are eschewing any 
references to the many hometown 
problems of a city with a 3.000,000- 
plus population, other than regu- 
lar newsroom coverage. 

It’s a situation that causes no 
little concern for the more civic- 
minded newsmen and their special 
events colleagues whose activities 
bring them in day-to-day contact 
with the intimate workings of the 
nation’s second city. And it’s a 
source of some off-the-record em- 
barrassment and frustration that 
their medium pays so little heed 
to the community issues which are 
given the big ride by their news- 
paper fellows. 

Where’s Awareness 

It’s not only an awareness that 
their tools, especially tv, have 
much to contribute in the way of 
civic enlightenment by spotlight- 
ing more of the real character of 
the city. Also there’s a recogni- 
tion, there is an intangible payoff, 
best described as a strong home- 
town personality, for the station 
that probes beyond the Pollyanna 
level. , 

At the moment, the town’s sole 
local affairs forum with any real 
bite is Chi NBC news director Bill 
Ray’s Sunday afternoon “City 
Desk” on WNBQ. Paneler features 
Ray, NBC newsman Len O’Connor 
and two guest newspaper reporters 
in a griddle session with some per- 
sonality high up in the municipal 
or political news of the week. A la 
parent web’s “Meet the Press” 
with its Monday morning news 
breaks, Ray’s panel is frequently 
the source of local yarns (albeit 
uncredited) in the Chi dailies. 

Two weeks back remarks by a 
city council member on the show 
regarding a bribe offer prompted 
a phone call direct to the telecast 
from State’s Attorney John Gut- 
knecht inviting the alderman to re- 
peat his yarn before the grand 

(Continued on page 38) 

Era of Quickie Clients 
For Network Radio 
A la ABC Partings 

Nature of network radio being 
what it is, the nets are placing 
more emphasis on quickie and one- 
shot orders of late. ABC Radio 
last week wrapped up a barrelful 
of them, via such varied clients as 
Rexall Drugs, the mail-order book 
house of Eugene Stevens Inc., the 
Kiplinger Newsletter, Vitamin 
Corp. of America, the World 
Church, and San Francisco Brew- 
ing Corp., the latter two on re- 
gional deals. 

Rexall ordered two mornings of 
“Modern Romances.” yesterday’s 
(Tues.) and tomorrow’* (Thurs.) 
(show Is bankrolled regularly Mon- 
day. Wednesday and Friday by 
Junket). Stevens, which sells a 
carowners guide, ordered two 
quarter-hours on March 6, 6-6:15 
and 9:15-9:30. Kiplinger's has 
“Changing Times With Syd Wal- 
ton” slated for six Sundays begin- 
ning last week (13) and ending 
9:30 p.m. slot, with the exception of 
March 27, slated for the 9:15- 
shot goes in. VCA has picked up 
five evening capsule newscasts 
each for the weeks of Febv 28 and 
March 28. San Francisco Brewing 
Is expanding its five-a-week half- 
hour “Burgie’s Music Box” from a 
local Coast operation to a 45-sta- 
tion western regional deal. And 
World Church is expanding its 
western-only “O. L. daggers” 
Sunday-at-5 segment to include 
central and eastern stations start- 
ing Feb. 20. 


Why Did Chi’s WBKB, Crime 

Probers Shelve Hoodlum Expose? 


A ‘V* Gives Up 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

Whether it’s an “ultra” high 
or a “very” high frequency 
channel, you’ve got to have net- 
work programs to make a tv 
station pay, especially in a 
small town. Which explains 
why KOVO Broadcasting Co. in 
Provo, Utah, decided last week 
to turn in its VHF permit. Pro- 
vo is only about 40 miles from 
Salt Lake City w hich has three 
VHF stations. 

KOVO’s was the 27th VHF 
permit to be cancelled. Drop- 
outs by UHF stations and per- 
mit holders total 100. 


Lamb May Be An 
Issue on Naming 
Of McConnaughey 

Washington. Feb. 15. 

FCC’s handling of the Lamb case 
will be inquired into when Com- 
mission Chairman Geo. C. McCon- 
naughey appears for confirmation 
next week before the Senate Inter- 
state Commerce Committee. 

The Committee will take up Mc- 
Connaughey’s nomination Feb. 23. 
Action on his recess appointment 
was blocked by Democrats when 
former Committee Chairman John 
W. Bricker (R-O) attempted to ob- 
tain confirmation during the spe- 
cial Senate session last November 
to consider censure charges against 
Sen. Joseph McCarthy. Democrats 
claimed the appointment was “con- 
troversial” and therefore could not 
be heard until the present session. 

It's understood that several mem- 
bers of the Committee plan to 
question McConnaughey on pro- 
cedure employed by the FCC in 
connection with broadcast license 
renewals. One Senator plans to in- 
quire into the criteria used by the 
agency for determining the relia- 
bility of evidence offered against an 
applicant. His concern was aroused 
by the confession of an FCC wit- 
ness at the Lamb hearings last 
week that her previous testimony 
against Lamb was false. The wit- 
ness, Mrs. Marie Natvig of Miami 
Beach, had contacted the FBI, and 
later the FCC, after reading a 
column by Drew Pearson on the 
Lamb proceedings. 

The Lamb case was a subject for 
inquiry when the Committee held 
a hearing last June on the nomina- 
tion of Comr. John C. Doerfer for 
a full term on the Commission. At 
that hearing Edward Lamb charged 
that Doerfer was motivated by po- 
litical considerations in pushing the 
inquiry. He also complained that 
the Commission refused to give him 
a bill of particulars, Including the 
(Continued on page 36) 


Autry Vidfilmery’s 
$8,000,000 Stake In 
300 Flying A Segs 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 


Flying A Productions, Gene Au- 
try’s vidfilmery, has passed the 
300-vidpic mark In half-hour oaters, 
and production investment for the 
celluloid canned in the past five 
years is more than $8,000,000 ac- 
cording to exec producer Armand 
Schaefer. 


Flying A vidpix include 109 Gene 
Autrys; 78 “Range Riders”; 36 
“Death Valley Days”; six “Caval- 
cade of America”; 61 “Annie Oak- 
leys,” and 10 Buffalo Bill Jr.,” with 
16 in latter series to be filmed in 
next eight weeks. 

All the series are now on tv, 
except for “Buffalo Bill Jr.” which 
begins March 10, in 110 markets. 
Mars Candy sponsoring. CBS-TV 
Sales is handling syndication. 


Chicago, Feb. 15. 

Plans to do a video expose along 
“This Is Your Life” lines on six 
of the top Windy City hoodlums 
were quietly shelved last week by 
ABC-TV’s WBKB and the Chicago 
Crime Commission whose files 
were to have been used for the 
series. Both parties are insistent 
the decision to drop the project 
was not due to the legal moves 
launched against the scheme by 
Jake (Greasy Thumb) Guzik, one of 
the elite from Chi’s left field, who 
had assumed his activities were 
slated for the tv treatment. 

ABC veep Sterling (Red) Quin- 
lan maintains emphatically that the 
series was cancelled because he 
and, the Crime Commission, a non- 
partisan civic group specializing in 
probing syndicate operations, were 
unable to agree^ on the format. 
Likewise. Virgil Peterson, the com- 
mission’s managing director, de- 
nies that Guzlk’s actions entered 
into the decision. 

Last week Guzik filed for an in- 
junction against the planned show 
in Washington and also asked the 
Federal Communications Commis- 
sion to challenge WBKB’s license 
on the grounds it was planning a 
libelous and defamatory telecast 
of him. Identities of the six char- 
acters whose backgrounds were to 
have been given the tv exposure 
hadn’t been decided. 

Peterson is quoted as pointing 
out: "Unless Guzik is assuming that 
he would be a natural subject for 
treatment in a series about Chi- 
cago gangsters, how can he know 
in advance that his record would 
come up?” 

The project, in one form or an- 
other, had been in the works for 
almost a year and was an out- 
growth of the Crime group’s de- 
sires to use tv to stir up commu- 
nity interest in their work. After 
experimenting with several ideas, 
Quinlan’s writers assigned to the 
show hit upon the notion of doing 
biographical sketches of the top six 
hoods. Tipoff that some members 
of the Commission had doubts 
about the bio approach came out 
when an audition was run off two 
weeks back. Commission, in effect, 
asked for time to think it over be- 
fore giving the final okay which 
was needed since the dope all 
came from its copious files* 

Fact that WBKB saw delays 
ahead in getting the series off the 
jground was indicated by Hie as- 
signing to the Junior Achievement 
show the Wednesday night time 
slot • originally earmarked for the 
crime probe. 

$4 m00« Tab 
For CBS Chi Base 

Chicago, Feb. 15. 

With conversion work well un- 
der way, the Chi CBS operation 
expects to have some of its televi- 
sion activities emanating by next 
September from its new quarters 
in what was heretofore the Chi- 
cago Arena. CBS last year bought 
the site for $1,500,000 and accord- 
ing to the latest estimates by veep 
H. Leslie Atlass. the web will spend 
upwards of $4,500,000 refurbishing 
and equipping it as the eventual 
homebase for both the AM and tv 
adjuncts. 

CBS topper says the first moves 
will be to switch as much video 
work as quickly as possible out of 
the present facilities In the State- 
Lake Bldg, which is rented on a 
yearly basis from the Balaban & 
Katz theatre chain. However, 
nothing concrete has as yet been 
worked out in the form of an exit 
blueprint for either the State-Lake 
or the Garrick Theatre, also a B&K 
property, which is used as WBBM- 
TV’s main audience studio. Latter 
is rented on a 90-day notice basis. 

Being installed In the new plant 
are three AM and four tv studios 
with two of the latter to be 
equipped for color. Eventually all 
the CBS exec and sales offices will 
be moved into the converted 
Arena, 



26 


- 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


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Thomas Mitchell stars in 39 exciting topical 
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HEART 

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13 half-hour films covering top college games 
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Wednesday, February 16, 1955 



NBC’s Plenty Room for New Oaters’ 

In 'Donovan Deal; Set ‘Gffdersleeve’ 


NBC Film Division, which has* 
been slowed over the past year 
by a paucity of new product, this 
week look on two new telepix 
properties, Jack Chertok’s “Steve 
Donovan, Western Marshal,” and 
the televersion of “The Great Gil- 
dersleeve,” with Willard Water- 
man, who succeeded Hal Peary in 
the radio role, starred in the tele- 
pix version. “Gildersleeve” pilot 

has already rolled, and the Film 
Division is earmarking it for na- 
tional or large-regional sale, but 
“Donovan” will be put into imme- 
diate syndication. 

There's some interesting think- 
ing re the “gotta be different” se- 
lectivity in new shows by the Film 
Division in regard to “Donovan." 
Point st essed is that while the 
market admittedly is glutted with 
westerns, there are only a couple 
of new mas, and those are pretty 
well tied up. H. Weller (Jake) 
Keever, the bivision’s new sales 
manager, says there’s still a strong 
market in regional and local clicn’s 
for westerns, but that the bank- 
rollers a e getting tired of push ; ng 
their present shows through th rd 
and fourth run, and are on the 
lookout for new western properties 

Most recent western on the mar- 
ket is “Buffalo Billy Jr.,” which 
has been tied up by Brown Shoes 
and Mars in some 100 markets, 
leaving very few outlets for syndi- 
cation. Next oldest is "Annie Oak- 
ley,” and that started over a year 
and a half ago and also is tied up 
nationally o« alternate weeks by 
TV Time Popcorn. Many of the 
older stanzas, like NBC’s own 
“Hopalong,” are being slotted in 
strip formats and sold on partici- 
pating basis. Keever feels that the 
stripping and re.uns on the oldies 
will open up a market for smaller 
clients who couldn’t afford the 
whole tab or the firstrun but are 
moving in on reruns and participa- 
tions. while the original firstrun 
sponsors of the old weste ns arc 
now on the alert for new product. 

Production on “Donovan” start- 
ed Monday il4> on location at the 
Iverson Ranch outside Los An- 
geles, under Chertok’s Vibar Pro- 
ductions banner. Douglas Kennedy 
stars, with Eddy Waller featured. 
NBC is financing 39 half-hours. 
“Gildersleeve” pilot was developed 
by the netwo k. under Frank Cleav- 
er’s supervision, and was turned 
over to the Film Division. Conne- 
Stephcns hindled the physical pro- 
duction at American National Stu- 
dios. No further shooting will be 
done on the series until it’s sold. 

Acquisition of the two new prop- 
erties marks a*speedup by the 
Division, which has on.y taken on 
three new series in the past two 
years, since Robert W. Sarnoff 
moved ovtv to the network side 
as exec v.p. of NBC and Carl Stan- 
ton assumed the managerial reins 
at the Film Division. Three new 
shows were "Inner Sanctum,” “Ad- 
ventures of the Falcon” and “His 
Honor, Homer Bell,” the latter cur- 
rently in its first sales campaign. 


Guild Hikes Prices 

On ‘Liberace’ Series 

Guild Films is hiking its prices 
on “Liberace” by about a third as 
contracts expire in the show’s 217- 
markets. Move comes simultane- 
ously with what Guild prexy Reub 
Kaufman termed a doubling of the 
budget on the new shows current- 
y in production and the switch of 
ti.e stanza in some 57 markets to 
Vilapix member stations from its 
current outlets. New prices will 
be applied at renewal time in each 
market. 

Show’s pricetag was tilted in Los 
Angeles last week from $1,250 to 
$1,L00, with the result that KCOP- 
TV, which had the show fully 
sponsored, dropped it with Union 
Pacific, one of the bankrollers, 
taking on another segment. KTTV 
immediately picked the show up 
at the higher nut. 


Union Pacific’s 
‘Homer Bell’ Buy 

• 

Union Pacific Railroad is moving 
into syndicated telefilm sponsor- 
ship in a big way. Railroad last 
wpek wrapped up a regional deal 
for alternate week sponsorship of 
NBC Film Division’s “His Honor, 
Homer Bell,” Gene Lockhart com- 
edy starrer, bankrolling the show 
in Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle 
and Omaha. Latter town is Union 
Pacific’s headquarters, and the deal 
was set there via the Caples Agen- 
cy. 

Railroad up to the NBC deal was 
a bankroller in only a couple of 
markets, having had an alternate 
share in “Liberace” in L.A. (which 
it dropped to make way for “Bell” 
in the wake of a price rise on the 
show), and an every -week spon- 
sorship of Official’s “This Is Your 
Music,” which it bought in Salt 
Lake City about a month ago. 


Ziv’s 15-Market Sale 
On ‘Science Fiction’ 

Ziv Television Programs has 
started the sales ball rolling on its 
latest property, “Science Fiction 
Theatre,” with a regional sale for 
seven Coast markets to Olympia 
Brewing Co. Ziv’s hit the 15- 
market mark on sales within the 
first week of active pitching, via 
another two-city deal with Arizona 
Public Service Co. for Phoenix and 
Yuma and individual sponsor and 
station sales in six other markets. 

Olympia, which has bankrolled 
Ziv’s “Favorite Story” for the past 
two years, is picking up “Science" 
in Los Angeles, San Francisco, 
Seattle, Spokane, Portland, San 
Diege and Boise. Deal was set via 
Botsford, Constantine & Gardner. 


BMI Tees Off Program Clinics 
Next Week; 118 B’casters to Speak 


Guild Acquires 
191 WB Cartoons 


Warner Bros, becomes the third 
major studio to unload its car- 
toons on the tcievision market via 
a deal with Guild Films set this 
week. Via its short subject sub- 
sidiary, Sunset Productions, War- 
ners is turning over 191 car- 
toons from the "Looney Tunes” 
and “Merrie Melodies” categories, 
most of them in color, t© Guild on 
what’s believed to be a longterm 
lease deal. Others who have de- 
livered t heir cartoons to telepix 
arc Universal (the Walter Lantz 
cartoons) and Columbia. 

GuiTd will sell the subjects as 
a library package, with Vitapix sta- 
tions getting first crack at them. 
For the tclepixery, acquisition of 
the package makes up for its in- 
ability to get the Lantz cartoons 
from Matty Fox’s Motion Pictures 
for Television when it acquired the 
MPT V feature library (Fox is con- 
tinuing to sell the Lantz package 
himself). William Morris office ne- 
gotiated the deal. 


ZI V SELLS ‘MR. D. A.’ 

FOR FRENCH MARKET 

Ziv Television Programs has set 
its first European deal, sale of the 
“Mr. District Attorney” show to 
Radio Diffusion Francaise. Series 
will be dubbed into French this 
spring under direction of Ziv Inter- 
national of France, one of four Eu- 
ropean subsids Ziv set up last fall. 
Ziv’s also planning to dub “Cisco 
Kid” and “Favorite Story” into 
French later this year. 

Sale pinpoints an expansion of 
Ziv’s international activities, with 
other dubbing on "Boston Blagkie” 
as well as the French entries slated 
Italian and German. Entire bud- 
get for Ziv’s international opera- 
tion, which will operate at a loss 
for some time, has been upped by 
$500, 00p to $2,000,000, with most 
of the coin still channeled to Span- 
ish soundtracks for 'the Latin 
American market. However, Ziv 
is now looking into the possibili- 
ties of the Japanese market as an 
added area of expansion. 


Vitapix Adds Six, 
Up to 54 Outlets; 
N.Y. ‘Open Market’ 

Vitapix has added stations in six 
major markets, bringing its total 
strength up to 54 outlets and solv- 
ing a major problem with the en- 
try of WGN-TV, Chicago, into the 
lineup. At the same time, the 
station-owned cooperative made a 
major decision by declaring New 
York an “open market,” which 
means that it won’t take on a Got- 
ham affiliate but will let a na- 
tional sponsor buying a Guild 
Films show over the Vitapix line- 
up pick his own outlet for New 
York. 

This, and the election of officers 
and directors, constituted the chief 
business transacted last week at 
Vitapix’s first general stock- 
holders meeting since the consum- 
mation of the Guild-Vitapix agree- 
ment last September. Reelected 
officers were John E. Fetzer, 
board chairman; Kenyon Brown, 
president; Joseph E. Baudino, exec 
v.p.; Paul O’Brien, secretary; and 
newdy elected <a formality) was 
Ed Hall as v.p.-general manager. 
New board of directors, expanded 
to 15, includes among its new 
members George Storer Jr., Clair 
McCullough, Guild prexy Reub 
Kaufman and Hall. 

New’ stations joining the corpora- 
tion, Resides WGN-TV, are WSPD- 
TV in Toledo; WXEL in Cleve- 
land; WGAL-TV in Lancaster; 
WMCT in Memphis and WGBS in 
Miami. Only key markets besides 
New York, arc Milwaukee (Walter 
Damm’s WTMJ is still toying with 
the idea of joining but hasn’t made 
a final decision). San Diego, Dal- 
las, Norfolk and Washington. De- 
cision to bypass New York repre- 
sents the basic weakness of the 
market, since only network o&o’s 
are strong in Gotham, while the 
indies, which could become Vita- 
pix members, are for the most 
part also-rans. By skipping over 
the matter of a Gotham affiliate, 
Vitapix is coming out with prob- 
ably the most flexible arrange- 
ment, in that a sponsor might not 
want to go along with indie ex- 
posure in Gotham but would be 
willing to try to clear a major 
network outlet. 


Charges NBC-TV Pirated 
Health, Medical Shows 

NBC-TV has been slapped with 
a $100,000 breach of contract suit 
by writer Henrietta Baratz, who 
charges the network wrongfully ap- 
propriated the ideas and formats 
for two shows, “Here’s to Your 
Health” and the “March of Medi- 
cine.” Miss Baratz also charges the 
network wrongfully assigned the 
latter to Smith, Kline & French 
Laboratories in June of 1952. 

In July of 1950, Miss Baratz 
claims, she entered intp a pact 
with NBC to create a series of tv 
shows based on health and medi- 
cine under which she was to be 
paid for the ideas in the event 
they were used as the basis for 
shows. In February of 1952 the net- 
work launched "March of Medi- 
cine” and later “Here’s to Your 
Health” without compensating her. 
She claims the basis of the shows 
were her initial ideas. Suit was 
filed in N. Y. Supreme Court. 


M. C. Pictures’ Distrib 
Setup; 80-Film Package 

M.C. Pictures, Arinand Schneck’s 
releasing organization, is going into 
active television distribution with 
an 80-picture package after several 
years of operating as a leasing or- 
ganization for features for televi- 
sion. The package of 80 films, 
comprising 45 features and 35 
westerns, reverts to M.C. from 
Hvgo Films, to whom M.C. had 
leased the pix for tcievision sales 
a couple of years ago. 

M.C. has set up a sales staff un- 
der general sales manager Jerome 
Balsam and is selling the films im- 
mediately. Pictures, w hich were or- 
iginally Producers Releasing Corp. 
• PRC) theatrical releases, include 
such names as Alan Ladd, Anne 
Nagel, Forrest Tucker, Bill Boyd, 
Buster Crabbe. Tim McCoy, War- 
ren Hull and Wallace Ford. 


ffPK SRO Status 
On ’55 Ball Sked 


The fact that televised baseball 
in New York remains unchanged 
from previous patterns (while 
club owners in the rest of the land 
waiting to discontinue after-dark 
baseball) is seen as an influence 
to WPIX’s early SRO status. The 
N. Y. Daily News station, which 
will air this year 154 day and 
night home games by the Yankees 
and Giants has inked seven bank- 
rollers for the games and pre and 
post-game sessions. 

Two of the seven are now; Sun- 
kist and Cities Service, in pre- 
game Giant coverage. The other 
five are Chesterfields, Ballantinc, 
Camel, Krueger and White Owl. 
So that there won’t be any conflict 
of beer or smoking advertising, 
setup of ad sked follows last 
year’s: Camels bought the Yan- 
kees fore and' aft, while Chesties 
is committed for Giants play-by- 
play; Krueger is post-game on the 
Giants and Ballantine is paying 
for Yankee gametime coverage. 

Handling gab will be Frankie 
Frisch and Red Barber in around- 
the game slots and Laraine Day is 
back again also to handle all Giant 
nighttime warmup sessions. 


Some 118 broadcasters are listed 
as speakers for the 1955 series of 
Broadcast Music, Inc., program 
clinics getting underway next 
Wednesday (23)' simultaneously in 
Seattle and Little Rock. Station 
relations v.p. Glenn Dolberg has 
confirmed 38 clinics, many of them 
in conjunction with meetings of 
state broadcasting associations. 

Sets of two traveling teams will 
continue to cover their itineraries, 
joined by other speakers in states 
as booked, until April 22, when all 
spots will have been covered ex- 
cept the Rocky Mountain states. 
These will be held starting June 13, 
allowing for a hiatus for broad- 
casters attending the NARTB con- 
vention in Washington, D.C. 

The schedule (with names of 
hotels): 

February: 23d, Benjamin Frank- 
lin, Seatt e, and Marion, Little 
Rock; 25th, Heidelberg, Jackson, 
Miss., and Multonomah, Portland, 
Ore.; 28th, Clift, San Francisco, 
and Tutwilcr, Birmingham; 

March: 2d, Djnkler-Plaza, ^ At- 
lanta, and Ambassador, Los An- 
geles; 4th, Columbia, Columbia, 
S.C.; and Santa Rita, Tucson; 7th, 
Washington Duke, Durham, N.C.; 
8th, Alvarado, Albuquerque, N.M.; 
9th, 'Patrick Henry, Roanoke, Va.; 
10th, Adolphus, Dallas; 11th, Roose- 
velt, New Orleans, and Stonewall 
Jackson, Clarksburg, W. Va.; 16th, 
Colonial, Springfield, Mo., and 
Hayes, Jackson, Mich.; 18th, Black- 
hawk, Davenport, la., and Nether- 
land Plaza, Cincinnati; 21st, Emer- 
son, Baltimore, and Cornhusker, 
Lincoln, Neb.; 23d, Hershey, ller- 
shey, Pa., and Leland, Springfield, 
111.; 25th, Plankinton, Milwaukee; 
28th, Andrew Jackson, Nashville; 
30th, Brown, Louisville. 

April: 1st, Floridian, Tampa; 
15th Skirvin, Oklahoma City; 
17th, Lamer, Salina, Kan.; 18th, 
Utica, Utica, N.Y.; 20th, Somerset* 
Boston; 22d, Bangor, Bangor, Me. 

June: 13th, Turf Club, Twin 
Falls, Idaho; 14th, Rainbow, Great 
Falls, Mont.; 15th, Utah, Salt Lake 
City; 17th, Edgewater Beach, De- 
troit Lakes, Minn., and Denver, 
Gleimvood Springs, Colo. 


EUROPEAN GLEAM IN 
SCREEN GEM’S EYE 

Screen Gems is making its first 
move into the European telefilm 
distribution field, with v.p.-general 
manager Ralph Cohn and sales v.p. 
John Mitchell off to Europe last 
week for a monthlong tour to set 
up offices and personnel. Cohn 
and Mitchell will visit London, 
Paris, Rome and Frankfurt to 
make their first contacts. Impor- 
tant phase of Screen Gems’ foreign 
operation will be the bridging and 
dubbing of “Ford Theatre” trios 
into feature films for theatrical dis- 
tribution in Europe, and that’s to 
be a topic of discussion on their 
trip. 

Still in the works arc the estab- 
lishment of a Canadian subsidiary 
in partnership with a native of 
Canada, and dubbing deals for 
Spanish versions of “Ford Thea- 
tre” to be made in Mexico. Cohn 
and Mitchell both visited Toronto 
a couple of months ago on a Cana- 
dian subsid, but haven’t finalized 
that yet, while Cohn on a recent 
trip to the Coast surveyed dubbing 
facilities south of the border but 
hasn’t made a further move in that 
direction either. 


Alda’s ‘Secret File’ 

Also For Theatres; 
Triangle’s ‘Fair Trial’ 

Triangle Productions, the C. A. 
Nelson-Arthur Dreifuss telefilm 
outfit which has just wrapped pro- 
duction on 26 Robert Alda-starring 
“Secret File, U.S.A.” pix, is now 
planning a theatrical version of 
the Alda starrer along with two 
additional series. New series are 
"Fair Trial,” based on Richard B. 
Morris’ book of the same name 
dealing with courtroom cases 
where the fairness of the trial was 
in question, and “Resistance.” a 
series on life behind the Iron Cur- 
tain. 

Feature-length version of “File” 
will be produced at the Cinetone 
Studios in Amsterdam, where the 
26 half-hour versions were shot for 
distribution by Official Films. 
“Fair Trial,” with Morris as re- 
search chief for the teladaptations, 
is slated either for N.Y. or Holly- 
wood. “Resistance” will have Don- 
ald Robinson, author of “The 
Hundred Most Important People,” 
as script editor, and Triangle is 
dickering with Official, to syndi- 
cate the series. Dreifuss and his 
exec assistant, Ella Sacco, leave 
for Amsterdam this week to start 
production on the feature. 


RCA Takes Zenith 
Tiff to Top Court 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

The Supreme Court was asked 
yesterday (Mon.) to intervene to 
prevent continued court delays in 
disposition of the eight-year old 
litigation between RCA and Zenith 
arising Irom Zenith’s repudiation 
of a patent licensing agreement in 
1946. 

The request was made by RCA 
through its counsel, Adlai Steven- 
son, the former Democratic Presi- 
dential nominee, and John T. 
Cahill. Their petition submitted 
that “this case presents important 
questions relating to the orderly 
administration of justice in the 
Federal Courts never before re- 
viewed by this court.” 

The attorneys asked the high 
tribunal to take steps to prevent- 
“duplicative litigation” by Zenith 
in different courts and to prevent 
“complete frustration” of recom- 
mendations of the judicial confer- 
ence of 1949 for orderly “judicial 
administration” and to avoid 
’’grave prejudice” to RCA and 
“great disorder in this larger, com- 
plex litigation.” 


Cleveland — One of the major 
time sales in months, 20 weekly 
hours was announced by K. K. 
Hackathorn with Halle Bros, pick- 
ing up 15 hours in Monday-thru- 
Friday three-hour disk-news stanza 
starting at 10 p.m. with Tom 
Brown, and Dodge taking daily 
hour stint with disker Bill Gordon 
and philosopher Brian Ilodgkinson 
splitting time. 


United Film Service 
Sets TV Film Division 

Kansas City, Feb. 15. 

United Film Service is branching 
into tv films, the screen advertis- 
ing company having concluded a 
contract with Motion Pictufes for 
Television of New York for exclu- 
sive distribution on all syndicated 
tv film programs released by the 
latter company. 

United has created a new tele- 
vision division, of which Neale H. 
Oliver is manager, appointed last 
week by Hardy Hendren, Jr. pres- 
ident. In addition to the distribu- 
tion of syndicated tv programs, the 
division will produce and distribute 
tv spot commericals. 


Wednesday, February U, 1953 


29 


'' * 


UNANIMOUS CHOICE IN NEW YORK! 



Every single one of New York’s Top Ten local television programs are on 
WRCA-TV, according to January Telepulse. 

And, as for network shows, NBC’s exciting programming has paid off with 
an average of twice as many shows in the Top Ten as the second network, 
according to the National Nielsen ratings, since the Fall season began. 

WRCA-TV’s undisputed local leadership plus NBC’s domination of network 
programming makes WRCA-TV first choice in America’s first market. 

Add to this the most sensational discount plan in New York television *- 

the 14/50 Plan, which provides discounts up to 50 %. For details call Jay 
Heitin at Circle 7-8300 in New York. Or see your NBC Spot Salesman. 


WRCA-TV 


new york 



television 


represented by NBC Spot Sales 

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Angela* Charlotte * Atlanta * Valla** * Botnar Lowrane* A**ociatot 





so 


RADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


Television Chatter 


New York 

Frank Egan, account exec for 
D. P. Brother agency on the Olds- 
mobile biz and prominently iden- 
tified with the Saturday night 
Olds-sponsored specs on NBC-TV, 
given veepee stripes . . . Nine- 
year-old Beverly Lunsford doing 
sequence on NBC daytimer “Way 
of the World,” a role - on web’s 
“World of Mr. Sweepey” next week 
(22) and commercial on "Howdy 
Doody” Friday (18). 

Television Programs of America 
appointed its 50th account exec, 
Robert J. Fraekman, to its Gotham 
sales staff, making it the second 
largest-manned telefilm outfit in 
the nation (Ziv’s still first). Frack- 
man comes from the Harry S. 
Goodman unit . . . Meg Mundy do- 
ing a running part on “Way of the 
World” all this week and Monday 
(21) . . . Glenda Farrell into to- 
morrow’s (Thurs.) “Justice,” and 
then on “Elgin Hour” March 8 . . . 
“GE Theatre” production unit 
wrapped uy shooting on the Myrna 
Loy starrer, “It Gives Me Great 
Pleasure,” at the Parsonnet Stu- 
dios in Long Island City . . . John 
Gali, the banjoist on the “Robert 
Q. Lewis Show,” and Lois Hunt, 
the show’s soprano, both active in 
outside longhair recitals, the for- 
mer having made a number of ap- 
pearances with the N, Y. Philhar- 
monic, and the latter slated for an 
engagement with the N. Y. City 
Opera Co. later this season . . . 
Fred Allen, doing “Two for the 
Money” for* two weeks while Herb 
Shriner vacations in Florida . . . 
Barbara Wilkens, ex-Blaine-Thomp- 
son Co. publicity department. 


Motion 


STEN 


joined ABC Film Syndication as 
assistant to ad-promotion chief Lee 
Francis, replacing Harriet Fein- 
berg, who recently took command 
of promotion at WABC-TV and 
WABC, the net’s N. Y. flags . . . 
Dave Savage, Guild Films’ director 
of station relations, began the 
spring term of his N.Y.U. School 
of General Education Course. “Mo- 
tion Pictures for Television” . . . 
Guild prexy Reub Kaufman and 
wife and office manager, Jane 
Kaye, planed to Florida and Cuba 
for week’s vacation. 

Metropera soprano Delia Rigal 
in title role of “Tosca” on Du- 
Mont’s “Opera Cameos” Sunday 
(20) ... Ed Herlihy dotted for 
French’s Mustard plugs on Wed- 
nesday session of NBC-TV’s 
“World of Mr. Sweeney” starring 
Charles Ruggles . . . WCBS-TV 
"filmflnmmer” Glenn Hasselrooth 
back at his desk after a two-week 
surgery bout . . . TWU prexy 
Michael Quill joined the capitalist 
movement via an appearance on 
John K. M. McCaffery’s Nat l City 
Bank-sponsored "11th Hour News” 
on WRCA-TV Sunday (13) . . . Mar- 
garet Arlen’s “Morning Memo” 
capsule on WCBS-TV to devote en- 
tire week of Feb. 28 to area young- 
sters who are finalists in 14th an- 
nual Science Talent Search con- 
ducted by Westinghouse, saying 
she’s “fed up” on juvenile delin- 
quents making the big headlines 
and wants to promote the stock of 
kids who’ve done constructive 
work . . . Nash-Kelvinator renewed 
as rotator on CBS-TV “Danger” 
. . . Edward F. Lethen Jr., CBS-TV 
mgr of network sales development. 


Picture Makers! 


FILMS, INC 


addressing winter conference of 
Bureau of Home Applicanes in Bal- 
boa Park, San Diego, Cal., today 
(Wed). 


Chicago 

Jim Knox, Chi ABC-TV program 
and production coordinator, adds 
managership of the web’s sales 
service arm to his duties . . . New 
WBBM-TV promotion manager is 
Tom Dawson who joined the CBS 
station last December after a hitch 
with KHJ-TV, Hollywood . . . 
WBKB sales chief Jim Beach 
checked out for a month’s rest in 
Florida . . . Monica Lewis guests 
on WBBM-TV’s “In Town Tonight” 
three times this week ... Ed Allen 
preems a noon kid show on WBKB 
Saturday (19), with the Pure Milk 
Assn, bankrolling . . . Pat Breen 
has joined Don Herbert’s “Mr. Wiz- 
ard” staff, as publicity director . . . 
Irving Cherone added to the cast 
of NBC-TV’s "Hawkins Falls” . . . 
Lee Phillip, WBBM-TV’s hostess, 
working the Maytag blurbs on CBS- 
TV’s Saturday afternoon Big 10 
basketball telecasts . . . WNBQ top- 
per Jules Herbuveaux signed a new 
pact with George S. May, Tam 
O’Shanter country club owner, for 
a repeat of the late evening golf 
beaming next season . . . WBKB's 
signal went up to maximum power 
last week at 316,000 watts 


CBS Allegiance 
To Thomas Stirs 
Albany Tempest 

Albany, Feb. 15. 

Trade observers are wondering 
what effect the blast w'hich WTRI- 
TV fired against CBS for shifting 
the limited alternate CBS affilia- 
tion from the former to WROW-TV 
now controlled by a group includ- 
ing Lowell Thomas, CBS commen- 
tator, without allegedly discussing 
the matter or notifying the WTRI 
management, will have on the long- 
range , status of radio station 
WTRY in Troy as a CBS affiliate. 
WTRI publicly laid a large share 
of blame for its plight, requiring a 
signoff, on Columbia. 

Some industry men think the 
WTRI charges may hasten the exit 
of WTRY as a CBS affiliate. There 
had been reports, from the time 
the Thomas-Frank M. Smith group 
purchased an 83% interest in 
WROW and WROW-TV, that the 
Columbia radio tieup would even- 
tually go to WROW, now an ABC 
outlet. This was believed possible 
despite the fact WTRY was estab- 
lished by Col. Harry C. Wilder, 
long a staunch CBS affiliater. 

Troy Broadcasting Co., operating 
WTRY, held a 50% interest in Van 
Curler Broadcasting Co., which 
conducted WTRI (Stanley Warner 
Theatre Corp. owned the remaining 
50%). Wilder was, and still is, Van 
Curler president. 

The six-page statement by WTRI 
general manager Richard B. 
Wheeler, in which Columbia was 
castigated, and previous papers, 
critical of CBS, filed with the f^CC 
requesting cancellation of that 
body’s approval of the Thomas- 
Smith “buy in,” had to receive the 
approval of Col. Wilder. 

Current WTRY newspaper ad- 
vertising is stressing the CBS af- 
filiation. 


KBTV’s $1,000,000 Sale 

Denver, Feb. 15. 

KBTV, ABC outlet, in operation 
since Oct., 1952, has been sold by 
Colorado Television Co. to TV 
Denver Inc., for a reported “more 
than $1,000,000.” W.D. Pyle, owner 
of KVOD here, was president of 
the selling company, and John C. 
Mullins, Tulsa businessman, heads 
the new company. No staff changes 
are contemplated, according to Joe 
Herold, station manager. 

The station has studios that are 
said to have cost $500,000. Sale is 
subject to FCC okay. 


KUHT-TV College Credit* 

Houston, Feb. 15. 

For the first time on KUHT-TV, 
a telecourse in communication arts, 
composition and literature will be 
offered this spring. Course may 
be taken for college credit or by 
audit students only. It will be 
given on tv on Wednesday for 45 
minutes and for two hours on 
campus seminar on Monday. 

This is one of nine telecourses 
which are being offered during the 
spring semester on the U. of Hous- 
ton’s educational tv outlet. 



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334 East 74th St. 
How York 21. N. Y. 
TRafalgar 9-4830 


Managing Director 

SHIRLEY BERNSTEIN 


From The Production Centres 

^ Continued from pace 24 

burgh edition of TV Guide, celebrated his 50th birthday ... Ed Wood 
skedded for an early return to tv over Channel 2 in a morning sports- 
news show for one of the big downtown stores . . . Bill Brant down 
with the flu for a few days and Milton Anderson pinchhit for him on 
his WJAS early-bird platter program. 

IN MINNEAPOLIS ... 

Series of eight programs,' “If War Should Come,” won WCCO radio 
top news honors at ninth annual Northwest Radio-TV News Assn, 
meeting at U. of Minnesota. Second place went to KSOO, Sioux Falls, 
S.D., and third to KLPM, Minot, N.D., for coverage of a South- Dakota 
prison riot and for a semi-documentary about a missing four-year old 
girl, respectively . . . KSTP radio sales staff addition Wayne L. King, 
former KLTF, Little Falls, Minn., general manager, is recipient of 
nation’s Junior Chamber of Commerce distinguished service award as 
“Young Man of the Year” . . . Speaking at U. of Minnesota where 
he received the school’s Outstanding Achievement Award, Eric Seva- 
reid, CBS Washington bureau chief, called the televising of the Presi- 
dent’s press conferences “a step forward,” but noted that the White 
House staff deletes tilings “that make the President look bad” . . . 
Minnesota Associated Press Broadcasters Assn, elected George Brooks, 
KSUM, Fairbault, president, and Tom Steensland, KAUS and KMMI- 
TV, Austin, vice president. 

IN OMAHA .... 

KUON-TV, Lincoln, has kicked off a 17-week program series on 
“Yesterday in Nebraska," slated to end May 27. Jack McBride is pro- 
ducer and director . . . WJAG, Norfolk, planning move into new studio 
building . . . Ben Larson handling night newscast for WOW here . . . 
Ex-Custer, S.D., radio sportscaster Ken Guenther has joined staff of 
U.S. Senator Case . . . Jack Gilbert named operations manager of KHOL- 
TV. Holdrege, succeeding Duane Watts. A. B. McPhillamy replacing 
Richard Hackney as sales manager of same outlet . . . Jean Sullivan 
starring on “Women’s View” programmer for WOW-TV Mondays 
through Fridays at 9:45 a.m. 

IN BOSTON . . . 

WHDH- sportscaster Curt Gowdy w'as named one of Boston’s “Out- 
standing Young Men of ’55” by the Junior Chamber of Commerce . . , 

“Bob and Ray” in town for a day to inaugurate their new hour-long 
(5 p.m. across the board) show heard locally via WBZ. Boys aired the 
kickoff program from the ballroom of tjie Hotel Somerset with Leo 
Eagan, the station’s news and sports director, chairman of the special 
“welcome home” committee . . . Harold A. Dorschug, chief engineer 
at WEEI for several years, has been assigned to CBS headquarters 
as engineer in charge of studio operations for CBS-TV . . . The second 
annual mid-w inter carnival and ball of the Radio-Television-Advertising 
Execs Club of New- England is slated to be held at the Boston Club 
Feb. 18. Roly Rogers, head of the Rogers Model Agency, is chairman- 
ning the event . . . Deejay Sherm Feller back at the WVDA mike fol- 
lowing a month s vacation . . . WMEX deejay Jay McMaster vacationing 
in Florida . . . William Wayland, for past two years head of WEEI’s 
mail department, has resigned to continue his studies at Boston U.’« 
School of Public Relations and Communications. 

IN CLEVELAND . . . 

Maggie W'ulff, WXEL, and Bill Randle, WERE, involved in separate 
auto mishaps. Both slightly injured . . . NBC New’s Director Ed Wallace 
back after sick bed siege . . . AFTRA judges reported completed se- 
lections for upcoming awards. Judges include Hope Johnson, Stan 
Anderson, George Condon, Maurice Condon, Howard Cramer, Charles 
Irwin and Ralph Kelly . . . WGAR Director of Operations Reg Merri- 
dew elected to Cuyahoga County Library Board of Trustees . . . Dav® 
Baylor, formerly WEWS, named general executive for KCSJ-TV & AM 
. . . WGAR News Director Charles Day elected to YMCA program 
committee . . . Clem Scerback steps out as WTAM-WNBK promotion- 
advertising director to take government job in Washington . . . NBC’» 
Barry Mood scheduled for color talk at Cleveland 4d Club . . . James 
Ta>lor moves from KCBS to WGAR to head Housewives Protective 
League spiel twice daily . . . Mary Ellen Essex is WEWS new film 
jockey . . . Fels Naphtha purchased WGAR 8 a.m. news. 

WHAS-TV ‘Flight Plan’ 
lo Louisville Preem 

Louisville, Feb. 15. 

“Flight Plan,” 13-week series of 
Louisville’s aviation facilities, 
needs and potentials, started over 
WHAS-TV Sunday (13). Televised 
with the cooperation of the avi- 
ation industry and the Louisville- 
Jefferson County Air Board, 

“Flight Plan” is both film and live. 

Series takes the viewer behand 

the scenes of town’s four carrier 
services, the Air National Guard, 
the light aircraft services and the 
community’s future plans for com- 
mercial and defense aviation. 


‘14-50 Sales Plan’ Coin 

First two sponsors to sign In for 
WRCA-TV’s “14-50 Sales Plan” are 
Keebler Biscuits and Buitoni Mac- 
aroni. The N. Y. station’s latest 
lurer gives an advertiser repped 
with 14 station breaks during a 
Sunday-through-Saturday week a 
50% discount on those breaks in 
D or C time. 

Keebler will start a 10-second 
sked March 7 for four weeks and 
Buitoni tees off today (Wed.) with 
10s over 13 semesters. 


WOW'S 'NEWSMOBILE' 

Omaha, Feb. 15. 

WOW and WOW-TV last week 
dedicated their new “Newsmobile” 
with Nebraska Governor Victor 
Anderson placing a call to Iowa 
Chief Exec Leo Hocgh on the 
unit’s mobile phone. 



TEXACO STAR THEATRI 

SATURDAY NIGHT— N.I.C. 


Met.! William Morris Aeancy 



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Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


TELEVISION REVIEWS 


SI 


I Tele Follow-Up Comment l 


♦♦♦♦ »»»♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦+« 


Sunday night’s (13) Colgate 
“Comedy Hour” was something in 
the nature of a comeback for Dean 
Martin and Jerry Lewis. It was 
their second time up this season, 
certainly a more rewarding effort 
in contrast to their initial entry a 
few weeks hack. At least the boys 
were in there trying this time up; 
it was apparent they had given 
some thought and effort to the job 
on hand, and the sloppiness and 
what -do -we -care attitude that 
characterized the previous stanza 
at least replaced by a conscientious 
trv at being funny and at the same 
time a little more original. 

Perhaps it’s significant — and 
even newsworthy — that M & L hit 
their best moments when they 
were exorcising some restraint and 
willing to concede that the novelty 
of their buffoonery has long since 
worn off and that some concessions 
must he made to the writers and 
the kind of material they’re pro- 
vided with. 

For example, the old chestnut of 
the guy in a sick room who must 
have quiet, a throwback to the old 
burlesque routines, was unwrapped 
on this occasion. It could have 
easily wound up (and for a while 
looked headed that way) in the 
usual bedlam, but instead the boys 
managed to check themselves and 
permit a couple of real scripting 
euties to take over; as when a 
phantom horsefly, chased out of 
the room, maneuvers himself back 
in by ringing the bell. Or again 
when the same horsefly drinks 
himself into a hiccup spell before 
crash-landing. 

But not so funny, and for the 
selfsame reason that the sole 
reliance was on the Lewis mugging 
to the degree that every movement 
was telegraphed was an earlier 
comedy effort in which the duo 
came to grips with the sponsor and 
his wife. All the long-accepted 
cliches were brought into play. At 
least the two skits were a revela- 
tion in terms of a then-and-now 
transition of the comedy team into 
a more — let’s hope— composed duo. 
The “now” part seams to fit them 
better these days — at least on tv. 

The teamup .of the Step Bros, 
and Martin & Lewis made for a 
whammo closer with the two 
comics registering solidly on their 
hoofing assignments. (A tv reprise 
of their recent I-as Vegas engage- 
ment at the Sands.) Micki Marlow, 
a chirper with looks, did okay with 
“St. Louis Blues." Dick Stabile 
and the band, as usual, back- 
grounded. Rose. 


“Gutsy” Isn’t an appellation that 
can often be applied to television 
drama, but it’s as adequate a one- 
word description of Rod Serling’s 
“Patterns” as can be found. Tele- 
play, on which “Kraft Theatre” 
broke precedent by repeating 
intact only* four weeks after the 
original presentation, combines 
conflict, compassion and a mount- 
ing sense of climax into a an edge- 
of-the-chair drama with a whale 
of an emotional impact. Little 
wonder that the motion picture 
companies are hot for the play — 
“Executive Suite,” to which it 
invites comparison, is a pale cliche 
next to “Patterns.” 

This too is a story of big business 
and its big executives, but it 
employs some fundamental con- 
flicts as well as expert characteriza- 
tions. One such conflict is between 
business and morality, with Everett 
Sloane as the ruthless headman of 
an industrial giant symbolizing the 
machine-like efficiency - conscious 
tycoon whose concern is success 
and not people, and Richard Kiley 
as a rising young executive por- 
traying the decent human being. 
There’s a more personal conflict 
in Kiley’s realization that he’s been 
brought into the firm to replace 
Ed Begley, a veteran of the firm 
whom he’s come to respect and 
like. And Begley has his own inner 
conflict: whether to continue to 
take abuse and ridicule because he 
fears he can’t get another job, or 
to stand up to the vicious Sloane. 

All these elements, along with 
the entire question of moralism in 
business, are blended into a plot 
that moves quickly and builds in 
impact to a subclimax when Begley 
dies of a heart attack and to the 
final denouement when Kiley 
agrees to stay with the firm with 
the intention of fighting Sloane all 
the way down the line. It's but- 
tressed and complemented by some 
tine points of writing — the view- 
point of the secretaries, the ambi- 
tions of Kilcy’s wife, the solitary 
brutishness of Sloane. 

Production, under the •supervi- 
sion and direction of Fielder Cook, 
matched the teleplay. Casting 
couldn’t have been better — Sloane 
was fiercely convincing as boss; 
Kiley was alternatingly tough and 
sensitive as the newcomer; Begley 
tired and beaten as the doomed 


man. Every one of them did a 
superb job, and received excellent 
backing from Elizabeth Wilson as 
Begley's loyal secretary, June 
Dayton as Kiley’s wife and Joanna 
Roos as Sloane’s crisp secretary. 
Cook’s direction was swift and 
sure, and the production was un- 
usually well dressed in its settings 
and backgrounds. Add to that 
some unusual and effective use of 
sound effects, and the sum total 
'• as one of the striking dramas of 
the season. t Chan. 


Variety bills in which each 
act does the chores well provide 
the most reliable kind of enter-- 
tainment. In this respect, Ed Sul- 
livan can play it safe on his “Toast 
of the Town” Sunday’s on CBS-TV. 
It’s one advantage that he has 
over his competition and one that 
has given him a considerable fol- 
lowing no matter who’s opposite 
him. 

Last Sunday’s (13) edition of 
“Toast” provided an excellent ex- 
ample. There were really no top- 
heavy names that would bankrupt 
a blue-chip sponsor, but every act 
delivered. Grouping of the acts 
also provided a happy circumstance 
inasmuch as the routining provided 
room for growth. The only item 
lacking was a climax which could 
have put the show over in the 
sock column. 

Openers were Pearl Bailey from 
“House of Flowers” and her 
brother, Bill, a tapdancer who 
turned cleric and is now back on 
the boards. The pair doodled 
around the song. “Bill Bailey,” and 
made with a few steps for a de- 
lightful opener. Following were 
Willie, West & McGinty, whose 
standard vaude-turn is a yock- 
producing event. The bricklayer 
act remains a masterpiece of tim- 
ing. 

There seemed to be a lot of sing- 
ing on this show, but all of it was 
entertaining. The start was by 
the Don Cossack Choir one of the 
best in its metier, opening with 
“Song of the Volga Boatmen” and 
thence into a lively bit accented 
by two lithe terpers in a bit of 
folkdancing. The other big group 
was the U. of Illinois Glee Club. 
It’s generally a dangerous thing, 
sending a group of ams against a 
pro outfit like the moujik singers, 
but the college boys made 
out very well. They fortunately 
took American themes which parti- 
ally took them out of coippetition 
with the Don Cossacks. 

Les Paul & Mary Ford have a 
nice and easy stride. Their guitar 
pickings and singing by Miss Fbrd 
plus a background voice, provided 
a familiar session that was punc- 
uated by their Capitol record hits. 

Mata & Hari completed the 
lineup. With the aid of an ex- 
pert troupe they ribbed the filmed 
spy dramas. It contained a lot of 
humor and charm plus top terp 
skill. A fine addenda to the show. 

Sullivan gets a lotta cuffo guests 
on his show. This time he really 
pulled a coup getting a filmed clip 
of Pres. Eisenhower introed by 
Henry Ford 2d making a pitch for 
Radio Free Europe. Suzan Ball 
and her husband, Richard Long, 
were the other cuffoists. Jose. 


“Medic” undertook a project in 
its Monday (14) NBC-TV segment 
that was somewhat out of its 
depth, or for that matter the depth 
of any half-hour commercial film 
show. “Flash of Darkness,” as the 
episode was titled, portrayed the 
effects of a nuclear Attack on Amer- 
ican cities. And while the pic- 
torialization of the flash and the 
blast seemed real enough, the 
scope of the segment was limited 
thereafter. 

Rest of the action took place 
in a makeshift medical center, 
with the series’ Dr. Konrad Styner 
as the focal point of the action. 
Within these limitations, it was an 
effective dramatization of the job 
the doctors and nurses face when 
an A-Bomb attack occurs, and a 
somewhat reassuring one. But the 
impact of such a subject as an 
A-bomb attack was lessened 
through the fact that all the other 
effects — rioting, evacuation, loot- 
ing. hysteria, etc. — were conveyed 
to the audience via a doctor us- 
ing a portable radi« tuned to 
Conelrad and the descriptions 
offered by a harried truck driver. 

Richard Boone, as the doctor, 
gave his customary tightly-drawn 
performance. Nan Boardman and 
Beverly Kidd as ,a pair of nurses 
headed up a good cast. John 
Moredyth Lucas’ script and direc- 
tion lacked scope, and therefore, 
impact. . Chan. 


Ed Murrow’s “Person to Per- 
son” has from time to time come 
up with surprising results, with 
(Continued on page 38) 


CAPTAIN GALLANT OF THE 
FOREIGN LEGION 
With Buster Crabbe, Cullen Crab- 
be. Fuzzy Knight, Gilles Queant, 
Daniel Lecourtols 
Exec Producer: Gilbert A Ralston 
Directors: Sam Newfield, Jean Yar- 
brough, Marcel Crevenne, Pierre 
Schwab 

Writers: William N. Robson, Gene j 
Levitt, Jack Andrews 
H. J. HEINZ CO. 

NBC-TV, from N. Y. (film) 

( Maxon ) 

Filmed desert adventure series 
which teed last Sunday (13) has the 
ingredients for youngsters and 
adolescents, and since they eat a 
lot of soup (Heinz, in this case), 
both sponsor and audience ought 

to be satisfied. Producers have 
gone to a great deal of trouble on 
this one, filming the series in North 
Africa with the cooperation of the 
French Foreign Legion. Use of Le- 
gion troups, North African natives, 
ancient French forts. Moroccan 
street scenes and expanses of 
Sahara Desert give the program a 
certain exotic appeal and authen- 
ticity. but in scripting and direc- 
tion (judged by the opener) they’ve 
let the Legion down. 

First airer has Captain Gallant 
discovering a plot by bandits to 
murder a French general w hile he’s 
huddling with the pasha in the lat- 
ter’s palace, and foiling the at- 
tempt. A beauteous, murderous 
blonde — “who is as brave as she is 
beautiful,” according to the gang 
chieftain — tries to bump the gal- 
lant captain off. Such stock situa- 
tions, familiar characters and trite 
dialog abound in the script. But 
what red-blooded adolescent cares? 

Buster Crabbe makes a manly 
Captain Gallant, and his son. Cul- 
len, an appealing waif whom the 
captain adopts. Fuzzy Knight is 
the heavily-humorous aide. 

. Bron. 


Acad Awards Nominations Specola 
90-Minute Dud as TV Entertainment 


A CONVERSATION WITH JOHN 

HALL WHEELOCK 
With Davidson Taylor 
Producer: Henry Salomon 
Director-Editor: Issac Kleinerman 
30 Mins., Sun., 3 p.m. 

NBC-TV, from N. Y. 

With this “elder wise man.” NBC 
stepped away from national and 
world personalities into the home 
of a man sans “household name” 
attached. Others in the “conversa 
tion with” series are largely global 


♦ Format-wise, formal announce- 
ments of the Academy Award nomi- 
nees Saturday night (12) on NBC 
promised to be competent tele- 
vision. A total of 18 cameras were 
used, focusing on Jack Webb as 
emcee at the Burbank studio on 
the Coast and picking up variously 
from Ciro’s Romanoff’s and the 
Coeoanut Grove. 

Concept of the show' jiud its plus 
factors; the Oscar contenders 
would come on view as they’re 
identified, and the three plush 


names on the top heap of their pro- 
fessmns. John Hall Wheelock. 68. rooms would serve as appropriately 
is known and respected by hordes glittering backdrops. The pro- 
of authors w ho have come under I gram, though, was lacking in one 
his keen eye as a senior editor of j major respect: fresh' entertainment. 
Charles Scribners Sons, the pub- ^ # ^ fine j 0 j ) technically, for the 
lisheis, where he has woikcd oi i mechanics of the balloting results 


some 40 years (doubling as assist- 
ant treasurer). The film interview 
with Davidson Taylor, the web’s 
public affairs chief, was concerned 
largely with Wheelock the poet, 
and was shot at his beloved home 
on Long Island. 

Wheelock spoke feelingly about 
lyric literature and its lyricists and 
read a couple of his own admirably. 

There was hardly any hint of the 
kind of life he leads, his philoso- 


were carefully explained and the 
cameras were well coordinated. But 
most of the "cast” didn’t show up. 
Of the five best male candidates 
selected, only Humphrey Bogart 
and Dan O’Herlihy were available 
for the spotlight. Bogart had been 
stationed at Romanoffs to share 
in the m.c. chores. The femme 
players were similarly absent. 

In an effort to sustain expectan- 


phy, his views on literature aside, ... tit , f t| f , : 

from poetry. The session cried out j cv 1 Ule uue> 01 1,10 l,ve top jjic- 
for a bit of memorabilia on the i 


STEPPING OUT 

With Evelyn, Bob Lowell; Hal 

Prince, guest 

Producer: Portrait Productions 
Director: Don Horan 
15 Mins., Wed,, 8 p.m. 

HALSEY PACKARD MOTORS 
W'ATV, Newark 

“Stepping Out” was a 15-min- 
ute video show that needed lots of 
stepping up in its preem last Wed- 
nesday (9). Evelyn and Bob Low- 
ell, a handsome young brace that 
aired this same show on the same 
station in ’52, did much extraneous 
gab in filling up the time. They 
were supposed to be cueing in 
Gothamites on the entertainment 
beat. Material and delivery were 
inadequatte. 

Take for example the “review” 
of the pic. “The Racers.” Gal held 
up still photos and explained what 
everybody already could see. (She 
even made a subconscious criti- 
cism of the pic’s originality by re- 
ferring to a scene about auto rac- 
ers as being the “inevitable crack- 
up.” In the same regard, the 
show’s few fresh points all seemed 
unintentional). Guest Hal Prince, 
“Pajama Game” co - producer 
spelled a couple of interesting 
minutes on future legit plans, car- 
rying the ball mostly by himself. 
Not only was he a fine guest, but 
subject matter was new. He men- 
tioned that he’d soon be opening 
Gwen Verdon on the boards in a 
takeoff on the book on when the 
Yankees lost the World Series. 

Male half of duo was habitually 
using hack expressions, all glib, 
usually unthinking. There was also 
too much commercial for a 15- 
minute show. Art. 


writers who have crossed his path, j DOMINATIONS CEREMONY, 

plus, perhaps, a few anecdotes ; ACADEMY AWARDS 

along (he way. The lenslng direc- emcees Jack Webb, Irene 

t. on seemed deliberately intent , Dunne. Louella Parsons, Donna 

u . p0 . n moving Wheelock from his ; Reed, Humphrey Bogart 

chair to fireplace to sofa, instead Producer-director: Alan Handley 
of concentrating upon the man and | writer: Richard Breen 
his words, closeup where he could 
be seen the better. This phase of 
the program appeared oddly con- 
trived. Otherwise, it was an inter- 
esting study, though lacking in 
the ingredients that have made the 
previous eight or nine in this se- 
ries memorable quickies in the 
lives of the great. Trau. 


90 Mins.; Sat. (12), 9 p.m. 
OLDSMOBILE 
NBC-TV, from Los Angeles 


lures were announced one by one 
over th.» full* hour and a half of 
running time. Interspersed were 
the supporting performers and 
stars along with top songs and a 
'vide variety of credits. 

Webb, who handled his assign- 
ment affab'y, did alright In ex- 
plaining U e technical credits but 
1 these, including special effects and 
art decoration, still have little 
meaning to the public. They’re too 
remote to provide interest for the 
non-ti adcsicr. 

As for spreading announcement 
of the live top-rated pictures over 
the entire program, this caused loss 
of iorpac t. 

Good Film Clips 

Reminiscent of last year’s Acad 
show, the Saturday night exposure 
was at Its bo t when depicting clips 
from the various features being 


TIIE LONE RANGER 
With Clayton Moore, Jay Silver- 
heels. Glenn Strange, Walter 
Sande, others 
Producer: Jack Chertok 
I Director-writer: George Seitz Jr. 

CO Mins.; Sat. (12), 1 p.m.; Sun. 
i (13). 8 p.m. 

! GENERAL MILLS 
CBS-TV, ABC-TV, from N.Y. (film) 

( Dancer-Fitzyerald -Sample > 

Jack Wrather and Helen Alvarez, 
w ho bought the entire Lone Ranger 
Inc. kit-and-kaboodle from Trend le- 
Campbell-Meurer last fall, are cel- 
ebrat'ng the 22d anni of the prop- 
erly in a big way with a one-hour 
filmed refresher course lor the 
kids and those adults sentimental 
enough to look back on the old 

radio days of the property. Wrather ^ 

got a couple of exposures for the | cited plus musical scenes from pix 
special via ABC-TV Sunday 1 13> | of the past. The strawberry "in- 

2 nd , CI ?i S ‘Tt V (whcr< I Genera 1 ! vostigation” from “Caine Mutiny” 
Mills bankrolls the repeals) Satur- 1 
day afternoon. As an 
aside, GM bankrolled the 


exposure, but ABC-TV’s opposite 
Ed Sullivan feel was a sustaincr. 

Idea of the pie, produced as arc 
the regular half-hours by Jack 
Chertok, was to tell the entire 
history of how the Lone Ranger 
became the Lone Ranger all over 
again, from the time he was am- 
bushed as a Texas Ranger and 
Tonto nursed him back to health 
through his acquisition of Silver, 
his adoption of silver bullets, etc. 
Remainder of the one-shot con- 
cerned his efforts in rounding up 
his ambushers and deciding that 
(Continued on page 36) 


~ ~ ii win vdiuu mutiny 

e ini was *k>od highlight, for example. 
hirR«s-TV 1 Another potent item was (he 
•<. nnnnsito- ' “Waterfront” sequence in which 


las Vegas Story’ Just A Peep Show 

Ed Murrow grabbed himself a $100,000 bundle of cuffo talent 
when “See It Now” went “show biz” In a big way last week and 
focussed its cameras on the "Las Vegas Story.” But it came off 
as more of a peep show rather than a fullblown exposition of the 
nation’s fabulous play spot. Perhaps It takes a Todd-AO or a 
Cinerama to truly capture the sweeping panorama of the nation’s 
No. 1 super boom town. The words were there in Murrow’s glib 
espousal of a “gold rush in reverse” as the gambling addicts bring 
back the gold to Nevada soil, but the accompanying pictures only 
partially captured the true feel of the Vegas phenomenon. 

Not that the show was without its pleasurable moments. As the 
cameras roamed the Strip and the top hot spots the viewer was 
treated to a “dream parlay” in digest form: Lena Horne at the 
Sands; Jimmy Durante and Eddie Jackson at the Desert Inn; 
Sophie Tucker at the Sahara; Tony Martin at the Last Frontier; 
Louis Prima at the Flamingo, etc. But a true pictorial wrapup of 
the biggest 24-hour-a-day crap game in the world was missing. 

It also seemed a mistake to turn the latter portion of the show 
into a moral and sociological treatise on gambling as Murrow ap- 
proached the Vegas story from the standpoint of the church, the 
press, the mobster move-in, Otc., with the pro and con debate 
slowing things up. It was a lot more fun when it pictured Vegas 
drumbcalcr Abe Schiller welcoming the suckers at the airport and 
telling them to unloosen their money belts. 

Audio portions were transcribed in advance since Murrow was 
iu London doing an interview with India Prime Minister Nehru. 

Rose. 


Marlon Brando tells Karl Malden, 
as a priest, to “go to hell.” 

Of the other “assistants” to 
Webb. Irene Dunne and Greer 
Garson were properly gracious in 
making with the introductions. 
Louella Parsons showed great dif- 
ficulty in reading the announce- 
ment cards, a situation that drew 
uncomfortable chuckles from the 
Grove audience. 

Still subject of a controversy is 
whether the film . industry itself 
should sponsor the Acad limelight- 
ing. nominations and final winners 
as well. Regardless of the merits 
of the pros and cons on this, it's 
a cinch that there’s need for sub- 
stantial improvement or there 
won’t be too great an audience to 
pitch the sales messages to. 

Oldsmobile Division of General 
Motors bankrolled again and the 
sell was hard and repetitious. Alan 
Handley, doubling as producer and 
director, gave the airer an impres- 
sive production layout but the 
looseness of the continuity and the 
missing personalities (did some of 
them figure the event as just not 
worth the effort?) made the whole 
business rather dull show business. 

Gene. 


CBS-TV’s Hoop Extra 

CBS-TV’* Big Ten Basketball will 
get an overtime stanza in the Satur- 
day series. The hoop-la was to 
vacate the 3 to 4:30 time after the 
March 5 game under the running 
Amana and Maytag sponsorship, 
but a contest has been added for 
March 12. 

Extra-curricular joust pi*s (he 
razzle-dazzle Harlem Globetrotters 
against the Washington Generals. 



Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


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RADIO REVIEWS 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 



BUFF ESTES SEXTET 
Producer: Paul Baylis 
15 Mins.; Sat., 7 p.m. 

Sustaining 
CBC, from Ottawa 

Kansas City-born Buff Estes, dis- 
covered at four by Gus Edwards, 
with whom he toured 10 years, 
went on to play with Lawrence 
Welk, Danny Russo, Lionel Hamp- 
ton and Benny Goodman bands. 
After eight years out of music with 
the Royal Canadian Air Force, 
part of it as a test pilot, he re- 
tired as a squadron leader but Is 
still in the RCAF Reserve and has 
logged 5.400 hours. 

Now, 37, a Canadian citizen and 
a car salesman in the capital, Ot- 
tawa, clarinetist Estes (who also 
plays flute, oboe and sax) has had 
his own sextet since '49, playing at 
private parties. Colleagues are 
Peter Fleming on vibes, a radio 
control-room technician by day; 
Lyle Kohler, pianist; Tim Arthur, 
electric guitar; Bas Cullen, bass; 
and 22-ycar-old Glen Robb, an 
electronic technician with Crawley 
Films Ltd., on drums. Kohler, 
Arthur and Cullen work for the 
government, and Cullen also plays 
violin in the Ottawa Symphony. 

Since last fall the sextet has had 
this Saturday evening spot on 
Canadian Broadcasting Corp.’s 
Trans-Canada Network, playing 
semi-jazz that reminds somewhat 
of John Kirby’s smaller radio 
combo from N.Y. about 10 years 
ago, but with nothing like the 
pontificial “John Kirby says . . 
which intruded too much into that 
show. It’s often, too, a good deal 
like the old Goodman Sextet. This 
is the only regular live radio show 
out of Ottawa, since Cammie How- 
ard, another excellent clarinetist, 
and his combo went off the net re- 
cently after aimost 15 years. 

Fading in with their theme. “In- 
diana,” boys did a nice fresh job 
on “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” 
then quieted down for Richard 
Rodgers’ "Where or When,” strong 
on the vibes, with differently 
pitched clarinets solos fore and 
aft. “Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider” 
slipped from clarinet lead into a 
good guitar solo with strong bass 
background, and a neat piano solo 
near the end. # 

After a matnly-clarinet “That’s 
My Desire.” they pulsed up into an 
announced jam session on “After 
You’ve Gone,” with the drums fi- 
nally getting some prominence 
and with a few real scat passages; 
then faded out with their theme. 

Show is extremely listenable, 
well blended, in impeccable taste, 
but rarely very exciting. It’s some- 
what heavy on Estes’ 'clarinet 
solos, sparkling though many of 
them are. But the combo is a good 
bet for an album for the polite 
jazz trade. Card. 


HERE’S TO YOUR HEART 
With Jackie Gleason, Jerry Mar* 
shall, Eddie Fisher, Patti Page, 
Gen. Mark W. Clark, others ' 
Producer: Hal Marc Arden 
Director: Dan Sutter 
Writers: George Layton, Earl Ham- 
mer, Arden 
55 Mins., Sun., 7 p.m. 

NBC, from N. Y. (transcribed) 

The American Heart Assn, got 
in a solid pitch with a 55-minute 
one-shot Sunday <13>. Program 
was pegged on the disk joc key con- 
tingent of the Fund with Jerry 
Marshall (WNKW> helming pickups 
of platter spinners around the 
country. 

Stanza also crowned Eddie Fish- 
er and Patti Page as “King and 
Queen of Hearts," dramatized a 
true-life yarn of dee jay Arty Kay, 
squeezed in a spiel by Gen. Mark 
W. Clark and got some extra power 
via Jackie Gleason's acting as co- 
host with Marshall. 

The deejay pickups amounted to 
nothing more than a vote of con- 
fidence from each but it was a solid 
vote. The vignette aboui Kay was 
effective but it took the diskers. 
Fisher and Miss Page, to hold in- 
terest. And they did with their 
platters, ot course. Current slices 
as well as oldies reached the turn- 
table and they all were a pleasant 
respite from the gab. 

Marshall and Gleason rate a vote 
of thanks for their slick efforts 
from the New York end. Gros. 


Broadcast Music Inc. has Just brought off the presses Its newest 
edition of 32 television talks transcribed from last season’s BMI-TV 
clinics held around the country'. It’s one of the more authoritative 
industry volumes, tantamount to a college course in updated thinking 
within the industry, containing as it doeslalks by some of the most 
ht*D personalities in tv, touching on all facets of the medium. Book 


Mitch Miller, Columbia Records’ 
artists & repertoire chief, seems to 
turn up on the airlanes every time 
there is a discussion about popular 
music. He was again the key man 
on the subject on NBC’s “Conver. 
sation” show Saturday night (12). 
Publisher Howie Richmond and 
tunesmith Alec Wilder also joined 
in the informal gab which, as 
usual, was adroitly steered by Clif- 
ton Fadiman. 

Once again, the kickoff point w as 
“why are songs so bad today?,” a 
query posed by Fadiman on the 
basis of such recent hits as “Sh* 
Boom,” Oop-Shoop,” and other 
double-talk rhythm songs. Miller, 
however, didn’t think that pop 
songs had deteriorated over the 
years, pointing to such opuses as 
“Barney Google” and “Yes. We 
Have No Bananas.” which didn’t 
make the 1920s out to be any kind 
of “golden age” of music. 

There was general agreement 
that styles in pop songs have 
changed over the recent years with 
the inroads of hillbilly tunes, mam- 
bo and, currently, the rhythm & 
blues beat. Wilder characterized 
the r&b music as having the ap- 
peal of “distorted hymns” while 
Richmond said that pop music, of 
any period, must express a “plebian 
philosophy.” 

No formula for producing a hit 
song turned up on the show which 
covered the creative and commer- 
cial aspects of songwriting and 
wound up with an analysis of Lib- 
erace, who was termed by Miller 
to be “as good a pianist as Oscar 
Levant” and “not a musician” by 
Howie Richmond. Herm. 


Croun of New York live television packagers meet today (Wed.) 
to form an association designed to act as a public relations spokesman 
for indie packagers and to set up a recognition system to prevent mis- 
representation by socalled producers who’ve never produced a pro- 
gram. Meeting will be preliminary in nature, aimed at electing of- 
ficers and setting up the organization. 

Spearheading the group is packager George F. Foley. He’s keeping 
the names of others involved under wraps until officers are elected. 
Other plans of the group include a publicity program aimed at sponsors 
to underline the function of the indie packager in the broadcasting 
setup. 


Trinity Telefilms Ltd., the Jean-Paul Blondcau-Jean Ja^k Vital French 
packaging combine which has “Dollar a Second” on ABC-TV currently, 
has set up its first American office, in N. Y. Operation will be headed 
by Don A. Davis, who’s also been named a v.p. of the firm. Davis 
until recently was partnered in the Adams-Davis packaging outfit. 

Initial venture of the American office will be to buy a number of 
American shows for televising on tiie Continent. Blondeau has already 
optioned such properties as “What’s My Line?” “Juvenile Jury” anil 
“Life Begins At 80” for airing over the new Saar tv station on a com- 
mercial basis. 


The voice-on-film narrator of the first three and final five minutes 
of “Cinerama Holiday,” which opened at the Warner Theatre. N. Y., 
is that of Martin Weldon. Louis de Rochemont, producer of “Holiday.” 
heard Weldon last summer on “N. Y. Police Report.” hot weather 
pinchhitter for the WCBS radio show', “Port of N. Y.” Rochemont’s 
audition of Weldon wrapped up the deal. 

Weldon is producer of WCBS-TV “Junior Sports Session.” and 
on WCBS Radio is producer-scripter-narrator of “Port of N. Y..” mod- 
erator on “Let’s Find Out” and senior writer and coproducer of “This 
Is N. Y.” 


formal d.j. program that teed off 
WOW’s 24-hour service on Dee. 5, 
is a booming show thanks to the 
sharp work of host Arch Andrews. 
An all-live production, in contrast 
to the taped offering of competitor 
KFAB, Andrews’ only format is a 
five-minute news and weather 
summary on every hour. The 
weather bit, of course, snares 
many listeners alone because of 
the unpredictable Nebraska win- 
ters. 

The other 55 minutes Andrews 
spins platters, chats informally 
with name guests in person and 
via telephone, and features a dif- 
ferent pop album nightly (i.e. Ella 
Fitzgerald with Gershwin tunes', 
spread out throughout the 
hours. 

Only gimmick Andrews has em- 
ployed to date is what he terms a 
“Stay-awake gismo” in which he 
sends a couple of pills that sup- 
posedly keep you awake if you’ll 
write him. Evidence of the show’s 
popularity is that he received 600- 
odd letters the first 45 days of the 
“gismo,” including postmarks from 
New Zealand. Alaska, Canada, 
California, Florida, Washington 
State and Massachusetts. Trump. 


CBS board chairman William Faley has been named to the 32- 
man Committee for the White House Conference on Education, the 
steering group which will hold conferences in each state culminating 
in a White House conference in late November of this year. Aside 
from Paley, the committee is sprinkled with others with a show biz- 
literary background, with Neil H. McElroy, Procter & Gamble prexy, 
as chairman, aftd the membership including Sylvania board chairman 
Don G. Mitchell, Time Inc. president Roy E. Larsen and Minneapolis 
Star Sc Tribune (Cowles newspapers) and WTMJ-TV prexy John 
Cowles. Honorary vice-chairman is Secretary of Health & Welfare 
Oveta Culp Hobby, an owner in the Houston Post and KPRC-TV. 


RACEWAY 
With Clark Race 

120 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Frl., 2 p.m. 

Participating 

WOKO, Albany 

Program, deejayed by Clark 
Race, is a listenable one of music, 
news roundups and public serv- 
ice announcements. Race features 
a chatty, intimate, sometimes 
mildly kidding style. It is marred 
by choppiness, occasional cloud- 
iness of diction and too frequent 
references to board work, but 
Race’s projectibility is improving. 

Race turntables a wide range of 
numbers, including new platters; 
speaks about popular music with 
a certain authority. The spot ad- 
vertising is adequately handled. 

Jaco. 


Rear Admiral B. E. Bradley, CO of the Navy Hospital in Oakland, 
Cal., has put in a request with Westinghouse for the kine of Reginald 
Rose’s “12:32 A.M.,” presented several weeks ago on CBS-TV’s 
“Studio One.” McCann-Erickson, agency for the sponsor. Is sending 
off a kinnie for use by the hospital’s neuropsychiatric service, which 
is engaged In conducting research on the therapeutic effects of vari- 
ous media with psychiatric patients there. 


A threesome from NBC’s owned Sc operated in New York are on an 
extra-curricula culture kick. Bob Blake, publicity chief of the web’s 
o&o’s, spot* sales and WRCA-plus-lv, last week started the spring 
semester of his radio-tv publicity course at New' York U. Also in- 
structing at the same school is announcer Roger Bowman with a class 
in “Music for Radio and Television.” 

Roger White, program chief of WRCA, launched the spring session 
of Columbia U. covering the announcing craft. 

While a cost-per-thousand conscious bankroller might not be so 
happy, the U. of Chicago Home Study department seems well satisfied 
with its first venture into pay-as-you-learn tv. University and NBC- 
TV’s WNBQ are conducting a Sunday morning video course con- 
ducted by political science prof Herman Finer and tagged “Govern- 
ments and Human Relations.” At the close of registration, 69 vtcw- 
ers had signed up for the formal credit course for the $22.50 fee. 
Besides the credit “students,” 282 others have signed up for the 
course’s $2 syllabus. As for the educational “freeloaders.” their num- 
ber awaits the American Research Bureau moithly tally. 


Providence — Hcrvey C. Carter 
assumes duties as commercial man- 
ager of WEAN and WPJB (FM). 
Providence Journal radio outlets. 
He makes the move from general 
managership of WMUR. radio and 
tv, in Manchester, N. H. 


Sianlon Powwow 


New Haven — Patrick J. Goode, 
president of the Elm City Broad- 
casting Corp., will receive the Gold 
Medal Award of New .Haven Ad- 
vertising Club for distinguished 
community service. 


Continued from page 22 
Dallas, and Dallas Times-Herald; 
Storcr; Bruce McConnell, who 
owns WISH-TV in Indianapolis; 
William J. McNally of WCCO-TV, 
Minneapolis, and the Minneapolis 
Star Sc Tribune; Richard Slocum, 
representing WCAU-TV as general 
manager of the Philadelphia Eve- 
ning Bulletin ownership; Witting; 
John M. Rivers, sole owner of 
WCSC-TV in Charleston; the Rid- 
der brothers of Duluth, who own 
WDSM-TV and the Duluth Herald- 
News Tribune; Dorrance Roderick, 
who owns KROD-TV and the El 
Paso Times; the Allen boys, who 
own WLVA-TV in Lnchburg; Mrs. 
Jean Gannett Williams, owner of 
WGAN-TV and the Portland (Me.) 
Press-Herald & Express; John E. 
Fetzer, sole owner of KOLN, Lin- 
coln; John T. Griffin, who owns 
50% of Little Rock’s KATV; 
Franklin D. Schurz, owner of the 
South Bend Tribune and WSBT- 
TV; William C. Grove, owner of 
KFBC-TV and the Cheyenne Eagle 
and Wyoming State Tribune; W. B. 
Smullin, 100% owner of KBES-TV, 
Medford, Ore.; Donald W. Reyn- 
olds, sole owner of KZTV in Reno; 
etc. 

Along with Stanton, practically 
the whole echelon command at CBS 
was In attendance. 




to tho PHILCO organization for soloeting 
mo at your first DISK JOCKEY OF-THE-MONTH to appear 
on tho now PHILCO "PHONORAMA TIME" RADIO SHOW 
commoncing Saturday, Fobruory 19th, on tho MUTUAL RADIO 
NETWORK Coast-to-Coast. 


* Radio Registry 


My Sincere*) Thanks also to the HUTCHINS ADVERTISING COMPANY 


Personal Management: 

ALLEN HERMAN 118 West 57th Street, New York 19, N. Y. Circle 7-1900 


BROOKS 

COSTUMES 


Columbus — Henry O’Neill, an- 
nouncer at WLW-C here for a num- 
ber of years, has been transferred 
by the Crosley Broadcasting Co. to 
WLW-T, Cincinnati! 






Wednesday, February 16, 1955 





36 


RADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


W ednesday, February 16, 1955 


Television Reviews 


Continued from pace 31 


the remainder of his life to serving 
the cause of justice. 

Actually, except for the senti- 
ment and memorabilia involved, it 
was just another western with 
more than its share of corn and 
cliches. That track record of the 
show on radio and tv isn’t to be 
denied, though, and the kids must 
have gone for it in a big way. Pro- 
duction was okay, as was the story 
as edited by Fran Striker and the 
screenplay by director George 
Seitz Jr. (although some of the 
dialog was awful). Acting was by 
and large bad, with Clayton Moore 
as the Lone Ranger reciting some 
of those cliche lines by rote and 
Jay Silverheels (who ought to know 
better) stumbling over his pidgin 
English as Tonto. Remainder of 
the cast was adequate. It’s to be 
hoped that the regular half-hour 
stanzas are somewhat better done 
than the anni one-shot. Chan. 


THIS IS THE DAY 
With Norman Ross 
Producer: David McElroy 
Director: Cliff Braun 
Writers: Ross, McElroy 
10 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 11 p.m. 
Participating 
WBKB, Chicago 

Norman Ross Jr., whose name- 
sake was a top Windy City radio 
personality for more than two 
decades, is making his initial video 
splash as skipper of this nightly 
commentary - with - pix. Although 
hardly a brand new concept, it's 
one of those look-to-the-rear his- 
torical wrapups pegged on a par- 
ticular day. But Ross’ softspoken 
erudition and easy style, plus obvi- 
ous research and preparation, lends 
an overtone of quality and signifi- 
cance considerably beyond the 
usual superficial handling of the 
device. 

Stanza seen (4) dealt with 
Charles A. Lindbergh whose birth- 
day it was. Granted that 10 min- 
utes is hardly time to more than 
scratch the surface of this colorful 
and complex figure, yet Ross was 
able to project a surprising amount 
of the excitement, tragedy and con- 
tradictions of the flyer’s life and 
times. That this is no casually 
thrown-together enterprise was 
evidenced by the newsreel clips of 
Lindy’s famous solo across the 
Atlantic, the contemporary news- 
paper Page l’s and the recording 
of one of his America Firster 
speeches during the Hitler era. 

Ross brings to his work an obvi- 
ous intelligence and sincerity that 
are always welcome in tv, espe- 
cially at the local level. This young 
man will be around for a long time. 

Dave. 


STAND BY BROADWAY 
With Mike Ellis 

Producers: Ellis and Ben Squires 

Director: Squires 

15 Mins., Sun. 6:45 p.m. 

IRONRITE 

W'PTZ, Philadelphia 

( Henning Sc Co.) 
Encouraged by the success of 
his first tv effort, “Tonight in Phila- 
delphia,” Mike Ellis (Broadway 


and strawhat producer) preemed 
his second show biz session (13). 
New opus is switch. In “Tonight” 
Ellis interviews professionals and 
reviews legit openings and nitery 
shows. In “Stand By Broadway” 

he auditions stage tyros and lets 
theatre notables pick the winners. 
The weekly prize is a Stromberg 
Carlson radio and top reward is 
an appearance at either the Park 
Playhouse, NBC or Ellis' Bucks 
County Playhouse. 

Judges were William Inge, whose 
“Bus Stop” made its local bow 
(14); Robert Whitehead, producer 
of the Inge play, and Budd Schul- 
berg (“On the Waterfront”). These 
three do not appear on screen, 
although the presence and opinions 
of such top calibre guests would 
seem essential. Statement at end 
of session that winner would be 
announced next week leaves view- 
ers with a “drop that other shoe” 
feeling. 

A former actor, Ellis enjoys the 
camera and while shot of empty 
theatre rows with the host view- 
ing the performers is good; it would 
register even better with the “Bus 
Stop” contingent and Schulberg. 
Script by Earle T. Crooker, direc- 
tor of dramatics at Drexel Insti- 
tute, provided good though sudsy 
material for talent display. Cast 
included students from Bryn Mawr 
and Penn, Neighborhood Players 
and Plays and Players. Production 
values were excellent — good sets, 
lighting and lensing. “Stand By” 
would benefit from sin extra quar- 
ter hour. Film commercial with 
several plugs for sponsor jam 15 
minute stretch and destroy mood. 
Sample talent on preem sets com- 
petent standard. Gagh. 


‘Right of Privacy 

SSS; Continued from paga 21 

“quite emotionally disturbed,” he 
has been called “a murderer” and "a 
murdering SO B.” He has been 
subjected to “public condemna- 
tion” and has nightmares recreat- 
ing the electric chair and the two 
years he served in the death house, 
and has become "depressed.” 

The attorneys argued that their 
client has “a common Jaw right of 
privacy . . . bottomed on man’s 
right to be let alone.” This right, 
they contended, w r as violated de- 
spite. the use of a fictitious name 
since Bernstein was identified by 
others as the person whose story 
was portrayed. 

NBC attorneys, Percy A. Shay 
and Sidney H. Willner, countered 
that because fictitious names were 
used for all the principals in the 
story presented (except Miss 
Strayer), Bernstein could be iden- 
tified only by viewers who knew of 
his connection with the incidents 
portrayed. 

They also contended that NBC 



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MEEKER TV, INC. 

Chicago Los Angeles San F 


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From the Heart 

St. Louis, Feb. 15. 

It was on KDS-TV and 
called “To the Ladies" (quiz- 
zer). 

Charlie Sherwood, an- 
nouncer, on finishing the com- 
mercial, miscued and turned 
the show back to the m.c. 

Behind a blank screen view- 
ers could hear the bepuzzled 
Sherwood asking “what’s 
wrong here?” and “Oh. you 
want me to read the tag?” 

Came the tag balop on the 
product and Sherwood’s “The 
first 15 minutes of this pro- 
gram came to you with the 
compliments of Red Heart dog 
food. Tune in again tomor- 
row.” And then this epilogue: 
“And I truly hope I’ll be back 
with you tomorrow.” 


was not liable because the program 
was supplied by an independent 
contractor. 

If Bernstein wins out in the 
courts, lawyers here predict, there 
will be “a rash” of suits directed 
against such programs as “Drag- 
net,” “Mr. District Attorney,” “FBI 
in Peace and War” and other shows 
based on actual cases. 


McGonnaughey 

Continued from page 23 ~ 

names of its witnesses, to enable 
him to prepare a defense. 

Doerfer satisfied the Committee 
that he had not prejudged the case 
and that his fellow commissioners 
went along with him in voting for 
the inquiry. He further declared 
that he favored giving Lamb the 
bill of particulars (the Commission 
later furnished “partial” particulars 
but no names of witnesses despite 
an appeal from Bricker). Doerfer 
was unanimously confirmed. 

McConnaughey was appointed to 
office after the Lamb hearings be- 
gan, a fact which he will un- 
doubtedly impress on the Commit- 
tee. Nevertheless, his appearance 
will be utilized by some members 
of the Committee to inquire into 
agency policies in checking on wit- 
nesses. 

Aside from the Lamb case, at 
least two Democrats on the Com- 
mittee have indicated concern with 
McConnaughey’s attitude regard- 
ing Commission handling of UHF 
problems. Committee Chairman 
Warren Magnuson (D-Wash.) plans 
to question him on the recommen- 
dations in the Plotkin report for 
changes in FCC network regula- 
tions. 


Game of Day 

Continued from page IS mb 

able nationally (other half being 
for co-op sales at the affils) — has 
included an “extra-added attrac- 
tion” for the multiple-participation 
pactee. For two participations out 
of the nine, sponsor is given an ad- 
ditional 2Vx% off. For three or 
four participations 5% is subtract- 
ed, down to seven or more buys- 
per-game when 10% is chopped 
from the then lowest figure 
reached through counting total 
number of game participations 
bought. 

Also for sale is the Mutual 
"Game” pic is the five-minute 
stanza preceding each of the 182 
games, total cost $150,000. 

Last year, Falstaff bought the 
entire national sponsorship three 
days out of the week, with the rest 
of the days unsold. 


WSEE-TV 

Continued from page 23 ^ 

between the undercover agent and 
the gamblers. Appearing live were 
the four investigators who smashed 
the ring. District Attorney Damion 
McLaughlin, assistant D. A. Her- 
bert Johnson Jr. and policemen 
Herbert Foster and Russell Verga. 

The day after the telecast the 
February grand jury indicted 
Schwartz on a second count of 
bribery. Attorney Edward L. Petril- 
lo, representing Schwartz, moved 
in Common Pleas Court of Erie 
County that the trial on the second 
indictment should be moved out 
of the county because the unfavor- 
able publicity made it impossible 
for Schwartz to get a fair trial. 

Last week station news director 
Dick Morgan,' who wrote and nar- 
rated the program, was ordered to 
appear as a witness, along with the 
kine. Petrillo argued that while 
WSEE-TV had produced an out- 
standing program, it did great 
damage to his client. Kine was 
then played, revealing that 
Schwartz’s name was mentioned 
only once, at the outset in con- 
nection with his arrest. Judge 
Elmer Evans dismissed the motion. 

Goodman Expands Catalog 
On Half-Hr. Radio Dramas 

Harry S. Goodman is out to lay 
his hands on every half-hour dra- 
matic package he can for radio use. 
He added to his already extensive 
catalog last week by taking four 
transcribed shows off Russell 
Comer Co. hands. 


Great to Be ‘Live’ 

Continued from page 21 

the David Wayne starrer into a live 
show, despite the fact that nearly 
$1,000,000 is invested in future 
color film installments. 

All of which has raised the perti- 
nent question: “Why are so many 
sponsors taking it on the lam with 
their half-hour network film en- 
tries?” It’s not only that the cel- 
luloid contenders lack the desired 
spontaneity (which argument has 
been refuted when the shows are 
done properly, as In the case of 
Groucho Marx and “Lucy”), but 
overall, it’s argued, they register 
as films that are wrapped up in a 
hurry and without adequate re- 
hearsal (so that they won’t be too 
demanding on the performers or 
cost too much.) As result the vast 
majority of them are brought in as 
inferior B product. 

As for the repeat values, one star 
with a % stake in a film series 
sums it up: “What’s the good of 
residuals If your product’s no 
good.” 


Avert Canada Strike 

Ottawa, Feb. 15. 

Danger of a strike that threat- 
ened to cripple radio and television 
across Canada ended Monday (14) 
with announcement of an agree- 
ment drawn up by representatives 
of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. 
and the National Assn, of Broad- 
cast Employees and Technicians. 
CBC management and the union’s 
775 members in CBC are expected 
to okay the agreement this week. 

Points of the settlement, reached 
at a Sun. (13) p.m. huddle between 
CBC and NABET reps, include an 
across-the-board 5% wage increase 
retroactive to Aug. 1. The contract 
I will run to July 31, 1956. 


Goodman has been shooting for 
a big backlog because he feels 
that as affiliates break away from 
the radio network for more lucra- 
tive local advertising they’ll still 
want drama. Shows from Comer 
include “Adventures of Jimmie 
Allen.” “In the Air With Roger 
Gale,” “Adventures of Frank Far- 
rell” and “Ann of the Airlines.” 
These 30-minuters are in the teen- 
age class, and will be pitched in- 
dividually or as a package. 


SAG’s Teleblurb Pact 


Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Screen Actors Guild and vidfilm 
producers and ad agencies have 
reached agreement on a new tele- 
blurb pact, but members of SAG 
won’t know the terms until deal is 
ratified by boards of both groups. 

Joint release by negotiators 
merely said new contract was now 
being drawn up. with details to be 
made known after ratification by 
boards. 


WHUM-TV'S BIZ UPBEAT 

Reading. Pa., Feb. 1 
WHUM-TV, CBS affiliate h 
has had a hot month in sales. 
January the tele station inker] 
bankrolled to the tune of a $1 
870 gross. Station made a li 
footnote to this disclosure: 
January of *54 sales were $8 
out of 11 contracts. 


A UHF station, WHUM-TV (car- 
rying 60 CBS sponsors) will have 
been airwise two years next Tues- 
day (22). 


Boston — Addition of four staff- 
ers and one promotion were made 
at WGBH-FM Sc TV here last 
week. Top move was making Ed- 
ward G. Sherburne Jr. director of 
video programming. In addition to 
Sherburne, WGBH prexy Ralph 
Lowell and g.m. Parker Wheatley 
have brought in Norman Gross as 
art director, Jerry Adler as engi- 
neer and Boardman O’Connor as 
staging facilities director. 


Nixed Reaction 


On Educl TV 


New Orleans, Feb. 15. 

Educational tv has been greeted 
with mixed reaction throughout 
the U. S., according to survey con- 
ducted by the Public Affairs Re- 
search Council of Baton Rouce 
La. 8 1 

The PAR report, just released, 
shows : 

Study groups in New York, New 
Jersey, Connecticut and Minne- 
sota, as well as voters in Wiscon- 
sin, have turned down proposed 
networks. 

Alabama and Louisiana have ap- 
propriated money for educational 
tv facilities. 


Backers of such a network 
argue that educational tv can ap- 
peal to specific audiences and 
specific groups without the con- 
cern of mass appeal and that 
talents of specially gifted teachers 
can be used most economically 
through this medium, according to 
PAR. 

Opponents of the idea have said 
that educational tv would be too 
limited to justify the cost, and the 
possibilities for use of commer- 
cial stations may not have been 
fully explored. 

There is also some speculation, 
PAR says, that state-owned net- 
works could become propaganda 
outlets and whether operation of 
educational tv networks is a 
proper function of government. 

Les Atlass’ Sales Alert 
In ’54 Downward Dip; 
Hensley’s Manager Berth 

Chicago, Feb. 15. 

With the WBBM sales curve tak- 
ing its first dip downward last 
year, CBS veep H. Leslie Atlass 
has ordered a major revamping of 
the station’s sales arm. Jim Hen- 
sley, ex-Radio spot sales, has been 
installed as sales manager, replac- 
ing Bill Miller. Latter hasn’t an- 
nounced his new plans. 

Although local biz held up okay 
last year, national spot revenue 
dipped “moderately,” according to 
Atlass. That’s why added emphasis 
is being placed on the WBBM sales 
representation in New York with 
the consolidation of the WBBM and 
KMOX, St. Louis, sales reps and 
the addition of a third man. George 
Drase moves from the local sales 
crew to join Jack Boswell, present 
WBBM rep and Buck Hurst, who 
has been repping KMOX. Trio will 
work the Manhattan beat for both 
CBS Am’ers. 


Sheaffer Pen Scrams 
Gleason Sponsorship 

A third of the Jackie Gleason 
sponsorship for the balance of the 
season is up for grabs. Sheaffer 
Pen, which bankrolls the Saturday 
night hour show along with Schick 
and Nestle, has decided to scram 
at the end of March and not renew 
for the final 13-week semester. 
Gleason goes off for the summer, 
returning in the fall as a half-hour 
film entry for Buick. 

Scheaffer’g in the market for its 
own show. 

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38 


D.G’s WTOP Into Bigtime Packaging 
As Indie Unit Sans Talent Fees 


Washington. Feb. 15. 

Ernest H. “Joe” Hall, 32-ycar-old 
vet of Washington show biz, has 
been named director of WTOP En- 
tertainment Productions, new divi- 
sion of town’s most powerful (50,- 
000 watt) station. New* operation, 
brainchild of station prexy John 
S. Hayes, has been in the works 
for some time, but was given a 
legal finecombing before its launch- 
ing last week. 

Division, which will be a sep- 
arate entity, on same level as radio 
and tv operations, will produce and 
package live shows for organiza- 
tions in the WTOP coverage area, 
which includes all or parts of five 
states and the District of Columbia. 
Special gimmick of the setup, 
which generally follows pattern of 
similar ones run by broadcasting 
stations in other parts of the coun- 
try, is that it is not a booking 
agency and collects no agent’s cut 
from the acts. Latter collects en- 
tire fee from total package charge 
made by WTOP for the complete 
service, which includes, besides the 
talent, props, director, and a pub- 
licity kit, -plus radio-tv spots. Over- 
all charge will include the opera- 
tion’s profits, which will buy sta- 
tion time for bookkeeping pur- 
poses. 

Innovation, first of its kind in 
the area, grew out of the intensive 
demands for talent from public 
service organizations. It is being 
hailed, here as not only a solid 
fund raising device for local com- 
munities and clubs but as a poten- 
tial developer of new talent, as weli 
as a source of revenue for local 
acts. 

Hall, who cut his show biz teeth 
In the capital, handling local stints 
of such headliners as Billie Holi- 
day, Ethel Waters, Pearl Bailey 
and Frankie Laine, has most re- 
cently managed Billy Johnson. 27- 
year-old ex-Marine whose daily 
WTOP-TV show claims to be town’s 
toprated telecast in its class. It 
was the constant demands for John- 
son’s appearances — 450 in past year 
— which spearheaded plans for the 
new' unit. 

Nine on the Line 

In its initial week of operation, 
project has already booked nine 
shows, consisting of one- and two- 
night stands in nearby Virginia 
communities, and generally aver- 
aging casts of nine players. WTOP 
personalities headline these shows, 
with individual contracts depend- 
ing on the overall nut. Supporting 
talent is paid slightly above local 
AGVA rates, with both latter union 
and AFM cooperating in a waiver 
permitting appearances of AFTRA 
members. All performers must, 
however, belong to one of the three 
unions. Present plan is to draw on 
CBS talent pool, going outside the 
area for headliners as operation 
expands. 

In addition to current bookings 
for such civic causes as PTA, fire- 


men’s and Rotary benefits. Hall is 
canvassing the local state and coun- 
ty fair circuit, and already has 
nibbles from department stores for 
bigtime appearances. In latter cate- 
gory, high-budget appearances' of 
the Lone Ranger and singer Perry 
Como are already fn the works. 
Also on the ambitious Hall agenda 
is a talent packaging project for 
the many public service and Gov- 
ernment documentary films made 
in thi^ area. 

Entertainment Productions 
shapes as another potential money 
maker for the powerful radio-tv 
station, owned by the Washington 
Post Sc Times Herald, which re- 
cently bought the 45 r c share held 
by CBS. with which it is affiliated. 
Actually, many of the revenue pro- 
ducing bookings were formerly 
handled cuffo by the public service 
division of station, though talent 
was always paid in fund raising 
efforts. Outfit will continue to sup- 
ply cuffo shows in special cases of 
need, both for its promotional 
value and as a goodwill gesture. 

Though said to be unique in that 
it collects no fees from talent and 
assumes no obligation except to 
produce show, operation is actually 
very much like those currently es- 
tablished at such stations as WLW. 
Cincinnati; WLS, Chicago; WSM. 
Nashville; WRVA, Richmond; and 
WWVA, Wheeling, W. Va. 


‘Late Show’ 

— — , Continued from pane 23 

“Late Show” rated a Telepulse of 
7.8, followed by a 7.1 in ’52. a 7,3 
in ’53 and a 7.1 in 1954, with audi- 
ences rising in the spread of tele- 
sets throughout the metropolitan 
district. 

60 ‘Clocks’ Worn Out 

‘The Syncopated Clock.” the 
slot’s readily identifiable signature, 
was pushed into prominence, with 
the Leroy Anderson tune just 
coming up. Columbia Records put 
the Percy Faith orch on a pressing 
and that’s the version used. Nearly 
60 copies have been born out 
("Clock” is also the themesong of 
“Early Show”). 

One of the biggest tongue-in- 
cheek pluggers of the show is 
Steve Allen. A few weeks ago he 
gave his viewers a quickie give- 
away of the Charlie Chan w hodunit 
although it so happens there was 
no Chan opus that night. 

As a title “Late Show” is owned 
by WCBS-TV, but an estimated 50 
other feature filmeries around the 
country carry the same banner. 
Station has never registered a com- 
plaint. since many of the copycats 
are CBS affiliates. For the others, 
the web> flagship figures it’s good 
exploitation of the title. 

There’s been at least one world 
premiere — “The Steel Key,” on 
March 22, 1953, prior to theatrical 
exhibition; ^end “Seven Days to 


P^kIETy 


Noon” was displayed April 2. 1952, 
within a couple of weeks after it 
was Oscared as the best original of 
the previous year. About half of 
the 824 “first N Y. telecasts” were 
postwar product, with these and 
the subsequent runs rounded up 
through nearly 40 distributors. 
Negotiations, screenings, etc., for 
“Late.” “Late Late” and the other 
feature slots are masterminded by 
William Lacey, manager of the 
department for a couple of years 
(he’s ex-DuMont), and the average 
pic gets six runs on “Late” and 
the others, with some repeats on 
the former in a daisy chain proce- 
dure. Playoffs are accomplished 
within about 18 mouths on the 
average. 

The customers have their own 
ideas about product. Bulk of the 
mail asks for specific pictures, and 
the most-often-mentioned are such 
bush league items as “Gone With 
the Wind,” “Birth of a Nation” and 
“Imitation of Life.” So what else 
is new? 


Disney 

mmhm Continued from pace 25 

third runs as a means of keeping 
the show on as a year-round propo- 
sition. The 10-week span is ex- 
plained by the fact that the new 
Disney season starts earlier this 
year. Sept. 14 instead of Nov. 27. 
New' season’s product will consist 
of 26 new shows and 26 repeats. 

As it now stacks up, the schedule 
calls for 15 repeat programs start- 
ing March 16 and running through 
June 22. On June 29. there’ll be 
an original, comprising another 
“progress report” on Disneyland 
Park and a piece from “Fantasy- 
land.” Then, for the 10 weeks be- 
ginning July 6. there will be first 
repeats (second run) on the four 
shows that weren’t repeated in the 
spring rerun skein, plus second re- 
peats (third run) on six of the best 
of the year’s shows, per a mail 
pull. 

While the web is riding high in 
the Wednesday night rating saddle 
now with the “Disneyland” origi- 
nals, it’s got an alert research-eya 
toward the repeat pattern, looking 
not only for public reaction to the 
second and third repeats, but also 
to the rating picture. One reason 
for the interest, aside from the 
trade reaction it’s going to stir, is 
the fact that Disney’s upcoming 
daytimer, “Mickey Mouse Club.” 
will follow* the same pattern, with 
20 weeks of originals. 20 weeks of 
repeats, and 12 weeks of second 
repeats. 

^ 

Ed Lamb 

— — . Continued from page 22 

says her original testimony against 
Lamb came from her “voice” but 
not Ker "sentiments,” should have 
been accepted by the Government 
as a witness in the first place is a 
debatable question. Russell Brown, 
Lamb’s attorney, called her “a 
pathological liar” and a “psycho- 
path” when she testified last fall 
that she was approached in a 
Washington hotel cocktail lounge 
and offered a $50,000 bribe to 
leave town. Brown later produced 
the mysterious stranger 'who 
turned out to be a railroad en- 
gineer off on a payday binge. 

In a dramatic display of gal- 
lantry. Brown last week offered 
to let Mrs. Natvig’s entire testi- 
mony be stricken as false. FCC 
attorney Joseph Kittner turned 
down the offer. Kittner said he 
wanted to explore the “circum- 
stances” which caused Mrs. Natvig 
to retract her testimony. Mrs. 
Natvig explained she had an 
“awakening.” 

\l%ether or not Lamb’s attor- 
neys produce more surprises in 
cross examination of two addi- 
tional fitnesses to be recalled, 
there seems to be little doubt that 
the Government has failed to suffi- 
ciently back up its charges to 
withhold license renewal. A pos- 
sible straw in the wind was the 
agency’s reversal of an examiner’s 
ruling denying Lamb more time 
to submit testimony in furtherance 
of his application in the contest for 
channel 11 in Toledo. 


Clipp Taps Koehler 

Philadelphia, Feb. 15. 

George A. Koehler has been 
named station manager of WFIL 
and WFIL-TV, Roger W. Clipp. 
general manager of the Inquirer 
stations, announced (8). 

Clipp said the creation of the 
new post was in line with WFIL 
plans for expansion of service. 

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Wednesday, February 16, 1933 


Tele Followup Comment 


Continued from pace 31 


guests one would expect to be dull , to what must have been a consid- 


turning out to be quite warm and 
colorful in their home surround- 
ings. At the same time, however, 
the highly colorful have turned 
prosaic on the show, and whether 
it’s a matter of their own person- 
ality, a matter of camera-fright or 
a questfbn of Murrow’s own han- 
dling of the interview has varied 
from case to case. 

Friday night (ID, however, it 
seemed to be a question of poor 
approach on Murrow’s part in the 
highly disappointing visit with i 
Toots Shor. The restaurateur is 
one of the truly colorful charac- 
ters of Broadway (and through the 
syndicated columns, the nation), a 
personality in his own right and 
through his career a sort of mir- 
ror of the celebrities and legends 
of the ’20’s and ’30’s as well as 
today. Yet the best in the way of 
some Shorisms Murrow could mus- 
ter was Toots reading the inscrip- 
tions on some of his autographed 
books (in the “now you’ll have to 
learn how to read. Toots” vein). 
For Shor. it was a session of show- 
ing off th£ family, recalling sports 
events, telling whom he knew and 
didn’t know and showing off the 
Park Ave. apartment. Kind of dull 
stuff when compared with what 
Murrow could have elicited about 
the days of -Leon & Eddie’s, the be- 
ginnings of Shor’s, the Prohibition 
era. etc. 


erable temptation to over-draina- 
tize an already dramatic part. 

Rest of the cast each contributed 
to the generally Suspenseful show 
which hit a couple of very exciting 
and visually effective highlights 
such as a scene in which a seaman 
was trapped by flooding water 
when a bjlkhead gave way. Billy 
Halop had a sock stint in that part 

As Lt. Morgan’, an old seadog 
who learns to respect Donlev.v. J. 
C. Flippen did very well. Skip 
Homeier handled a difficult assign- 
ment with taste, etching the por- 
trait of a man cringing in fear ip 
the face of uncertainty but per- 
forming heroically in action. Tom 
Brown as the ship’s doctor had a 
sympathetic part. 

Brown’s direction allowed the 
camera as much leeway as possible 
without exploiting the visual an- 
gles to the fullest. Sets were clever 
in stressing the cramped quarters 
of the ship and in allowing con- 
tinuous rolling motion which con- 
tributed to the realism of the show 
Britaigne Windust produced 

Hift. 


Chi Vacuum 

Continued from pa*e 25 


J^y. With the city in the midst of 

Murrow didn’t fare much better ^ r * maiy ^Sht, it was 

the home of Esther Williams ! /r * c ° py ’ * . 

and hubby Ben Gage. A look at j u . nt !\ las ^ year a similar pro- 
the Gage children, a’ chat about | gla n ' ta 68<?d Press Conference,” 
swimming and her pet project j xva ? beamed on WGN-TV. And that 
(teaching blind children to sw im), j C1V1C quizzer likewise came in for its 
a glance at the ‘laundry room” , share of attention. It’s been a 
and an old-American kitchen, a prospect for revival for some time, 
brief mention of her forthcoming On radio, WBBM is still airine ils 


Aquacade and that was it, except 
for a remark by Gage that Miss 
Williams didn’t like to be inter- 
rupted which she first made him 
retract and then went on to prove. 
In fact, despite Murrow’s request, 
they didn’t even show’ off the pool. 

Chan. 


An impressive all-male cast head- 
ed by Brian Donlev.v did a convinc- 
ing job last week (10) on CBS-TV’s 
“Climax” in “The Valiant Men.” 
hour-long adaptation of Nicolas 
Monsarrat's tense sea story entitled 
“H.M.S. Marlborough Will Enter 
Harbor.” 

Originating “live” on"lhe Coast, 
this was a case of a show suffering 
from the lack of film, or at least 
filmed inserts, and yet benefiting 
from it at the same time. Con- 
ceivably, what with the confined 
quarters in which director William 
H. Brown Jr. had to move his play- 
ers. some film footage could have 
been used apart from the occasion, 
al shots of a choppy sea. At the 
same time, the "live” feeling of 
the drama unfolding aboard the 
torpedoed destroyer escort, the 
U.S.S. Hamilton* had distinct mer- 
its. 

Adaptation by Anthony Ellis suf- 
fered from occasional overdoses of 
conversational outbursts, but on 
the whole caught the spiVit of the 
story, unfolding the reaction of the 
crew as the ship wallowed help- 
lessly, a perfect target for the sub. 

As Capt. Knowles, Donlevy came 
through with a brittle performance 
that highlighted the inner conflicts 
of a man saddled with grave re- 
sponsibilities and faced with diffi- 
cult decisions involving his entire 
crew'. Brisk and yet thoroughly 
human. Donlevy made the part of 
the captain live without giving in 


Sunday afternoon “WBBM Was 
There” looksee at the hometown 
but the show’s earlier probings, 
especially into City Ilall activities, 
have been toned down. 

The documentary approach like- 
wise has gone by the boarls. Still 
recalled as classic examples of 
meaningful radio examinations of 
life in the big city were WBBM’s 
“The Quiet Answ’er,” on race re- 
lations, and “The Untouchables.” 
on dope addiction. The Skee 
Wolff produced series copped prac- 
tically every award extant. Nowa- 
days the argument from the AM 
side is that “we no longer have the 
dough for such luxuries," and in tv 
it’s the lack of open time. 

Aside from discussion and doc- 
umentary' treatment it’s conceded 
the record is much more^ favorable 
as far as hard and fea'ture local 
news coverage Is concerned. The 
NBC and CBS plants as well as 
WGN and WGN-TV and WLS all 
maintain generally extensive tape 
recorder operations to get that on- 
the-spot flavor into their commu- 
nity reporting. And CBS-TV and 
WGN-TV are earning increasing 
attention for their news shows with 
their newsreel setups. WGN-TV's 
“Chicagoland Newsreel” has long 
been a nightly visual wrapup of the 
local happenings. 


Cleveland — Tom Slater, neuty 
appointment radio-tv head of Ful- 
ler & Smith Sc Ross, announced 
appointments to agency’s radio-tv 
staff as George Oliva, Phil Wor- 
cester, Chick Lindgren, Bill Geb- 
hardt; to film ami visual commu- 
nications, David Adam, John De 
Witt, Ronney Geier and John 
James. 


HIGHER RATINGS! 
MORE RENEWALS! 


BIGGER RESULTS! 



prove 


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ZMr. •ft/S'/S 


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CURRENT HITS: 

THE EDDIE CANTOR 
COMEDY THEATRE 
MEET CORUSS ARCHER 
MR. DISTRICT ATTORNEY 
< LED 3 LIVES 
FAVORITE STORY 
CISCO KID 
BOSTON BLACKII 








Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


MUSIC . 59 



Major Diskers Move Cautiously 
To Tape; Indie Labels Set Deals 

Although a flock of indie long- •» — 


NEW DEI. ASSN. 
HITS DJ DEALS 


hair disk labels are moving into 
the pre-recorded tape field via 
deals with tape companies, the ma- 
jor disk companies are proceeding 
with extreme caution in the direc- 
tion of packaged tape. To date, 
only RCA Victor, among the top 
companies, has been marketing 
pre-recorded tapes. The other ma- 
jors are still studying Ihe situa- 
tion. 

Even Victor, however, is treating 
its tape product experimentally. 
Before going in any deeper, the 
company is carefully feeling out 
the market potential. Sales of Vic- 
tor tapes to date have been "lim- 
ited” and apparently do not indi- 
cate that this field is ready for a 
merchandising program. The high 
price of the Victor tapes, ranging 
up to $15 for a longhair selection 
that retails on disks for $3.98, is 
concededly one of the important 
factors in the widespread adoption 
of tape. Another factor, of course, 
is the limited circulation of tape 
machines in the home. 

Victor, in any case, has no plans 
at the present time for an extensive 
library of tapes either in the pop 
or classified field, according to 
sales chief Larry Kanaga. He in- 
dicated that additions to the tape 
catalog would be "very selective.” 

Meantime, the A-V Tape Li- 
braries signed the Vanguard, Elek- 
tra, Seeco and Rainbow labels to 
deals calling for release of their 
disks on tapes. Pacts give the A-V 
company rights to all suitable ma- 
terial in the diskeries’ catalogs. 
A-V, one of the biggest companies 
in the packaged tape field, is plan- 
ning to expand its tape repertoire 
via deals with these and other in- 
dies. A-V has not yet set its prices 
for the longplay tapes, which will 
permit 90 minutes of playing time 
on a standard seven-inch reel. 


EMI Stock Issue 
To Buy Out Cap 

London, Feb. 15. 

Stockholders of Electric & Musi- 
cal Industries, at a special general 
meeting in London Friday (11), 
voted to issue 3,000,000 shares at 
a par value of one pound ($2.80) 
to enable EMI to acquire the ma- 
jority stock interest in Capitol 
Records in the U. S. The shares 
will be offered for subscription to 
current EMI stockholders on a 
basis to be announced later. BMI 
has bought a total of 248,435 shares 
in Capitol Records at $17.50 per 
share and has offered to buy the 
remaining 228,000 Capitol shares 
at the same price. The total cost 
of the buyout would then amount 
to $8,500,000. 

Top EMI execs are slated to pro- 
ceed to New York early next month 
to wrap up the deal with Glenn 
Wallichs, Capitol Records prexy. 
According to plans, Wallichs will 
continue to run the company under 
the EMI ownership. 

Another Kapp (Michael) 
Enters Music Business 

Michael Kapp is the latest mem- 
ber of the Kapp family to enter 
the music biz. He’s joined Kapp 
Records, operated by his father, 
Dave, as technical director and as- 
sistant to the planning of record- 
ing activities. Young Kapp re- 
cently completed a four-year tour 
of duty in the Navy, where he was 
active with the Armed Forces 
Radio Service. 

Michael is the nephew of the 
late Jack Kapp, one of the found- 
ers of Decca Records and its presi- 
dent until his death about 10 years 
ago. 


Diskophenia 

The disk industry’s current 
Crazy Otto craze continues in 
high. Latest to enter the com- 
petition is Mercury Records 
with "The Crazy Otto Rag.” 
Disk was cut by Hugo & Luigi 
with The Hoffbrau Singers. 
Hugo & Luigi, incidentally, are 
Merc’s artists & repertoire 
heads in the east, Hugo Per- 
etti and Luigi Creatore. 

Tune, which was penned by 
Eddie White and Mac Wolfson, 
is the first "Otto” song with a 
lyric. It’s published by 
George Pincus. Other Otto’s 
in the disk race are Decca’s 
original Der Schrager Otto 
(Crazy Otto) releases and Dot’s 
"Crazy Otto,” cut by Johnny 
Maddox. Both have the nickel- 
odeon-type piano. 


Juve Vocal Groups 
Newest Vogue As 
Combos On Wax 

The artists and repertoire men 
once again are prowling the juve 
field for new disking talent. This 
time, however, they’re swinging to 
youthful vocal groups to keep in 
tune with the current vogue for 
combos on wax. 

Pickup of interest in juve vocal 
groups was sparked by recent 
breakthrough of the Cowboy 
Church Sunday School Choir. The 
group is comprised of ministers’ 
children from California, who were 
brought together by Stuart Ham- 
blen to etch "Open Up Your 
Heart” and "The Lord Is Counting 
On You.” Disk, released by Decca, 
took off immediately, and currently 
is swinging to a strong disk-sale 
rackup. 

Coral Records hopped on the 
youth bandwagon this week with a 
platter cut by the Chappaqua High 
School Kids. Voc^l group sliced 
"Never Mind The Noise In The 
Market” and "It’s Time To Say 
Goodnight Again.” 

The kids, members of church 
and civic vocal groups in Chappa- 
qua, N.Y., were brought together by 
musical director Jimmy Leydon, 
who conducted the session. All the 
teenagers in the chorus attend 
Chappaqua High School. 

In the past, such moppet waxers 
as Jimmy Boyd (Columbia), Molly 
Bee <Capitol) and The Bell Sisters 
(RCA Victor) racked up solid sell- 
ing platters. 

Bob Thiele, Coral’s a&r topper, 
commenting on the influx of juves 
on wax said, "It’s getting so that 
the new show biz tag will be ‘Have 
Blue Jeans. Will Travel’.” 

’CINERAMA’ CELESTIN 
SEGMENT FOR DISKS 


Detroit, Feb. 15. 

A group of 18 Detroit area disk 
jockeys have banned all Coral, 
Jubilee, Label X and Kapp records 
until further notice. The 16, who 
have formed thg Detroit Disk 
Jockey Assn., charge that the 
labels are paying two spinners in 
the area to give their records pre- 
ferred treatment. ' 

The Michigan Securities Ex- 
change Commission records are 
said to list one of the jockey’s 
wives, under her maiden name, as 
being principal stockholder in the 
Label X-Kapp distributing com- 
pany in Detroit. The second 
jockey’s wife, also registered un- 
der her maiden name, is said to be 
a largp stockholder in the firm. , 

Originally, Cadence and Epic 
labels were included in the ban. 
The distributor satisfied the 16 
jockeys that he had only acted as 
middleman in transactions between 
publishers ard the two spinners in 
question, accotding to spokesmen 
for the 16. He promised not to do 
so in the future, and it was decided 
by the 16 to remove Cadence and 
Epic from the banned list. 

The 16 said monitoring of the 
pair’s programs over a two-year 
period had shown that the banned 
labels comprised a majority of the 
records used, way out of 'propor- 
tion to their popularity. 

Jerry Blaine, Jubilee prexy, was 
in town last week to attempt to 
straighten out the situation. The 16 
quoted him as saying that there 
would be “no more discrimination” 
shown. The 16 decided to adopt a 
"wait and see” attitude. 

The 16 also have agreed to plug 
the "Detroit Disk Jockey Assn list 
of the top 10 records” on their 
programs. It was explained that the 
accused two spinners had doctored 
their lists with the payola labels 
and that the public should be given 
a "genuine” list of local faves. 

R&B Gives BMI 
Edge on ASCAP 

Movein of rhythm & blues on the 
pop field has catapulted BMI to 
the fore in the hit tune sweep- 
stakes. BMI’s current dominance 
of the hit lists is similar to the 
splurge made last year when the 
hillbilly fad was riding in high 
gear. 

BMI now has four songs going 
for it on the hit lists. They 
are "Let Me Go, Lover,” "Hearts 
of Stone,” "Sincerely” and "That’s 
All I Want From You.” The r&b 
entries, "Sincerely” and Hearts of 
Stone,” have given BMI the edge 
over ASCAP in the top bracket 
standings. "Let Me Go Lover,” 
incidentally, is a hillbilly out- 
growth. 

ASCAP usually dominates the 
hit lists when the song fads fade 
and straight pops take over. 


The Papa Celestin soundtrack 
segment from "Cinerama Holiday” 
will hit the disk market via Co- 
lumbia Records. Celestin, vet tooter 
who died several weeks ago, did 
the sequence for the pic from the 
Absinthe House in New Orleans. 

The Col platter will be a cou- 
pling of "Tiger Rag” and "Dark- 
town Strutters Ball.” 

Victor Dressing Up 

Its Bluebird Disks 

RCA Victor’s Bluebird line of 
low-priced longplay disks will re- 
ceive a major hypo next month via 
a completely new packaging pro- 
gram. In place of stereotyped cov- 
ers, the Bluebird disks will be 
dressed up in 'multi-colored Jack- 
ets with liner notes. 

The 12-inch Bluebirds, which 
represent many old Victor classics, 
sell for $2.98 as against the Red 
Seal’s $3.98 price. 


Haley Combo ’Shake’ Disk 
Hits 1,000,000 Marker 


Riding the crest of the rhythm 
& blues n boom, Bill Haley & His 
Comets have hit the 1,000,000 sales 
marker with their "Shake, Rattle 
find Roll” disk for Decca. Haley’s 
combo has been one of the disk- 
ery’s most consistent sellers in the 
past couple of years. 


The unit’s latest release of 
"Mambo Rock” was launched with 
a 300,000 advance sale, one of the 
largest in Decca’s history. Group 
is getting a major pic plug in 
MGM’s forthcoming * pic, "Black- 
board Jungle,” in which Haley’s 
disk release, "Rock Around the 
Clock,” will be spotlighted. 


Peculiarity of the "Shake, Rattle 
and Roll” disk is that it has been 
on the bestseller lists for the past 
20 weeks without ever getting to 
the top five bracket. 


SPA, MPPA Say Copyright Renewal 
Is ‘New Right’ in ‘Summertime’ Suit 


Bonanza in Honks 

The current rhythm & blues 
cycle has started a one-man 
boom for Sam (The Man) 
Taylor. 

Taylor is a tenor sax special- 
ist who specializes in r&b 
honking. He’s being used as 
a sideman on most of the r&b 
dAles cfitNn New York. 


Victor Mapping 
Own World Setup 
After EMI Deal 

George R. Marek, just back from 
England and Italy where he had 
gone to visit with Arturo Toscanini, 
sees RCA Victor establishing its 
own worldwide outlets as soon as 
the Electric & Musical Industries’ 
contract with .Victor expires in 
1958. EMI’s $8,500,000 deal for 
control of Capitol Records will give 
EMI worldwide distribution direct- 
ly instead of through licenses and 
agents, and will probably go 
through next month, when Cap 
prexy Glenn Wallichs is due in 
New York from Hollywood to 
formally sign the papers. 

Meantime Marek, for Victor in 
the U.S., and HMV (His Master’s 
Voice) in England are continuing 
their Anglo-British exchange of 
masters and records. 

Marek is of the opinion that the 
88-year-old Toscanini, whom he 
visited in Italy, wants to return to 
the NBC baton and probably will, 
health permitting. Touring, of 
course, will be eliminated. Marek’s 
airline-railroad adventure to catch 
planes to and from Toscy’s retreat 
in Durini is a personal saga all its 
own, but he says it "all was cer- 
tainly very worthwhile.” 


IKE GREETS ASCAPERS 
BEFORE O’SEAS JUNKET 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

ASCAP prexy Stanley Adams 
and business rep Paul Cunningham 
led a contingent of songwriters and 
singers who were received at the 
White House this morning <Tues.) 
several hours before they planed 
for Europe, where they will tour 
U. S. military establishments on a 
cheer-bringing junket. Col. Joseph 
Goetz, head of Armed Forces Pro- 
fessional Entertainment Branch, 
through which arrangements for 
such tours are made, accompanied 
the group. 

This is the first time the Presi- 
dent has personally given his bless- 
ings to a junket of this kind since 
entering the Executive Mansion. 
President Truman received the 
Catholic U. Players before they 
embarked for Korea several years 
ago, but procedure is not standard. 

Unit, assembled by ASCAP, is 
first of its kind to make the service 
circuit. Songwriters Mack Gordon, 
Abel Baer, Gerald Marks, Lew 
Handman, Johnny Redmond and 
Bee Walker, plus five singers, 

I planed for Europe this afternoon, 

! with Col. Goetz as escort. 


David Rose Batons Oscar 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

David Rose has been named to 
lead the pit orch at next month’s 
Oscar Parade. Rose begins lining 
up musical numbers which include 
nominated songs and scores and 
previous scores which won Oscars. 

The composer-conductor is cur- 
rently prepping the music for 
CBS-TV’s Shower of Stars pres- 
entation of "That’s Life,” to be 
telecast Feb. 17 for Chrysler Prod- 
ucts. 


♦ In a legal battle to reverse a 
Federal Court ruling that pre-1909 
copyrights are not entitled to me- 
chanical royalties, lawyers for the 
Songwriters Protective Assn, and 
the Music Publishers Protective 
Assn, argued in the N. Y. Federal 
Court of Appeals last week that the 
second 28-year copyright term in- 
volves a "new” right and not sim- 
ply a renewal. William Klein 2d 
and John Schulman, for SPA, and 
Sidney Wm. Wattenberg, for 
MPPA, in a joint brief as "friends 
of the court,” also pleaded with the 
three-man court to decide the issue 
in light of Congress’ original "main 
object” to protect the creator. 

Argument involved the case of 
E. B. Marks Music against Reming- 
ton Records over payment of royal- 
ties on the pre-1909 copyright, “In 
The Good Old Summertime.” 
Marks lost the suit last year in 
N. Y. Federal Court which ruled 
that pre-1909 tunes can be record- 
ed without payment of mechanical 
royalties. 

The SPA and MPPA lawyers ar- 
gued that the Copyright Act did 
not exclude pre-1909 compositions 
from protection of the law and did 
include copyrights coming into ex- 
istence after its effective date. The 
second copyright term, according 
to the brief, was a new grant that 
entitles it to all the protection of 
the Act. 

But even if there is no control 
over mechanical rights, the law- 
yers asserted that the question still 
remains whether a disker can make 
any version it pleases of such a 
work. The legalites argued that 
the manufacturer could only record 
"the song as it stood” under these 
(Continued on page 44) 


Mason, Granz In 
Disker Tieup 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

James Mason and Norman Granz, 
jazz concert promoter, have form- 
ed a recording company which will 
feature waxing of dramatic read- 
ings by stage and screen stars. 

Mason, recently severed with 
Decca after cutting an album of 
Edgar Allen Poe’s classics, will 
etch the first eight sides himself. 
Diskery as yet is unnamed. 

Granz, currently in Europe, 
heads Cleff Records and Norgram 
Records, with both diskeries speci- 
alizing in jazz. He has also released 
numerous "Jazz at the Philhar- 
monic” albums through Mercury 
Records. 


Indie Fights Penguins 
Moveover to Mercury 

Los Angeles, Feb. 15. 

The moveover of The Penguins 
vocal group which has a current 
click in "Earth Angel,” to Mercury 
Records is being challenged by 
Dootsie Williams, prexy of Dootone 
Records. Williams claims that he 
holds a three-year American Fed- 
eration of Musicians’ disk pact with 
the combo in addition to other 
pacts. 

Williams claims that Mercury is 
violating his exclusive rights to The 
Penguins’ services. 

L. A/s Trianon Terpery 
To Be Motor Showroom 

Los Angeles, Feb. 15. 

Trianon Ballroom, southside 
dancery built in 1940 which coined 
a mint during War War II with big- 
name bands, has been leased by 
Horace Heidt to an automobile 
dealer for a 10-year period. 

Heidt, who bought the spot in 
1942 and used it for his own tele- 
casts from time to time after biz 
trailed off at war’s end, reports he 
will receive $25,000 annually from 
the lease. Spot will now be con- 
verted into a motor showroom. 


MUSIC 




Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


Jocks, Jukes and Disks 


By MIKE GROSS 


Bill Haley: “Mambo -Rock”- 
“Birth of the Boogie" (Decca). It 
was only a question of time be- 
fore the current “rock and roll” 
kick would be Incorporated with 
the mambo fad. In “Mambo 
Rock ” Bill Haley has another 
surefire click for jock and juke 
spins. The driving beat gets a 
lively wrokover by Haley and his 
Comets. “Birth of the Boogie” Is 
in the same groove but the mambo 
will steal the plays. 

Laurie Sisters: “No Chance”- 
“Dixie Danny” (Mercury). The 
Laurie Sisters should step into the 
bigtime with “No Chance.” Side ; 
fallow the rhythm & blues formula 
and the gals give it the kind of zip 
that the coke set eats up. Due for 
plenty of action on all levels. 
“Dixie Danny” is a breezy item 
that rates some attention. 

Four Aces: “You’ll Always Be 


in the arm a few weeks ago when 
it was showcased on Walt Disney’s 
ABC-TV’er and the diskeries are 
hopping on it like it was a ready- 
made hit. It’s a neatly-styled folk 
tune and should get deejay action, 
especially from those platter spin- 
ners who want a change from the 
rhythm & blues pace. Fess Parker 
did it on the tv’er and the original 
exposure should take him far. Also 
in the “Crockett” sweepstakes with 
slick waxings are Steve Allen 
(Coral >. Burl Ives (Decca) and 
The Voices of Walter Schumann 
(Victor). Parker makes “I Gave 
My Love,” on the flip, a charming 
entry. 

Ralph Flanagan Orch: “I Belong 
To You” - “Go Moses Go” (Victor). 
“I Belong To You” is one of the 
standout ballads to come out this 
year. Flanagan’s boys lay down a 
listenable beat and The Singing ’ 
Winds give the tidy lyric a respect- 1 



British Pop Reviews II Another Newport 


Jazz Fe$t Mapped 


Best Bets 


. BILL HALEY MAMBO ROCK 

( Dccca ) Birth of the Boogie 

LAURIE SISTERS NO CHANCE 

i Mercury ) Dixie Danny 

FOUR ACES YOU’LL ALWAYS BE THE ONE 

(Dccca) There Goes My Heart 


The Onc”-“There Goes My Heart” I 
(Decca). “You’ll Always Be The ' 
One” is a natural to keep the Four 
Aces on top of the platter lists. 
Song is in the straight pop ballad 
groove with a lilting melodic line 
and a neat lyric. The boys give it 
their stylized harmony attack for a 
big payoff. Nothing wrong with 
“There Goes My Heart,” the ballad 
on the flip side, and it too should 
get lots of spinning time. 

Andy Griffith: “Make Yourself 
Comiortable"-"Ko Ko Mo” (Capi- 
tol*. Hillbilly monologist Andy 
Griffith has fair game in “Make 
Yourself Comfortable.” His folksy 
comments interpolated in the lyric 
ring a solid yock bell. He works 
with an unbilled warbler. Parody 
of “Ko Ko Mo,” on the bottom 
deck, misses the boat. 

Debbie Reynolds: "Never Mind 
The Noise In The Market”-“Carol- 
ina In The Morning” (MGMi. 
Debbie Reynolds tackles the calyp- 
song, “Never Mind The Noise In 
The Market,” for good results. It’s 
a lively item and she treats It ac- 
cordingly. Peter Han’ey also has 
a niftv workover of the song on 
the Epic label. Miss Reynolds 
takes the oldie, “Carolina In The 
Morning,” for a pleasant ride. 

Fess Parker: “Ballad of Davy 
Crockctt’-“I Gave My Love” (Co- 
lumbia). It’s open season on 
“Davy Crockett.” Tune got a shot 


ful reading. “Go Moses Go” is a 
jive version of the spiritual "Go j 
Down Moses” that may offend 
some. 

Ray Allen Trio: “Money, Money. 
Money, Money” -“I Miss You So” 
(King). The Ray Allen Trio rates 
jock and juke attention for its 
breezy treatment of “Money.” It’s 
a bouncy, tongue-in-cheek tune 
with an attractive zip. "I Miss You 
So" isn’t as successful. 

Rosemary Clooney: “Where Will 
The Dimple Be” -Brahms Lullaby” 
(Columbia). This is a topical 
coupling, for Rosemary Clooney, 
anyway. Warbler, Mrs. Jose Fer- 
rer, recently gave birth to a child 
and “Where Will The Dimple Be” 
and “Brahms Lullaby” puts the 
platter right on top of the news. 
“Dimple” is a lighthearted novelty 
with an attractive beat and cute 
lyric idea. The w.k. “Lullaby” 
gets a warm and captivating read- 
ing by Miss Clooney. 

Dean Martin: “Young and Fool- 
ish” “Under The Bridges of Paris” 
"Capitol). "Young and Foolish” 
could build into another big one 
for Dean Martin. It’s a solid ballad 
entry, out of the legituner, “Plain 
and Fancy.” Martin’s workover 
makes it potent deejay program- 
ming material and the coinbox 
trade should go for it as well. He 
does an okay job on the familiar 
“Under The Bridges of Paris.” 


LAWRENCE WELK 

and hit 

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC 
179th Consecutive Week, Aragon 
Ball room, Santa Monica, Calif 

Exclusively on Coral Records 
“CRAZY MUSIC” 

Featuring The Lancere 
“TIMBER JACK” 

Featuring The Lancers 

■ ■ ■ ■ ■■ y ■■■■■■ — .11. ■ ■■ 

„ Album Reviews - 

Liane Sc Boheme Bar Trio: 

“Vienna Midnight” (Vanguard). 
Companion disk to the previous 
"Paris Midnight,” this is a tuneful, 
exotic disk,* combining instru- 
mental and vocal snatches of Vien- 
nese pop songs and dances for an 
appealing, nostalgic bit of Danu- 
bian night life. Many unhackneyed 
numbers are interposed with 
such familiar medleys as “White 
Horse Ino,” all dished up in in- 
triguing arrangements. Liane lends 
her creamy,' soothing voice to 
ballads about love and Vienna, and 
scores especially in such tunes as 
“Liebe war es Nie” and “Wien, 
du bleibst der verwohnste Kind 
der Welt.” Disk is full of flavor. 

Lucien Farrar Sings (Andrea). 
Nitery singer Lucien Farrar is fea- 
tured in this low-pressure package 
with some tasteful, quiet backing 
by the Clarence Williams trio. 
Farrar has an easy attack that gen- 
erates an intime, relaxed sound 
aimed more for the cafe society 
set than the bobbysox trade. 

Django Reinhardt: “Le Jazz Hot” 
(Angel). The jazz guitaring of the 
late Django Reinhardt is still hard 
to beat. On this 10-inch LP, 
waxed in France, Reinhardt shows 
up in top form. He packs a lot 
of excitement and gives a fresh 
and vibrant interpretation .to each 
number. “Ol’ Man River,” for ex- 
ample, is developed into a hot and 
imaginative interpretation. Some 
lesser-known items which also get 
tiptop treatment are “Festival 48,” 
“Nuages” and “Rhythme Futur.” 


London. 

The Johnston Bros.: “Majorca”- 
“Heartbroken” (Decca). “Majorca” 
is due for big exploitation and this 
waxing by the Johnston Bros, is 
bound to come in for some plays, 
though the rather British accents 
may throw some American listen- 
ers. “Heartbroken” follows the 
pattern of the earlier “Heartbreak- ( 
er,” but won’t duplicate its success. 

Jerry Allen Trio Sc Allentones: 
“Kind” - “Delaunay s Dilemma” 
(Decca). This bright, punchy unit 
features the leader’s electric or- 
gan, plus neatly-phrased unison vo- 
cals from the Allentones. This is 
slickly-presented mateiial with ap- 
peal. 

Winifred Atwell-Frank Chacks- 
field’s Orch: “Black Mask”-“Song 
Of the Sea” (Decca). Miss Atwell 
is the Negro 88er whose disks rack 
up fabulous sales in Britain. The 
Chacksfield name will help to sell 
this disk in the States. Both sides 
feature crisp piano with tasteful, 
string backing. 

Petula Clark: “Majorca”-“Fascl- 
nating Rhythm” (Polygon). “Ma- 
jorca,” a Continental piece with 
an “April in Portugal” flavor, is 
already registering strongly in 
Britain and may repeat in America. 
Reverse is the standard, taken in 
a way which seems to strain the 
songstress unduly. 

I 

TUROFFS NEW TIEUP 

Mel Turoff has joined Patricla- 
Kahl Music’s contactman staff. 

Turoff previously had been 
plugging for the Warner Bros, firms 
and Bourne Music. 


Plans are under way to stago 
another jazz festival in Newport, 
R.I., this July. Newport opened up 
to jazz for the first time last year 
when George Wein produced a 
weekend jazz shindig there during 
the summer. 

Wein has earmarked July 13-17 
for the *53 fest and plans three 
fullscale concerts. Last year's out* 
ing only slotted two. Cuffo after- 
noon forums conducted by buffs 
from the Institute of Jazz Studies 
also are scheduled. 

Duke Ellington’s orch already 
has been pacted and such other 
jazzsters as Louis Armstrong, 
Count Basie and Dave Brubeck are 
being dickered. 


MGM’s Holmes Forms 
Steady Orch for Proms 

LeRoy Holmes, MGM Records 
musical director, has formed a 
permanent orch for college prom 
dates. Campus offers began com- 
ing in to Holmes after his slices of 
“High and the Mighty” and “Tara’s 
Theme” began to make some noise 
in the disk market. 

Holmes played his first college 
date Friday (11) at the Hotel Sher- 
aton-Astor, N.Y., for Seton Hall. 
Already set are prom bookings 
for NYU, Rutgers and Princeton. 
Holmes will use the same orch on 
upcoming recording sessions. 


y&TZTETY 


10 Best Sellers on Coin-Machines 


1. MELODY OF LOVE (6) 


2. THAT’S ALL I WANT FROM YOU (6) 

3. HEARTS OF STONE (8) 


4. LET ME GO, LOVER (11) 


5. CRAZY OTTO (2) 

6. SINCERELY (6) .. 


7. KO KO MO (3) 


8. MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE (7) 


9. EARTH ANGEL (1) 


10. MISTER SANDMAN (13) 


NAUGHTY LADY OF S1I\DY LANE 
OPEN UP YOUR HEART 


Second Croup 


NO MORE 


TWEEDLE DEE 
SMILES 


HOW IMPORTANT CAN IT BE 
DIM. DIM THE LIGHTS 


TEACH ME TONIGHT 


;; UNSUSPECTING HEART 

SHAKE. RATTLE AND ROLL 

" i 'iuure* »n parentheses indicate number of weeks eon a 


fBilfv Vaughn 

Dot 

David Carroll 

. .Mercury 

Four Aces 

. . . Decca 

Frank Sinatra 

. . . Capitol 

Jaye P. Morgan .... 

. . . . Victor 

( Fontanc Sisters 

.... Dot 

) Charms 

. DeLuxe 

i Joan Weber 

.Columbia 

^ Teresa Brewer . ... 

. . Coral 

\ Patti Page 

. .Mercury 

Johnny Maddox 

Dot 

McGuire Sisters .... 

.... Coral 

f Perry Como 

. . . Victor 

) Crew Cuts 

. .Mercury 

| Sarah Vaughan 

. Mercury 

f^Peggy King ... . . . . . 

. Columbia 

Gloria Mann 

Sound 

Penguins 

. . Dootovc 

Crew Cuts 

. Mercury 

Pat O’Day 

. . MGM 

( Chordettes 

. .Cadence 

{ Four Aces ... 

.... Decca 

( Lancers 

.... Coral 

Ames Brothers 

Victor 

Lancers 


f DeJohn Sisters 

.... ffptc 

) McGuire Sisters .... 

. Mercury 

Georgia Gibbs 

. .Mercury 

Crazy Otto 

... Decca 

( Joni James 


} Teresa Brewer 

• • • CoTfll 

Bill Haley’s Comets . . 

.... Decca 

\ DeCastro Sisters 

. . Abbott 

f Jo Stafford 

Columbia 

\ Sunny Gale 

Victor 

{ Georgie Shaw 

.... Decca 

Bill Haley's Comets . . 

... Dccca 


has been tn the Top 10] 


Songs With Largest Radio Audience 

The top 30 songs of week (more in case of ties), based on 
copyrighted Audience Coverage Index k Audience Trend Index, 
Published by Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John Gray Peatman, 
Director . Alphabetically listed. * Legit musical. t Film. 

Survey Week ©f February 4-10, 1955 

A Man Chases A Girl — 1“Show Business” Berlin 

All Of You Chappell 

Blue Mirage Mills 

Count Your Blessings Berlin 

Dixie Danny Southern 

Hearts Of Stone Regent 

Hey Punchinello Paramount 

How Important Can It Be Aspen 

Ko Ko Mo Meridian 

Let Me Go Lover Hill & Range 

Life Of The Party Broadcast 

Make Yourself Comfortable Rylan 

Melody Of Love Shapiro-B-P 

Mister Sandman E. H. Marks 

Mobile Ardmore 

My Own True Love Remick 

Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane Paxton 

No More Maple Leaf 

Paper Valentine Stratton 

Silk Stockings — *"Silk Stockings” , Chappell 

Sincerely Arc-Regent 

Teach Me Tonight Hub-Leeds 

That’s All I Want From You Weiss & B 

These Are The Things We’ll Share Famous 

This Ole House . . . . Hamblen 

Tweedle Dee Progressive 

Unsuspecting Heart Tee Pee 

Why Don’t ’They Leave Us Alone BVC 

You Too Can Be A Dreamer Mills 

Young And Foolish — +"Plain And Fancy” Chappell 


Top 30 Songs on TV 

< More In Case of Ties) 

A Man Chases A Girl— -t“Show Business” Berlin 

Count Your Blessings Berlin 

Darling. Darling, Darling Mayfair 

Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup Chappell 

Dim, Dim The Lights Republic 

Edward R y l an 

Hearts Of Stone Regent 

I Need You Now Miller 

Ko Ko Mo Meridian 

Let Me Go Lover Hill Sc Range 

Let’s Dance, Let’s Dance Essex 

Make Yourself Comfortable Rylan 

Melody Of Love . ..* Shapiro-B-P 

Mister Sandman Morris 

Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane Paxton 

Never Mind The Noise In The Market Hollis 

No More \ Maple Leaf 

Open Up Your Heart Hamblen 

Please Don’t Freeze Raleigh 

Rock Love Jay Sc Cee 

An( * T ^ e ^ ea Winneton 

Sh-Boom H & R 

Shake, Rattle And Roll •»..... Progressive 

She Went That-A Way Republic 

Skokiaan Shapiro-B 

Teach Me Tonight Hub-Leeds 

That s All I Want From You Weiss & B 

Tweedle Dee Progressive 

Unsuspecting Heart Tee Pee 

Wedding Bells . . . . ! ! ! ! Rylan 




Wednesday, February 16, 1955 




41 


Barbershop Style Now Big Biz 
With Extra Coin for Vocal Group! 


Barbershop quartet singing is de- + 
veloping into more than. just a di- 
vertissement for the current crop 
of vocal groups clicking on wax. it’s 
mushrooming into a big business 
that’s giving ’em an additional $50,- 
000 to $75,000 a year. 

The swing to the barbershop 
style is being sparked by The 
Chordettes, who have been riding 
high with their Cadence slice of 
“Mr. Sandman” for the past four 
months. The gals have been taking 
dates with barbershop quartet so- 
cieties to fill in the open spaces 
between tv shots, niteries and the- 
atre bookings. Jack Bertell, The 
Chordettes, manager, claimed that 
he started looking around for new -4 
outlets when the in-person oppor- 
tunities began to dwindle and came 
up with the barbershop singing 
groups. 

There are about 50 such groups 
around the country today, operat- 
ing under the aegis of the Society 
for the Preservation and Encour- 
agement of Barbershop Quartet 
Singing in America. Each group 
is on a constant prowl for vocal 
combos to appear at their shindigs. 
They shell out between $1,000 and 
$1,250 for a one-niter. 

The Chordettes also are picking 
up extra coin for similar stints with 
distaffer groups. These outfits are 
tagged "Sweet Adeline” societies 
and they’re just as passionate about 
barbershop style counterpoint as 
their male counterparts. 

Recently the Chordettes strength- 
ened their foothold on the barber- 
shop school with the release of a 
Cadence LP package tagged “Close 
Harmony.” It’s grooved for the 
barbershoppers and is being ped- 
dled in conjunction with ^folio of 
the tunes sung in the album. The 
folio is being published by E. H. 
Morris Music. 

The Chordettes, incidentally, 
have moved into the 1,000,000 disk- 
seller circle with “Mr. Sandman.” 


Angela Lansbury to Cut 
16 Platters During ’55 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Angela Lansbury has been 
pacted by Contemporary Records 
to cut a minimum of 16 sides dur- 
ing 1955. Actress just completed a 
costarring role with Danny Kaye 
in Paramount’s “The Court Jester." 

In the film she introduces a 
new tune, “Where Walks My True 
Love,” by Sylvia Fine and Sammy 
Cahn. 


Indie Label in Buildup 
On ‘East Coast Jazz’ Line 

Bethlehem Records, indie jazz 
label, is going all out to build up 
its “East Coast Jazz” line. Last 
week label pacted jazzsters Oscar 
Pettiford, Sam Most, Kai Winding 
and J. J. Johnson to exclusive disk- 
ing pacts. 

Pettiford, one of the top jazz 
bassists, previously had cut an LP 
plotter for the diskery. He was 
inked to a three-year deal. Most, 
a clarinetist, also was tagged for 
three years. Winding and John- 
son were inked as a team. l3uo al- 
ready has cut a 12-inch LP, which 
will be the seventh set in Beth- 
lehem’s “East Coast Jazz” series. 


Camden’s Cuffo Jock 

Service for Its Pops 

Camden Recordt, RCA Victor’s 
line of low-priced disks, is initiat- 
ing a cuffo disk jockey service for 
its pop releases. Camden, which 
most concentrates on standard 
classical, semi-classical and show- 
tune repertoire, has been clicking 
recently with EP packages of the 
current hit tunes. 

Camden will service a limited 
number of jockeys with releases 
by such pop names as Don Cornell, 
Mindy Carson and Johnny Des- 
mond, all of whom once had Victor 
deals but have since joined other 
labels. 


JAMES, KENTON ADD 
NEW BAND VOCALISTS 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Harry James has pacted Patti 
Powers, 22-year-old UCLA coed, as 
new vocalist for his band. New 

chirp replaces Paula Gilbert, who 
exited James’ crew three w'eeks 
ago for another offer. James band 
is currently at the Hollywood Pal- 
ladium where James is celebrating 
his 16th anni as a bandleader. 

Ann Richards, 19-year-old Fris- 
co songstress, has been pacted by 
Stan Kenton as the band’s new 
vocalist. Chirp, who previously 
was with Ray Anthony for a short 
stint, follows Chris Connors as 
band’s singer. Meanwhile, Kenton 
last week cut three new sides at 
Capitol, with Miss Richards fea- 
tured on one of the tunes. Waxings 
include “Ting-a-Ling,” “Mala- 
guena” and “Dark Eyes.” 


Angel Ties Up With BOMC (or Club 
Market; Claim Dealer Protection 


Liberace’s Mother Seeks 
To Resume That Name 

Los Angeles, Feb. 15. 

Liberace's mother, Mrs. Franaes 
Casadonte, filed a petition in Su- 
priore Court asking permission to 
change her legal name back to 
Frances Liberace. 

Petitioner explained that Casa- 
donte was the name of her second 
husband, now deceased, and that 
she wants to be associated with 
the names of her three sons, born 
of her first spouse. 


Majors Give Waivers On 
Disks for Braille Sale 

The Louis Braille Music Insti- 
tute, a non-profit organization de- 
signed to service blind people with 
music, is issuing a number of rec- 
ords from the catalogs of the ma- 
jor companies with special Braille 
labels and jackets for sale to the 
blind. Remington Records is han- 
dling the manufacture of the disks. 

The Braille Institute is getting 
waivers from the major companies 
for the payment of artists’ royal- 
ties. Included in the institute’s disk 
repertory for the blind will be 
RCA Victor’s “Show Biz” album. 


2d Paris Jazz 
Split in 11 Yrs. 

Paris, Feb. 15. 

The second big jazz schism oc- 
curred here this week when M. 
Jouet and Jacques Souplet broke 
away from their respective bosses, 
Hughues Panassie and Guy De- 
launay, to form a new jazz club 
(Le Club Des Amis Du Jazz (Club 
of the Friends of Jazz) Break 
occurred because Jouet and Sou- 
plet feel that all forms of jazz are 
important, and against the idea 
that only certain aspects of It are 
vital. 

First big break in the jazz world 
here came in 1944 w hen Delaunay 
left Panassie’s Hot Club De France, 
in existence since 1932, to form his 
own Federations Des Hot Club 
Francaises. Jouet and Souplet feel 
that their two ex-bosses, though so 
important in bringing jazz to 
France lately, were harmful to jazz 
enthusiasts, by hacking certain 
schools of this music. 

The CDAJ feels that there are 
too many jazz fans h$re now to be 
able to play this type of music. It 
plans to be most objective in bring- 
ing all forms of jazz to the mem- 
bers. The club also feels that a 
calm interest in jazz is preferable 
to the rather frenetic displays of J 
Panassie and Delaunay. 


CAP’S GRIFFITH IN TV 
DEBUT ON ‘STEEL HOUR’ 

Andy Griffith, comedy disk 
monol&gist on the Capitol label, 
will make his tele thesping bow 
next month on ABC-TV’s “U. S. 
Steel Hour.” He’s been set for the 
lead in the televersion of “No Time 
for Sergeants.” It will be aired 
March 15. 

Meantime, Cap is rushing into 
release this week Griffith’s wax 
parody of “Make Yourself Com- 
fortable, Baby.” 


INDPLS. ORCHS 25TH ANNI 

As part of the 25th anniversary 
celebration of the Indianapolis 
Symphony Orchestra, its director, 
Fabien Sevitzky, will bring the 
orch to Carnegie Hair, N. Y., Sun- 
day. March 6. at 8:45 p.m. 

Concert Will be given in coopera- 
tion with the Sons of Indiana. 


Scoreboard 


OF 


TOP TALENT AND TUNES 


Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution 
Encompassing the Three Major Outlets 

Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music 

as Published in the Current Issde 


NOTE: The current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is 
arrived at under a statistical system comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu- 
merated above. These findings are correlated with data from wider sources, which are exclusive 
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de- 
veloped from the ratio of points scored, two ways in the case of talent ( coin machines, retail 
disks J and three ways in the case of tunes (coin machines, retail disks and retail sheet music J. 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 

1 1 

2 2 


3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 


3 
6 

4 
8 
7 


5 

10 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 


1 

,2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 
9 

10 


1 

2 

4 
3 

5 
8 
7 

6 
10 


TALENT 

ARTIST AND LABEL TUNE , 

FONTANE SISTERS (Dot) Hearts of Stone 

McGUIRE SISTERS (Coral) (Sincerely 

v ' /No More 

BILLY VAUGHN ‘(Dot) Melody of Love 

JAYE P. MORGAN (Victor) That’s All I Want From You 

JOAN WEBER (Columbia) Let Me Go, Lover 

JOHNNY MADDOX (Dot) Crazy Otto 

CHORDETTES (Cadence) Mister Sandman 

CREW CUTS (Mercury) grtKgel 

AMES BROTHERS (Victor) Naughty Lady of Shady Lane 

PERRY COMO (Victor) Ko Ko Mo 

TUNES 

(♦ASCAP. fBMI) 

TUNE PUBLISHER 

*MELODY OF LOVE Shapiro-B&P 

f HEARTS OF STONE Regent 

•{•SINCERELY Arc-Regent 

fLET ME GO, LOVER Hill & Range 

♦MISTER SANDMAN Morris 

fKO KO MO •. Meridian 

fTHAT’S ALL I WANT FROM YOU Weiss & Barry 

♦NAUGHTY LADY OF SHADY LANE Paxton 

f EARTH ANGEL ; D. Williams 

♦CRAZY OTTO (ASCAP Medley) 


Book-of-the-Month Club, which a 
few months ago inaugurated a 
Music-Appreciation Record Club 
division, has signed with Angel 
Records to use the latter’s disking 
of Debussy’s “La Mer,” as recorded . 
by the Philharmonia Orch under 
Herbert von Karajan, as its April 
issue. This marks the first time 
BOMC is bringing a commercial 
label into its setup. 

Tieup is valuable for Angel 
(who’ll probably offer more disks 
for future releases), in giving the 
label a completely new audience, 
and* a tremendous exposure with- 
out cutting prices. Announcement 
of the deal is going out to BOMC’s 
[-200.000 members. The record di- 
vision’s gimmick is to have a music 
work performed straight on one 
side of the disk, with a spoken 
analysis, with examples, on the re- 
verse. The Little Orchestra So- 
ciety, conducted by Thomas Scher- 
man, son of BOMC founder, Harry 
Scherman, plays the explanatory 
side, with young Scherman dis- 
cussing it. 

Price of the BOMC disk is $3.60, 
and since “La Mer” has been out 
some months now, Angel dealers 
won’t be hurt. Feeling is, rather, 
that the BOMC disk will make po- 
tential customers for other Angel 
recordings. Angel took precau- 
tions over the weekend to notify 
all dealers of this BOMC tieup. It 
pointed out that neither the thrift 
package at $3.48 nor the factory- 
sealed package at $4.98 is being un- 
dersold, since the Angel “La Mer” 
has Ravel’s “Rapsodie Espagnol” 
on the other side, as against one 
composition on the BOMC disk. 


NowCanadaWants 
Fees From Jukes 


Ottawa, Feb. 15. 

Estimating that jukeboxes in 
Canada collect an annual gross ex- 
ceeding $35,000,000, Composers, 
Authors and Publishers Assn, of 
Canada is asking the government 
to tighten copyright laws to allow 
collection of fees from juke oper- 
ators. Association claims both the 
Exchequer and Supreme Courts of 
Canada have held the exemption 
was only intended to protect small 
operators but not proprietors us- 
ing record machines for profit. 

CAPAC also wants the right to 
collect performing fees from or- 
ganizations currently exempt, such 
as educational, social, charitable, 
fraternal and religious groups, 
claiming they “are not % entitled to 
ask for special privileges In re- 
spect of intellectual property.’* 
CAPAC claims were made in a 
brief to a Royal Commission prob- 
ing Canada’s copyright, trademark, 
patent and industrial designs legis- 
lation. 

‘‘No special group of people.” the 
brief reads, “has any meritorious 
claims to be exempted from re- 
specting the property in copyright 
because of the activities of its mem- 
bers.” CAPAC objected, too, to sug- 
gestions that performing rights 
groups file copies of their works 
with the copyright office, claiming 
it would be of no advantage. 

The association estimated the re- 
turn for each performance of a 
song or musidal works is about 3c. 
After 20% tot administration, re- 
turns were distributed to about 200 
1 Canadian authors and composers. 
By affiliation with similar groups 
abroad, CAPAC estimated for every 
dollar received from Canadian 4 
sources for performing right, mem- 
bers got $9 from other countries. 

RICHMOND TO EUROPE , 
ON PUBLISHING DEALS 

Publisher Howie Richmond 
planes to Europe tomorrow (Thurs.) 
to set new deals with his publish- 
ing affiliates in England and on 
the Continent. Pacts between the 
various Richmond ASCAP and 
BMI firms and the European pub- 
lishers all expire in March. 

Richmond also plans to pick up 
song material while overseas. 






il ULO lE, 


WedneMlay, February 16, 1955 


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Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


P^RIEfY 


43 


ORDER NOW! 

clip and mail this 
column to your 
RCA VICTOR 
record distributor 


□ 

i MARILYN MONROE* 

■ Heat Wave 

After You Get What 

You Want 

Qty* 

,——45 rpm 

— 78 rpm 

□ 

BETTY JOHNSON** 

Seven Pretty Dreams 

Be a Lover 

Qty.. 

45 rpm 

—78 rpm_ 

□ 

BOSTON POPS 
ORCHESTRA** 

Polka 

Can Can— (both from: 

6a*t4 Parisienna-* 


Offenbach) 

Qty 4$Vpm 78 rpm. 



ERNESTO BONINO** 

What a Lucky Guy Am I 
White Orchid 


Qty 45 rpm 78 rpm. 


□ HOMER AND JETHRO** 

The Nutty Lady of 

Shady Lana 
Mister Sandman 

Qty 45 rpm 78 rpm. 

□ RALPH FLANAGAN'S 
ORCHESTRA** 

I Belong to You 
Go Moses Go 

Qty.— 45 rpm 78 rpm. 



PEE WEE KING'S BAND** 

You Can’t Hardly Get 

Them No More 
Tweedlee Dee 


Qty.. 


.45 rpm 78 rpm. 



TOMMY SANDS** 

Something’s Bound 

to Go Wrong 
Kissin’ Ain’t No Fun 


Qty.. 


.45 rpm 78 rpm. 


□ . LOIS BUTLER** 

II Baccio (The Kiss) 
My Heart’s Desire 

Qty. 45 rpm 78 rpm 

□ DARRELL GLENN** 

Bye Bye Young Girls 

No Tears, No Regrets 

> 

Qty..— . 45 rpm 78 rpm. 

□ PORTER WAGONER** 

Hey, Maw I 
How Quick 

Qty 45 rpm 78 rpm 




Stir* 


Address 

City 

Zoije $Uti_ 


(please print) 


•♦New •’Orthophonic’' High Fidelity 
•High Fidelity 



(YOU DON’T WANT IT) 

g| 20/47-6033 




Victor's great new singing sensation 
cuts two sizzling sides 


• • W.VJVAV •.v.v.'. 


• •WV.VA'ji 
■>* :*■*«&£ 
77 .- .va-.W. 


RCA Vi CTO R 


44 


MUSIC 


Wetlneftday, February 16, 195S 


RIAA Moves to Get More Accurate 
Statistics On Disk Industry B. 0. 


The Record Industry Assn, of 
America is taking steps to fill the 
statistical vacuum in the disk busi- 
ness. A committee has been formed 
to prepare the goundvvork to gather 
complete figures on total disk in- 
dustry production and sales of 
records. 

Since the disk industry has not 


heretofore supplied any detailed 
sales figures on various types of 
records, the committee has recom- 
mended that a questionnaire which 
will be first submitted to all com- 
panies solicit only information 
covering various sizes and speed of 
records. At a later date, it’s ex- 
pected more detailed categories 


OF f/eur_ RECORD, RATINGS 
BY THE TRADE PRESS 



Billboard 

Cash Box 

THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT 



(Wonderland) 


0 

• 
Q 
• 
J B 

SS 

BILL HAYES (Cadence) 

Spotlight 

the Week 

t 

RUSTY DRAPER (Mercury) 


Sleeper of 
the Week 

HONEY BUNCH (Monument) 


B-f 

THE FOUR KNIGHTS (Capitol) 

78 (Good) 

(Excellent) 

TOMMY MARA (MGM) 

75 (Good) 

B (Very Good) 

TO NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF 



(Meilin) 


Disk of 

KITTY KALLEN (Decca) 

Spotlight 

the Week 

JERRY MARTIN (Savoy) 

73 (Good) 

B (Very Good) 

IF HEARTS COULD TALK 


, \ • 

(Hill A Range) 



PERCY FAITH ORCH (Columbia) 

79 (Goad) 

C-f (Good) 

IT MAY SOUND SILLY (Progressive) 

80 


BILLY FARRELL (Mercury) 

(Excellent) 

Best Bet 

McGUIRE SISTERS (Coral) 

IVORY JOE HUNTER (Atlantic) 

Spotlight 

R&B 

Sleeper 

DOLORES GRAY (Decca) 


B (Very Good) 

JOAN WEBER (Columbia) 


B (Very Good) 

FVE BEEN THINKING (A««ff-to..) 



THE FOUR LADS (Columbia) 

77 (Good) 

Sloeper of 
the Week 

EDDY ARNOLD (Victor) 

C8W 

Bast Buy 

Bullseye 

RUSTY DRAPER (Mercury) 

% 

Sleeper of 
the Week 

1 WANNA HUG YA, KISS YA, 



SQUEEZE YA (Arc-Regent) 


B-f 

LU ANN SIMMS (Columbia) 

74 (Good) 

(Excellent) 

BILLY WILLIAMS QUARTET (Coral) 

79 (Good) 


BUDDY GRIFFIN & CLAUDIA SWANN 

R&B 

R&B 

(Chets) 

Spotlight _ 

Best Bet 

MAIN EVENT (Meridian) 


B-f 

VAUGF'N MONROE (Victor) 

75 (Good) 

(Excellent) 

PLEDGING MY LQVE ( u«n) 


Sleeper of 

THE FOUR LADS (Columbia) 

79 (Good) 

tho Week 

TERESA BREWER (Coral) 

80 

(Excellent) 

Sleeper of 
tho Week 

TOMMY MARA (MGM) 

78 (Good) 

B-f 

(Excellent) 

LOUIS ARMSTRONG (Dacca) 

78 (Good) 

B (Very Good) 


R&B 

Sleeper of 

JOHNNY ACE (Duke) 

Best Buy 

the Week 

RONNIE GAYLORD (Mercury) 

POISON IVY (Arc-Regent) 

B (Very Good) 


BOYD BENNETT (King) 

75 (Good) 

C-f (Good) 

WILLIE MABON (Chest) 

76 (Good) 

R&B 

ROCK LOVE (Jay & Cm) 


Sleeper 

FONTANE SISTERS (Dot) 

Spotlight 

Sure Shot 

EDDIE FONTAINE ("X") 

Spotlight 

Sure Shot 

BILLY FARRELL (Mercury) 

79 (Good) 

C-f* (Good) 

ELAINE GAY (DeLuxe) 


Best Bet 

DOLORES GRAY (Decca) 


C-f (Good) 

THE SAND AND THE SEA (winner) 



NAT 'KING' COLE (Capitol) 

80 

Disk of 

BOB SANTA MARIA (MGM) 

(Excellent) 

tho Week 


B (Very Good) 

SAY IT ISN’T THE NIGHT 



(Johnstone-Montei) 


. 

HUGO WINTERHALTER ORCH (Victor) 

72 (Good) 

Best Bet 

TEU IT TO ME AGAIN 



(Woist B Barry) 


B-f 

JUNE VALLI (Victor) 

79 (Good) 

(Excellent) 

DON CHERRY (Columbia) 

73 (Good) 


TURN RIGHT is.......) 



KAY STARK (Victor) 

Spotlight 

Sure Shot 

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MADE 


e 

(E. B. Marks) 



VAUGHN MONROE (Victor) 

74 (Good) 

B (Very Good) 

JERRY MARTIN (Coral) 


B (Very Good! 


Vanity 


Vary Good 


Best Bot 


Vary Good 


B«tt Bot 


Good 


Boot Bot 


Very Good 

Boot Bot 


Boot Bot 


Excellent 


Good 


Excollont 


BROADCAST Ml SIC. INC. 


5S9 fifth avenue 

NEW YORK 17 N Y 


*1* YOU* . CHICACO I'HOilHOOO. • to# 


ONTO O MONtfffA 


will be added to determine disks 
sales in various fields, pop; long- 
hair, kiddie, etc. For the time 
being the figures supplied by the 
individual manufacturers will 
remain confidential. 

In its third annual report, issued 
last week, the RIAA revealed that 
its membership had dropped from 
46 companies in 1953 to 41 com- 
panies last years. Since the RIAA 
was set up in 1952 five class D 
members and 12 class E members 
have either resigned or dropped 
from membership for non-payment 
of dues. Approximately half of 
these former members either 
merged with other record com- 
panies or withdrew from the disk 
business. During ’54, RIAA ac- 
quired three new members all in 
class E. 

The RIAA is set up in five 
grades to fit the earning capacity 
of each diskery. The record com- 
panies’ dues are governed by the 
grade slotting. The org teed off 
in ’52 with 31 members. Current 
membership represents close to 
85% of the disk industry. 

Report also indicated that the 
RIAA was paving the' way for an 
all-out campaign to repeal the 
Federal excise tax and win the 
enactment of a piracy bill in the 
N.Y. State Legislature. A special 
committee has been formed for 
the excise tax repeal and the RIAA 
board of directors have agreed that 
all members should be assessed 
for the costs of the drive on Wash- 
ington. The RIAA is basing its 
repeal pitch on the fact that re- 
cords are now in the religious 
cultural and educational field as 
well as entertainment. 

According to the report, one of 
the top economic developments of 
last year was the switchover from 
the use of 78 rpm to 45 rpm 
platters by disk jockeys. The 
companies which made the shift 
reported marked improvement in 
the service they are able to furnish 
stations. 

The RIAA has set March 31 as 
the date for its annual election 
officers meet. The confab will be 
held at the N. Y. Athletic Club. 
Officer lineup for the past year 
has been James B. Conkling (Co- 
lumbia, president; Harry C. Kruse 
(London), senior v.p.; Dario Soria 
(Angel), v.p.; Frank B. Walker 
(MGM), treasurer; and John W. 
Griffin, exec secretar. 


BBC TO HONOR WRIGHT 
FOR 50 YEARS IN MUSIC 

London, Feb. 15. 

To celebrate his 50 years as 
Britain’s leading music publisher 
and songwriter, Lawrence Wright 
is to be the subject of a BBC close, 
up program to be broadcast Feb. 
27. 

Celebrities from show business 
will be heard giving reminiscences 
and paying tribute to Wright who, 
as Horatio Nicholls, has been re- 
sponsible for some famous compo- 
sitions. Jack Hylton and Jack 
Payne will be among those paying 
tribute. 


SPA, MPPA 

■SSS Continued from pa gt 39 

circumstances. The lawyers stressed 
the separation of the mechanical 
rights and the “right to arrange.” 
Hence, a publisher of a pre-1909 
tune would have the right to con- 
trol its adaptation. Any unauthor- 
ized recorded arrangement would, 
under this argument, constitute an 
infringement. 

Since the suit involves many im- 
portant tunes written before 1909 
but after 1899, when they would 
go into the public domain in any 
case, the final settlement is being 
closely watched by the industry. 
While the writer and publisher or- 
ganizations are urging the Court of 
Appeals to reverse tha lower court 
decision, the Record Industry Assn, 
of America has moved to intervene 
on the side of Remington Records, 
and its affiliated label, Continental 
Records, which also was a defend- 
ant in the case. 


‘Hit Parade’ Lineup 

(On Feb. 12 NBC-TV show) 

1. Mister Sandman Morris 

2. Melody of Love S-B&P 

• 3. Let Me Go Lover H&R 

4. Sincerely A-Regent 

5. Naughty Lady Paxton 

6. Heart of Stone Regent 

7. Want From You W&B 


Inside Stuff-Music 


Chappell Music has published a comprehensive catalog of vocal 
solos for distribution to deejays, station librarians and disk companies. 
Hardcover book, which runs 263 pages, covers show and film songs, 
ballads and art songs and a cross index of legituners and filmusicals 
published by firms in the Chappell group. These firms are Buxton 
Hill, Chappell. DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, Gershwin, T. B. Harms, 
Mutual and Williamson. 


Tribulations of launching a small label is spotlighted by the case 
of the new Thunderbird Records company. Thunderbird recently teed 
off with a release by Jack Haskell, only to find out that RCA’s Camden 
label issued an album of recent hit tunes that Haskell made prior to 
signing with Thunderbird. Latter label now finds itself in the position 
of plugging an artist with a major company getting a free ride. 


For disk jockies who may have become sensitive about what the 
Italian lyrics signified in the recent cycle of Italo-flavored numbers. 
Cadence Records has issued a glossary of Italian terms used in its 
latest release, “Leave ’a My Gal Alone,” by the Four Tophatters. 
Pasta fazool, for instance, means beans and macaroni, an$ brulliona 
means one who always goofs. 


In a promotion move for its original cast album, “House of Flowers,” 
Columbia Records is offering via mail a special waxing of Truman 
Capote reciting his original short story of the same title. The Capote 
cut is being offered to album buyers cuffo except for a 25c mailing 
charfte. Capote collabbed on the legituner with Harold Arlen. 

MGM Records is stepping up its extended play platter push with 
its Feb. 18 release. Diskery will send 10 new EP sets on the market. 
Sets will cover the pop, jpood music, hillbilly and religioso fields. 


Joyce Inks Valentine 
To Personal Mgt. Pact 

Philadelphia, Feb. 15. 

Jack Valentine, modern-style 
western songseller, has gone un- 
der the personal management of 
the Jolly Joyce Theatrical Agency. 
Joyce just closed a deal with 
Frank Walker, pacting Valentine 
for a longtermer with MGM-Rec- 
ords. 

Valentine who was originally 
brought here by WCAU-TV for 
their live oater, “Action in the 
Afternoon,” has just started an 
after-midnight tv show’, “Insomnia 
Club,” for the station, which is a 
potential feed to the net (1-3 a m.). 


Sennes Sues For 
Moulin Music 

Hollywood, Feb. 25. 

Frank Sennes, operator of the 
Moulin Rouge, filed suit yesterday 
(Mon.) against Irving Mills, music 
publisher-agent, and songwTiters 
Doris Sherrell and Philip Moody, 
asking an injunction to prevent the 
defendants from halting use of 
their musical compositions in the 
current Moulin show’, “Ca C’Est 
Paris.” Court later in the day is- 
sued a show-case order, returnable 
in 10 days, why the injunction 
shouldn’t be granted. According to 
the complaint, defendants threaten 
to bring legal action to have their 
musical score removed from the 
show’ which, Sennes claims, would 
necessitate closing the show with 
more than 200 personnel. 

Plaintiff claims the defendants 
were paid $5,000 for complete own- 
ership of the music, and now de- 
mand an additional $20,000. Ques- 
tion of whether Sennes or Mills 
holds personal management pacts 
figures also in the suit. Sennes as- 
serting the composers inked a man- 
agement contract while previously 
contracted to Mills. 


Ambrose to Record 24 
More for Stateside 

London. Feb. 15. 

Bandleader Ambrose has signed 
a contract to record 24 more titles 
during the next 12 months for the 
MGM label in the States. 

Ambrose is leading an orchestra 
of over 20 musicians and the rec- 
ords are being made primarily for 
the American market. The new 
contract follows the success of two 
titles that he waxed with a 19-piece 
outfit— “My Guy’s Come Back” and 
Fats Waller’s “Chelsea.” 


Mills, Anderson Hit 
With Infringe Suit 
On ‘Typewriter’ Tune 

Tunesmith Halis Lengsfelder filed 
an infringement suit in N. Y. Su- 
preme Court last week against 
Mills Music and Leroy Anderson 
over the latter’s tune, “Type- 
writer.” Lengsfelder claims that 
Anderson’s composition competes 
unfairly with his own, tagged 
“Typewriter Concerto.” 

Anderson’s “Typewriter” was 
copyrighted by Mills in 1953, while 
Lengsfelder stated that he com- 
posed his “Typewriter Concerto” 
in 1951 and that it was recorded 
abroad a year later. Pleasant Mu- 
sic publishes Lengsfelder’s tune. 
Mills denies all allegations. Suit 
is now in the examination stage. 


New BIG HITS1 

The Incompatible 1 1 1 

EARTH ANGEL 

THE PENGUINS — DOOTONE 
LES BAXTER — CAPITOL 
PAT O'DAY — MGM 
THE CREWCUTS — MERCURY 
GLORIA MANN — SOUND 

DOOTSIE WILLIAMS 

9312 S. Central Ava., L. A. 2, Calif. 


A Solid Hit i 

7 BE A 
LITTLE 
DARLIN’ 

MILLER MUSIC CORPORATION 


LAZY 

GONDOLIER 

Published by 

BURLINGTON 
MUSIC CORP. 

539 W. 25rti U„ N.Y.C. OR 5-4040 




America's Fastest 
^Selling -:Records! 






Wednesday, February 16, 1955 



RETAIL DISK BEST SELLERS 


Survey of retail disk best 
sellers based on reports cb 
tained from leading stores in 
22 cities and showing com 
parative sales rating for this 
and last week. 



w 4 ; 


National 
Rating 
This Last 
wk. wk. 


Artist, Label, Title 


2 

* 2 
fc £ 


® r 1 


ft M 

5 

03 ** 

= -5 

x ft 

ft ft 


o 

JL oj 

8 £ 

«• ft 

•c 'T 

! I 

•n 

ca s 


i i 


3 1 1 


2 5 2 6 


2 3 2 2 


3 . . 


3 3 2 5. 


8 .. 


10 5 


8 4 


717 10 5667 


McGUIRE SISTERS (Coral) 

1 1 “Sincerely” 10 5 9 7 2 3 2 2 

BILL VAUGHN (Dot) 

2 4 “Melody of Love” 2.. 3 1 1 .. 1.. 

' FONTANE SISTERS (Dot) 

3 2 ’ “Hearts of Stone” 2 5 2 6 .. .. 3 .. 

JAYE P. MORGAN (Victor) 

4 6 “That’s All I Want From Yon”. .. 4 8 8 4 8 4 6 .. 


JOAN WEBER (Columbia) 

5A 3 “Let Me Go, Lover” 3 4 9 2 1 

‘ CHORDETTES (Cadence) 

5B 6 “Mister Sandman” 3 3 2 5 

PERRY COMO (Victor) 

7 8 “Ko Ko Mo” 8 .. .. 10 5 .. 8 4 


JOHNNY MADDOX (Dot) 

8 12 “Craxy Otto” 1 

AMES BROTHERS (Victor) 

9 5 “Naughty Lady of Shady Lane” 1 10 10 9 9 

• GEORGIA GIBBS (Mercury ) 

10 10 “Tweedle Dee’ 7 1 7 10 5 6 6 7 .. 

CREW CUTS (Mercury) 

11 14 “Ko Ko Mo” 3 7 .. .. 

PENGUINS (Dootone) 

12 9 “Earth Angel” 7 ■ . 4 . , 

SARAH VAUGHAN (Mercury) 

13 11 “Make Yourself Comfortable”^ 4 7 . . 5 . . 

JONI JAMES (MGM) 

14 16 “How Important Can It Be” 1 _ ! _ 6 6 5 8 9 . . 10 8 

DeJOHN SISTERS (Epic) 

15 13 “No More” • • 3 . . • . 10 . . 3 

DAVID CARROLL (Mercury) 

16 16 “Melody of Love” * • • • • 10 

CREW CUTS (Mercury) 

17A . . “Earth Angel” 1 

BILL HAYES (Cadence) 

17B . . “Davey Crockett” 10 2 

HUGO WINTERHALTER (Victor) 

19 18 “Song of the Barefoot Contc ssa” 

LAVERN BAKER (Atlantic) ‘ 

20 . . “Tweedle Dee” 

COWBOY SCHOOL (Decca) 

21 24 “Open Up Your Heart” . • 

HALEY’S COMETS (Decca) 

22A 18 “Dim, Dim the Light s” 7 8 . . 

CATER IN A VALENTE (Decca) 

22B . . “Malaguena” 

DeCASTRO SISTERS (Abbott) 

24 A 15 “Teach Me Topight” e 11 

HALEY’S COMETS (Decca) 

24B .. “Shake, Rattle and Roll” 

i l i * i *“ 


10 8 


3 .. 


K c 

o o 

e* £ 

c « 

S ft 



I 5 I 


1 5 


2 .. 


4 .. 


2 2 4 


6 1 


8 9 2 


3 4 


3 7 . 


8 9 8 3. 7 


2 116 


6 .. 5 5 8 


6 10 


4 9 4 


■5 i 

> % 


I 1 

U ft 



3 2 7 2 124 


3 1 1 109 


2 4 1 .. 3 108 


7 1 4 4 9 73 


6 8 7 64 


5 10 


9 10 


.. 2 


4 . . 10 


4 59 


6 . . . . 51 


6 . . 40 


9 8 5 5 . . 35 


5 29 


5 10 10 .. 20 


8 11 


9 10 10 


9 3 


7 .. .. 9 


SIX TOP 
ALBUMS 


Mario lanxa 

Victor 
LM 1837 


2 

3 

4 

5 

MUSIC, MARTINIS 

DEEP IN MY HEART 

FANNY 

THERE'S NO BUSINESS 
LIKE SHOW BUSINESS 

AND MEMORIES 

Jackio Glsanon 

Film Soundtrack 

Original Cant 

Film Soundtrack 

Decca 

Capitol 

MGM 

Victor 

DL 8091 

W 509 

E 3153 

LOC 1015 

ED 828 

EAP 1, 2, 3, 4—509 

X 276 

EOC 1015 

DAU 957 


Original Cast 

Columbia 
ML 4840 
A 1098 


Bril Decca Chalks Up 
Peak Exports to U.S. In 
Jan.; Domestic 45s Lag 

• . London, Feb. 15. 

A record month for disk exports 
to the U.S. was chalked up by 
British Decca in January. This 
was reported to stockholders at 
the 25th anual session of the com- 
pany by Sir Cyril Entwistle, the 


chairman. He claimed that their 
exports, worldwide, __ represented 
over 50% of the whole industry. 
(London Records is British Decca’s 
U.S. outlet.) 

Commenting on the loss of the 
Capitol label from June of next 
year (in consequence of EMI’s re- 
cent buyout), the Decca chairman 
said that while that label had been 
“an interesting and profitable ad- 
dition” to their business, the ter- 
ritorial limitations inherent in the 
contract limited sales. They in- 


tended, however, to obtain the 
maximum benefit from the balance 
of the contract and were confident 
that after its expiration they would 
recoup themselves in other direc- 
tions. 

While paying tribute to the pi- 
oneering work of the American Co- 
lumbia label in the development of 
longplaying microgroove discs and 
to RCA for the development of 
45s, the Decca boss said his com- 
pany had launched these new type 
records in Britain and many over- 


seas countries. Although admit- 
ting that the demand for the 45! 
was very small in relation to th« 
standard 78 disk, he was confi 
dent that would gradually improve 
over the years. 

ANITA BOYER TO COL 

Anita Boyer, rhythm and blue! 
songstress, was added to Columbii 
Records roster last week. 

Thrush’s initial platters for the 
label are due early in March. 


MUSIC 45 

Arnold, Littler 
Join Brit. Co. On 
Musical Tunes 

' a • * 

. London, Feb. 15. 

Theatrical impresarios Tom Ar- 
nold and Emile Littler are two di- 
rectors of a new music publishing 
company, Theatre Music Ltd., 
formed as a subsidiary of the Peter 
Maurice concern. Idea is that a 
British company can control the 
music of British shows, and so give 
them a fair break against heavily- 
plugged Broadway importations. 

First score handled by the new 
company comes frotn the Eric Mas- 
chwitz George Posford show, “Hap- 
py Holiday,” which includes a po- 
tential winner, “Surprisingly,” 
even though the show folded in the 
West End. 

Theatre Music will publish the 
scores of all shows produced by Lit- 
tler or Arnold, or Any that they 
may put on in their own theatres. 
Littler returned from America last 
week and his coming shows will 
automatically go to Theatre Music. 
Arnold plans two British musicals 
for the Spring, one tentatively 
titled “Lady at the Wheel.” 

Children’s Record Guild 
Wins Court Case On Use 
Of Tag in Platter Sales 

The Children’s Record Guild 
will continue to use its tag on plat- 
ter labels and in its distribution and 
sales, as a result of a court order 
handed down at the windup of a 
thrc-c-week trial in N.Y. Supreme 
Court last week. 

While Harold L. Friedman, prexy 
of The Record Guild of America, 
the plaintiff in the action, was still 
testifying, Children’s Record Guild 
attorney Milton M. Bergman 
moved to dismiss Friedman's com- 
plaint and latter’s attorney agreed 
to an order to discontinue action 
without costs. Friedman had asked 
$250,000 damages and an injunction 
to restrain John Stevenson and 
Milo Sutliff, who operate Chil- 
dren's Record Guild, from using 
the tag. Friedman claimed that he 
had originated the name. 

Sutliff claimed that the Chil- 
dren’s Record Guild had first ex- 
ploited the kidisk club and mail 
ordqr biz under the CRG monicker 
and that he was prepared to prove 
that Friedman came into this par- 
ticular field at a later date. 

Mode Sets Mgt. Outfit 
For Kenton Diskers 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

George Morte, road manager for 
the Stan Kenton Orch, has set up 
Ken-Mor Artists, a personal man- 
agement outfit handling groups re- 
cording on the Capitol Records 
“Kenton Presents Jazz” label. Pac- 
tees thus far include the Frank Ro- 
solino Sextet, Sal Salvador Quar- 
tet, Bill Holman Octet, Claude Wil- 
liamson Trio, Boots Mussulli Quar- 
tet and Bob Cooper Sextet. 

Latest group to record for the 
Kenton label is the Belletto Quin- 
tet, currently at the Blue Note in 
Chicago. Rosolino is at the Haig 
in Hollywood while Salvador is 
currently at Birdland in New York. 



Mantovani 

LAZY GONDOLIER 


Backed by Longing 1510 and 45-1510 

PfaltEfY RAVES: 

"Mantovani In no ttrangor to richly molodlc composi- 
tions, no when ono turns up ho known lust what to do 
with It. Hln treatment of "Lazy Gondolier" In lush and 
attractive ... a natural for deeiay programmers. Inter- 
anting sound gimmick of oar hitting tha watar onchanco 
dink's evarall charm." 








46 


MUSIC 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


On The Upbeat 


New York 

Bill Cook, WAAT (Newark) disk 
Jockey who doubles as Roy Hamil- 
ton’s manager, vacationing from 
his deejay chores next week . . . 
Doc Berger, now plugging for Wi- 
zell-Bay, on a 10-city midwest trek 
promoting Perry Como’s ‘‘You’ll 
Always Be My Lifetime Sweet- 
heart” . . . “Secret Love,” by 
Sammy Fain and Paul Francis 
Webster, was last year’s Academy 
Award winner, not “That’s Amore” 
as erratumed in Variety, Feb. 9. 

Whatever became of the zither? 
. . . Bob Merrill’s firm, Valyr Mu- 
sic, tied up with Ruby Foo’s to ship 
hot chow mein to the local deejays 
plugging The Gaylords’ Mercury 
slice of “Chow Mein,” natch . . . 
Bernie Wayne on a 16-day cruise 
to the West Indies . . . Don Shirley, 
recently released on a Cadence 
LP, profiled in the March issue of 
Esquire mag . . , Joe Lustig joined 
John O’Malley’s publicity office . . . 
Marguerite Blaise ankled her post 
as aide to Debbie Ishlon, Colum- 
bia’s pub head, to join Maybruck 
Associates, public relations office. 
She's being replaced by Eleanor 
Morrison . . . Harvey Cowan into 
Arnold Meyers’ spot as disk promo- 
tion man for Times-Columbia . . . 
Ida Warshower, secretary to Mur- 
ray Baker at Robbins (Big Three) 
Music, died Feb. 4 . . . Earl Bostic 
band currently one-nighting in the 
south . . . Tunesmith Alice Simms 
left on a junket to the Bahamas 
Monday (14) . . . Victor thrush 
Jaye P. Morgan tapped by Yale U. 
to headline its junior prom March 
4 . . . William Sabersky appointed 
California sales rep for Caedmon 
Records. 

Don Cornell already set for the 
43d annual auto show in Detroit 
next year . . . Lige McKelvy, Art 
Monney’s manager, penned “Mrs. 
Sterling” for Steve Allen . . . 
Myers Music has set “Rock Around 
The Clock" with Metro for its pic, 
“The Blackboard Jungle.” Tune 
was initial click for Bill Haley on 
Decca. 

Herb Jeffries, back in the U.S. 
after a European tour, plays a 
week at the Patio, Washington, be. 
ginning Mon. . (14), then moves to 
the Elegante, Brooklyn, on Feb. 24 
for a week’s stand . . . Coral Rec- 



It’s Mb tic by 


JESSE GREER 

Program Today Yottorday't 

JUST YOU, 
JUST ME 

ROBBINS 


ords’ Rover Boys set for a two- 
weeker at the Bal Tabarin Club. 
Quebec, starting Feb. 14 . . . The 
Spotllghters, instrumental quartet, 
currently at the Cocktail Lounge of 
the Hotel Statler . . . Earl Bostic’s 
combo played a one-nighter at the 
County Hall, Charleston, S. C., last 
week . . . Ethel Smith waxing an 
album of chile rhythms for Decca. 
Title is "Ethel Smith Goes Latin,” 
natch. 

Joe Loco into the Birdland Feb. 
24 . . The Four Coins slotted for 
a month’s stay at the Hotel Roose- 
velt, New Orleans, beginning 
March 3 Leonard Feather has a 
piece on Louis Armstrong in the 
March issue of Esquire mag. 


Hollywood 

Hal Neely, Allied Records exec, 
has left for New York to confer 
with eastern clients . . June Hope 
Mgt. has completed arrangements 
with Les Macdonnell of London 
for dancer Johnny Mac to head- 
line at the Savoy Hotel for a three- ; 
week stand beginning April 11 
Capitol has signed songstress Lee 
Kane to a recording pact. 

Champ Butler currently at the 
Park-Cerf Hotel in Honolulu . . 
Bobby Troupe recording a new 
album for Bethlehem Records... 
Album includes old and hew tunes 
by Johnny Mercer, including an 
original, “I’m With You.” Troupe 
is currently appearing at the Celeb- 
rity Room . Jesse Kaye, MGM 
Records Coast chief, climbed 
aboard the recording of “Ballad of 
Davy Crockett,” by cutting tune 
with new singing pactee James 
Brown, star of “Rin-Tin-Tin” vid- 
pix series Dinah Shore repacted 
by N. Y. Waldorf-Astoria for an- 
other stand in the near future. 

Frank Sinatra has Jiegun waxing 
the first of 16 sides for a new Cap- 
itol album, featuring four differ- 
ent instrumentations . . . Maggie 
Whiting cut four sides for Capitol 
last week... Champ Butler is cur- 
rently making a two-week stand at 
Honolulu’s Park-Surf Hotel. 

Gene Wesson, formerly of the 
Wesson Bros., has teamed up with 
Gordon Polk in a nitery act, which 
debuted Monday (14) at Billy 
Gray’s Band Box. . .The Red Norvo 
Trio currently at Castle’s Restau- 
rant for an indefinite engagement 
...Actor George Wallace has 
signed with Master Records and 
cuts two sides ... Singer Don Dur- 
ant has been inked to enact role of 
“Prince Charming” on NBC-TV’s 
“Truth or Consequences” show. 

Dennis Farnon is set to arrange 
and conduct the Margie Raeburn 
disking of “So Near, So Far,” for 
Coronet Records today (Wed.). 
Tune was written by Farnon, with 
lyrics by Bill Olofson . . . Chiquita 
& Johnson, terp duo, now' appear- 
ing in Gotham’s Latin Quarter, fol- 
low stand by returning to Holly- 
wood for 10 months’ booking at 
Moulin Rouge. 

Jerry Colonna currently doing 
one-niters in Canada . . . Tico Rob- 
bins Orch opened last Monday. (14) 
at Hollywood Cinegrill to alternate 
on bandstand with Frankie Remley 
crew . . . Billy Gray, in prepping 
his act for Sand's Hotel. Vegas, 
opening, has inked Sid Kuller and 
Mel Diamond to pen special mate- 
rial . . . Vicki Benet continues 
chirping at the “881” Club for an 
additional four weeks . . . Mickey 
Katz and Ziggy Elman, upon com- 
pletion of their Bandbox booking, 
open Feb. 21 in the Lounge of the 
New Frontier Hotel in Las Vagas. 

Songwriting team of Jay Living- 
ston and Ray Evans was pacted by 
Sam Lewis, entertainment director 
at Hotel New Frontier, to pen 
shows and music which Robert Al- 
ton will stage . . . MGM recording 



ASSOCIATE!! BOOKING CORPORATION 


York 
PL 9-4600 


JOE GLASER, Pres. 
Chicago 


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RETAIL SHEET BEST SELLERS 


Survey of retail sheet music 
best sellers based on reports 
obtained from leading stores in 
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sides, one of which features a song 
penned by Hy Hammerman, Jewish 
cantor . . . Tony Romano began 
indefinite stand at Peacock Lane 
this past week . . . A1 Martino in 
town huddling with a&r man Voyle 
Gilmore anent future sessions at 
Capitol. 

Harold Jovien, of Premiere Ar- 
tists and Productions Agency, has 
pacted the Hoosier H<nshot|i and 
nitery comic Arthur Walsh for a 
long period . . . Jeri Sothern set 
to cut another album for Decca, 
before opening at the Tiffany, 
March 4, for a four-week stand 
. . . Seymour Heller is currently 
in Frisco Bay Area on a promo- 
tional tour for Lawrence Welk and 
Liberace . . . Walter Schumann 
checked into the Goldwayn lot to 
begin scoring the Paul Gregory 
production, “Night of the Hunter. 

Chicago 

Frank Parker opening tomorrow 
(Thurs.) at the Cedar Rapids, la., 
Boat Show for four days, following 
into the Gay Haven, Detroit, March 
4 in a weekend stint . . . Los 
Chavales de Espana opening at 
Copa City, Miami, Feb. 21 till April 
3 . . . Bob Cross set for the Buffalo 
Statler Feb. 18 to April 10 . . . 
Chuck Foster closes at the Aragon 
Ballroom, Chi, March 11 . . . Dick 
Jergens inked for the New York 
Statler Feb. 25 to March 24 . . . 
Bob Kirk set for the Aragon Ball- 
room, Chi, Feb. 22 to April 8 . . . 
Paul Neighbors closing at the 
Texas Hotel, Fort Worth, Feb. 20 
to go on one-niters . . . Ted Weems 
currently at the Rice Hotel, Hous- 
ton, through March 9 . . . Vaughn 
Monroe, doing one-niters, due at 
the Keymen’s, Chi, Feb. 28 . . . 
Sauter-Finegan tours the midwest 
in March. 


now playing William Penn Tavern 
on weekends . . . A1 Morel four- 
some into the New' Nixon for an 
indefinite stay. With Morel are 
Johnny Vincent, Bobby Boswell 
and Duke Spalding . . . Ricco 
Turchetti, guitarist, opens a week’s 
engagement Monday (21) at the 
Horizon Room . . . Marion Mar- 
lowe’s date at Twin Coaches 
pushed up from early May to week 
( of April 25 . . . Carlton House has 
renewed two-piano team of Bobby 
Cardillo and Reid Jaynes . . . Don 
McGovern, organist, into Frankie 
Elia’s new Bandbox on Grant St. 
<or a run. 


Omaha 

Adolph Lesser orch booked for 
Scottbluff’s Terrytown Arena Sat- 
urday (19) . . . Tony Bradley orch 
played Crofton, Neb., last Friday 
(11) . . . Becker Ensemble touring 
state . . . Russ Carlyle orch got $2 
top Sunday (12) at Lincoln’s Turn- 
pike . . . Harmony Boys playing 
Wednesdays, Fridays and Satur- 
days at Major Bar in Bellevue. 


Pittsburgh 

While Herman Middleman is 
conducting for the Georg von 
Bergelin ice show at the Floridian 
Hotel in Miami Beach, his Pitt 
combo continues at the Club 30 
without him . . . Joie Vance Trio 


Kansas City 

Eddy Howard Orch comes in for 
a one-nighter in the Pla-Mor Ball- 
room Feb. 19 . . . George Rico Trio 
takes over the Picardy Cafe of Ho 
tel Muehlebach, replacing the Joe 
Vera crew, which held the spot 
many months . . . Julie Lee back in 
town at the Cuban Room after a 
long absence, with Clint & Scotty 
backing her in the room . . . Mindy 
Carson has been signed for the 
Auto Show, beginning Feb. 26. 
Show also includes Victoria Sherry 
and Roland Fiore, regulars at the 
Starlight Theatre Summer Musi- 
cals. 


Best British Sheet Sellers 

(Week ending Feb. 5) 

London, Feb. 8. 

Mister Sandman Morris 

Mambo Italiano Connelly 

Finger of Suspicion. .Pickwick 

Happy Days Wright 

Naughty Lady Sterling 

Softly Cavendish 

Can’t Tell Waltz Reine 

No One But You Robbins 

Hold My Hand Wood 

Count Your Blessings . . Berlin 

Majorca Mills 

This Ole House Duchess 

Second 12 

If I Give My Heart . Robbins 
I Still Believe. . . Macmelodies 

Let Me Go Aberbach 

Blossom Fell Fields 

Heartbeat ...Kassner 

Somebody Bourne 

Happy Wanderer ...Bosworth 

Veni, Vidi, Vici Dash 

Mobile Leeds 

Shake Rattle Roll Connelly 

§ m ile Bourne 

Sky Blue Shirt Wright 


Scotland 

Billy Eckstine set for week’s 
vaude at Empire, Glasgow. April 
25 . . . Ronnie Harris, English 
crooner, pacted for vaude weeks at 
the Empires, Edinburgh and Glas- 
gow, April 11 and 18 . . . Dickie 
Valentine’s “Finger of Suspicion” 
still topping Scot list of bestselling 
disks . . . British bow, March 28, of 
Four Aces, at Empire, Glasgow. 

New San Antone Mgr. 

San Antonio, Feb. 15. 

Col. Thomas B. Woodbum (U.S. 
Army, Ret.) has been named busi- 
ness manager of the Symphony So- 
ciety of San Antonio. 

He succeeds George Morgulis, 
who leaves Feb. 18 to take over in 
a similar capacity with the Kansas 
City Symphony. 


GODFREY, CARMEL QUINN 
IN TANDEM ON DISKS 

Carmel Quinn is the latest mem- 
ber of Arthur Godfrey’s radio-tv 
family to be tapped for a disking 
deal by Columbia Records. 

Thrush will be showcased in an 
album tagged “Arthur Godfrey 
Presents Carmel Quinn.” She’ll 
warble a flock of Irish songs solo 
and in tandem with Godfrey. It’s 
set for St. Patrick’s Day promotion. 


TV’ite Brown Set For 
Disk Debut With MGM 

Tele personalities keep moving 
into the disk field. Latest tv’ite up 
for a crack at the wax market is 
James Brown, who’s featured in 
ABC-TV’s “Rin Tin Tin” series. 
He’s set for a shellac debut on the 
MGM label with a slicing of “The 
Ballad of Davy Crockett.” 

Another addition to the MGM 
roster is thrush Ruby Murray. 
She’ll debut with a workover of 
“Softly, Softly.” 


PATTI PAGE 

M er c u r y 

YOU TOO 
CAN BE A 
DREAMER’ 

MILLS MUSIC 


A WONDERFUL 
SEASONAL SONG 


$•, .• end Cohn \ 

W ITSNOW!" 

UTIT$H0H!“ 
111 IT$N0W!" 


CAHN MUSIC COMPANY 


THE HIT OF THE WEEK 

DICK HYMAN TRIO 



STARDUST 




MGM um 78 RPM 


K 11916 45 RPM 







Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


4 


VAUDEVILLE 


47 


Rock & Roll’ to Get Ofay Theatre 
Showcasing; Freed Set for Par, Bldyn 


The rock and roll school of mu- 
sical thought is enlarging its scope 
and will be tested in the ofay 
nabcs. Harry Levine, booker for 
the Paramount circuit, has set Alan 
Freed, WINS disk jock and prime 
exponent of this jazz form, into the 
Paramount, Brooklyn, for one 
week starting April 8. 

In the show will be Laverne 
Baker, Moonglows, The Penguins 
and perhaps Roy Hamilton. 

Levine has been probing for 
some new attractions likely to 
make good in theatres. It’s figured 
to produce the excitement of swing 
era circa 1938, and is believed to 
have enough temporary bounce to 
fill quite a few pews in various 
houses. The date at the Brooklyn 
house is likely to be the pilot 
model of a lot of subsequent stands 
in theatres and concert bashes. 

The Paramount circuit is also 
trying for more jazz coin with the 
one-day booking of the “Birdland 
Revue” at the Brooklyn Par on 
March 4, and the one-day stand at 
the Par, Buffalo, March 5, This 
unit will contain Sarah Vaughan, 
George Shearing and Count Basie. 

Freed recently put on a bash at 
the St. Nicholas Arena, N. Y., 
which plaj^d to SRO. It’s prob- 
ably the most important musical 
movement since swing and certain- 
ly overshadows the fleeting musi- 
cal rise of bop which had a short 
career. 

However, the rock and roll craze 
is getting to be one of the more 
controversial items in the musical 
world. At this point, a theatre re- 
lying on the family trade couldn’t 
book it. However, the fad shows 
some signs of attaining respectabil- 
ity. At first it was a rhythm & 
blues development with quite a 
few Freudian nuances built into it. 
Since then, several top artists have 
latched onto this beat. Perry Como 
did “Kokomo,” Georgia Gibbs 
disked “Tweedle Dee Dee,” 
McGuire Sisters recorded “Sin- 
cerely,” Fontane Sisters piped 
“Hearts of Stone,” Mindy Carson 
taped “The Fish” and there are 
other examples to attest the fact 
that respectable artists are distill- 
ing the erotic out of rock and roll. 
It may soon attain the necessary 
respectability to get dates in the 
better houses. 


D.C. KAVAKOS REOPENS 
AFTER TAX SETTLEMENT 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

Club Kavakos, largest nitery in 
northeast Washington, reopened 
Saturday night (12) after working 
out a tax agreement with the U. S. 
Internal Revenue Service. The 
night spot was padlocked early 
last week and put on the auction 
block for non-payment of $16,000 
In back taxes. 

The three Kavakos brothers 
promptly raised $4,000 in part-pay- 
ment of the claim and were per- 
mitted to reopen. Reopening bill 
included Jack Shafer and his band, 
Lily de Paree, exotic dancer, and 
songstress Toni Raye. 


Hold Roller Skating Act 
On White Slave Charge 


Kaye Starts Six-Weeker 
At Palladium May 23 

Danny Kaye has been signed for 
the Palladium, London, for six 
weeks, starting May 23. It’s been 
Kaye’s custom to play this top 
British vauder alternating years. 

The Palladium thus far has 
parted Eddie Fisher, Joel Grey 
and Kaye. Deal for Kaye as well 
as the others was initiated during 
the recent U. S. visit of Val Par-* 
nell, managing director of the Moss 
Empires Circuit. 


New Albany Try 
To Control %ers 

Albany, Feb. 15. , 

Sen. Fred G. Moritt, Brooklyn 
Democrat, has reintroduced a bill 
affecting employment agency fees 
charged actors. It provides that 
the gross fee in Class B, under 
Section 185 of the general business 
law. as amended by chapter 731 
of the Laws of 1955, shall not ex- 
ceed the amount of the first week’s 
salary, “unless there is an agree- 
ment of hiring for one year or 
more and the yearly salary or in- 
come is equivalent to $2,500 or 
more.” 

In no event shall the gross fee 
exceed 5% of such salary or in- 
come, the measure stipulates. It 
would take effect immediately. 

Ohio State Fair Winds 
In the Red for $27,078; 
New Building Job Seen 

Columbus, Feb. 15. 

The 1954 Ohio State Fair closed 
its books for the year in the red to 
the tune of $27,078. Fair attend- 
ance last year was 240,794, the low- 
est since 1940; admissions revenue 
was off $36,390 from 1953. Total 
receipts were $654,142 while ex- 
penditures were $681,221. 

These sober facts underline the 
cries that have been going up in 
the Buckeye capital for some time 
— immediate decisive action is 
needed for the Ohio Fair to regain 
bygone popularity and start paying 
its own way. 

The Fair operates on a kind of 
treadmill. Its buildings are old and 
they are located in a section of the 
city which will not permit any ex- 
pansion of the fairgrounds. Im- 
provement funds are doled out by 
the Legislature but they are not 
sufficient to replace condemned 
buildings. 

Some decision must be made 
soon whether to do a complete re- 
modeling job on buildings on the 
present grounds, or tear down and 
start from scratch — or even build 
a new fair at another location. 

The Legislature appropriated 
$92,848 for salaries and wages dur- 
ing the 1953-54 fiscal year and 
$93,364 for 1954-55. Maintenance 
appropriation for 1953-54 . was 
$118,765 and for 1954-55, $53,765, 
the $75,000 balance being supplied 
by an emergency appropriation last 


Minneapolis, Feb. 15. 

Clarence and Diane Anderson, 
husband and wife, whose roller 
skating act has been a frequent 
attraction at night clubs here- 
abouts, are out on $4,000 bail after 
their arraignment on seven Federal 
grand jury indictments charging 
them with violating the white slave 
act. 

Performers are accused of trans- 
porting women from Minneapolis 
to Des Moines and Buffalo, la., for 
the purpose of prostitution. An- 
other charge is the transportation 
of a woman from Minneapolis to 
"Winnipeg, Canada, for immoral 
purposes. 


SCOTTLAND TO MERCURY 

Stan Scottland has joined the 
Mercury Artist Corp. as head of 
the cafe dept. 

Scottland was formerly with the 
Ken Later Agency. 


Singer Billy Fields to open the 
new Pittsburgh nitery, The White 
Llephant, Friday 118). 


November. 


‘Capades’ Solid $75,000 
For Nine in New Haven 


New Haven, Feb. 15. 

'Tee Capades’* played a typically 
solid week at the Arena (7-13). A 
virtual sellout on its nine-perform- 
ance stand, at $4.80 top, better than 
30,000 payees pushed the gross to 
an approximate $75,000. 

In line with its traditional policy 
of auditioning local talent for pos- 
sible additions to the touring 
troupe, “Capades” came up with a 
new gimmick this year by testing 
moppets for one-stand (local only) 
appearances as part of the person- 
nel for next year’s “Peter Pan” 
production number. 


WILBUR EVANS' ACT 

Legit musical singer Wilbur 
Evans, tandemed with Virginia 
Chevoy, will open at The Thunder- 
bird, Las Vegas, April 3. 

Act is being staged by Theodor 
Adolphus. 


Competifth Ain’t Funny 

Chicago, Feb. 15. 

Competish for work between 
middle-priced comics here gets 
a little rugged at times. When 
it bacame known that one such 
comedian had to cancel out of 
a club dale, within 24 hours 
no less than four comics had 
contacted the William Morris 
office here offering their serv- 
ices. 

And the race was not for a 
long-run engagement but for 
just one date. 

Customers Want In On 
Act in Latino Vaude; 
Felix Wardrobe a Hit 

The operation of a Latin vaud- 
ery is probably one of the more 
difficult feajs in show biz. It’s a 
tremendous challenge. Not only 
must an operator shell out king- 
sized sums for headliners, but the 
conditions attached thereto are 
sometimes prohibitive. 

Carlos Montalban, who’s hepped 
on promotions, takes this mental 
and frequently financial shellack- 
ing with considerable regularity. 
Take the current show at the 
Puerto Rico Theatre in the His- 
panic section of the Bronx, N. Y., 
in which Maria Felix headlines. 
She’s one of the best known Mexi- 
can filmsters extant, and one of 
the glamour kids of the chile belt, 
who would be sensational on stage 
appearances if she had an act. 

Miss Felix, widow of the late 
Jorge Negrete and at one time 
married to the Mex composer Au- 
gustin Lara, has been in the news 
lately. There’s a controversy over 
an expensive necklace in her pos- 
session, and the Latino colony is 
all agog over the matter. Conse- 
quently, she comes into this thea- 
tre at a propitious time. 

To dress up the Maria Felix bill, 
Montalban booked an additional 
Pcflr of Mex filmsters, Cesar Del 
Campo and Antonio Badu. They 
both sing with various degrees of 
skill. 

However, the Latin elements in 
the theatre seem to feel that en- 
tertainment is secondary. Major 
item to the customers shelling out 
$1.50 per-skull lies in the fact that 
they get an “en persona” glim at 
one of the hottest filmsters in all 
Meheeco. What’s more, the cus- 
tomers seem to make their own 
show. There’s a lively bit of badi- 
nage with the customers. Miss 
Felix’s act, when caught, comprised 
a lively conversation en Espagnole 
with Badu, with the male doing 
most of the talking. However, 
there was a lively corner in front 

(Continued on page 55) 


QUAKERTOWN QUAKERY 
DANCERS ARE CLEARED 

Philadelphia, Feb. 15. 
Three dancers at the Black Cat 
Cafe arrested in a police raid and 
charged with putting on an ob- 
scene and indecent show were dis- 
charged (10) by Magistrate Samuel 
Clark Jr. at a further hearing. 

The show girls were Bella Flem- 
ing, 21, of Baltimore, known pro- 
fessionally as Blaze Starr; Gene- 
vieve Beasely, 27, of Hyattsville, 
Md., who dances under the name 
of Carol Dawn, and Nancy Mancini, 
of North Philadelphia, who is 
billed as Toni Page. 

Manuel Jenkins, manager of the 
spot, testified that a representative 
of the American Guild of Variety 
Artists, in cooperation with Police 
Commissioner Thomas Gibbons’ 
office, had viewed and approved 
the acts. Jenkins and Frank Scar- 
dino, 33, co-owner of the club, 
were held in $300 bail, each 
charged with selling drinks after 
hours. 


$2,000,000 City Aud 

For Denver by 1958 

Omaha, Feb. 15. 

Directors of Denver Musicians 
Assn.* last week voted unanimous 
approval of a proposed new $2,000,- 
000 City Aud in south Denver. 
Michael Muro, the group’s- prexy, 
said Denver needs a new aud “to 
provide for the future.” 

The aud, which would include a 
theatre, would be built in time for 
Denver’s centennial celeb in 1958, 
according to present plans. Com- 
mittee hopes to finance the project 
through a $2,000,000 bond issue. 


British Would Now Slap Quota . 

On Import of Foreign Acts 


♦ 

2d Brit. Vaude Tour Set 
For Les Paul, Mary Ford 

London, Feb. 15. 

Les Paul and Mary Ford arc 
scheduled to make their second 
variety four of Britain during July 
and August. Lew & Leslie Grade 
are negotiating the deal, and the 
tour is likely to last for about six 
weeks. 

Duo first visited this country In 
the summer of 1952, when they 
played the London Palladium. 


Sinatra Grossed 
$25,000 in Aussie 

Sydney, Feb. 8. 

Frank Sinatra paid over to Aus- 
sie authorities more than $12,000 
income tax on his earnings for 10 
days here and in Melbourne. Re- 
ported that his gross rakeoff from 
his short stint was between $24,- 
000 and $25,000. Less the tax this 
still leaves around $3,000 more 
than the $10,000 tops he’s per- 
mitted to take out of the country 
in any one year. 

The $24.000-odd payoff to Sina- 
tra, attested by the promoters of 
his appearances here, is well be- 
low the $40,000 reported from 
N. Y. as the figure Frankie would 
get. They refute any suggestion 
that there’s an additional handout 
to Sinatra and other U. S. per- 
formers when they get home from 
these short Aussie tours. 

Meantime, the acting Prime 
Minister, Sir Arthur Fadden, has 
softened his initially tough ap- 
proach to questions raised about 
hard-to-enrn dollars going out of 
the country as easy money in the 
pockets of U. S. entertainers. 

Sir Arthur now says there’s no 
evidence of abuse of the monetary 
regulations. Also that it’s not 
proposed to alter regulations at 
the moment but that the whole 
dollar position is constantly under 
review. 

Babette’s, Onetime ’Must’ 
For Atlantic City, Now 
Being Razed for Parking 

Atlantic. City, Feb. 15. 

Babette’s, supper night club 
across from Convention Hall in 
midcity, operated the past few 
years under the Yacht Club flag, is 
being razed to make way for a 
parking lot and possible motel. 

First as the Golden Inn, and 
then for many years as Babette’s, 
this was a “must” for all Atlantic 
City visitors. During Prohibition 
days and after it was operated un- 
der one name or the other by the 
Stebbins, Dan and Babette, with 
“Bab” emceeing shows 52 weeks 
each year. 

All show biz names of the day 
were headlined, with Eleanor Pow- 
all and Joe Penner, two of the 
many getting their start here. 

When the gambling scene 
changed in the mid-’40s, Stebbins 
and Babette tried to keep the night 
club going as of yore, but without 
casino cash it was no go. Early in 
the ’50s Stebbins sold out and re- 
tired to Florida. 

Nathan Goldberg succeeded 
Stebbins and found night club busi- 
ness just as tough. He tried 
names, and about every other gim- 
mick, but each season seemed a bit 
rougher. Finally the Marbex Corp., 
who operated parking lots in other 
resort spots, struck a bargain with 
the Rajan Corp., owners of the 
spot, and late last week the wreck- 
ing crews went to work. 


Student ‘Lollopolooza’ 

Nashville, Feb. 15. 

“Lollopolooza,” annual musical 
production of the Vanderbilt U. 
Scampers, will be presented April 
12-16 at the University Theatre 
here. 

Show will have book, music and 
lyrics by John Jennings, choreog- 
raphy by Nancy Simmons and 
staged by Hal Youngblood, with a 
cast headed by Sylvia Stahlman, 
George Jonqs, Betsy Conway, Con, 
Demos ftfttf Bfarnife Sedberry; * * • • < 


London, Feb. 15. 

An agreement for a British 
cabaret quota, concluded between 
the Variety Artists Federation and 
th® Hotel and Restaurant Assn, of 
last September, is expected to be 
signatured within the next few 
days. This is a sequel to the ulti- 
matum issued by the vauders’ un- 
ion last month, which warned that 
it would press the Ministry of La- 
bor to introduce a statutory 
scheme if the hoteliers failed to 
sign. 

• Leslie A. Macdonnell, who acted 
as intermediary and brought the 
two parties together for their orig- 
inal negotiaions, was again brought 
in to urge the final settlement. .He 
is now awaiting preparation of 
necessary documents for inking. 

Under the agreement, hotels and 
cafes employing cabaret talent 
will now have to sign one British 
act for every two imported. Pact 
provides that a dancing line shall 
be classified as an act and count 
against foreign importations. 

A special provision is made to 
deal with cases in which hotel and 
cafe operators have committed 
themselves in advance to foreign 
cabaret talent. If the question 
cannot be resolved, the Ministry of 
Labor will be asked to adjudicate. 
No provision is made in pact for 
penalties for quota defaulters, but 
a more subtle method will be em- 
ployed to deal with offenders. The 
Ministry of Labor will decline to 
issue work permits for foreign ar- 
tists to cafe managements which 
have not complied with the terms 
of the agreement. 

Macdonnell acted in an indi- 
vidual capacity as mediator and 
not in his official position of prexy 
.of the Agents Assn. He is due 
to be reelected soon as A. A. prez 
for fifth consecutive term. 


COLE, HAMILTON HEAD, 
TOURING 1 NITE UNITS 

Nat (Kinij) Cole and Roy Hamil- 
ton will head traveling one-night 
units. The Cole package will go 
out on the road April 11 for 19 
days. Unit will have Laverne 
Baker, Drifters, Erskine Hawkins 
and Leo De Lyon. Cole will leave 
at the conclusion of this route to 
start at the Chez Paree, Chicago. 

Hamilton will take over shortly 
afterward and will have several of 
the performers routed with Cole 
continue the tour. 

Both units are being packaged by 
the Gale Agency. These units will 
not take the place of the “Biggest 
Shows” series, which may resume 
in the fall. 

McGuire Sisters Aid 11L 
Auto Show to Set Record 

Chicago, Feb. 15. 

The Quad City Autorama, held 
at the Rock Island (111.) Armory, 
broke all records with an attend- 
ance of 44,907 during the nine-day 
show which started Jan. 29. Show 
comprised the McGuire Sisters of 
the Arthur Godfrey tele program, 
Harmonicats, and Red Foley’s 
Ozark Jubilee. ' 

Peak attendance was reached 
during the four days of the Mc- 
Guire Sisters’ run. They appeared 
along with the Harmonicats. The 
Crew Cuts opened the show for 
two days, followed by Foley, who 
stayed for three. 

Deep River Boys Set 
For London Vaude Dates 

London, Feb. 15. 

The Deep River Boys are return- 
ing Lo Britain for variety engage- 
ments and a series of broadcasts 
in the summer. 

They will pre-record a series of 
broadcasts for the BBC during the 
early part of June and then do a 
short tour of London variety thea- 
tres. They’ll go back to the States 
and return here in September. 


Ralph Hunter, conductor of the 
Collegiate Chorale and choral di- 
rector of N.Y.’s Radio City Music 
Hall, will again be conductor and 
director for the third time, of the 
Choral Clinic to be held at State 
Teachers College, New Paltz, 
N.Y., March’ 19-20. 



VAITDKVIIJ.R 


jurist? 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


Welfare Fund Future Chief Problem , || Vaude, Cafe Dates I Omnibus Contract Gets British OK; 


On AGVA Natl Board Meet Agenda 


The national board of the Ameri- 
can Guild of Variety Artists, which | 
will meet in a three-day confab 
starting next Tuesday (22) at the 
Henry Hudson Hotel. N. Y., will 
face the problem of making a 
major decision on welfare fund 
contributions. Decision is whether 
the plan shall be enforced com- 
pletely or ditched. To many board 
members there can be no middle 
ground— either everybody pays or 
they get rid of the program. 

A major loss has been sustained 
by the welfare fund in the con- 
tract recently negotiated between 
the union and the Radio City Music 
Hall, N.Y. That pact made the 
Music Hall an exception in the 
payment of the welfare fund for its 
chorus members. Payment calls for 
$2.50 weekly per performer into 
the fund. Contract, which provided 
wage increases, kicked out any 
mention of the welfare contribu- 
tions. Major reason was the imme- 
diate need of hikes by the cast and 
the fact that the Hall has a health 
and hospitalization program of its 
own. Members are insured under 
the terms of the N. Y. State Work- 
men’s Compensation Act. 

Question now before the board is 
whether this contract will serve as 
a precedent in other negotiations 
or w helher the board will reiterate 
its oft-repeated demand that wel- 
fare contributions must be written 
into all new pacts. Jpst what 
course of action will be taken by 
the board isn’t known as yet. 

Anothef* item to be taken up by 
the board is the matter of AGVA’s 
dwindling treasury. It’s believed 
that the union now has sufficient 
funds to finance next week’s meet- 
ing, but the union has been skating 
on thin ice for some time. AGVA 
had to borrow funds to finance the 
last board confab three months 
ago. The matter of funds is also 
likely to lead to a shakeup in per- 
sonnel. Various jobs will be re- 
viewed and an attempt will be 
made to eliminate some and con- 
solidate others. 


Yank Acts Find Real 
Coin in 2 Top Cities 
On Recent Aussie Trips 

Sydney, Feb. 8. 

Experience of importing big- 
name American talent is showing 
that the real money Down Under 
is found only in the two principal 
cities, Sydney and Melbourne. 
The Ink Spots showed a loss for 
the promoter in New Zealand and 
Tasmania but a profit for the 
whole tour. Reported that the 
management’s eventual profit may 
turn out to be comparatively 
k small. However, the ghow was 
expensive, since it included Buddy 
' cte Franco and Rose Murphy, 
Champ Butler and some local acts. 
Further, air transportation across 
the Pacific proved a heavy ex- 
pense. 

On this experience. Bill McColl 
now declares that in future he 
won’t book dates in New Zealand 
or Tasmania. He probably will 
play Brisbane as well as Sydney 
and Melbourne. Nat King Cole 
fared badly in Brisbane, the 
patrons not spending as had been 
expected. McColl flies to the U. S. 
at the end of February, visiting 
Los Angeles and N. Y. 

Meanwhile another promoter, 
Mike Castor, an American, is one 
of a group which plans to import 
Spike Jone and his band. Jones’s 
gear is coming over in advance by 
ship, but is meeting with shipping 
I delays. However, Jones likely will 
be by the end of the month. 
Troupe will play here, Melbourne 
and Adelaide. 

Jones is to bring his full band. 
Outfit will include Helen Grayco, 
George Rock, Freddie Morgan, 
Billy Barty and the Wayne-Marlin 
trio. 

Frances Langford has been 
booked for the Hotel Pierre, New 
York, March 8. 


York 

Lili St. Cyr to El Rancho. Las 
Vegas, March 2 for six weeks, to 
be followed by a stand at Ciro’s, 
Hollywood . . . Frances Langford 
goes into the Pierre Hotel. N. Y., 
March 8 . . . Jane Powell booked 
for a May date at the Desert Inn, 
Las Vegas . . . Jack E. Leonard to 
the Town Casino, Buffalo, March 
14 . . . Frank Parker bows at the 
Casino Royal. Washington, June 
13 . . . Jose Greco to flamenco at 
the Palmer House. Chicago, May 
12 . . . Eddie Garson, ventriloquist 
at Radio City Music Hall, N. Y.. 
and singer Frances Burns to wed 
March 9 in New York . . . George 
Wood, of the William Morris Agen- 
cy, back from a Miami Beach trip. 
Agency’s Sam Bramson still there. 


Chicago' 

Frankie Scott currently at the 
Chase Hotel, St. Louis, for an in- 
definite stay . . . Dorothy Shay set 
for the Baker Hotel, Dallas, March 
17 for two rounds . . . Eileen Bar- 
ton into the Roosevelt Hotel, New 
Orleans. March 31, for four weeks 
. . . Frankie Laine inked for the 
Chase Hotel, St. Louis. May 2. in 
a two-framer . . . Nelson Eddy 
opens at the Lake Club, Spring- 
field, Feb. 18, for nine days . . . 
Wally Griffin and Anne Nichols 
slotted for the Park Lane, Denver, 
Feb. 24, for two frames . . . Bill 
Lawrence to appear at the Fire- 
men’s Show, April 29, 30 and May 
1, in Evansville, Ind. . . . Bob Oak- 
ley, former agent on the Coast, 
opens at the Gaslight, Chi. Feb. 22. 


Voids U.S. Deal for Booking Acts 


Hollywood 


Peggy Lee and Clark Bros, open 
Feb. 24, at Ciro’s. following Step 
Bros., who tee off tonight (Wed.), 
and The Lancers . . . Toni Arden 
into Mocambo tonight (Wed.) for 
two frames . . . Marie Austin sing- 
ing weekends at Charley Foy’s dur- 
ing renovation period . . . Romo 
Vincent into Thunderbird in Ve^s 
tomorrow (Thurs.) for four weeks 
. . . Robert Nesbitt, entertainment 
director for The Dunes, Las Vegas, 
will rehearse first show on a Holly- 
wood sound stage next week . . . 
Douglas W. Richards swings to 
Dunes as resident manager. 


The worldwide or omnibus con- 
tract. which has been used by vari- 
ous talent agencies for the past few 
years received its first court vali- 
dation recently in England, when 
a London court ruled on the 
Freddy Mullaly contract with 
David Whitfield. 

The omnibus form, used in fields 
where there are no unions and 
guilds claiming the jurisdiction, in 
this case w r as held between Lew & 
Leslie Grade Agency and the 
singer. Recently, while Whitfield 
was in the U. S. with Mullaly. his 
personal manager, the latter signed 

Saranac Lake 

By Happy Benway 

Saranac Lake, N.Y., Feb. 15. 

William Morris, who is now 
rated as one of the town fathers, 
making a big effort to retain 
the Saranac Lake laboratory here. 
It is skedded to be moved. At a 
meeting here he said “local people 
are prepared to raise any amount 
necessary to keep the Trudeau 
Laboratory in Saranac Lake.” 

David Woodard, back from 
Dillon, S. C., where he attended 
the funeral of his mother who 
recently died of a heart ailment; 
resumes the rest routine while on 
his stage of observation. 

A posey to Audrey Lumpkin, 
daughter of James Brennan, 
veepee of IATSE, for taking 
time out to line up entertain- 
ment for the gang at the Will 
Rogers. She graduated here class 
of 1952 and now lives in the down- 
town colony. 

Major “Tony” Anderson, man- 
ager of the Schine Pontiac theatre 
here, also the secretary of the 
Shamus Club which furnishes milk 
to the Will Morris Memorial Play- 
ground kiddies during the summer, 
announced that the Club will 
install a covered merry-go-round 
and six nursery flying swings. 

Robert (IATSE) Potter, projec- 
tionist of Local No. 306 and for the 
last 25 years with 20th-Fox in N.Y., 
registered In for the general once- 
over while resting and getting 
specialist care. 


the singer with the William Morris 
Agency for’ representation in the 
United States. 

The Grade office in London 
subsequently took the issue to 
court, which ruled that Mullaly 
couldn't okay any dates anywhere 
unless they were booked through 
the Grade office. 

Omnibus contracts are a rela- 
tively new form in the talent 
agency field. Originally, they were 
drawn up to cover any field in 
which there was no union. It be- 
came widespread during the period 
prior to the organization of the 
American Federation of Television 
& Radio Artists to cover tele book- 
ings. Today it is used mainly to 
cover overseas engagements. 

Until recent years, foreign book- 
ings had agencies dipping into the 
lists of other offices for dates 
abroad. Frequently, the William 
Morris Agency had acts from Music 
Corp. of America, General Artists 
Corp. and most of the indies. Be- 
cause of the fact that the American 
Guild of Variety Artists doesn’t 
have jurisdiction in Europe, Morris 
collected a full commission which 
it didn’t have to split with the 
other offices. The omnibus form 
eliminated that facet of the agency 
business. • 

The omnibus contract, however, 
hasn’t yet been tested in the U. S. 
because most guilds and unions 
have an arbitration clause in their 
pacts. Should any artist sue or ife 
sued over a violation in an omnibus 
agreement, the issue would most 
likely go to arbitration. 

Mambo at Morocco 

The. ultra spots in New York are 
starting to take cognizance of the 
spreading mambo movement. El 
Morocco will institute a mambo 
night starting Sunday (20) as a 
weekly event. 

Dance team of Teddy & Phyllis 
Rodriguez, who have worked the 
eastsideries including the Cotillion 
Room of the Hotel Pierre, N. Y., 
will be in charge of the event. 



LEE MORTIMER 
N.Y. Daily Mirror 
"The Copacabana 
show." 


VARIETY 

"The Mello-Larks is one of the best vocal groups 
around these days. The foursome has come up with 
something smart, original and fresh." Cohen. 


They practically steal the 


VARIETY 

"Mello-Larks are a lively group with a nicely devel 
oped sense of rhythm and comedy." Trau . 


MARTIN BURDEN 
New York Post 

"The Mello-Larks are a superior quartet; their act is 
full of sound and movement and excitement." 


DALE STEVENS 

* 

Dayton, Ohio 

"It's appealing enough to fit any audience; smart 
enough to take them into any club in the country. It 
all adds up to R-A-V-E." 


LOUIS SOBOL 
Journal- A meriean 

"At the Copa— The real treats of the evening are the 
Mello Larks." 


Currently COPACABANA, new york 


Thanks JULES PODELL 


FUTURE BOOKINGS 


Direction 


Staging! 


STATLER, Detroit 


Maferloii 
JERRY BOCK 
IARRY HOIOKENER 


RECORDS 




Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


Las Vegas Review-Journal 


by LES DEVOR 


t 

Currently 

SAHARA 


LAS VEGAS 


Thanks to 

BILL MILLER and 
MILTON PRELL 


stands up there alone, and belts them out in a forgotten con- 
ventional manner. 

"Down into the audience with the hand mike, he managed to 
embarrass a numbdr of ringside ladies with his ardent gaze 
and mournful love songs. 

"He drew solid applause. 

"Monroe is a big fellow, and is heard to advantage through- 
out the room. Producer Bill Miller will be cheered when re- 
ports of this show reach him in New York." 


"Sincere song styling by Vaughn Monroe In his opener at 
the Sahara Hotel rates good entertainment for show goers 

a 

in the Congo Room for the next three weeks. 

"His new approach captures and holds interest in that he em- 
ploys no gimmicks or histrionics. His orthodoxy and ommis- 
sion of "shock" treatment make for a different kind of song 
styling. Lately, the show community has been "treated" to 
singers who indulge in gabfests, and corny jokes laced around 
broken song sequences. Not so for* Vaughn Monroe. He 


IN VEGAS 1 


RCA \/lCTOR 

M*Jt IN « | C O* D! 0 M U 1C 



Direction: MARSHARD MUSIC 


EXCLUSIVE 



MANAGEMENT 


TVUUncL war 


30 Rockefdltr Plena 
NEW YORK 


CHICAGO 

333 N. Michigan Avnnnn 






50 


NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


i'liez Faroe, Ulii 

Chicago, Feb. 9. 

Mae West (with Anthony Dex- 
ter, Richard DuBois, Louise Beav- 
ers, Eight International Adonises, 
others ) (16), Morty Gunty, bolie 
Miller, Brian Farnon Orch; $1.50 
cover, $3.75 minimum. 


If Mae West “did all day what 

she does all night’* in the shov 

here, this topdrawer Windy City 
nitery could switch to six-a-day 
and still turn ’em away. La West 
had the bistro hanging off the 
ratters opening night and she had 
the customers falling off their 

chairs before her stint was over. 

Introed by five top-hatted gents 
who made it quite obvious that 
the theme is s-e-x, Miss West 

slinks onstage in a dazzling array 
of feathers, sequins and diamonds 
to reemphasize the topie. She 
roadies the house by opening with 
“l Like to do all Day what I do 
all Night” in her easily identified, 
suggestive tones. After a duet with 
her leading man. Anthony Dexter, 
on come the International Adon- 
ises — eight powerful y-muscled 
young men. headed by Mr. Ameri- 
ca, Richa f 1 Du Bois. The femme 
ringsiders give b ushing gasps of 
admiration to the musclemen, 
while their paunchy and/or anemic 
escorts cringe before the display 
of physical excellence of the males. 

Miss West’s biological inspection 
and selection of the scantily clad 
male “chorus” is a howl. Iler “I’ve 
Cot Something for the Girls" con- 
tinues the male skin show as a 
tidbit for the distaff side as the 
boys ripple their biceps, stomach 
and chest muscles. All that’s miss- 
ing is the usual twirling tassel. 

With an introduction by Louise 
Beavers, “Beulah” of “peel me a 
grape” fame, Miss West does a 
recitation from “Diamond Lil,” 
winding up with “Frankie and 
Johnnie.” The grand finale of this 
lusty and rather fabulous act is a 
riot as Miss West hands out keys 
to her Ambassador Hotel suite, 
along with time schedules, to her 
Adonises. From start to finish, the 
response is tremendous. 

Ordinarily, with a headliner of 
Miss West’s calibre, the supporting 


acts get scant audience response. 
Usually there is a noticeable let’s- 
get-on-with-the-main-act air about 
the Chez. It’s to the credit of 
young Mort Gunty, the comic in 
this show, that he completely capti- 
vates the crowd from his opening 
bit of “The Maharajah of Maga- 
dore." Borrowing heavily from the 
schoolroom for some of his mate- 
rial, he ribs progressive schooling 
and retarded pupils. His Danny 
Kaye carbon gets nifty response. 
| Comic’s timing is excellent and his 
i performance is completely unin- 
j hibited. One bit ends with sardonic 
laughter conjuring a vision of the 
sadistic bully — a hilarious vignet. 

The bill debuts with Folie 
Miller, a versatile hoofer who 
warms up the patrons nicely for 
what follows. Miss Miller terps in 
three distinctive styles, opening 
with a tap, switching to a fine 
Latino mambo, and winding with 
an Irish jig. Terp’s patter tics the 
numbers together in a showmanly 
way. 

It's a great show, ably back- 
stopped by Brian Farnon. Gabc. 


Fonlainelileuu, M. B’ch 

Miami Beach, Feb. 11. 
Tony Martin with Hal Borne. 
Alan King, Cabot & Dresden, Val 
Ohnan Orch; Lecuona Cuban Boys; 
$2.50-$4 minimum. 



Eileen BARTON 

Currently 

RIVERSIDE 

R*no, Nevada 
CORAL Records 

Dir.: WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 


311. Iloyal, .Montreal 

Montreal, Feb. 9. 
Kay Thompson (with Paul Meth- 
uen), Max Chamitov Orch (9) 

( with Norma llutton). Bill Moodie 
Trio $2 -$2.50 cover. 


Sophisticated Kay Thompson, as- 
sisted by the mid- Victorian man- 
nered Paul Methuen, is the first 
act to play the Normandie Room 
of this hotel in more than six 
months and the first in the hotel’s 
occasional show policy. 

Following the capacity biz she 
drew two years ago. Miss Thomp- 
son was a logical choice for hotel’s 
new plan, but the combination of 
several things failed to bring the 
spenders into this lofty room as in 
the past. Without shows for so 
long, the habit has been lost by 
former regulars. The brief one- 
week engagement seems to catch 
the mechanical side of the show un- 
prepared, and then Miss Thompson 
has a new’ act sans the Williams 
Bros, as a topper. 

As a personality and someone 
w'ise in the ways of show biz. Miss 
Thompson has few equals. 
Throughout the offering is that 
constant striving for perfection that 
is not too apparent these days, but 
there are times (for the average 
room) when she goes overboard 
with the sophistication. In the 
present layout she takes the stage 
alone, garbed in the familiar slacks, 
for the first half, and between her 
clever but brittle patter scores with 
a descriptive and varied songalog. 
Hpr in between chatter about pick- 
ing up things in various parts of 
the world builds to her introing 
Methuen, and vocal switchero be- 
tween the two makes neat contrast 
to the prelim material. 

Methuen is properly English and 
for someone just new to the busi- 
ness is remarkably sure and effec- 
tive on stage. Ronnie Selby, at the 
piano, batons the Chamitov orch 
for Miss Thompson’s performances 
in capable manner, with Chamitov 
taking over during dance sessions. 
Chirper Norma Hutton does band 
vocals and the Bill Moodie trio, in 
for the one week, docs interlude 
sets. Newt. 


The La Ronde Club in this over- 
whelmed (it must be called that, 
so huge and impressive is this new- 
est Beach hotel in its multi-acred 
setting) requires topliners with the 
authority, poise and experience to 
command the blase winterites who 
fill the tiered layout that allows for 
perfect viewing. Tony Martin fills 
these requirements in spades, al- 
beit he’s almost too relaxed and 
talky in some segments of his stint. 

The teeofler, “Hallelujah,” is a 
strong one, with special lyrics add- 
ing to the initial impact that grabs 
immediate attention. “All I Want 
Is You” is a strong followup, but 
the version of “Vera Cruz” and the 
long drawnout calypso-type “Se- 
curity” in the relaxed manner hit 
too pedestrian a pace. 

Matters pick up quickly, how- 
ever, when Martin sets his course 
on the song-hit trail, sparked by 
“Mr. Sandman," then keyed to 
standards he’s been associated 
with through the years. In last se- 
quence of the act, he launches a 
talk routine on television program 
commercials, based on his current 
series. The basic idea is a sound 
one; what it needs is punchier writ- 
ing and delivery if the essay at 
comedy is to be continued. Mar- 
tin winds strongly with “I’ll See 
You In My Dreams,” his clarinet- 
playing setting the tablers to 
pounding for more. 

Alan King almost walks off with 
the proceedings. The young comic 
is hitting, the lines contained in his 
act are edged with sharp timing, 
and his waggery is delivered with 
aplomb that earns him fast-build- 
ing reaction. For this date he’s 
come w'ell prepared, the first por- 
tion a zesty session that concen- 
trates on the hotel and guests — 
despite the growing series of gags 
about the Fontainebleau, King has 
an all new routine that tops them 
all. Combined with his bits on tv’s 
effect on kids, problems with moth- 
ers-in-law; the. surge of “young 
couples” to suburban living, fully 
playing up the inherent comedy in- 
vestments routine. King finds him- 
self walking off to resounding re- 
turns. He proves also that a strong 
comedian can fracture them in this 
swankery. 

Cabot & Dresden sit well with 
their cleanly-achieved lifts, spins, 
assorted holds, and breathtaking 
neck-balance by the attractive 
femme half for the whirlwind fin- 
ish. They comport themselves with 
grace throughout, blending their 
designs inventively to hold inter- 
est. Val Olman and his crew assist 
nobly on the show backings, with 
Hal Borne conducting the Martin 
segment in lop manner. Lecuona 
Cuban Boys are on hand to dis- 
pense music for mambomania and 
rumbas. Lary. 


deriding the wife, which didn’t go 
over strong Sunday with the haus. 
fraus present. Johnny Crawford, 
who knows his way around a vocal, 
is the singing-emcee and gets top 
returns with his “Loving You.” an 
operatic-style ballad. Gagh. 

Oil Oil, Palm Springs, 
Cal. 

Palm Springs, Feb. 8. 

Cab Calloway (2), Vivian Mar- 
shall, Bob & Betty Hightower; Bill 
Alexander Orch (0); couvert, $2, 
$2.50. 



GENE 

ALLEN 


THE FASTEST RISING YOUNG 
COMEDIAN IN SHOW BUSINESS — 

WHO HAS PLAYED THE FOLLOWING ENGAGEMENTS 
DURING THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS: 


SHAMROCK HOTEL, Houston 
STATLER HOTEL. Cleveland 
CHEZ FARES, Montreal 
TOWN CASINO, Buffalo ' 
CHASE HOTEL. St. Louli 
STATE THEATRE. Hartford 
STATLER HOTEL. Buffalo 
STATLER HOTEL, Detroit 


CASINO THEATRE, Toronto 
TIC TOC CLUB, Milwaukee 
SEVILLE THEATRE. Montreal 
LATIN CASINO. Philadelphia 
STATLER HOTEL. Washington 
CASINO ROYALE, Washington 
ELEGANTE CLUB. New York 


Currently 


BRITISH COLONIAL HOTEL 


Direction— MCA 


NASSAU, B.W.I. 

Management — BERNE ILSON 


Chubby 9 *, W. < olling*- 
woimI, \. *V. 

Philadelphia, Feb. 13. 

Gypsy Rose Lee & Girls (4), 
Bobby Monaghan, Benny Ventura 
Combo (3), JoHnny Crawford, Lee 
Henderson Line (6>; Don Haven 
Orch <7); Minimum $2.50; week- 
ends $3.50. 


Admittedly on her sixth farewell 
tour, Gypsy Rose Lee is the lady 
who graduated from the striptease 
into the blue chips by kidding her 
former career. She combines 
pulchritude with just enough pala- 
ver to make a palatable package. 
Sunday (13) dinner crowd at Chub- 
by’s was largely families and par- 
lies. While some of Miss Lee’s 
nifties failed to stir a ripple, over- 
all effect was enthusiastic. Cued 
on by four pips. Miss Lee takes 
prompt command and shows how' 
disrobing was done in the good old 
burleycue days. 

Translucent screen set up on- 
stage enables stripper to do a pro- 
vocative change, while a pitchman's 
voice (recorded) selling such bur- 
lesque house staples as bonbons 
and French pictures is worked 
neatly Into the bit. For the finale 
she uses the Ed Wynn couturier 
routine dressing her four “appren- 
tices” on stage, which provides the 
getoff line “the girls have been 
draped.” Visit to Chubby’s is Miss 
Lee’s first local appearance in sev- 
eral years, and the adults present 
like the star) also seemed willing 
to recall “the good old days.” 

House policy lately has coupled 
a combo with the stellar act. Unit 
works between shows at the bar. 
Current outfit is a trio headed by 
Benny Ventura, sax playing brother 
of tenorman Charley Ventura. Trio 
belts out acceptable rhythms, al- 
though it blazes no new trails. In 
the comedy slot is Bobby Mon- 
aghan. who reminds very much of 
Billy Vine, and docs the routine 


l 


Cab Calloway opened tonite to a 
stomping, cheering crowd. Despite 
failure of his trumpeter, Howard 
Roberts, to appear due to date mix- 
up. Backed by a one-night replace- 
ment, pianist Morrow Young, and 
minus music or orch rehearsal, he 
ut on a smash performance that 
eft the customers limp. Vet AFMer 
is a solid showman. lie wastes no 
time getting off with “Got My 
Love to Keep Me Warm” and 
serves up "One for the Road,” 
“Birth of Blues” and “Black 
Magic” to wham returns. “Minnie 
The Moocher.” “Shake, Rattle and 
Roll” and, of course, his “Porgy 
and Bess” excerpts he formerly 
starred in the Gershwin folk opera 
— zinged. 

Same cannot be said for the 
deuce act. Vivian Marshall, whose 
talent may be obscured by the blue 
smog of her material. This desert 
resoft caters chiefly to family 
trade, in the middle-age bracket, 
and they failed embarrassingly to 
appreciate the heavy-handed dou- 
ble-entendres and indigo songs 
dished up by Miss Marshall during 
their dinner chores. She might 
show to better reception if her act 
parred the tastes and standards of 
the customers she plans to sell. 

Bill Alexander, who emcees, 
leads his well disciplined sexette 
for show and dancing. Brown. 


Moeambo. Hollywood 

Hollywood, Feb. 9. 

Stewart Rose, Wanda Smith & 
Cover Girls (5), Paul Hebert Orch 
(5), Joe Castro's Latin Combo 
(4); cover , $2. 

Fresh out of the Army, Stewart 
Rose shows promise in his first 
nitery date. Atop a strong, melodic 
voice, he parlays an ingratiating 
manner. However, lack of marquee 
magnetism militates against this 
bill bringing much moola into the 
Mo. Wanda Smith and Her Cover 
Girls, all -lookers, is the only other 
act. Those, who do drop in will pass 
a pleasant hour. 

“Live Till I Die” is a potent 
opening number for Rose, and 
“The Gal That Got Away” and “I 
Complained” also fit his style. 
However, his dancing needs pro- 
fessional touch-up. 

In warbling “Sunny Side of the 
Street” he gets effective, colorful 
accompaniment by orch leader 
Paul Herbert on sax. 

Wanda and her two blondes and 
two brunets gets off some snappy 
lyrics in specially written mate- 
rial, and displays shapely figures 
in a well-staged 20 minutes. Her- 
bert alternates with Joe Castro for 
dancing. Whit. 


Moulin Rouge, Paris 

Paris, Feb. 15. 

Jacqueline Francois, Hurricanes 
(4), Scc-Hee Troupe (4), Four 
Najarro, Trio Massetty, Najas (3), 
Alf Carson, Two Williams; $1 
cover. 


f opa CUV, Miami Reach 

(FOLLOWUP) 

Miami Beach, Feb. 12. 

Biggest draw in town currently 
is the parlay of Jimmy Durante & 
Co. and the Will Mastin Trio with 
Sammy Davis Jr. Davis, on his own 
for the first week, had them flock- 
ing in in “saving the season" 
numbers, for operator Murray 
Weinger. With Durante also on 
hand, it’s additional money in the 
bank. 

Notable this season has been the 
fact that the boxoffice pendulum 
has swung from one club to an- 
other, the vacationers and natives 
evidently picking carefully, many j 
waiting for word-of-mouth ap- 
proval as well as amusement page 
reviews, before choosin. This is a 
disturbing factor for the bonifaces 
who are finding it tough to draw 
sufficient patronage for profit-tak- 
ing if they haven’t got “the show 
of the week.” 

Davis, in this, his second date 
since the unfortunate accident 
which cost him an eye, comes on 
to a several-minute ovation that 
turns into a continuous series of 
salvos as he unwinds his consid- 
erable repertoire. Whether it be 
the zingy hoofery with Will Mastin 
and dad, Davis Sr., or solo; the 
incisive and sometimes startling 
vocal carbons of the singing top- 
pers and film stars through to the 
Jerry Lewis duplicating, he keeps 
the mitt-build sustained. Surefire 
also is his own song-selling, com- 
edy antics and all-around appeal 
that stamps his work. He rates 
the begoff marked up. 

Durante comes up with a fast- 
paced package with several new 
mayhem ideas concocted by writer 
Jackie Barnett. The Schnoz, work- 
ing with all the zest of former 
years, is his frenetic self all the 
way, applying his showmanship to 
such new items as “Fun In The 
Sun”; a top piece of material in 
“It’s The Man Who Makes The 
Clothes,” with wardrobe changing 
twist, and "Let’s Do The Old Act 
Again.” On hand to aid in pro- 
jecting the surefire stuff are vet 
aides Roth & Buffano at piano and 
drums and Eddie Jackson with hia 
strutting. 

There’s a male model to raise 
sock Durante barbs anent Mae 
Wests musclemen, and pretties 
from the line to Join Durante in 
son - dance. Tablers’ insistence 
brings reprise on his familiars to 
round out a fast, furious, always 
funny parade of comedy ideas cus- 
tom tailored for Durante & Co. 
Again, there’s the reception that 
leads to a begoff. 

The June Taylor-Benny Davis 
production holds over, with lithe 
acro-twister Eileen O’Dare fea- 
tured. It’s class group construc- 
tion, heartily received, although 
the patterns haven’t ben changed 
since opening day in late Decem- 
ber. Dave Tyler and his crew are 
i an integral part of the overall 
show, playing the showback re- 
quirements masterfully. Lary. 


The Moulin Rouge is getting the 
least attention in the Lido Syndi- 
cate hierarchy. Such abuses as 
keeping on the tired production 
number envelope that has not 
changed for four years, and al- 
lowing « badly assorted, too sim- 
ilar, bunch of acts pile up with- 
out the proper leavening and fill- 
ing, is not good show biz sense. 

Attention has to be paid here 
before this golden goose’s egg goes 
to lead. Biz still shapes fine but 
does not have the jammed aspects 
of yore. 

Jacqueline Francois headlines 
and displays a cool elegance and a 
solid pair of pipes that blast out 
her standards in room-filling tim- 
bre. However, she lacks projection, 
(Continued on page 52) 


NOTICE 

TO: 

ARNOLD JOHANN SWANSON, 
formerly of 82 Evanion Street, 
Winnipeg 10, Manitoba, Canada 

TAKE NOTICE that a Statement 
of Claim Has been issued in the 
Court of Queen’s Bench for Mani- 
toba against you whereby SAMUEL 
NATHAN COHEN, tho Plaintiff 
named therein, claims from you 
the sum of Fifteen Hundred 
($1500.00) Dollars, as moneys ad- 
vanced and to be repaid on or 
before May 15, 1953; and the 
Plaintiff further claims tho costs 
of tho said action. • 

TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that 
your Statement of Defence Is to 
bo 'filed in tho Office of the Pro- 
thonotary in the Court of Queen’s 
Bench at the Court House in the 
City of Winnipeg, In tho Province 
of Manitoba, within four (4) weeks 
of tho date of pubiicafion hereof, 
otherwise judgment may bo signed 
against yon. ' 

SHINBANE. DORFMAN A KANEE, 
30$ Paris Building 
2S9 Portaga Avenue 
Winnipeg 2, Manitoba, Canada 
Solicitors for the Plaintiff 




'Tmm . 

Most luxurious, new* ct mi 

•DETROIT 

1730 E. 8-MILS ROM) 
M-IOZ* FOREST *-$000 


WHEN IN BOSTON 

It' t the 

HOTEL AVERY 

The Home of Show Folk 

Avery A Washington Sts. 



Wednesday, February 16, 1955 




r :t77 Uti 


Direction 


, ry 


MOREY 


(“YUK-A-PUK”) 


AMSTERDAM 


LOUIS SOBOL 

New York Journal-American 

"The comics assemble to listen to one of their 
own— Morey Amsterdam making his debut at 
the Copa. Milton Berle, Jack E. Leonard, Joey 
Adams, Harvey Stone cackle appreciatively 
and occasionally heckle as Morey rattles off 
his hilarious patter." 

BILLBOARD 

"For the spring editic.i of his current revue, 
Jules Podell has booked in Morey Amster- 
dam. The comic is at his top-level best, scor- 
ing practically continuous belly laughs for 
better than a 25-minute stint. It's all out 
fine, chuckle fare for a nitery floor." 

Bob Francis . 

EARL WILSON 
New York Post 

"Comics rally 'round comic; cheer Morey Am- 
sterdam. It was Morey's big and very suc- 
cessful night." 

LEE MORTIMER 
New York Daily Mirror 

"AMSTERDAM GIVES COPA A SHOWFUL OF 
LAUGHS." 

"Joey Adams, who is also a comic, enthusias- 
tically touted the Copacabana opening of his 
friend, Morey Amsterdam. But at the show 
Joey said, 'I wanted him to be funny, but not 


THAT funnyl' Which gives you an Idea how 
really wonderful this Amsterdam is." 

• ■ 1 • r ■ ' « 

FRANK FARRELL 

New York World-Telegram 

"At Morey Amsterdam's first night turnout 
In the Copa, he played to every top comic in 

the business and made them laugh • • 

♦ * 

ROBERT DANA 

New York World-Telegram 

"Morey Amsterdam, a comedian's comedian, 
whose facile style records extremely well 
with TV audiences, is at home as ever in a 
night-club engagement. His sly one-liners 
set him up as an authority on every topic 
from home design to the tempo of the times. 
His signature tunes, 'Yuk a Puk' and 'Rum 
and Coca Cola,' serve as the framework for 
very funny lines and timed asides." 

MARTIN BURDEN 
New York Post 

"This appearance is a treat. The chunky 
sleepy-eyed comic earns the title, The Human 
Jokebook, tossing gag lines engagingly; few 
comedians work harder or seem more relaxed 
. . . Morey casually tosses away more gag 
lines nightly than many comics use In a 
week." 


"Amsterdam is fracturing 'em in the standup 
and-to-hell-with-the-cello style that finds him 
back as a comedic threat on the nitery belt 
after shelving the Playgoers boite five years 
ago and meantime making with the tv." 

Trau, 


Currently 


COPACABANA 


NEW YORK 

Thanks JULES PODELL 


Mike Stokey's 

PANTOMIME QUIZ 
ABC-TV 


THE MOREY AMSTERDAM SHOW 

12:30-1:30 P.M., E.S.T., MONDAY TO FRIDAY 

WABC-TV 


WIGHT CLUB REVIEWS 





Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


Night Club Reviews 


Continued from page M 


Moulin Rouge, Paris 

and tendency towards reserve de- 
tracts from a nice turn. Miss Fran- 
cois is primarily a disk name with 
a well-modulated voice that has a 
way with a ballad, but she will 
have tc develop a way with an aud, 
and a more physical selling co- 
hesion with a song. 

Show has an overabundance of 
aero and contorto acts, and though 
most of them are fine in their own 
right they suffer by giving an air 
of repititiveness. The Four Najar- 
ro are an aero stint consisting of 
a fat. bouncy woman and her 
slimmer offspring, two boys and a 
girl. It is her earthy flipflops that 
make this go, with the brood sup- 

K * ’ ig lesser but smoother flip- 
. See-Hee Troupe (4) is a fast- 
moving Chinese entry who essay 
a rapid series of juggling and plate 
twirling, and then go into some 
solid contortion, with one man 
twir ing plates and leaning back- 
wards to pick up a drink in his 
teeth. 

Alf Carson also twists his skinny 
body into hallucinating aspects, 
ending this pleasing filler by 
shooting at a balloon with his feet 
while standing on his hands. Gun 


/> 


Currently 

LATIN 

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Boston 




DOLORES 

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• EPIC RECORDS • 

Direction: GENERAL ARTISTS CORF. 


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ARTISTS ATTENTION I 

Novelty acts end Musical Novelty acts 
needed far Immediate end early 
bookings — consistent work. Register 
new with 

CARL OAVIL ASSOCIATES, LTD. 
1450 Broadway — Room 1110 

Now York City Circle 7-1373 


is discharged by a plunger. Najas 
13) add phosphorescence to the 
serpent turn as a gal in snakeskin 
swirls and whirls around a muscu- 
lar trainer. A panther-clad girl is 
also added to this to make it an 
okay offbeater. Trio Massetty do a 
bike turn in which they cavort on 
rapidly moving bicycles for good 
applause. Comic asides and work- 
outs on a trapeze attached to one 
of the vehicles give this a novel 
aspect. The Two Williams are a 
laconic comico-acro bit in which 
two clown tramps go through a fey 
slow-motion balancing routine. It 
is good for laughs and interest and 
makes for a neat opener, with 
chances for U.S. spotting for tv 
or niteries. 

Hurricanes (4) wind up the over- 
played acrobatics with a whirlwind 
entry of a slight lass tossed about 
by three stalwarts. Whirls, throws 
and rhythm make this a standout 
bit and a solid vauder. Cover is 
still reasonable and dancing is 
supplied by two orchs. Mosk. 

Colony, London 

London, Feb. 8. 

Bethe Douglas; Felix King & 
Don Carlos Orchs; $5 minimum. 

Although it’s only a couple of 
months since she made her London 
debut, Bethe Douglas has given 
her • cabaret routine a major 
transformation. It’s not so much 
a change of material at a change 
of personality. In her current stint 
she is a bright, vital and sophisti- 
cated performer who is at her 
best with saucy, provocative, origi- 
nal songs. She deserved every bit 
of the opening-night ovation. 

Garbed in a tightly-fitting gown 
which accentuates her lush figure 
and her natural good looks, the 
chanteuse goes straight into a boff 
routine which includes a batch of 
click original songs which she sells 
with telling effect. A lively calypso, 
“Man Gets the Gravy and Woman 
Gets the Grief,” is a sure winner, 
and she also raises sly chuckles 
with “Men, Ah Men” and “A Lady 
Needs a Change.” A torch song 
from “A Star Is Born,” “The Man 
That Got Away,” is put over with 
dramatic effect but is somewhat 
out of place in the general lineup. 

The femme’s personality always 
emerges as a plus factor and she 
clearly knows how to make the 
best of a healthy set of pipes. The 
backgrounding by the Felix King 
combo is of familiar high standard 
and they share the dance sessions 
with the Don Carlos rhythm outfit. 

Myro. 


Kiiz Carlton, Montreal 

Montreal, Feb. 11. 

Frances Bergen, Johnny Gallant, 
Joe Settano Trio; $1.50-2 cover . 

Frances Bergen, making her ini- 
tial Montreal appearance at the 
Ritz Cafe, is a happy combination 
for this room. She looks like a doll 
from the Social Register but works 
and sings like a reasonably experi- 
enced chanteuse with a good off- 
beat songalog. 

Opening-night Jitters were obvi- 
ous but past the initial set. Miss 
Bergen set herself up solidly with 
the payees of this swank boite. The 
established breezy leadoff song 
over, she went into her special ma- 
terial items, the demure qualities 
gradually faded and attention 
throughout the room picked up. 

“Breaking in the Next Guy” is 
perhaps the best of her tunes in 
the special bracket, and a group of 
faves in several languages appeal. 
A blues number, although sung 
with assurance. Just doesn’t seem 
to go with Miss Bergen’s personal- 
ity, but a collection of carefully 
chosen oldies were right down her 
line and brought her back for a 
second encore. 

Miss Bergen, wif« of ventro Ed- 
gar, who should become a regular 
performer at the Ritz, is set for 
the St. Regis In New York follow- 
ing her three-week stay here. 

Newt. 



VERNON AND GALE 


Americe’s Top Tap Taam 

HELD OVER 

TOWN CASINO 

Beffalo, New York 


Contact: VERNON and GALE, 5800 W. Berenice Ave.. CMcooo, III. 

Palisade 5-2878 


Latin Quarter, Bolton 

Boston, Feb. 9. 

Georgia Gibbs (with Bill Rus- 
sell), Caribbeans (3), Bill Drew, 
HouHe Storm, Guy Guarino, Harry 
DeAngelis Orch (8), Z arde Bros. 
Trio; $3.50 min. 

Scuttling the capsule musical 
revue format following a three- 
week trial run during which the 
production failed to get off the 
ground, the L.Q. has reverted to its 
former “name” policy, teeing off 
with energetic thrush Georgia 
Gibbs. It’s her first nitery date in 
the Hub in a couple of years and 
with her Mercury platter. "Tweedle 
Dee,” climbing the popularity poll, 
opening-night indications were that 
the pint-sized singer would be a 
good bet here. One thing is certain; 
she dishes out a neat, showmanly 
job. 

Attractively gowned, the femme 
injects plenty of pep and zing to 
her vocalistics, which include such 
varied numbers as “There’ll Be 
Some Changes Made,” “I Love 
Paris”; the oat-tune, “Seven Lonely 
Days,” and the bouncy “Birth of 
the Blues.” She also includes her 
disclicks, “Tweedle Dee” and “Kiss 
of Fire,” topping off with a medley 
of oldies wrapped up in slick style 
for an all-around effective stint. 

Surrounding bill is spotty with 
the Caribbeans, two males and a 
femme, who nab a couple of spots 
for clicko terping, the strongest. 
Trio fares nicely with a sexy “St. 
Louis Woman,” a bit of frantic 
jitterbugging and some nifty Orien- 
tal stepping. Bill Drew, held over 
from the revue, is okay in a stand- 
ard tap turn, but comic Howie 
Storm fails to generate much mirth 
with his routines. Guy Guarino 
handles the emceeing okay and 
Harry DeAngelis batons neatly, 
giving way to Bill Russell, Miss 
Gibbs’ personal ‘86er, during her 
stint. The Zarde Bros, trio fills the 
lulls. 

Decision to dump the revue was 
apparently so sudden that Bob 
Conrad had no time to recruit a 
new line of girls for this show, but 
they're skedded for the next bill. 

Elie. 

Last Frontier, loss Vegas 

Las Vegas, Feb. 7. 

Four Aces, Kaye Ballard (with 
Jack & Jerry), Trio Gypsy, Last 
Frontier Girls (12), Garwood Van 
Orch (11); no cover or minimum. 

A 60-minute musical romp is 
provided by the Four Aces and 
Kaye Ballard in a show that, even 
including the two brief production 
numbers, moves almost too swiftly 
for diners to digest any real enter- 
tainment meat. With the whole 
town clocking astoundingly fine 
off-season biz, this three-weeks 
will garner a goodly percentage, 

A fine singing group, the versa- 
tile Four Aces sock their Decca 
disk faves in a nice 25-minute 
stand. “Should I Confess.” “Three 
Coins In the Fountain. “ “Mr. Sand- 
man,” their all-timer “Tell Me 
Why,” and others punctuate the 
ability of the quartet to harmonize 
and bounce a tune in rhythmic ca- 
dence in a style that’s all their 
own. Although they are not enter- 
tainers in the Ames Bros, sense, 
nevertheless the unique, interest- 
ing voice arrangements on their 
numbers make this outfit hard to 
top. 

Sparking the entertainment Is 
Kaye Ballard, a bundle of femin- 
ine talent who could do with about 
10 minutes more in this brief show 
to offer up her socko wares for a 
more cleanly defined impression. 
Singing, dancing comedienne is 
loaded with talent and, assisted by 
her capable pair of singing and 
dancing partners known simply as 
Jack & Jerry, belts romantically 
or lustily for laughs with equal 
vigor and a bubbling-over person- 
ality. Attired In long, black split 
bullfighter type pants under a 
matching, short dress, the black- 
tressed Miss Ballard goes over 
with fine carbons of the Davis 
girls, Bette and Joan; Judy Holli- 
day, and Barbara Stanwyck. Her 
takeoff topper is Judy Garland, 
whom she closely resembles, and 
this mimicry evokes salvos. 

The Trio Gypsy is an acrobatic 
act involving a femme and two 
husky male partners who toss and 
balance her In a thrilling series of 
stunts. They contrast Immobile 
striking pose-pictures holding the 
girl aloft, or swing her about .with 
reckless abandon In a fast turn 
that pleases. The Garwood Van 
orch measures the music to the 
show in able fashion. Bob. 

Sans Soiicl, Miami B’ch 

Miami Beach, Feb. 12. 

Myron Cohen, Ann Herman 
Dancers, Sacasas Orch; $3.50 
minimum. 

Booking of Myron Cohen tor this 
date serves to illustrate the cau- 
tious policy cafes around are ad- 


hering to this season. Few are 
willing to set in acts which haven’t 
played this area, or even those 
who come infrequently. In Cohen 
(among other regular returnees, 
winter and summer) the Sans 
Souci has a staple that will attract 
healthy business to its Blue Sails 
Room, although he’s already played 
the Casablanca earlier this year. 

Cohen’s lure is a potent one, the 
better hotel guests requesting the 
spots he plays hereabouts. The 
bald, erudite raconteur who left 
the garment district for better 
things in show biz is in top form, 
boasting a strong collection of new 
yarns turned out in authentic and 
yock-raising dialect, the gestures 
and mugging aiding no little in the 
risibility raising. He’s added the 
cloak-and-suiters consorts to his 
character delineations for a more 
diversied collection. On for 40 
minutes, he’s brought back for en- 
cores to reprise his standard rib- 
bings of the Seventh Ave. (Manhat- 
tan) characters with whom he was 
formerly associated. The strong 
contingent in the audience from 
that sector eats it up; the out- 
landers howl it up. 

Ann Herman and partner exhibit 
the mambo-samba designs for the 
considerable collection of derriere- 
twisters gathered, who later jam 
the floor when Sacasas and his ace 
crew dispense the rhythms indige- 
nous to the form. On the showbacks, 
he’s one of the best batoncers in 
town, although with Cohen on hand 
he gets himself a showtime respite. 
Sacacas’ draw values are such that 
the Fountainebleau has ticketed 
him for its La Ronde, beginning in 
May, outbidding several other hos- 
tels for his services. Lary. 

Uonrad Hilton, Chi 

Chicago, Feb. 8. 

"Spurs *n ' Skates," with Cathy 
A Blair, Robert Lenn A The Tat- 
tlers, Marvin Roy, LeDuc Bros., 
Carol Williams, Rusty Kile A John 
Newson, Boulevar-Dears & Dons 
(12), Marcia Drewry, Frankie Mas- 
ters Orch (11); $2 cover. 

Wild West trappings are spot- 
lighted in this hostelry’s newest ice 
show, making for a colorful eyeful 
as well as a tuneful earful. Cos- 
tuming is terrif, with special kudos 
for designers John Baur and Ber- 
nard Peterson. Choreographer Bob 
Frellson’s direction has wrapped 
this show up neatly, with zippy 
score and lyrics by Hessie Smith. 
Smooth orchestrations are by Nor- 
man Krone. 

Cathy & Blair, held over from 
the previous show, headline “Spurs 
’n’ Skates'” with effortless grace, 
gliding through a succession of 
precise, eye-pleasing terp figures. 
Duo displays real artistry on ice. 

The show opens with the Boule- 
var-Dons chanting girl-chase woes 
in “Just Give Us Girls.” They are 
joined by the Boulevar-Dears, 
young girls following Horace Gree- 
ley’s advice to young men in 
“Quest For A Man.” This sets the 
theme for the show, with a windup 
of wedding belles and beaus. 

Rusty Kile and John Newson are 
the two halves of “Cactus,” cavort- 
ing comic equine who essays a 
steeplechase on blades with amus- 
ing results. Though more gluepot 
material than prancing steel, “Cac- 
tus” is proud; he snorts and weeps 
when undignified pratfalls are his 
reward in hurdling attempts. It’s 
a howl. 

Fancy rope-twirler Carol Wil- 
liams makes like she needs a lasso 
to get a man, and winds up spin- 
ning a 70-foot rope for a climax. 
She’s a snappy femme, a looker 
with dangerous curves. 

Slick magic is handled by Mar- 
vin Roy in a sleight-of-hand turn 
featuring Illusions of appearing 
and disappearing light bulbs, cli- 
maxed by a string of lights trick 
which gets good palms. 

The LeDuc Bros, are aero comics 
on skates. Their burlesquing brings 
hefty yocks and their acrobatics 
give this act still another facet to 
draw a hefty mitt. Marcia Drewry 
does an entertaining dance hall 
siren bit. 

Musical background for the show 
la provided by Robert Lenn 8c The 
Tattlers, standout vocal group. Vet- 
eran Frankie Masters and orch 
showback their 11th ice show here 
nicely, as usual. Gabe. 


Saxony, Miami Beach 

Miami Beach, Feb. 11. 

Xavier Cugat Orch with Abbe 
Lane, Ricky Lane 8c Velvel, Los 
Barrancos . Joe Wong; $2.5044.50 

minimum. 

Xavier Cugat is still the suave 
server-upper of the Latino ar- 
rangements with the commercial 
tinge that has kept him on top of 
the bongo-beating heap for so 
many years. In this annual engage- 
ment at the Saxony (which has be- 
come a retreat for the type of cafe- 
goer whom one finds in Gotham’s 
Plaza, St. Regis, et al.) he is very 
much at home and warmly re- 
ceived. 

Cugat seems to be concentrating 
more on the dansapation end, the 
unit he is currently carrying being 
on for some 30 or 40 minutes dur- 
ing showtimes. It’s an odd com- 
bination, too, with a ventriloquist 
(Ricky Lane) who sports a Yiddish 
dialect dummy; Joe Wong, Chi- 
nese vocal impressionist, the Los 
Barrancos and sultry Abbe Lane. 

Miss Lane (Cugat’s spouse) is a 
stunner, a lush, bronze-headed 
looker whose decolletage leaves 
little to the imagination. She ap- 
plies her small, husky voice to a 
bright collection of songs, all of 
latter-day vintage with south-of- 
the-border beat the dominant 
theme. She has come a long way 
as a performer, her confident, as- 
sured delivery bespeaking the 
knowhow and smoothening ac- 
quired through intercontinental ap- 
pearances with Cugat. The di- 
(Continued on page 54) 


mm 

“•’•‘STom you* I* 1 * 10 ' - 

CurreeWT 

cU piRE ROOM 

aSStV HOUSE, CKUoS. 

Th and MCA* _ 




Currently 
SHERATON- 
KIMBALL HOTEL •••-*• 
Springfitld, 

Mats. 




FRANKIE SCOTT 



Cvrreitf/jr 

CHASE HOTEL 
it. Inlt 




KIRBY STONE 

Currently ” 

INARA, Las Vegas 


Dir.: 

WILUAN MORRIS 
Amor 


Mat.: 

WYNN LA8SNER 
A**e«.. Ia«. 



CAB CALLOWAY 

Currently 

CHI-CHI CLUB 

PALM SPRINGS. Cel. 

Mgt. BILL MITTLER. U19 Ireodwoy. New York 






by LEE MORTIMER 

N. Y. Mirror 

"Looking like a hundred million ... As orchidacious as ever . . . 
She has a lovely voice... Wardrobe is a conversation piece... 
She and her name and background generate glamor!" 


HOPE HAMPTON’S VERSAILLES 
DEBUT DRAWS BIRD and BOTTLE 

CAFE SET 

By ROBERT J. LANDRY 

"Miss Hampton comports herself with relaxed 
poise, looks lovely, sings beautifully/' 



"She was a vision to behold and a delight to the 
ear, and the applause and cheers were probably 
more precious to her than all the jewels in her 
vault." 

LOUIS SOBOL, 

N. Y. Journal-American 

"Hope Hampton wore a beautiful white and black 
fox stole as long as a lariat, and buckets of dia- 
monds. She sang amazingly well. The Duchess 
of Park Avenue was applauded as though she 
were a Dietrich." 

EARL WILSON, 

N. Y. Post 

"Looking blonde and lovely as an operetta singer 
should. She was a lady. She sang well and I 
wished she would sing those other operatic songs. 
Here's a toast to Hope Hampton and her cafe 
debut." 

ROBERT W. DANA, 

N. Y. World-Telegram and Sun 

"Magnificiently gowned, jeweled and her voice 
still roaring." 

RADIE HARRIS, 
Hollywood Reporter 

Currently 

VERSAILLES 

NEW YORK 



Exclusive Personal Management: WILLIAM l. TAUB, 465 Park Ave., New York City PL 5-5703 




54 


Wednesday, February 16, 1953 


Flock of Show Biz Books 


Continued from page 2 


“Rodeo!” by Huntington Smith. 
The same firm will also publish 
Mary Roberts Rinehart’s anthology 
“The Best of Tlsh.” and Philip 
Wylie’s new annotated edition of 
“Generation of Vipers," which sold 
180,000 copies in 26 printings, 
when first published a decade ago. 

Vernon Duke’s biog, "Passport 
to Paris,” is due v a Little, Brown 
in March and Georgie Jesse I’s 
“This Way M’ss,” with a foreword 
by William Saroyan, is due in 
April, by Holt. 

Show biz item of another sort is 
Rocky Graziano’s “Somebody Up 
There Likes Me,” in collaboration 
with Rowland Barber, which S&S 


England” (Coward-McCannh sets 
out to prove that the Earl of Ox- 
ford was really Willian\ Sliakes- 
! peare. Another Shakespearean 
| whimsy has to do with “A man 
who was dead who wrote Shakes- 
peare’s plays” (it says here in Ju- 
lian Messner’s publicity); the book 
is titled “The Murder of the Man 
Who. Was ‘Shakespeare’," written 
by Calvin Hoffman. 


Night Club Reviews 


Continued from page 52 


Saxony, Miami ll« k ac*h 

is publishing. Tne same publishei staffers in the room like her — the 
is bringing cut Steve Allen s Bop , , . .. , , 

Fables.’’ and Dacca Records’ editor | mcn duubl V s0: ““>• » vltal »*» 

poet Louis Untermeyer, has his i * n ^ ie Hayworth-Monroe genre, 
“Makers of the Modern World" ’'She's already hit pix; on a tv tinier 
also due via S&S in March. Miss Lane would be a standout. 

N. Y. Herald Tribune drama i Ricky Lane is a solid ventro art- 
critic Walter Kerr’s "How Not to ! j s t the lip-technique okay, the di- 
Write a Play” is another Simon & alect idea for the dummy a sound 
Schuster publication for April. And one, keeping aud attention on his 
Paddy Chayefsky’s anthology of six i vis-a-vis to aid in the illusion 
“Television Plays,” including created. With updating of the 
“Martv,” which is being released as ! dialog he’d be ready 'for better 
a picture, and “The Bachelor ; things. As is, it s a pleasant turn. 


Party,” which is the author’s 
favorite and headed for Broadway, 
is due in April. Another videoite, 
Wally Cox. simply calls his book 
“Mr. Peepers,” due in April, also 
by S&S. 

Vincent Sheean's biog of “The 


Wong’s voealisties and verbal 
iousts with Cugat get by; the Los 
Barrancos survey standard Cubano 
dance ideas adeptly, their gyrations 
including a Havana jitterbug 
whingding. 

The Cugat concepts in dance are 
shrewdly concocted with an eye to 


Life and Exploits of the First Oscar getting them on the floor and keep- 
Hammerstein,” which he calls “The j ing them there with a clever 
Man in the Silk Hat” will have a blend of easy-to-hipswing-to ar- 
foreword by Oscar Hammcrstein = rangements. Newt. 

2d. when S&S publishes it in June. 


El Morocco. Mont’l 

Montreal, Feb. 11. 
Fran Warren, Mickey Deems, 
Ethel Lee, Bob Peters, Johnny 
Laurendeau Orch (5), Paul Notar 


Niven Busch’s Hollywood novel, 
due in May, via S&S, is simply 
titled “The Actor." 

Charles Einstein, INS sports 
writer, has aided Willie Mays in 

his biog ‘‘Porn to Play Ball,” for j trio; no cover or minimum 
Putnam in April. 

A sports biog of another sort is 
"Fear Strikes Out" (The Jim Pier- 
sail Story i by Piersall and A1 
Hirschberg, which the publisher 
compares in drama to Lillian 
Roth’s "I’ll Cry Tomorrow” as 
Piersall, "baseball’s bad boy,” de- 
tails how he fought his way back 
after being committed to a violent 
ward of a mental hospital. A Little, 

Brown publication. 

Carlo Gatti, for years one of 
Italy’s top music critics, is having 
his biography of "Verdi: The Man 
and his Music,” originally pub- 
lished in 1939, updated and due via 
Putnam in April. 

"Daniel Blum’s "Opera World” 
due via Putnam, is a companion to 
his annual “Theatre World” and 
"Screen World” items. 

Dorothy and Joseph Samachson 
have authored "The Dramatic 
Story of the Theatre" as compan- 
ion books to their "Let’s Meet the 
Theatre’’ and "Let’s Meet the Bal- 
let”, which Abelard-Schuman will 
publish in May. 

George (Slim) Lewis, vet circus 
man, has done his memoirs 
"Elephant Tramp” in collaboration 
with Bryon Fish, for Little, Brown 
publication. 

The first biog on Booth Tarking- 
ton will be a Lippincott publica- 
tion, by James Woodress, college 
prof. 

Knopf is reissuing H. L. Menc- 
ken’s three books of reminiscences 
individually this spring, at $4.50 
each, respectively titled "Happy 
Days,” "Newspaper Days” and 
"Heathen Days.” 

Knopf is also publishing Samuel 
Chotzinoff’s biog, "A Lost Para- 
dise.” 

Another literary biog is "The 
Moth and the Star," the storv of 
Virginia Woolf, by Aileen Pippett, 
for Little, Brown. 

Budd Schulberg has done the 
foreword to "Waterfront Priest,” 

N. Y. Herald Tribune staffer Allen 
Raymond’s saga of Father John 
Corridan, who figures in the "Wa- 
terfront” film, written by Schul- 
berg. via Holt. 

Alan Downer’s "The Art of the 
Play” is another show biz item, via 
Holt, in May. 

A show biz book of another sort 
is “The Rene Black Cookbook (Cui- 
sine vs. Cooking),” by longtime 
famed Waldorf Astoria maitre d’ 

Rene Black, now ditto in the new 
Fontainebleau, Miami Beach, also 
Holt. 

The Burns & Allen biog will be 
called "I Love Her — That’s Why ” 


El Morocco moved in on the ad- 
vance publicity and near-capacity 
biz “Pajama Game” is currently do- 
ing here in Montreal, and signed 
the star of the show, Fran Warren, 
to double for nine days. The deal 
is paying off in spades. 

Despite a heavy singing part in 
"Pajama Game,” Miss Warren 
gives all vocally when she hits the 
stage at El Morocco and wows the 
payees with a solid group of songs, 
with the accent on her better- 
known platters (and plenty of 
plugs for same). On opening night, 
boniface Peter Van Der North 
made Miss Warren’s reception 
complete when he had all the wait- 
ers, hatcheck gals and staff garbed 
in fancy pajamas, including a line 
of night attire strung outside the 
entrance. 

All principals from "Pajama 
Game” ringsided for Miss Warren’s 
preem and chantoosie responded 
vocally for plaudits. She has op- 
tion on one or two shows a night, 
but two shows a night together 
with her regular performance at 
the theatre will leave her without 
a pipe if the first night’s offering 
is continued. 

Backing the Warren feffort is the 
comedies of Mickey Deems, who 
has great possibilities. But just 
when he reaches the clinche, he 
deviates into something trite and 
unamusingly blue, killing both 
reception and act. His impresh 
bits have their moments but his 
casual manner labors the routire 
to a fare-thee-well. Overall tighten- 
ing ks needed before comedian be- 
comes effective with this kind of 
clientele. 

Chirper Ethel Lee. garbed in 
brief pajamas, is an Oriental miss 
with a penchant for the belting 
blues. Hardly in character, but 
Miss Lee does better than most 
and her breezy style more than 
compensates. 

Emcee Bob Peters is adequate, 
both in his patter and songalog, 
and Johnny Laurendeau’s small 
orch cuts a fair show. Newt. 


is w.k. in Canadian niteries for 
solid instrumental aping of Sammy 
Kaye, Wayne King. Harry James, 

Liberace and others, with top stage 
savvy to keep the stanza sparkling. 

Stevens also draws customer kudos 
to band drummer Eddie Ackland, 
boff skin-basher, who solos during 
the act. 

Avril Ames is a pert chirper who 
gets begoff treatment with a clicko 
session that mingles several types 
of tunes, from the novelty, “Later 
Than You*Think.” to moody ca- 
naryir.g of “Man That Got 
Away.” Bruce Sidlinger keeps the 
palms slapping in a tense, socko 
trampoline single in which the 
trampoline itself gets into the act 
by bashing the leaper, collapsing 
under him on cue, and other me- 
chanical gimmicks. The Velonos, \ Auckland 
terp pair, mix aero and adagio hi* ^i«*»y* m 21 
effectively, male bringing femme l^w^en & chic 
on in a zippered dufflebag for w Latona a Sparks 

' Roy Barbour 
Margaret Brown 
2 Myrons 
Harry Jacobson 
Cbadells 
Max Blake 
Dancing Boys 
Ballet Girls 

MELBOURNE 
Tivoli (T) 21 
Norma Miller 
Dancers 

Michael Bentino 
David Hughes 
Howell Sc Radcliffe 
The Alfredros 
Ursula & Gus 


VARIETY BILLS 

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 16 

Numerals in connection with bills below ipdicato opening Bay at show 
whether full or split weak 

Latter in parentheses Indicates circuit. (I) indapandant; (L) Loew; <M) Mess* 
(P) Paramount; <R> RKO; <S> Stoll; <T> Tivoli; <W) Warner 


NEW YORK CITY 
Music Hall (I) 1/ 

Cerneys 

Patricia Rayney 
3 Fayes 
Rockettes 
Corps de Ballet 
Sym Ore 

Palace (R> IS 
Edna & Leon 
Rhythmettes 
Lottie Brunn 


Don Cummings 
Kurt Johns Dncrs 
Maxie Rosenbleom 
Wells A 4 Fays 
Derby Wilson 
CHICAGO 
Chicago (P) IS 

Gaylords 
Roy Hamilton 
Jack Carter 
B & C Robinson 


AUSTRALIA 


surprise opener. 

Harry Pozy orchestra, formerly 
at the Gatineau Club ishuttered for 
the season), handles showbacking 
and dance music chores to solid 
returns. Gorm. 


BpIIpvup l anino, Monfl 

Montreal. Feb. 11. 

Les Marcellis { 2>,Novcllos (2>, 
Gilbert & Russell. Evie Lynn, 
D’Attili, Harvey Ross. Barbara 
Sondy, Bill Deeyan, Casino Love- 
lies (10>, Bi.v Belalr Orch (11), 
Buddy Clayton Quartet, with Shir- 
ley Sheldon; staged and produced 
by Natalie Komarova, music by 
George Komaroff; $1 admission. 


There is little that hard-working 
Harry Holmok has missed with his 
new Bellevue Casino revue. The 
fast-moving show, lasting 60 min- 


Gordon Humphris 
Irene Bevans 
John Bluthal 
Ron Loughhead 
Dancing Boys 
Ballet Girls 

SYDNEY 
Tivoli (T) 21 

Winifred Atwell 
Chris Cross 
Eddie Vitch 
Hontarte & Vaughn 
Joe Church 
3 Hellos 

Romaine & Claire 
Julian Somers 
Maureen Hudson 
Show Girls 
Nudes 
Ballet Girls 
Dancing Boys 


BRITAIN 


ASTON 

Hippodrome (l> 

Monty Norman 
Diana Coupland 
Jack Watson 
Terry Reilly 
Coronets 
Fay Jover 
Tony Walsh 
1 Spanglers 

BLACKPOOL 
Palace (l> 14 
I 5 Talos 


14 


utes, has just about everything the j oyce Golding 
clients of this big saloon like; plen- 1 ~ ' * 

ty of visual stuff and the lavish 
Natalie Komarova productions fea- 
turing the shapely pony line. 

Headliners from Paris. Les Mar- 
cellis are standout with their 
rough-and-tumble , aero sessions. 

Working with speed and precision, 
these two boys make some very 
tonugh falls look easy and never 
spare themselves to bring an extra 
gasp or yock from the payees. Al- 
ready repeaters at the Casino. Les 
Marcellis have an aero act that can 
reprise every six months without 
losing appeal. 

The Novellos, in the next-to- 
opening slot, also maintain the 
talent level, with the male half of 
the team thrilling with his special- 
ities on the high ladder. Femme, 
who appears briefly in the first 
part of the routine, sparks with her 
trim figure and manner. 

.The hoofing of Gilbert & Russell 
is the only standard on the list. 

Both are talented, but with excep- 
tion of challenge bits fail to rouse 
patrons above their normal plau- 
dits. Evie Lynn (New Acts) brings 
a touch of the exotic to her ballet 
sequences and Harvey Ross shows 
definite promise as a vocalist, both 
during his solo set and with chirper 
Barbara Sondy in the finale. 

For her big spectacle. Mme. 

Komarova brings back "Chopini- 
a*a” which features pianist D’At- 
tili, whose combined concert and 
! jazz type of playing is a cinch in 
‘ this room. Bix Belair’s orch gives 
ample backing to the show and the 
Clayton quartet spells for customer 
dancing. Newt. 


Eric James 
Dowie A Kane 
Sandow Sis 
Edorics 

Tex James Co 
Douglas Maynard 
Rita Martell 

EDINBURGH 
Empire (M) 14 
Carroll Levis Co 
Violet Pretty 
Teen Agers 
Les Duonos 
FINSBURY PARK 
Empire <M) 14 
Edwin Styles 
Dorothy Carless 
Robin Richmond 
Boyer A Ravel 
Gray A Austin 
Joan Gibbons 
8 Emney Anemones 
GLASGOW 
Empire <M> 14 
Frankie Howerd 
'nan Hinde 
Walthon A Dorraine 
Nino 

Granger Bros 
Lee Young 
Downey A Day* 


1 Gale A Clark 
Beryl A Bobo 
NOTTINGHAM 
Empire (M< 14 
Dickie Valentine 
J Jeff A June 
C Warren A .lean 
J Laycock A M 
Averil A Aurel 
PAP Page 
BAB Adams 
L Sharpe A I 
PORTSMOUTH 
Royal (M) 14 
Jack Lewis 
Sonny Dawkcs 
Frank Pan- 
Gary Webb 
Mel-O-Macs 
Ronnie Joynes 
Bertie Sellers 
SOUTHAMPTON 
Grand (I) 14 
George Cameron 
Billy Wherburn 
Maria Pirelli 
Manley A Austin 
Baldwin A Castle 
Tony Hughes 
Balmoral 4 

SWANSEA 
Empire <M> 14 
Phyllis Dixey 
Dorothy Reid A 
Kelroys 

Bill Waddington 
Lionel King 
Joan A Ernest 
Jack Tracy 
Varga Models 
YORK 

Empire (I) 14 

Bobby Thompson 
Gene Patton 
Michael Hibbert 
Tatler Girls 


Cabaret Bills 


NEW YORK CITY 


Fail-mount, Ottawa 

Ottawa, Feb. 8. 

Bruce Stevens, Avril Ames, Ve- 
lonos <21. Bruce Sidlinger, Harry 
Pozy Orch (8>; 75c admission ($1 
Sat.). 


Added to the fact that it’s the 
only nitery open in the Ottawa 
area, the new Latin-slanted decor, 
improved show lighting and the 
best show-dance band hereabouts 
bringing the Fairmount Club okay 
winter business. Current bill is 
which George N. Burns is "writing ! ? w ? ll '^ uil . t * balanced offering 


in collaboration with Cynthia Lind 

say. 

Dorothy and Charlton Ogburn’s 

[U>lr “Tk- n 1 __ 


headed by ntusicomic Bruce 
Stevens, who intersperses bright 
wit with socko handling of trum- 

book ••Thi*' l\ R? 1 ’ trombone, saxophone and 
dook, the Renaissance Man of i piano. Stevens, who also 


*93111 i in i? I ) 'o,' 


. ) * 1 j > 1 


• 0 h 0 1 


emcees, 

91 '. 


Continued from page 4 


London for powwows with Sir Al- 
exander Korda and Anatole Litvak 
on “The Deep Blue Sea” which 
Korda is making for 20th release. 
Zanuck also is finalizing plans with 
Andre Hakim for “The Man Who 
Never Was.” 

This week, Spyros P. Skouras, 
20th prexy, will join Zanuck in 
LoYidon from where they’ll go to 
Munich to view a rough cut of “The 
Oasis,” first CinemaScoper to be 
filmed in French and German. 

With 22 pix now on 20th sked, 
the company can be expected to 
release anywhere up To 30 films 
during the year, including outside 
productions. While 20th quoted 
exhib demands as the reason for 
increasing production, the company 
was also strongly influenced by 
complaints from its distribution 
and ad-pub execs who felt them- 
selves handicapped by the speed 
with which they’re forced to put 
new films into release. In many 
cases this has worked to block the 
kind of advance buildup that’s con- 
sidered necessary to acquaint the 
public with forthcoming releases. 
Despite increased studio activity, 
20th expects to continue to release 
C’Scope pix at the rate of two a 
month. 

Btifl 1 1 1 i * I 1 < J > >1 ;• 1 ( 


Birdland 

Count Basie 
Modern Jazz 4 

Bon Safi 
Tony A Eddie 
Jimmy Daniels 
Blue Anytl 
Paul Ki Ilia in 
^harlotte Rae 
foursome 
Portia Nelson 
Bart Howard 
Jimmy Lyons Trio 
Chatsau Madrid 
Ralph Font Ore 
Maya Ore 
Hotel Ambassador 
Quintero Ora 
Sarkozl Ore 
Hotel Pitrre 
Marion Marlowe 
Stanley Melba Ore 
Chico Relli 

Cope cabana 
Harry Belafonte 
Morey Amsterdam 
Mello Lerka 
Donna Williams 
Jade Drummond 
Barbara Mayer 
Larry Howard 
M Durso D»c 
Frank Marti Ore 
Oslo's 
Alan Gale 
Jackie Heller 
Warner A McGuire 
Larry Foster 
Teddy King Ore 
No. t Fifth Ave 
Pat Bright 
Geo Smiley 
Bob Downey 
Harold FonvUlo 
Hazel Webster 
Hotel Plaza 
Mata A Hart 
Ann Crowley 
Ted Straeler Ore 
Mark Monte Ore 
Hotel Roosevelt 
Guy Lombardo Ore 
Hotel St Regis 
Billy Daniel 
Georgette D'Arcy 
Milt Shaw Ore 
Ray Bari 

Hotel Statlor 
Woody Herman Ore 
Hotel Taft 
Vincent Lopez Ore 
Latin Quarter 
Charllvels 
A L Simpkins 
Wiere Bros 
Chiquita A Johnson 
Bas Sheva 


Clarissa 

Melodears 

Harmoneers 

Piroska 

Art Waner Ore 
B Harlows Ore 

Lo Ruban Bleu 

Julius Monk 
Janet Brace 
Norman Paris 3 
Little Club 
L'Apache 
Faconi 
Jules Kuti 
Rudy Timfleld 
Patla 

Gleb Yellin Ore 
La Fronton Ore 
Twa Guitars 
Kostya Poliansky 
Misha Usdanoff 
Lubov Hamshay 
Aliya Uno 

Versailles 
**Bon Voyage'* 

Hope Hampton 
Paul Gray 
Louise Hoff 
Tommy Wander 
Margaret Banks 
Rosemary O'Reilly 
Carl Conway 
Betty Colby 
Ann Andre 
Rain Winslow 
Danny Carroll 
Danny Desmond 
Don Dellair 
Jim Sisco 
Salvatore Gioe Ore 
Panchito Ore 
Viennese Lantern 
Helene Aimee 
Dolores Perry 
Bela Bizony 
Ernest Schoen 
Paul Mann 
Charles Albert 
Village Barn 
Hal Graham 
Fred A Sally Barry 
Joe Mavro 
Pam Dennis 
Gigi Mayo 
Melodiers 
Piute Pete 

Waldorf-Astorlo 
Line Renaud 
Nat Brandwynne 
Mlscha Borr 
Village Vanguard 
Charley Manna 
Rosetta Tharpe 
Marie Knight 
Lucy Reed 
C Williams Trie 


CHICAGO 


Blech Orchid 

Four Joes 
Jimmie Komat-k 
Josh White 
Buddy Charles 
Rudy Kerpaya Duo 


Blue Aneel 

‘Calypso Fofiie 


1955’* 

Phyllis Branch 
Talley Beatty 
The Charmer 
Verdi Lo Prestl 
A1 D’Lacy Quartet 
Blue Note 


I Lou Levy 
Ruby Braff 
Chez Psree 

Mae West 
Morty Gunty 
Foley Miller 
Brian Far non Ore 
Cloister Inn 
Sylvia Simms 
Laurie Allyn 
Ace Harris 
Jack Wilander ' 
Di«,-k Marx 
Johnny Frigo 


Conrad Hilton 

‘Spurs 'n Skates'* 
Cathy A Blair 
Robert I.enn 
The Tattlers 
Marvin Roy 
Frankie Masters 
Ore- 

Palmer House 

Genevieve 
Dick Kerr 
Empire Eight 
Charlie Fisk Ore 
Trini Reyes 


LOS ANGELES 


Ambassador Hofol 

Marguerite Piazza 
Honey Bros 
F Martin Ore 

Band Box 

Wesson and Polk 
Bar of Music 
Pontora.iniacs (2) 
Oscar Cartier 
Geri Galian Ore 
Biltmore Hotel 
Mae Williams 
Consolo A Melba 
Bobby Sargent 
Rudenko Bros (2) 

Ha) Derwin Ore 
Charley Foy's 
(Weekend Only) 
M (Butch) Austin 
Charley Foy 
Mary Foy 
A Browne Ore 
Jimmy Ames 
Lord Buckley 

Clro's «. 
The Lancers (4) 
Step Bros (4) 


Dick Stabile Ore 
Bobby Ramos Ore 
Crescendo 
Perez Prado Ore 
Mocambo 
Toni Arden 
Paul Hebert Ore. 
Joe Castro Ore 
Moulin Rouge 
Frank Llbuse 
Margot Brander 
Four Bogdodis 
Miss Malta A Co 
Doublcdaters (4) 
Mme Ardelty 
Jery LaZarre 
Ffolliot Charlton 
Tony Gentry 
Gaby Wooldridge 
Luis Urbina 
Eileen Christy 
Bob Snyder Ore 
Statlor Hotel 
Margie Lee 
Perky Twins 
Art Pinson 
Charles A Lucille 
Skinnay Ennis Ore 


MIAMI-MIAMI BEACH 


M 


ies of Al Belletto Quintet 


Clover Ctub 

Lili Christine 
Luis Torrens 
Baron Buika 
Betty Ford 
Tony Lopez Ore 
Selma Marlowe Line 
Woody Woodbury 
Latin Quarter 
Joe E Lewis 
Yvonne Menard 
Stuart Morgan 3 
Kathy Barr 
Hay A Gomez 
Renita Kramer 
Lucien A Ashour 
“Excess Baggage** 
Ralph Young 
Arne Barnett Ore 
Mandy Campo Ore 
Black Orchid 
Jo Thompson 
Richard Cannon 
Count Smith 
Sans Souc* Hotel 
Myron Cohen 
Sacasas Ore 
Ann Herman Ocro 
Saxony Hotel 
Xavier Cugat A Co. 
Abbe Lane 
Mrva 

Freddy Calo Ore 
Johnny Silvers Ore 
Frank Stanlev Ore 
Bombay Hotel 
Phil Brito 
Nelida 
Peter Mack 
Sandra Barton 
Johnink Hottl 
Judy Tremaine 
Sam Bari 
Jack Mitchell 
Bobbie Lynn 
DILido Hotel 
Bea Knlmus 
Holly Warren 
Bobby Shields 
Mambo Jets 
La Playa Sextet 
Emilio Reyes Ore 
Vanity Fair 
Pat Morrisey 
Havana Cuban Boys 
3 Tones 
Jerry Brandow 
Bar of Music 
Bill Jordan 
Arne Sultan 
Beth Challis 


Jr. 


Harvey Bell 
Fred Thompson 
Isle Do Capri 
Gene Baylos 
Ruth Wallis 
Las Malangans 
Wally Hankin Ore 
Copa City 
J Durante A C 
Will Mastin 3 
Sammy Davis. 
Eileen O’Dare 
Stuart Harris 
Hal Loman 
Peter Gladke 
June Taylor Line 
Red Caps 
David Tyler Ore 
Fontainebleau 
Tony Martin 
Alan King 
Cabot A Dresden 
Val Olman Ore 
Beachcomber 
Sophie Tucker 
Billy Eckstine 
Sam Levenson 
Len Dawson Ore 
Casablanca 
Billy Daniels 
Phil Foster 
Condos A Brandow 
Jacques Donnet Ore 
Balmoral Hotel 
Emil Coleman Ore 
The Spa 

Preacher Rollo 5 

Clro's 

Jimmie Rogers Co 
Tommy Nunez Ore 
The Trenlers 
Lee Sharon 
Sammy Walsh 
Vagabonds Club 
Vagabonds 4 
Marion Powers 
The Dunhills 
Martha Bentley 
D’Andrea Sisters 
Charlie Farrell 
Frank Linale Ore 
Airliner 

Harry The Hipster 
Pearl Williams 
Billy Lee 
Larry Gerard 
Lee Sharon 
Joe E Ross 
Don Baker Ore 
Nautilus Totel 
Jerry Lester 


RENO 


Mapes Sky room 
Tippy A Cobina 
Larry Allen 
Belles A Bowes 
Jerry Paulos 
Bea Sweet 
Sing Lee Family 
D Dor ben Dncrs 
Eddie Fitzpatrick 
Ore 

New Golden 

Wilder Bros 


Lenny Gal# 

Buddy King A 
His Ladies 
Will Osborne Or« 
Riverside 
Eileen Barton 
Gene Louis trio 
Arwoods 
Starlets 

Bill Clifford Ore 


HAVANA 


Troplesns 
Darvas A Julie 
D’Alda Q 
Mercedes Valdes 
D'Ruff Q 
O de Is Rose 
Leonele Gonzelez 
Raul Diaz 
Gladys Robau 
Tropicana Ballet 
S de Espana Orq 
S Suarez Orq 
A Hnmeu Orq 
San Sowcl 
Carmen Amaya 
Olga Chaviano 
Chas Chase 


Aurora Roche 
Rivero Singers 
Juana Bacallao 
Ray Carson 
R Ortega Orq 
C Rodriguez Orq 
Montmartre 
Alba Marina 
L Dulzaides Q 
Nancy A Rolando 
Ivette de la Fucnls 
Zonia 

Martha Veliz 
Monseigneur Ora 
Montmartre Ballet 
Casino Playa Orq 
Fajardo Orq 


Beverly Hills 

Ethel Smith 
Sonny Howard 
Ricardo A Norman 
E Lindsay Dncrs 


NEWPORT, KY. 

Larry Vincent 
Dick Hvde 
G Benedict Ore 
Jimmy Wilbur Trio 


LAS VEGAS 


v j » 1 1 m 1 1 » T t .( I i i > f 


Flamingo 

Marie Wilson 
Archie Robbins 
Goofers 

Ssndt 

Nat (King) Cole 

Lsst Frontier 
Ben Blue 
Blossom Seeley A 
Benny Fields 
Desert Inn 
Toni Arden 
Jack Durant 
The Szonys 

Thundorfelrd 
Norman Brooks 
Roily Rolls 


.11)3 


1 ) 1 1 > I 


Cl Roncho Vsgs* 

George White s 

Scandalettes 

Sahara 

Vaughn Monroe 
Kirby Stone 4 
J Conrad Dcrs 
Golden Nugget 

Hilo Hattie 

El Cortez 
Four Tunes 

Showboat 
Minsky Follies of 
1955 

Sltvor Slipper 

NUe of Fun Revue 

ill » I 3 I » 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


REVIEWS 


55 


New Acts 


MARION MARLOWE 

Sonrs 

35 Mins. 

Hotel Pierre, N.Y. 

It isn’t often that the nightclub 
circuit latches on to a novice as 
thoroughly “presold” as Marion 
Marlowe, vocalist on Arthur God- 
frey’s CBS-TV show. And if Miss 
Marlowe is a sample of what else 
along that line tv may have in store 
for the bistros, the latter better 
had open their irms wide. She’s 
an entertainer with a lot of class 
and know-how. And she wows 
’em at the Cotillion Room. 

There’s no doubt that several 
years before the tv cameras breed 
both easy assurance and a fine 
techniques. Miss Marlowe proves 
that point to abundant satisfaction. 
She sails through her short but 
well-balanced songalog with the 
air of one performing for a group 
of close friends and enjoying her- 
self thoroughly. 

A looker with a voice that’s 
operatic in texture, she’s equally 
at home with the high notes and 
the moanin’ blues, exhibiting flex- 
ibility and an imaginative approach 
that tags her as a coming favorite 
with the larger spots. ♦ Here’s a 
real crowd pl^ascr. 

Costumed in a stunning white 
off-the-shoulder dress, Miss Mar- 
lowe bows in with a pleasant in- 
troductory number, “Belle of the 
Ball,” and then goes into a novelty 
routine, “Strictly Confidential,” 
one of several written for her by 
Lyn Duddy. Number, which adds 
up to a big fat plug for the God- 
frey crew and Godfrey himself — 
“He’s the guy I’m grateful for” 
—has her moving around the floor 
and handing out surprises, which 
makes for nice audience contact. 

In “I’m in Love Again,” another 
Lyn Duddy ditty, she shows off her 
voice and then gives the oldie 
“These Foolish Things” an expert 
onceover with some unexpected 
dramatic trimmings. Quick change 
of pace has her doing “Sweet and 
Hot” followed by “Hello Young 
Lovers.” Both come across with 
sock effect and to plenty of mitting 
from the customers. 

After that it’s “Television’s 
Tough on Love,” a Duddy laugh- 
getter in which Miss Marlowe 
exhibs a lot of charm; “Gypsy 
Dance” from Carmen, a showy bit 
proving the gal’s really got a voice, 
and the windup, “Goodnight,” very 
effectively staged and executed 
with a vet’s sense of timing. 

Show is staged by Jonathan 
I.ucas with Jerry Bresler conduct- 
ing from the piano. In Miss Mar- 
lowe, Stanley Melba, the Cotillion 
Room’s entertainment director, has 
his second “discovery” of the year, 
having first introed Marguerite 
Piazza. It’s a lucky find. Hift. 


ANN MARSTON 
Archery 
5 Mins. 

Palace, N. Y. 

Youthful Ann Marston is a sure- 
fhot with a bow and arrow. Her 
expert marksmanship is apparent 
as she splits balloons, William 
Tells an apple on a dummy’s head 
and splits an egg in the middle. 
But, act lacks any element of ex- 
citement. A buildup in that direc- 
tion would probably prove bene- 
ficial. 

Girl is aided by her father, who 
sets up the targets. Jess. 


BOLIANA IVANKO TRIO 
Acro-Dance 
5 Mins. 

Apollo, N. Y.' 

The Boliana Ivanko Trio packs 
• lot of action in its five-minute 
stint. Ofay team, two guys and a 
gal, works with ease and style as 
it strikes some effective^ balancing 
and spinning poses. The' gal really 
gets a workout as she’s flung from 
one pard to another, spun around 
and at one point practically bent 
in two. 

It’s fast and flashy and good for 
all sight showcasings. Gros. 


AVRIL AMES 
Songs 
12 Mins. 

Fairmount Club, Ottawa 

Avril Ames isn’t new to the 
nitery scene. She’s done singles 
and appeared with husband Bruce 
Stevens, but this is the first solid 
effort she’s made to build a sub- 
stantially effective single and it 
shows powerful possibilities. Chic- 
gowned, jet-haired looker offers 
bounce, sultry blues and novelty 
tunes with equal savvy, although 
she would- get more impact from 
her rfcood numbers with more at- 
tention to shading and softness in 
both chirping and band-backing. 

Her pipe-handling exhibits okay 
ability and training, particularly 
>n tunes like “Hey There!,” “Man 
1 hat Got Away” and opener, “Be- 
Jond the Blue Horizon.” Gorm. 


SISTER ROSETTA THARPE & 
MARIE KNIGHT 
Songs 
25 Mins. 

Village Vanguard, N.Y. 

v Religious influences, which have 
been breaking out in various fields 
for several years, seem to be hit- 
ting the nitery field with greater 
impact. Certainly the religious 
overtones in the Johnnie Ray act 
helped the religioso along. The 
latest to hit with a sock that should 
be felt throughout the industry is 
by Sister Rosetta Tharpe & Marie 
Knight. , 

This Negro tandem have been 
concertizing in churches and have 
played ballparks to overflow 
crowds in various southern cities. 
Theirs is truly a case where “The 
Lord Provides” and with abun- 
dance. Sister Tharpe, of course, 
is already w.k. solo on Decca disks. 

This team seems to have tem- 
porarily ditched the outright reli- 
giosos, but they aren’t able to omit 
the deeply religious feelings that 
seem to enter into their songs. 
Yet it’s a wholesome feeling even 
in a nitery. It seems that reli- 
gion, as they see it, is one of joy 
and everything they express seems 
to come out in that metier. Under 
those circumstances, they could 
rock the house with a spiritual, 
and it wouldn’t be amiss. 

The Misses Tharpe & Knight 
have a booming 'and wholesome 
delivery. Sister Tharpe, of con- 
siderable heft, provides the guitar 
accomps and gives out with a con- 
tralto register and Miss Knight, a 
slim looker, makes with excellent 
harmonics. 

The team concertizes with 
“Shadrach” and “Daniel in the 
Lion’s Den” and then renders unto 
Caesar a series of racy blues. In- 
deed this duo could fit into virtu- 
ally any vocal situation. Their 
primitives have a universal appeal. 
They can convey a message from 
pulpits and they can be successful 
in saloons. Of course, their rhythm 
and blues are very unclerical in- 
deed, but they do epitomize the 
wide range of feelings that the 
American Negro experiences, all 
of it told in melodic and rhythmic 
terms that make them top enter- 
tainment even for sophisticates. 

Jose. 


LES DOUNOS (2) 

Aero Comedy 
6 Mins. 

Empire, Glasgow 

Two males, garbed in sailor cos- 
tume, work out a fairly entertain- 
ing knockabout act against a back- 
ground setting of ship’s deck and 
lifebelt. Aero twists, bends and 
contortions are amusing. 

They engage in funny business 
with falls off a chair, then both 
mount a table and one skips via 
feet and hands together to good 
mitting. Display further agility in 
tieup of bodies on table. Exit one 
atop the other, hands to hands. 

Useful act for general run' of 
vauderies. • Cord. 


WINDSORS (4) 

Songs 
8 Mins. 

Palace, N. Y. 

Comprised of two males and two 
distaffers, the Windsors are mak- 
ing their first theatre appearance 
at the Palace. Members of the 
quartet had previously sung in- 
dividually in various operettas 
throughout the country. In band- 
ing together, they’ve come up with 
an entertaining act that’s good for 
spotting in mokt show biz media. 

Quartet gives effective solo and 
group vocalling to their rendi- 
tions, which include a medley of 
operetta and operatic numbers. 
They’re also a presentable-looking 
crew, with Dennis Love, Emalyn 
Remmel, Norman Wigget and Mar- 
lys Johnston making up the four- 
some. Jess. 


CHARLES MANNA 
Comedy 
12 Mins. 

Village Vanguard, N.Y. 

Charles Manna, a newcomer to 
niteries, looms as a promising comic. 
A pleasant looking lad, he has 
a seemingly original vein of humor 
running through his work. He has 
a great degree of sophistication 
which he is able to translate into 
language that the general viewer 
can appreciate even with a few 
drinks. He has a refreshing view- 
point on many of his subjects. 

Manna has a wide variety of 
material which will ultimately 
make him eligible for most spots. 
At this time, he can hold down an 
assignment in the intimeries and 
should be able to pick up a few 


quid in some video guesters. 
Manna ribs such diverse items as 
television, sports, names and oth- ! 
ers. He does it charmingly and , 
with a lot of ease. He is still in 
need of further grooming, but the 
*)Udp|Aa sj deip spo jo i«uu<Hod I 


House Reviews 


Jose. 


BOBBY DAE & BABS 
Dance 

7 Mins. • 

Palace, N. Y. 

Bobby Dae & Babs are a like- 
able tap team. Duo give a fresh 
appearance and execute their rou- 
tines capably. Turn is fashioned 
along usual lines and as such is 
limited to filler status. Couple, 
neatly garbed, hold down the 
opening slot on the current Palace 
bill. 

Teeing off turn with a vocal 
rendition of “Just One of Those 
Things.” pair switch to terping, 
with femme eventually slipping 
from a gown to n briefer costume 
for an okay mambo demonstration 
with her partner. Jess. 


EVIE LYNN 
Dance 
15 Mins. 

Bellevue Casino, Montreal 

Evie Lynn, a well-endowed terp- 
ster, is a cincneroo for the current 
Bellevue Casino productions with 
her neat interpretive hoofing. Of 
medium height and loaded with 
personality. Miss Lynn mixes the 
neaivexotic routines with ballet for 
solid audience attention. 

In her present Natalie Kamarova 
show casings. Miss Lynn shows to 
best advantage in the “Winter 
Wonderland” and “Mambo” se- 
quences, with a single spot in the 
former that picks up solid mitting. 
Legit training is apparent in most 
dances offered and overall attrac- 
tiveness makes it a sure bet for 
any visual medium. Newt. 


Customers Want 

Continued from page 47 

of the house which had quite a few 
words to contribute. Frequently, 
the rest of the audience laughed 
more at the gratis contributions 
than from those of the pros. 

At the end of the show, Badu, 
Del Campo and a few other males 
from the layout invited femmes up 
for a few steps of the mambo. The 
audience seemed quite satisfied 
about the democratic procedure in 
running the show, as well as the 
entertainment aspects of the bill. 

Miss Felix brought in quite a 
coutouriere collection. From 
among the Latin conversation, one 
could pick out such words as Fath. 
Dior, Balenciaga, et al. For $15,- 
000 Miss Felix at least brought a 
wardrobe, if not an act. 

And as for the rest of the show, 
it was made very evident at the be- 
ginning that Montalban must have 
had some angle or some pressure 
in booking Perla Mar, a very pretty 
girl, but who shows very little tal- 
ent in the song and dance lines. 
Montalban can recognize talent and 
no show'men would set this kind 
of turn unless the heat was on. 

A pleasant singing act is the Ca- 
ribe Trio, two guitars, marracas 
and three voices. Their rhythms 
are easy to take, albeit carrying 
very little excitement. 

There were three talking comics 
— Willie Chevalier, who emceed 
most of the show; Perucho Iri- 
goyen, a popular comic in the area, 
and the mono-monickered Trosky, 
who punctuated his talk with a 
comedy in drag. The customers 
liked it. 

The Rafael Munoz orch provided 
good showbacking throughout. Pic, 
“Camelia,” is a Latin version of 
the familiar story of the Lady of 
the Camellias* with a bullfight 
background. The star was Maria 
Felix — the same. Jose. 


RAPS GRIND FILM SHOWS 


Brit. Attorney Sex Continuous 
Screenings Insult Good Pix 


Manchester, Feb. 15. 

Continuous performances are an 
insult to a good film, according to 
attorney Frank Johnson, speaking 
before Manchester exhibitors. 

“Can you imagine any theatre 
or ballet allowing folks to walk in 
and out .at any stage of the per- 
formance?” he asked. “Is the show 
so "poor that it isn’t worth waiting 
to see the film from the begin- 
ning.” 

He did not think it necessary, 
even for town cinemas, to show 
double-feature programs. 

Johnson said it was time the 
film companies and producers . re- 
duced the colossal waste of coin in 
Hollywood and elsewhere. High 
price film rights of plays and sto- 
ries led to high film rentals. 


Chicago* Chi 

Chicago, Feb. 11. 
Gaylords (3), Roy Hamilton, 
Jack Carter, Bud & Cece Robin- 
son, Louis Basil Orch; “ Three ' 
Ring Circus ” (Par), 


Current layout at the Chicago 
is well-balanced, with three major 
spots filled by turns of substantial j 
quality, and introed by a sock terp 
warmup act. 

The Gaylords keep the crowd 
entertained and in their seats with 
a well-paced turn composed in ; 
equal parts of novelty and tune- ! 
fulness. Accompanying themselves 
on the bass and 88, this trio leans : 
heavily on the numbers, most of 
them with Italian-American type 
lyrics, which made their first re- 
cording splash. Such novelties as 
“From the Vine Came the Grape’’ \ 
and "The Little Shoemaker” reg- 
ister good response. In addition 
to the tried and true, The Gaylords 
devote the bulk of their turn to an 
ingenious novelty number, the 
“Mama and Papa” polka, a pot- \ 
pourri of dialect lyrics which j 
seems to sit right with the audi - 1 
ence. 

Roy Hamilton, sepia chanter, j 
displays poised showmanship and 
pleasing pipes in his first appear- 
ance here. Songster has a torchy, 
brooding type of delivery which 
goes over well, though at some 
points it seems a little forced, 
particularly in the offering of i 
“Ebbtide.” “From Here To Eter- 
nity” gets a new twist when de- 
livered as an uptune by this vo- 
calist, but the effect is pleasant. A 
tendency to too - fancy, overly 
drawn-out offbeat stylings appears 
occasionally in such numbers as 
“If I Loved You.” 

Jack Carter handles the comic 
end of this layout in a manner 
best appreciated by those who 
haven’t already seen some of his 
material on television. Carter ribs 
imaginatively all over the lot, 
ranging from a European travel 
bit which is an opportunity to use 
some clever dialect material, spoof- 
ing television commercials and 
modern song styling. Comic’s ma- 
terial is well diversified and his 
carbons are hilarious exaggera- 
tions. 

Show is introed by pair of top- 
rank hoofers. Bud and Cece Robin- 
son, who do a smash job of warm- 
ing up the house for what follows. 
Duo is exceptionally well-costumed 
and shows virtuosity, in a series of 
terp impressions ranging through 
20 years of dance crazes, from the 
Charleston to the Lindy. Team 
gets big applause. 

Lou Basil and the house orch 
showback neatly. Gabe. 


Empires Glangow 

Glasgow, Feb. 11. 
Carroll Levis & Discoveries with 
Violet Pretty (Allen Robson at 
piano); Edmund Go//ron, Les 
Dounos (2), Bobby Dowds Orch. 


Carroll Levis, Canadian-born 
producer, presents another lineup 
of new youthful vaude talent of 
varying quality. Most of his acts 
are carbon cqpies of established 
British; and American stars and re- 
veal lack of originality. Result is 
uneven entertainment. 

Grace & Mary Butcher, London 
duo, ape the English comedy two- 
some of Elsie & Doris Waters in 
a "Watching the Football Match” 
sketch. Pair have comedy potential 
but should strike a new note. Don 
Paul, young singer, shows his lack 
of newness in the billing, “Britain’s 
Frankie Laine.” 

Rest of new talent as presented 
by Levis shows dearth of ideas. 
Travesties of Norman Wisdom, 
Archie Andrews, Beryl Reid are In 
the standard class. The Barry 
Sisters (3) are a brightly-garbed 
harmony trio. Wendy Edwards 
stands out as a personality distaffer 
in her dancing spot. Michael Mor- 
gan is a so-so comedian. 

First-half of new talent is 
emceed by Violet Pretty, brunet 
looker with good measure of s.a., 
and Levis himself, portly graying 
showman, introduces the second 
art with lots of handclaps and 
ally. He includes in this segment 
the talented male singer Edmund 
Goffron, star of the “Bless the 
Bride” musical, who gives out to 
solid mitting *in a selection of 
tunes. 

Les Dounos are an entertaining 
opening act in knockabout comedy, 
and showbacking is by the Bobby 
Dowds house orch. Layout is not 
a good sign for the quality of up- 
coming talent in the United King- 
dom, where tv and radio success 
is becoming a pattern for new- 
comers as against hard slogging in ! 
vaude as in yesteryear. Imitative 
aspect of show biz is no pointer to . 
type of fodder required. Gord. I 


I’alaee. N. Y. 

Bobby Dam Si Babs, Martin St 
Florenz, Buddy Clayton, Duanos 
( 2 ). Al Gordon, Windsors <4), Cy 
Reeves, Ann Marston, Jo Lom- 
bardi Orch; "So This Is Paris’* 
( U ) reviewed in Variety, Nov. 
17, ’54. 


Vaude bill at the Palace this 
week is generally pleasing. Al- 
though none of the acts is of sock 
calibre, show has enough on the 
ball to keep the customers happy. 
Included in approximately 75- 
minute layout are three turns cov- 
ered under New Acts, Bobby Dae 
& Babs, The Windsors, a vocal 
quartet, and archer Ann Marston. 

Of the other five stints. Al Gor- 
don’s dog act is definitely a plus 
attraction. It’s a potent laugh-get- 
ter, with the mongrels trained to 
ignore Gordon’s commands. Martin 
St Florenz demonstrate topdraw 
puppeleering, augmenting their 
string manipulation with some 
humorous dialog. Top bit is take- 
off on Jimmy Durante, with a 
miniature replica of the comedian 
working over a pintsized baby 
grand. 

In the terp vein, The Duanos 
confine their footwork to ballroom 
routines. Attractively garbed, the 
couple go through the paces grace- 
fully and in class fashion. Buddy 
Clayton does a good job of carbon- 
ing top vocal artists and also does 
some okay piping on his own. Hold- 
ing down the comedy slot, Cy 
Reeves pulls a few laughs, but for 
the most part his material, falls 
short of the mark. 

Ac usual, the Jo Lombardi ag- 
gregation gives show toplevel back- 
ing. Jess. 


Apollo* N. Y. 

Joyce Bryant, Lucky Millindcr 
Orch (14), Three Riffs, Jay 
Smythe, Nipsey Russell, Boliana 
Ivanko Trio; "Taza, Son of 
Cochise’’ t U). 


The Apollo, Harlem's stronghold 
for rhythm & blues, pulled out 
of the groove this sesh for a more 
orthodox vaude layout — and it’x 
a knockout. 

Toplining the house for the firet 
time is the silver-coiffed sepia 
songstress, Joyce Bryant. She’s got 
a solid six-song stint that keeps 
the and entranced all the way. 
Thrush has plenty of style and 
packs a lot of piping emotion as 
she whips through the ballads and 
rhythm numbers. Gets top reaction 
from “Everything I’ve Got,” “You 
Made Me Love You” and the fran- 
tic “Running Wild.” She wraps ’em 
up from the start and doesn’t let 
go until the begoff. 

Bill tees off with Jay Smythe, 
a deft roller-skates tapster. It’s a 
lively opener and he pleases as he 
works the rollers through the 
rhumba, mambo, softshoe and 
Charleston. His flashy windup atop 
a table brings the mitts. 

In the deuce, the Three Riffs 
take over for a neat score. The boys 
have an easygoing stage demeanor 
and display enough wit in their 
songalog to keep everybody happy. 
They start pleasantly with “Jam- 
balaya,” work into a takeoff of the 
Ink Spots with "I’ll Climb The 
Highest Mountain,” and follow' 
with a Billy Daniels carbon of 
“Black Magic.” Encore with a 
smashing “Birth of the Blues” and 
close with a spiritual tagged 
“Amen.” In all, a slick 15-minuter. 

Nipsey Russell, a Harlem peren- 
nial, handles the comedies this 
trip. Material and delivery are par 
for the course but he could do 
better if he tightened it up a bit. 

Lucky Millinder cuts the show 
tastefully and takes over midway 
in the show for a posh workover 
of "The Barefoot Contessa.” The 
Boliana Ivanko Trio, ofay aero 
team, are review in New Acts. 

Gros. 


New $1,000,000 Muny 

Aud. for Pensacola 

Pensacola, Fla., Feb. 15. 

A municipally-owned auditorium 
located on downtown Palafox Pier 
seating approximately 3,000 was 
formally dedicated last week by 
Mayor C. P. Mason. Building, cost- 
ing almost a $1,000,000, will tioW 
make it possible for Pensacola to 
see legit attractions, name bands 
and other touring groups. 

While the auditorium is owned 
by the city, the booking of shows 
and attractions is to be independ- 
ent. One such organization formed 
to handle bookings is the Pensa- 
cola Auditorium Attractions, Byrd 
Sims, manager. 




LEGITIMATE 


W«lnc*day, February 16, 1955 


56 


Shows Out of Town 


llua Slop 

Princeton, Feb. 10. 


Robert Whitehead & Roger L. Stevens 
product ion of drama in t hree acts, by 
William Inge. Features Kim Stanley/ 
Anthony Ross. Elaine Stritch. Jerome 
Courtland. Phyllia Love. Patrick McVey. 
Lou Polan, Crahan Denton. Direction. 
Harold Clurman; scenery, Boris Aronson; 
costumes and lighting. Paul Morrison. At 
McCarter, Princeton. Feb. 10. '53. 

Elina Duckworth Phyllis Love 

(Jrace Hoyland Elaine Stritch 

Will Masterson Lou Polan 

Cherie . . Kim Stanley 

( a il Patrick McVey 

Dr. Gerald Lyman Anthony Ross 

Virgil Blessing Crahan Denton 

Bo Decker Jerome Courtland 


There is much to be said in favor 
of “Bus Stop,” new three-act “ro- 
mance” by William Inge, but also 
are a few things to be said against 
it. As is often the case with a show 


good run for the laugh money by 
Berghof. He reels off a fine char- 
acterization of the middleaged 
hubby who’s been taking the filly 
too much for granted. 

These excellent scenes when the 
wife recounts her near-miss liai- 
sons with the artist suitor and 
when the old boy sets a champagne 
supper trap for his about-to-escape 
butterfly. Clyde Waddell turns in 
a strong supporting contribution 
as the husband's friend in need. 
Willard Thompson is only partly 
successful as the fumbling home- 
breaker while Cheryl Maxwell is | 
okay as the lady about town. 

Hale McKeen’s direction moves 
things along without a hitch in the 
in-the-round layout, giving a fair 
shake to all four sides of the neatly 
refurbished small-seater. Charles 


Xrncible’ at Helsinki 

Helsinki. Feb. 8. 

*“Th« Crucible/' Arthur Miller 
drama about the Salem witch 
hunts, is the outstanding hit of 
the local season. Production at the 
Finnish National Theatre has 
drawn unanimous critical praise 
and excellent attendance. 

Drama was adapted and some- 
what shortened by director Edvin 
Laine, and Rolf Stegars designed 
the scenery. Cast includes Tauno 
Palo, Kaisu Leppanen, Joel Rinne, 
Kyllikki Forssell and L e e n a 
Hakinen. 


at this stage of its tryout, every- 

thing, occasionally even including E van ’ S two sets nicely confine the 
the title, could be changed by the \ uc tjon without restricting the View. 


time it gets to Broadway 

“Bus Stop” tells w hat happens to 
an odd lot of travelers forced to 
spend the night in a small inid- 
Western diner when their bus is 
marooned in a blizzard. It is pretty 
good, if not quite the best. Inge. ! 
After a slow-starting first act, the ' 
play has a brilliant second. There 
are moments of rollicking good 
comedy, others verging on bore- 
dom. There are pointed and poig- 
nant comments about first loves 
and final authorities. But in many 
cases, they are comments without 
conclusions. 

A single major fault, perhaps, is 
a lack of balance, a misplaced em- 
phasis. The character who holds 
the key to the play and around 
whom the theme is built, is not 
the character to whom the audi- 
ence is drawn. The action centers 
around an arrogant, untamed young 
cowboy. He has never failed to 
conquer anything he has set out 
to get. and is in hot pursuit of an 
attractive, but hair-brained young 
nightclub singer whom he has 
forced to accompany him on the 
bus. In the end, he gets the girl, 
but only after a sharp lesson in 
humility. 

But it is not the cowboy, played 
with commendable verve but shal- 
lowness by Jerome Court'and. that 
the audience watches. “Bus Stop” 
belongs to the cowboy’s com fed 
“chantoosy,” played handsomely by 
Kim Stanley. As in Horton Foote’s 
“Traveling Lady” last fall. Miss 
Stanley seems destined once again 
to rise above her company and 
score a personal triumph. • 

Second honors in the play are 
shared by Anthony Ross in a finely 
drawn role of an intellectual in 
search of a discipline he himse’f 
cannot impose, and Phyllis Love 
as the teenager whose affections 
are touched for the first time by 
the older dilettante. 

“Bus Stop” has been ably di- 
rected by Harold Clurman. while 
the interesting setting was created 
by Boris Aronson. Heny. 

< yprienno 

Milwaukee. Feb. 8. 

Drama. Inc. production of comedy in 
three acts (three scenes), by Dorothy 
Monet, based on Victorien Sirrtou's 
"Divorcons." Stars Uta Hagen. Herbert 
Berghof; features, Clyde Waddell. Cheryl 
Maxwell. Willard Thompson. Direction. 
Hale McKeen; scenery. Charles Evan*. At 
Fred Miller Theatre. Milwaukee, Feb. 8; 
* i 50 top. 

Henri dea Prunelles . . . Herbert Berghif 

Josepha Vera Tatum 

Hastien Don Hotlon 

Cyprienne UU Hagen 

Jaques Clavignac Clyde Waddell 

Estelle de Brionne Cheryl Maxwell 

Arthemir de Cratignac Willard Thompson 

Anatole 

A Gendarme 


Comedy runs for two weeks. 

Dave. 


Show on Broadway 


Off-B’way Show 


The Immortal llu* bn ml 

Artists Theatre (in association with 
John Bernard Myers) production of com- 
edy in three acts by James Merrill. 
Direction. Herbert Mai-hiz; scenery and 
costumes, Richard V. Hare; lighting. 
Peggy Clark. At Theatre de Lys, N. Y.. 
Feb. 14. '55; $3.45 top. 

Cgst: Anne Meacham. William Sheidy. 
Mary Grace Canfield, Jean Ellyn. Scott 
Merrill, Frederick Rolf. 


The llPNppralP Hour* 

Howard Erskine & Joseph Hayes pro- 
duction of melodrama in three acts by 
Hayes, based on his own novel. Stars 
Karl Malden. Nancy Coleman; features 
Paul Newman. James Gregory. George 
Mathews. Kendall Clark. Patricia Pear- 
don. Rusty Lane. Direction. Robert Mont- 
omery: scenery and lighting. Howard 
ay; costumes. Robert Randolph. At 
Ethel Barrymore. N.Y., Feb. 10. ' 35 \ $5.75 
top ($7.50 opening). 

Tim Winston Judson Pratt 

Jesse Bard James Gregory 

Harry Carson Kendall Clark 

Eleanor Hilliard Nancy Coleman 

R ilphie Hilliard Malcolm Brodrick 

Dan Hilliard . Karl Malden 


3 


According to mythology. Aurora, 
the goddess of dawn, gave her 
mortal lover, Tithonus, eternal life 
without benefit of perpetual youth. 
“The Immortal Husband” Is poet 
James Merrill’s free treatment of 
this legend. 

In this version. Aurora marries 
her young man in mid-Victorian 
England. When he is 60 years old 
she bears him a son in fin de siecle 
Russia, and when he reaches 120, 
finally deserts him for a romantic 
young American (also married). 
This is tagged a comedy, but stays 
on the philosophical side until the 

Cindy Hilliard Patricia Pear don I * r > K th j rd K a <* wh ® n an ? ent 

Glenn Griffin Paul Newman i husband babbles platitudes from 

Hank Griffin George Grizzard 


Robish George Mathews 

Chuck Wright Fred Elsie v 

Mr. Patterson Wyrlev Bircn 

Lt. Carl Fredericks Rusty Lone 

Miss Swift Mary Orr 


Dalton Dearborn 
Thomas Laughlln 


Thanks largely to Uta Hagen and 
Herbert Berghof. Drama. Inc., Mil- 
waukee’s new community spon- 
sored theatre group, is saved from 
what might have been an embar- 
rassing misfire with this period 
piece domestic comedy. Fortu- 
nately. it’s a victory of skill oVer 
material as the costars succeed in 
animating a flimsy vehicle which 
has no apparent future beyond the 
stock company circuit. 

The French-localed play with 
sex-farce overtones was written by 
Dorothy Monet, based on Victorien 
Sardou’s “Divorcons.” first pro- 
duced in this country in the early 
1900’s. Seemingly there just aren’t 
enough new intriguing doub’e en- 
tendres to be tacked on that ven- 
erable comedy peg that has a bored 
young wife dallying with a con- 


With style and discipline as his 
co-pilots, Joseph Hayes has thrown 
everything into the book — from 
his bestseller of the same name — 
to make “The Desperate Hours” 
Grade-A melodrama. 

The thriller is a chiller and as 
staged by Robert Montgomery, the 
tv tactician, one of the swiftest 
and niftiest jobs that Broadway 
has seen in years. Its pace alone 
is comparable to the ultra-flexi- 
bility of the Hollywood cameras 
with which Montgomery is more 
than a bit familiar as aPtor and 
quondam director. 

The timing is incredibly sure, 
the playing superlative in the stra- 
tegic parts and nearly equal in 
the complementary roles, and 
Howard Bay’s dual-level residen- 
tial set and sidebars, along with 
his lighting, are perfectly mated 


to provide an all-around smash- 
eroo that shapes for a long lease at that are thoughtful, but it doesn’t 


his chaise Jounge. 

Meticulously staged by Herbert 
Maehiz, the play also has the boon 
of some pleasant acting. Anne 
Meacham’s goddess is lithe and 
graceful, keeping a nice touch of 
other worldliqess within the play’s 
quasi-realistic framework. William 
Sheidy, as the aging immortal, 
seems more comfortable in each 
succeeding era, his querulous final 
scene providing most of the eve- 
ning’s levity. 

The balance of the small com- 
pany vary as the years pass. Mary 
Grace Canfield’s rueful quality is 
constantly helpful, especially in her 
poignant scene as a deserted wife. 
Scott Merrill, who seems through- 
out to be intended as a symbol of 
male lustiness, swaggers his way 
into Aurora’s affections. Frederick 
Rolf has a few risible moments as 
Tithonus’ soldier son, and Jean 
Ellyn is gracious, whether as ser- 
vant, chaperone-aunt or nurse. 

The author is long on poetry and 
short on drama. There are agree- 
able moments in his play and many 


the Ethel Barrymore 

Potential as a film — already pro- 
duced by Paramount and sched- 
uled at some later date — is high 
against a minimum of basic re- 
semblance to the “Suddenly” film 


compel. Despite Richard V. Hare’s 
colorful sets, despite Maehiz’ at- 
tention to pictorial detail, despite 
intelligible and handsome actors, 
a strong suspicion lingers that 
“Husband” would be more at home 


starring Frank Sinatra. As a piece in the library than on the stage. 


for the stock company ramparts, 
however, its destiny therein is 
speculative, principally because of 
the heavy physical accoutrements 
encased within a tight and tele- 
scoped area, the requirement ^for 
delicate timing, and fact that the 
fast-mover would tax the troupers, 
since the key roles are all but 
exhausting. 

“Desperate Hours” is taut and 
terrific. With the suspense rising by 
surefire stages to a third-act cres- 
cendo that fills the house with 
electric excitement. It pits a trio 
of prison escapees versus a mid- 
dle class Indianapolis household 
whose occupants are held at gun- 
point throughout, while police 
work on the case in tight, back- 
and-forth action. 

Karl Malden and Nancy Cole- 
man are the beleaguered parents, 
with Patricia Peardon and young- 
ster Malcolm Brodrick as their 
children. Malden's work as the 
courageous husband-father, who's 
kicked around brutally before 
bringing the last of the invaders 
to his doom, is a stunner, played 
with resolve and inner fury that is 
compelling to watch. Miss Cole- 
man gives a tense and properly 
under-orchestrated emotional 


Geor. 


Scheduled N. Y. Openings 

( Theatre indicated if set) 

Tonight Samarkand, M orosco (2-16). 
Wayward taint, Cort (2-17). 

Dark la Light Enough, ANTA (2 23). 

Silk Stockings, Imperial (2-24). 

But Stop, Music Box (3-2). 

Cat on Hot Tin Boot, Morosco (3-24). 
Throo For Tonight, Plymouth (3-31). 
Champagne Complex (wk. 4-4). 

Once Upon Tailor (4-1 1). 

Inherit the Wind (4-11). 

Honey's (4-14). 

Ankles Awolgh, Helllnger (4 18). 

Light Opgra Season, City Center (4 20). 
Damn Yankaos, 46th St. (5-5). 


OFF-BWAY 

Juno A Paycock, Gr'nw’ch Mews (2-12). 
Grass Graonar, Downtown NatT (2-13). 
Bamboo Cross. Black Friars (2 21). 
Merchant Venice, Jan Hus <2 22>. 

Juno A Paycock, Gr n’w'ch Mews (2 12>. 
Throo Sisters. 4th St. (2-25i. 

Shoestring Revue, Pres. (2-28). 

Master Builder, Phoenix (3-D. 

Onco Over Lightly, Barbizon Plaza (3 13). 
Miser, Downtown Nat'l (3-24). 

King Loar, Downtown Nat'l (4-28). 


temporary buck (an artist, of j performance. 


course) only to be won back via a 
wily re-seduction by her older and 
more worldly hubby. There are 
flashes of effective satire on the 
male-female parlay in this rc-do, 
hut too often the plot’s padding 
breaks through, especially in the 
overlong second act. 

What makes it fun when it is 
fun is Miss Hagen’s consistently de- 
lightful comedy flair as the silly 
spouse. Her timing is excellent as 
she shifts emotional gears from 
pout to tease and back again dur- 
ing her hot and cold byplay with 
her -husband; And she's given a. 


Paul Newman, in the part of 
the chief desperado and a com- 
parative newcofner to the street 
ilotsa tv and the one showcasing 
in “Picnic”), rides over the psy- 
chopathic and father-hate over- 
tones to rate a substantial part of 
the plaudits. His accomplices. 
George Grizzard (as his brother) 
and George Mathews, a hulking, 
whiskey loving' illiterate-killer, 
dovetail neatly into the furious 
action. 


stabulary parts are nicely wrought 
by the deputy sheriff of James 
Gregory, the FBI man of Kendall 
Clark and the state trooper of 
Rusty Lane. Mary Orr comes in 
with a laugh-rigged, quasi-panto- 
mime fillip as the kid’s teacher who 
enters upon the scene innocent of 
the goings-on. The lesser roles 
are well handled by Judson Pratt, 
Fred Eiseley and Wyrley Birch. 

The thriller-diller is played 
strictly for effect, with once-over- 
lightly comedy punctuations to re- 
lieve the intensity. It’s a cops- 
and-killers spine-tingler updated 
into a rough, tough gunplay meller 
of whammo dimension that knows 


k vhere it’s going every minute of' 
he way and is a prime model for 
don clearly live up to the demand I other cliffhangers to shoot at. 
oi the Hayes »cript and the eon- i - . . ..... Trail. 


There’s Gold in Them Thar Barns 

( The following it a newt release, reprinted in its entirety ) 

“John Lane, owner and manager of the Ogunquit Playhouse and 
the Manhattan Theatre Colony in Ogunquit, Me., has purchased 
an eight-room house overlooking the ocean on Israel's Head in 
Ogunquit, according to Previews,- Inc. Sturtevant Woodruff of River- 
side, Conn., and C. H. Woodruff of Hemlock. N.Y., sold the property 
through Evan W. Smith, Ogunquit real estate broker. 

“The house, which has porches at either end. is situated so that 
there are ocean views on three sides. It has a 42-foot sunken 
living room with a fireplace, a dining room, kitchen and servant’s 
room with bath on the first floor. Upstairs are four master bed- 
rooms and two baths. Two of the bedrooms open to sun decks. 

“A private path leads from the property to the beach. There is 
a two-car garage included in the sale.” , 


Legit Bits 


Author - actor - director - producer 
Howard Lindsay has been elected 
president of The Players, succeed- 
ing Walter Hampden, who resigned 
last fall after 27 years in office. 
Dennis King was elected first vice- 
president, succeeding Lindsay . . • 
“A Hatful of Rain.” by Michael 
Gazzo, is scheduled for Broadway 
production by Jay Julien, opening 
next Sept. 28 . . . Paul Muni will 
star in “Inherit the Wind.” Jerome 
Lawrcnce-Robert E. Lee drama due 
April 13 on Broadway under the 
sponsorship of Herman Shumlin 
and Margo Jones. 

Oscar Homolka and Joan Tetzel 
(Mrs. Homolka) will play the leads 
in a revival of Ibsen’s “Master 
Builder.” due March 1 at the off- 
Broadway Phoenix, N. Y., for a six- 
week run . . . The Theatre Guild 
is planning a musical version of 
the Alec Guinness-starring British 
film, “The Captain’s Paradise,” 
with Danny Kaye first choice for 
tlie lead, Howard Lindsay and Rus- 
sel Crouse sought as adaptors and 
Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for 
the songs . . . “Lady Liza” is the 
new title for the Alan Jay Lemer- 
Frederick Loewe musical edition 
of “Pygmalion,” which Herman 
Levin plans to produce. on Broad- 
way next season. 

Joseph Verner Reed las week 
was elected board chairman of the 
American Shakespeare Festival 
Theatre & Academy, while Lincoln 
Kirstein and Maurice Evans were 
named vice-presidents, and Roger 
L. Stevens was chosen treasurer. 
Lawrence Langner remains as pres- 
ident and Theresa Helburn secre- 
tary . . . Because of its repeatedly- 
extended tryout tour (12 weeks 
; thus fai l the new Feuer & Martin 
I show is already being tabbed the 
j “national company” of “Silk Stock- 
I ings.” 

Edwin Knill will be general man- 
ager for Gale Stine’s production of 
“Champagne Complex.” skedded 
to open on Broadway the week of 
April 4. Samuel J. Friedman is 
pressagent for the production, 
which will be directed by Michael 
Gordon . . . Shelia Delvin has been 
appointed supervisor of closed cir- 
cuit tv for ANTA. 

Globe International Productions’ 
“One Sign of Spring” and “Day 
After Tomorrow” were given incor- 
rect author billing in last week’s 
Variety. “Spring,” which was a 
tryout folderoo this season under 
the title. “Put Them All Together,” 
is by Theodore Hirsch arid Jeanette 
Patton, while “Day” was scripted 
by Anne Walters. 

Set for the off-Broadway Phoenix 
Theatre’s Monday night “Side- 
show” presentations are Joan Web- 
ster's “White Devil.” March 14. 
with Jack Landau directing; Igor 
Stravinsky’s one-act music drama, 
“L’Histoire du Soldat,” March 28, 
with Franchot Tone, Paul Draper, 


Janice Rule and Edward Caton in 

the cast, and a reading of Herman 
Melville’s “Moby Dick,” April 4, 
with Elliott Silverstein, supervisor 
of the “Sideshow” series, directing 
the Howard Rodman adaptation. 

“The Thorntons,” by Millie Brulil 
Frederick and Irving Strousc, 
skedded for a tryout next summer 
at the Town n’ Country Playhouse, 
Clarence, N. Y. . . . Alfred Drake. 
Doretta Morrow, Joan Diener and 
Albert Marre sailed for London 
last Friday (11) aboard the Queen 
Mary to duplicate their original 
“Kismet” assignments in the West 
End production of the musical. 

Chi Bits 

No replacement set as yet for 
Yui Brynner, who exits as “King 
and I” costar March 19 for a film 
assignment . . . Russell Hicks, of 
the “Caine Mutiny Court Martial” 
cast currently at the Blackstone. 
Chicago, doubling into NBC-TV’s 
“Hawkins Falls’’ serial. Ditto Leo 
Henry, who plays the title role in 
the Playwrights Theatre Club’s 
“Macbeth” . . . Pressagent Harry 
Davies returned to Chicago last 
week in advance of “Tea and Sym- 
pathy" only to learn the Tribune 
had lost a Deborah Kerr color photo 
he’d set last September as an up- 
coming cover for the sheet’s Sun- 
day mag . . . A1 Dalzell checked in 
at Chicago’s Erlanger advancing 
“Dear Charles,” which arrives 
March 7. 

Coast Bits 

Coast producer George Boroff in 
N. Y. to huddle with Roger L. 
Stevens on staging of “Once Upon 
a Tailor” under the Playwrights’ 
Co. banner, and for discussions on 
“The Woman With Red Hair,” cur- 
rent at Boroff’s Circle Theatre in 
Hollywood . . . Alex Gottlieb hops 
to London about April 1 for final 
revision of his play. “Melinda.” 
which Jack Dunphy will produce 
there prior to Broadway opening 
... Arthur Hunnicutt returns to 
stage in “George Washington Slept 
Here.” opening March 15 at Som- 
brero Playhouse. Phoenix. Jim and 
Henry Backus also in cast. 

London Bits 

Beverley Nichols has closed with 
Margaret Hewes and Peter Cotes 
to do his own new play. "Shadow 
of the Vine,” with Per Aabel and 
Joan Miller in top roles. Erio 
Glass agented the deal . . . E. P. 
Clift is dickering with Constance 
Cox for her latest play, “Georgia 
Story,” for West End production . . . 
Gilbert Wakefield’s “Deep Freeze” 
gets simultaneous premieres at 
Copenhagen, Paris, Vienna and 
Milan, with London debut hanging 
fire. 

French composer and disk star 
Pierre Dudan readying a new mu- 
sical based on “Counsel’s 
Opinion.” which Alexander Korda 
filmed as “Divorce of Lady X.” 
It’s to be called “The Gay Q. C.” 


Inside Stuff-Legit 

The comparative frequency of long runs In -West End legit was 
analyzed in a recent feature in the London Times, pegged to the suc- 
cess of “Airs on a Shoestring.” This revue is skedded to fold next 
month after a run of 770 performances at the Royal Court Theatre. The 
war -years, says the Times, were on the whole a period of extraordinary 
prosperity, but what Is significant is the frequency since then of 
relatively longer runs. Their frequency, says the piece, Is evidence 
that theatre managers have retained their hold on that vast new 
audience brought in from the suburbs and city offices when, after the 
war the earlier times of performances (originally Introduced because 
of the blackout), were retained. 

After elaborating on the necessity of artists becoming familiac. with 
long runs, the Times feature suggests that not all artists like them. 
Leading players, it notes, dread extended engagements, hut actors 
with lesser parts, as well as managers and authors are “of another 
opinion.” The survey also analyzes the suggestion that the number of 
| long-runs demonstrates that the West End theatre is booming, and ex- 
i plains how the usual turnover of labor is interrupted. 


AH hough the barn-rebuilding number, the second-act opener of 
“Plain and Fancy,” has been compared to a similar sequence in the 
recent film, “Seven Brides for Severn Brothers,” it actually antedates 
the picture. Librettists Joseph Stein and Will Glickman, lyricist 
Arnold B. Horwitt and composer Albert Hague had the idea of such a 
production number when they first began writing “Plain and Fancy. ’ 
and it is said to be one of the first scenes they got on paoer. Fact that 
the community barn-raising In the legit musical was similar to that 
in the film apparently didn’t disturb “Plain and Fancy” first-nighters 
and wasn’t referred to in tke review's. 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 


57 



Star Responsibilities 

( Following is an editorial, in part, published last fall by Equity, 
official publication of Actors Equity Assn. In the light of subse- 
quent events, it seems particularly significant.) 


Stardom is a very fine achievement and carries with it the recog- 
nition of artistic merit, of the asset of personality which induces 
patrons to attend the theatre primarily because of the presence of 
the star in a production. It includes salary increases and some- 
times percentage agreements, general and flattering recognition 
outside of the theatre and many other intangibles which are satis- 
fying and heartening. 

But with all the aura of success, of recognition and affluence, 
he (the star) has, whether he recognizes it or not, assumed certain 
additional responsibilities with which as a lesser member of the 
theatre he did not need to concern himself to such an extent. And 
not all actors, or actresses either, who have the other qualifica- 
tions for stardom have acquired that feeling of responsibility. 

Now many otherwise excellent players do not realize the impli- 
cations of stardom and some may even resent them. A star may 
object that he did not agree to undertake all of these responsibili- 
ties; that he doesn’t like them and, in short, won’t accept them 

But they are there whether he likes them, or resents them, or 
is willing to live up to them, or not. They go with the job and 
are as much a part of it as the money, prestige and the other 
perequisites of glory. 

Now, her± we are at the beginning of a new season which 
promises to be a good one, and we have or will have a new crop 
of stars coming along, some of whom may not realize all the re- 
sunsibilities of their new positions. 

It is to them, as well as to established stars who may have for- 
gotten or never known the requirements of their exalted position, 
that Equity addresses this general warning. 

Their talents and their behavior are not matters of private 
concern exclusively, any .more. Their activities, for good or bad, 
have a wider range and affect more people and to a greater extent 
than before. 


Rush of B way Closings Last Week; 

3 More Due, Others Are Uncertain 


Closings are finally catching up 
with Broadway. Kicking off a flur- 
ry of Main Stem bowouts were 
three shutterings last Saturday (12) 
and one Sunday ( 13 ». Another 
three entries have set closing dates 
for later this month and early 
March, w’hile three others are bor- 

(lprlinp paepe 

Of the trio that exited last Sat- 
urday, two were hits and the other 
a flop. Payoff duo was “Solid Gold 
Cadillac’’ and “Rainmaker.” For- 
mer show, which had a 66-week 
Broadway run, began a road tour 
Monday (14) at the Colonial, Bos- 
ton. 

"Rainmaker,” on the N. ,Y. 
boards for only 16 weeks, takes to 
the hinterlands Feb. 28, with an 
engagement at the Wilbur, Boston. 
Folderoo was “Grand Prize,” with 
a 21-performance run. An added 
bow-out was the limited-engage- 
ment “Wisteria Trees,” concluding 
the N. Y. City Center drama season. 

Scheduled to end their runs Feb. 
26 are “Mrs. Patterson,” “Peter 
Pan” and “Saint of Bleecker 
Street.” The only one of the trio 
set to tour, “Mrs. Patterson,” has 
'been playing to diminishing gross- 
es for the past few weeks. Biz at 
“Bleecker Street” has been weak, 
forcing the posting of a closing no- 
tice, while “Pan” winds up an ex- 
tended limited engagement. 

In a shaky status are “Tea and 
Symypathy,” “Southwest Corner” 
and “Wedding Breakfast.” Grosses 
at all three have been Slim lately, 
and “Tea” is further jeopardized 
Feb. 26 with the exit of Joan Fon- 
taine as star. Weekly grosses on 
“Breakfast” have been hovering 
around the $10,000 mark since its 
opening 13 weeks ago. 

“Corner,” in its third week, 
doesn’t appear to be picking up 
steam, with gross for its first full 
week around $8,000. 

Up until now, the season has 
been unusual in not having any 
stampedes of closings. 

‘Joan,’ With Irish Lead, 

Set for West End Run 

London, Feb. 15. 

Hailed on its original production 
at the Arts Theatre Club recently, 
Bernard Shaw’s “Saint Joan,” with 
Irish actress Siobhan McKenna in 
the title role, has been transferred 
almost unchanged to the St. Mar- 
tin’s Theatre, opening last Tues- 
day (8). 

Presented by Henry Sherek and 
directed by John Fernald, the pro- 
duction is notable for the strength 
of the stellar portrayal, which was 
generally acclaimed by the press. 
It looks set for a healthy run. 


Tour ‘Trap’ on 25G Nut; 
Rental-Purchase Deal 

Touring edition of “Tender 
Trap” is financed at $25,000. Com- 
edy, managed by Arthur Waxman, 
Jay Luyre and Bernard Simon, 
was acquired by the trio from 
the original producer, Clinton 
Wilder, on a rental - purchase 
deal, plus royalty. Road producers 
pay Wilder rent for the physical 
production up to an undisclosed 
ceiling, after which it becomes 
their property outright. 

Authors Max Shulman and Rob- 
ert Paul Smith are taking a cut 
in royalties until the $25,000 capi- 
talization is recouped. After show 
pays off, royalties to the authors 
increase on a graduating scale. 
However, if show has any losing 
weeks, all payments to producer 
and playwrights are waived. 

“Trap,” which ran on Broadway 
for 13 weeks under Wilder’s spon- 
sorship, had a pre-production film 
sale, which was instrumental in 
giving the show a $15,000-$20,000 
profit. 

‘MOON’ IS STILL BRIGHT; 
ANOTHER $8,500 DIWY 

“Moon Is Blue” is continuing as 
an annuity for backers of the orig- 
inal Broadway production. After 
almost four years, investors are 
still receiving dividends. Latest 
distribution to backers, as of a Dec. 
31 accounting, was $8,500, bringing 
the total profit return to $333,500 
on the original $75,000 stake. 

Total net profit, according to the 
accountant’s statement, was $333,- 
501, leaving a $1 balance after the 
$8,500 payoff. Distribution was in- 
come received from the current 
George Brandt touring company, 
plus foreign royalties. Brandt's 
road show, starring Jerome Cowan, 
has brought in $8,052, while the 
take from foreign productions was 
$331. 

The F. Hugh Herbert comedy, 
produced by Richard Aldrich & 
Richard Myers, in association with 
Julius Fleischmann, opened in the 
spring of 1951 and had a 924-per- 
formance Broadway run, earning 
$208,131 profit. Film sale coin, 
sale of stock rights and other sub- 
sidiary rights provided the balance 
of the revenue. 

There were also t\vo road com- 
panies, each separately financed, 
one at $60,000 and the other at 
$50,000. The second production 
earned a $160,593 profit, while the 
third came out even. 


F 




■> 


ILL' SII1IIS PERIL Cy & Ernie, Modern But Classic; 

Who Can Argue With 100% Hits? 



By HOBE MORRISON 


This has become the season for 
legit star “temperaTnent.” Not in 
many years have ill health and/or 
emotionalism or public misbe- 
havior created so many “incidents” 
or jeopardized so many shows. 

That is highlighted by last week’s 
events involving 'Paul Douglas, co- 
star of a touring company of 
“Caine Mutiny Court Martial,” and 
Eartha Kitt, star of the Broadway 
production of “Mrs. Patterson,” 
soon to tour. Also, David Poleri 
left the cast of “Saint of Bleecker 
Street” on Broadway to fly to 
Italy. Illness was later given as 
the reason. 

Of course, ill health may be and 
frequently is genuine and unpre- 
ventabie, and even more regret- 
table for the star involved than i 
for the others It affects. It is, ! 
therefore, always difficult and risky ! 
to fingerpoint in any specific case. 

Nevertheless, this season has 
been notable for the ill health or 
antics of name performers endan- 
gering the continuation of legit 
shows, both on Broadway and the 
road. For instance, whatever the 
real explanation, Betsy von Fur- 
stenberg’s backstage actions and 
unauthorized absence from the cast 
of "Oh Men, Oh Women” were 
hardly calculated to prolong the 
Broadway run of the Edward Chod- 
orov comedy. 

Jean Arthur’s illness, which 
Actors Equity became convinced 
was not only genuine but serious, 
directly forced the closing of the 
Producers Theatre revival of 
“Saint Joan.” Also, Tyrone Pow- 
er's attack of hepatitis (a form of 
jaundice), which he at first tried 
to ignore but which was too serious 
to permit his continuing to give 
performances, forced the current 
two-week postponement of the 
Broadway preem of “The Dark Is 
Light Enough.” 

Squabb'es And Denials 

Some weeks ago, during the 
“House of Flowers” tryout in 
Philly, Pearl Bailey suddenly be- 
came ill backstage after a squabble 
with director Peter Brook, and 
was out of the cast for several 
performances. There were elab- 
orate explanations and denials af- 
( Continued on page 58) 


Fanny’ Readies 
Payoff March 5 

“Fanny,” w’hich is due to recoup 
its production cost by Feb. 26, will 
repay the balance of its $275,000 
investment to the backers by March 
15, after 18 weeks on Broadway. 
That’s on the basis of a continua- 
tion of its present standee-limit 
business at the Majestic, N. Y. 

The David Merrick-Joshua Logan 
production has already returned 
40% of capital and repaid another 
20% last Friday (11), bringing the, 
total capital return to $165,000. It 
is earning about $19,000 a week 
operating profit. 

There is active Hollywood in- 
terest in the film rights to the S. 
N. Behrman-Joshua Logan-Harold 
Rome musical adaptation of three 
Marcel Pagnol stories, but a Para- 
mount offer of a down payment 
plus a sliding scale arrangement 
to a $500,000 ceiling was nixed 
last week. 

Uta Hagen, Berghof Mull 
Barn Tour in ‘Cyprienne’ 

Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof, 
costarring last week and this in 
"Cyprienne,” at the Miller Theatre. 
Milwaukee, hope to appear in the 
comedy later this winter with Lee 
Falk’s stock company in Nassau,. 
B.W.I. They also have in mind a 
strawhat tour in the play next sum- 
mer and possibly a Broadway pro- 
duction next fall. 

Script has been adapted by 
Dorothy Monet from Sardou’s 
“Divorcons.” 


Realism 

Toronto, Feb. 15. 

Donald Davis, appearing in 
a play at the Crest Theatre 
here last week, had his car 
stolen from a parking lot. 

Actor was starring in Dalton 
Trumbo’s "The Biggest Thief 
in Town.” 


Road Teahouse’ 
Goes Into Black 

Touring edition of “Teahouse of 
the August Moon,” repeating the 
success of the original, is due to 
get into the bllck next week, its 
11th. The show, separately financed 
at $65,000, cost approximately 
$58,000 to produce and as of last 
Saturday night (12) needed only 
about $10,000 to Yecoup. 

The Howard Lindsay-Russell 
Crouse venture repaid $32,500 to 
the backers last week. Figuring 
transportation costs in the move 
next weekend from Los Angeles 
to San Francisco, it should net 
around $8,000 this week, so it's a 
cinch to get into the clear on its 
initial stanza in the latter city. 

The John Patrick-Vern Sneider i 
comedy, costarring Burgess Mere- I 
dith and Scott McKay, will have ! 
played six weeks at the Biltmore, 
L. A., and will remain indefinitely 
at the Curran, S. F. It will then 
play the northwest, after which 
bookings haven’t seen set. It may 
return to L. A. next summer, but 
also has the midwest and other 
areas asking for dates. 


OPPOSE PLAN TO RAZE 
2 WEST END THEATRES 

London r Feb. 15. 

Reports that two West End 
theatres are to be pulled down to 
make way for office buildings have 
provoked a political storm in the 
House of Commons and the Lon- 
don County Council. A national 
campaign has also been launched 
to save the two houses, the St. 
James’s in Piccadilly and the Stoll, 
Kingsway. 

As part of the drive, British Ac- 
tors Equity has enlisted the aid of 
a number of organizations that 
have promised a last ditch support 
to help save the houses, while 
letters to the press have indicated 
widespread national support. At 
a recent meeting of the LCC it 
was reported that applications to 
pull down both theatres and erect 
offices on the sites had been re- 
ceived, but no firm decisions had 
been taken. 

Building Violations 
Threaten Chi Thespers 

Chicago, Feb. 15. 

Playwrights Theatre Club, sole 
local year-around professional 

stock group, narrowly escaped the 
closing of its Near North quarters 
last week because of building code 
violations. Order to close within 
five days was lifted temporarily j 
after Club execs and attorney , 
Richard Orlioff met with code 
inspectors and agreed to make the 
necessary alterations. 

The building commissioner’s of- 
fice was tipped on the violations 
by an anonymous telephone call. 
Commissioner charged the second- 
floor theatre contained a number { 
of fire ordinance violations such as ! 
movable chairs and combustible 1 
drapes and scenery. 

Playwrights last summer ran 
afoul city inspectors when they at- 
tempted to put on a Shakespearan 
festival in the courtyard of the 
Art Center on Lake Shore Dr. | 
Zoning laws were invoked and the 
i project was dropped. i 


Cy Feuer and Ernest H. Martin 
are unique among contemporary 
legit producers, not so much for the 
fact that they’ve had an uninter- 
rupted succession of hits, but be- 
cause of the way they put their in- 
dividual stamp on their shows. 
That is the opinion of a rival pro- 
ducer, a thoughtful observer of the 
Broadway theatre. 

"Feuer & Martin are a paradox,” 

this producer asserts. “They use 
the most up-to-the-minute methods 
and their shows are in the latest 
form and are done in the most 
modern techniques. Yet Feuer & 
Martin, virtually alone among to- 
day’s producers, retain control over 
their shows. When they hired pri- 
vate detectives to exclude author- 
composer Sandy Wilson and direc- 
tor Vida Hope from the rehearsals 
of The Boy Friend,’ it was like 
the old days of Ziegfeld, Frohman 
and Belasco. What other producer 
of today would dare do such a 
thing? 

“As producers, Cy and Ernie are 
wonderfully single-track-minded,” 
the speaker explains. “They’re in 
the business of producing hits, and 
they don’t let precedent, sentiment 
or anyone’s feelings, their own in- 
cluded, stand in the way. What’s 
tnore, they’re apparently ready to 
go to bat with anybody, from name 
authors and directors and the 
Dramatists Guild to Music Corp. of 
America and the Shuberts. 

“There's something refreshingly 
old - fashioned about it — old-fash- 
ioned and healthy. No wonder they 
have had nothing but hits and make 
nothing but money. They have good 
judgment on scripts, songs and 
production matters; they’re effici- 
ent and tireless, and they’re not 
afraid of making enemies. As a 
fellow -producer, sure I’m envious — 
why shouldn’t I be? But I’ll bet 
(Continued on page 58) 

London Legit Theatres 
Would Limit Firstnight 
Passes; Foreign Crix Hit 

London, Feb. 15. 

A rigid plan for limiting press 
ducats on opening nights is under 
consideration by the Society of 
West End Theatre Managers. They 
have already had preliminary con- 
fabs with reps of the Assn, of Lon- 
don Theatre Press Agents. 

The plan under discussion is to 
restrict the number of invitations 
to 40 in the case of small theatres, 
rising to 50 in the medium-size 
houses and with a maximum of 65 
for the very large theatres used 
for big-scale musicals. 

Adoption of this restricted 
schedule would affect many ac- 
credited press reps who are ac- 
customed to firstnight facilities. It 
would certainly hit the entire for- 
eign press, many of whom put 
their reviews and news features on 
the wire immediately after the 
opening. 

‘GAME’ MAIL ORDERS IN 
PITT FOR APRIL STAND 

Pittsburgh, Feb. 15. 

Nixon Theatre shattered local 
precedent last week with mail 
order ads in the dailies for the 
engagement of "Pajama Game,” 
opening April 4. It was the first 
time in Pitt history that tickets for 
a legiter were ever made available 
two months in advance. 

Understood the reason for the 
far-ahead move is that the produ- 
cers had originally promised the 
Nixon three weeks of "Game” and 
then decided maybe two weeks 
would be enough. Gabe Rubin, 
managing director of the'atre, is 
convinced show could sell out for 
three stanzas, however, and hopes 
a flood of early mail orders will 
bear out his contention. 

So the touring edition of the 
Broadway musical hit is still hold- 
ing open the week of April 18. 


58 


LEGITIMATE 


Wednesday, February 16, 1953 


Shows 

■f • 

Saint *l«an 

• London. Feb. 10. 

Ilrnry Sherek revival of drama in three 
acta by Bernard Shaw. Stars Slobhan 
McKenna. Direction. John Fermldt 
scenery and costumes. Paul Mayo and 
Michael Ellis. At St. Martins’ Theatre. 
London. Feb. 8. ‘95; 82.30 top. 

Joan . . Siob.ian McKenna 

nerlrand de Poulenfey. Peter Whitbread 
Archbishop of Rhelms Frank Koyde 

Monseigneur de la TremouiUe 

Edmund Gray 

GiUes de Kals Seymour Green 

Captain de la Hire Stewart Weller 

Dauphin . . Kenneth Williams 

Dueness de la TremouiUe 

Rowena Ingram 

Dunois Robert Cartland 

Peter Cauchon Oliver Burt 

Inquisitor Chas. Lloyd Pack 

Brother Martin Iadvenu Desmond Jordan 

When “Saint Joan" was revived 
recently at the Arts Theatre Club, 
Siobhan McKenna’s stellar por- 
trayal drew unanimous huzzahs 
. from the London critics, and this 
prompted Henry Sherek to take 
over the bulk of the company for 
a regular West End run. It looks 
like a shrewd decision which 
should pay off financially and 
artistically. 

Shaw’s drama of the Maid of 
Orleans is given fresh and vigorous 
tieatment by John Fernald’s deci- 
sive direction, but the entire pro- 
duction is allowed to revolve round 
the star. And rightly so, for her 
sincere and Impressive perform- 
ance has a rare magnetic appeal 
and is the main b.o. asset of "the 
show. 

Miss McKenna, whose Irish 
brogue has a fascination of its own, 
portrays the simple peasant girl- 
saint with a touching naivette. Her 
real dramatic strength emerges, 
however, in the momentous trial 
scene. 

In the large cast, Kenneth Wil- 
liams as the Dauphin and Charles 
Lloyd Pack as the Inquisitor stand 
out. The other roles are suitable 
filled. Decor and costumes hit the 
right note. Myro. 

The GIiomI Wrilern • 

London, Feb. 10. 

Art* Theatre Club, by arrangement 
with Oscar Lewenstetn. production of 
drama in three acts, by Ted Allen. Stars 
George Coulouris. Direction, Bernard 
Braden; scenery. Paul Mayo. At Arts 
Theatre Club. London, Feb. 9. '55; 81.50 
top. 

Paul Finch George Coulouris 

Barber Stuart Hutchison 

Mike Bedford Jerr^ Stovin 

Nick Lovell Gordon Tenner 

Bruce Martin Lew Davidson 

Maggie Paulle Clark 

Ralph Sherman John Colicos 

Julia Bedford Andree Melly 

Marge Lovell Jill Melford 

Secretary Sheila Mackenzie 

A starkly dramatized picture of 
Hollywood in the grip of Congres- 
sional investigation is painted by 
Ted Allen in “The Ghost Writers.” 
It has little light or shade and 
might be described as a political 
leaflet in three acts. Although 
it should hold firm for its limited 
run at this club theatre, it is a 
questionable bet for West End 
transfer and an explosive subject 
for Broadway. 

Facts, like beauty, are a matter 
for the beholder. The playwright 
gives his impression of the Holly- 
wood scene and a grim picture it is. 
Named writers are selling their 
scripts for a pittance without 
screen credits, and despicable lit- 
tle characters without talent suc- 
ceed In getting on to the studio 
payroll with long-term contracts by 


Abroad 





fsiisp 

Call Mo Immodialoty I 

(Agent* and Producers, That Is) 
PLaia 7-6300 

ROYCE KANE 

Character Actress 
Credits; 

A round two doton dramatic tv shows, 
•roadway and Summor Stack. 

Tv Commercials. 


means of evidence they are pre- 
pared to fake. 

Author Ted Allen has chosen 
as his central character a glib, fast- 
talking producer who is quite will- 
ing to go in for this under-the- 
counter trading and cash in on the 
high-grade scripts which he is able 
to buy for a few bucks. The victim 
is a named scripter who is awaiting 
a rap for ’contempt, but meantime 
pursuing a breach claim against his 
former studio. An active observer 
Is a young, almost naive Canadian 
writer who revolts against the 
Hollywood convention of putting a 
fast buck before principle. 

Bernard Braden's direction lacks 
the force and urgency which the 
script demands, and there is evi- 
dence of inadequate rehearsal. 
Despite this, there are some solid 
performances, notably by George 
Coulouris as the producer, Jerry 
Stovin as the Canadian, and Gor- 
don Tenner as the named writer, 
Jill Melford shines in one scene as 
the latter’s wife. Myro. 


Pygmalion 

Paris, Feb. 1. 

Jean Marais production of comedy in 
two acts (five scenes), by George Bernard 
Shaw, adapted by Augustin ana Henriette 
Hamon, new version by Claude-Andre 
Puget. Direction, costumes and sets by 
Jean Marais. At Bouffea-Pariaiens Thea- 
tre. Paris. Jan. 27. '55; $3 top. 

Eliza Doolittle Jean Moreau 

Henri Higgins Jean Marais 

Madame Pearce Suzanne Dehclly 

Alfred Doolittle ....... . Noel Roquevert 

Col. Pickering Michael Etcheverry 

Madame Higgins Colette Regis 

Sarcastic Bystander Alain Nobis 

Zara Hill Francoise Soulie 

Madame Hill Blanche Ariel 

Fred Hill J. C. Fontana 

Vulgar Bystander Paul Rieger 

Chamber Maid Hugette Donga 

Passerby Leon Schultz 

Passerby . Yvonne Marial 

Woman of the People ... Andree Lelievre 


The plays of Bernard Shaw, 
handicapped by dull French ver- 
sions made by his Belgian Social- 
ist friends, Augustin and Henriette 
Hamon, to whom he entrusted ex- 
clusive French translation rights, 
have never gotten to first base in 
France. Sole exception was “Saint 
Joan,” produced by the Pitoeffs in 
1925. 

Now, 41 years after its first ap- 
pearance in London, “Pygmalion” 
is at last a Paris hit thanks to a 
bright, fresh version by capable 
playscribe, Claude-Andre Puget, 
which carrys over the Shavian 
humor and satire, and a stylish, 
well-acted production that makes 
the most of the sprightly dialogue 
and situations. The comedy has 
broken the house record at the 
100-year-old Bouffes-Parisiens, a 
theatre once managed by Offenbach 
and the site of the premieres of 
most of his operettas; 

Jean Marais, legit-film matinee 
idol, one. of the few screen stars 
who can draw his screen fans into 
a playhouse, has directed the new 
staging in addition to designing its 
scenery and costumes and playing 
lead as Prof. Higgins. /Jean 
Moreau, a talented film beauty, 
scores strongly as the guttersnipe 
Eliza Doolittle, the slum girl who 
has all Mayfair ..and her professor 
at her feet before evening is out. 

All supporting roles have been 
artfully cast, with Noel Roquevert 
as Eliza’s comic cockney father, 
Michel Etcheverry as Higgins’ 
smooth colleague, Suzanne De- 
helly as the prim housekeeper, Col- 
ette Regis as the professor’s un- 
derstanding mother and J. C. Fon- 
tana as a nit-witted playboy who 
courts Eliza. 

Success of “Pygmalion” has 
kindled interest here in produc- 
tion of other Shaw plays, though 
revisions of the old Hamon trans- 
lations is an admitted necessity. 
Revivial of this one profits enor- 
mously from intelligent direction 
and sure-fire performances, as 
well as from the adaptation and 
attractive costumes and sets. 

Curt. 


G«*n«»raf iom k n 

(Generations) 

Berlin, Jan. 31. 

Frele Volkabuehne production of drama 
in four acts, by Gert Weymann. Stars 
Herbert Huebner. Paul Edwin Roth. Anne- 
marie Steinsieck. Direction. Christoph 
Grosser; scenery, Ekkehard Cruebler. At 
Theater am Kurfuerstendamm, Berlin; 
82.30 top. 

Prof. Baum Herbert Huebner 

Mathilde Annemarie Steinsieck 

Rolf Paul Edwin Roth 

Von Schneidewitz Otto Stoeckel 

Wanda ...» Use Fuerstenberg 

Hilde v. Schneidewitz Marion Dealer 

Bodo v. Schneidawitz. . . . Wolfgang Woelz 

Klaus Krueger Gerd Martienzen 

Sierins Hans Albert Martens 

“Generations” is by Gert Wey- 
mann, one of Germany’s most 
promising young writers and co- 


THEATER DE LYS 

NOW BOOKING for SUMMER, 1955 

for information: writo Anita Pott, Ganaral Manager, 

121 Christopher St„ NYC or Phone WA 4-6232; WA 4-8782 


winner of last year’s Gerhart 

Hauptmann Prize. Dealing with 
German postwar problems, the 
tragicomedy is plire accusation 
against German elements that 
seem to have forgotten about their 
country’s past and now feel them- 
selves “good democrats.” Such 
works usually have tough sledding 
in the repertoire of local theatres. 

Whatever the play’s political 
point of view', its general impact is 
strong. It may even have a chance 
for the U. S.. perhaps getting at- 
tention for its treatment of Ger- 
man postwar problems which are 
also of international and general 
human interest. 

Piece shows the contrast between 
the older anjl younger generation 
after Germany’s recent defeat. 
Story involves a war veteran just 
returned from captivity in Siberia, 
and his career-conscious father,' a 
professor who faithfully served un- 
der Hitler and now is due to get 
a top local political position. Latter 
fears that the dark spot in his 
son’s wartime past (he hung five 
soldiers because of desertion) may 
threaten his career and manages it 
to put his son’s deed in a more 
favorable light via a newsaper ar- 
ticle, incidentally easing his own 
conscience by explaining “Tiis son 
did it by command of his 
superiors.” 

The son, however, feels respon- 
sible for the death of the five sol- 
diers. The message going through 
the w'hole play is that nobody is 
free from human guilt, even if he 
did something wrong by superior 
command. “Generations” also ar- 
gues that a man’s politics rather 
than his ability is a vital factor, 
that there’s only a short step from 
concession to corruption and that 
too many Germans merely turn 
their coats when a new regime 
takes over the power. 

“Generations.” w'hich was given a 
studio production, is not clear-cut 
all the way and some of the char- 
acters appear rather vague, yet this 
doesn’t spoil the overall impres- 
sion. It’s one of the most important 
provocative German plays written 
since World War II. The dialog is 
tight and there are brillliant com- 
edy lines. 

Direction by Christoph Groszer 
is first-rate, and Ekkehard Grueb- 
16r’s single living room set adds 
authentic flavor. The action is kept 
rolling swiftly. Herbert Huebner 
as the professor and Paul Edwin 
Roth as the returned soldier make 
full use of their possibilities. Anne- 
marie Steinsieck as the professor’s 
w ife, has a number of good scenes. 

Otto Stoeckel portrays a retired 
colonel competently, as does Ilse 
Fuerstenberg, but Gerd Martien- 
zen’s role as young reporter ap- 
pears not clear enough. A good 
supporting performance is turned 
in by Hans Albert Martens in the 
part of a town-concillor. Marion 
Degler and Wolfgang Voelz are 
okay In short roles. flans. 


Montfwrrat 

Zurich, Jan. 29. 

Schauapielhau* production of drama In 
three acta, by Emmanuel Roblen; German 
adaptation, M. Vereno. Direction, Kraft- 
Alexander; aet, Hannea Mever: technical 
director. Franz Eberhard; lighting, Kurt 
Rrogli. Tt Theatre am Neumarkt, Zurich, 
Jan. 28. '55. 

Izquierdo Sigfrit Steiner 

Montaerrat Wolfgang Stendar 

Morales Kan Wagner 

Zuazola Eduard Abel 

Antonanzaa Hans Jedlitschka 

Father Coronil Heinz Woester 

Potter Friedrich Braun 

Merchant Edwin Parker 

Mother Anneliese Betachart 

Actor Hans-Helmut Dickow 

Ricardo Peter Brogle 

Elena Beatrice Foehr-Waldeck 


This is Schauspielhaus* first *54- 
’55 production away from its own 
house. It’s at the small Theatre 
am Neumarkt. destined as an outlet 
for offbeat plays as well as for the 
younger set of players who are 
rarely able to grab any juicy parts 
at regular performances. 

“Montserrat,” first drama by 
French novelist Emmanuel Robles 
is an excellent choice, offering a 
variety of topflight roles, beside 
being a shocker whose tension 
builds up to a nerveracking climax. 
It has already failed in the U.S., 
as adapted by Lillian Heilman. 

Aided by excellent reviews, this 
could easily develop into a sleeper 
here. ‘Staging by Kraft-Alexander 
is standout and shows a lot of 
promise for this young director. 
Hannes Meyer’s one set, simple 
but effective, contributes impor- 
tantly to the sombre atmosphere. 

Performances range from fine to 
superb. In the laUer category are 
Sigfrit Steiner as the sadistic 
officer, and Anneliese Betschart, 
Erwin Parker and Hans-Helmut 
Dickow as hostages. Mezo. 

Equity Shows 

(Feb. 14-27) 


i Man In Whit*— Lenox Hill Playhouse. 
N Y. <18 20*; Clinton H.S., Bronx. N Y. 
<25 26*. 

Bryant H.S., Queens, N.Y. 

j (18 19). 


Cy & Ernie, Modern but Classic 

■— - Continued from page 51 ■ — - 


their new show, ‘Silk Stockings,’ 
will be a smash. I only wish I had 
it, right now. 

“The boys drive everybody they 
work with a bit crazy, of course. 
What would you expect? They’re 
perfectionists. As I understand it, 
Cy used to be a difficult guy when 
he. was musical director of Univer- 
sal Pictures in Hollywood. He was 
never satisfied with less than the 
best, so, naturally, he was tough to 
work with. They tell ine he’s slill> 
a nice guy, but still difficult to 
please about a show, at least his 
own show. 

Tough Realists 

“Ernie was a brash production 
executive and ex-page boy with 
CBS in Hollywood. He was a freak 
in that paradise of yes-men, never 
hesitating to contradict Bill Paley 
himself, and he got away with it 
because he wasn’t afraid and was 
almost always right. Ernie still acts 
as if he knew It all, and that in- 
furiates people. But it’s hard to 
object when it turns out that he 
knows what he’s talking about. 

“Another thing, both Cy and 
Ernie are willing to listen and are 
not too smug to accept other peo- 
ples’ ideas. But they’re both real- 
ists, very tough realists. And since 
they’ve always been right as pro- 
ducers, who’s to argue with them? 
When they have their flops, we’ll 
see. But so far, how can anyone 
dispute 100% success. Certainly 
backers won’t, in spite of the pro- 
ducers’ royalty off the top.” 

From their start on Broadway, it’s 
recalled, Feurer & Martin have 
pursued their own ideas, regard- 
less of whom they’ve alienated or 
whose feelings they’ve injured. On 
their first show, “Where’s Char- 
ley?” they tiffed with librettist- 
director George Abbott, and have 
not again been associated with him. 
Same with George Balanchine, 
choreographer on the show. There 
was also supposed to have been a 
spat with Ray Bolger over the ques- 
tion of a summer layoff. 

After "Charley,” composer-lyri- 
cist Frank Loesser told friends that 
he was through with F&M, but 
couldn't resist the opportunity to 
work on Damon Runyon material, 
so he supplied the songs for “Guys 
and Dolls,” and was thereafter even 
more emphatic in swearing off 
Feuer Si Martin. Several librettists 
were rumored to have burned at 
the producers for turning down 
story treatment attempts, and there 
were hints that George S. Kauf- 
man resented the F&M brand of 
perfectionism in regard to his stag- 
ing. 

Who’s Excited 

“Can-Can” was an exception in 
its relative freedom from produc- 
tion hassles, as relations with com- 
poser-lyricist Cole Porter and li- 
brettist-stager Abe Burrows seem- 
ed to be- comparatively amiable. 
Any differences were presumably 
overlooked in consequence of the 
lucrative royalties. 

But “Boy Friend” brought the 
barring of Wilson ^nd Miss Hope 
from rehearsalsr~0ir top of that. 
Kaufman withdrew a couple of 
weeks ago as co-librettist and direc- 
tor of the incoming “Silk Stock- 
ings,” evidentally after differences 
with the producers. 

Nor is that all, by any means. 
While “Guys and Dolls” was a hot 
touring item, a national political 
party could probably have been 
formed from the ranks of road the- 
atre managers enraged over F&M 
sharing terms for the musical. The 
partners went to bat with Music 
Corp. of America over a tentative- 
ly-set film sale of “Guys and Dolls,” 
and succeeded in getting four times 
as much ($1,000,000), from Sam 
Goldvvyn for the property. 

They’ve since been on the outs 
with MCA over that and the ques- 
tion of whether agents should take 
a commission on the producer’s 
share of film sales. The latter hitch 
has also involved other agents and 
appears to be a major factor in the 
long delay in a new basic agree- 
ment between the League of N. Y. 
Theatres and the Dramatists Guild. 

F&M have made a habit of get- 
ting advantageous theatre terms 
on Broadway as well as the road, 
which hasn't endeared them to the 
Shuberts. And, like virtually all 
producers, they’ve had their share 
of wrangles with actors and the lat- 
lers’ agents. In one recent instance, 
they haven’t even hesitated to tell 
off a drama reporter of the N. Y. 
Times. 

As the envious producer ex- 
presses it, Feuer & Martin are a 


throwback to the great days of 
Broadway, when a producer was 
the boss of his own show'. “i m . 
agine,” this observer marvels, “not 
being pushed around by authors 
directors, stars, agents or even the 
Shuberts. 

“Just think of It— keeping up 
the pressure to get the script and 
direction the way you want, even 
barring the author and director 
from the theatre if necessary. Four 
hits in a row, and no matter whose 
names have been on them as au- 
thors, composers, directors, and so 
on, they have been Feuer Sc Martin 
shows. 

“As for ‘Silk Stockings,’ you can 
be sure that’s a Feuer Sc Martin 
show, just as the others have been 
Hit or flop, it’ll be their own, and 
it’ll have their trademark.” 


Star Temperament 

■5ES Continued from page 57 

terward as to whether the star 
walked out of the show or threat- 
ened to do so. 

Last week’s incidents involved 
an explosive statement attributed 
to Douglas during the “Caine” en- 
gagement in Greensboro, N C 
abruptly ending the show’s tour! 
and Miss Kitt’s sudden exit from 
the theatre during a performance 
of “Mrs. Patterson.” with subse- 
quent announcement that she is 
under hospital treatment between 
shows. In Douglas’ case, he claims 
he was misquoted; in Miss Kitt s 
it’s explained that she is in ill 
heaRh. There are also trade whis- 
pers that the singer-actress is re- 
luctant to go on tour, as scheduled. 

Such incidents as the recent ill- 
nesses of Lynn Fontanne, requiring 
the cancellation of a performance 
of “Quadrille.” and of Tallulah 
Bankhead, causing several per- 
formance cancellations of “Dear 
Charles.” clearly do not involve 
any question of temperament or 
self-indulgence, any more than , 
does the case of Tyrone Power, or 
of Joan Fontaine in “Tea and 
Sympathy.” 

Who can say, for sure, when ill- 
ness is merely temperament, or 
emotionalism, or self-indulgence, 
or deliberate tactics to obtain re- 
lease from or revision of a con- 
tract? It may be a matter of 
degree. Some cases are obvious, or 
appear so. But management, 
Equity, doctors or psychiatrists, or 
even the star himself, cannot be 
Certain. 

But, making all allowances, this 
has been a season for star “tem- 
perament.” 


Brings Equity Charges 

Hollywood, Feb. 15. 

Proceedings have been filed with 
Actors Equity by Paul Gregory, 
producer of “The Caine Mutiny 
Court Martial.” charging that re- 
marks made by Paul Douglas, a 
member of the troupe, caused the 
cancellation of seven bookings in 
the South. Gregory said the dates 
would have amounted to $134,000. 

The star was quoted In the 
Greensborough, N.C., Daily News 
as saying “The South stinks. It is 
a land of segregation and sow 
bellies.” Although the actor 
claimed he was misquoted, the re- 
marks jvere widely printed 
throughout the southern states. 
The show closed last Saturday 
night (12) in Pittsburgh. 


Congressman Defends South 

Washington, Feb. 15. 

Rep. L. Mendel Rivers (D., S.C.) 
last week lambasted Paul Douglas 
for his “intemperate, un-called for, 
unnecessary, unwarranted, and 
untrue” attack on the South. The 
Congressman, a courtly man who 
represents the city of Charleston, 
told the House of Representatives 
in a speech that the Douglas com- 
ment “caused the disbanding of 
the entire troupe and the cancella- 
tion of the remaining program of 
this company, over 70% of which 
w'as scheduled to take place in that 
land of fable, song, tradition, hos- 
pitality and prosperity known as 
the South.” 

Rivers added that one member 
of the troupe said recently w'hen 
the unit played Charleston that 
“Douglas considered himself too 
good to travel with the rest of the 
company.” One of the other costars 
of the show was quoted as saying. 
‘He does not even see the South; 
he travels by airplane.* ” The other 
stars were Wendell Corey and 
Steve Brodie. 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 


59 


Chi Perb a Little; ‘King’ $46, 



•if ii_ * 

Mutiny 




‘Season’ $14, 



Chicago, Feb. 15. 

Lqop biz held generally steady 
last week, despite a midweek snow- 
storm and a severe cold wave. A 
couple of plays even registered 
gains. Ruth Draper ended her two- 
week stay last week. 

Upcoming schedule has “South 
Pacific” at the Opera House. March 
6. three weeks; “Tea and Sym- 
pathy.” Blackstone, March 7. for 
run. subscription. “Dear Charles,” 
Erlanger, March 7. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Caine Mutiny Court Martial, 
Blackstone (2d wk) ($4.40; 1.385) 
iLlovd Nolan. John Hodiak. Barry 
Sullivan). Nearly $20,800 (pre- 
vious week. $23,900). 

Fifth Season, Erlanger (13th wk) 
($4; 1,300) (Chester Morris, Joseph 
Buloff). Over $14,800 (previous 
week, $13,400). 

King and I, Shubert (12th wk) 
($5; 2.100) (Yul Brynner, Patricia 
Morison). Almost $46,800 (previous 
week, $45,400). 

Oh Men, Oh Women, Harris (10th 
wk) ($5; 1.000). (Ralph Bellamy). 
About $17,000 (previous week, $19,- 
100>; has been overquoted recently. 

Ruth Draper, Selwyn (2d wk) 
($3.30; 1,000). Almost $8,400 (pre- 
vious week. $9,200); closed Satur- 
day (12). 


SamarkamT 11G, 
‘Trap’ 14G, Wash. 

Washington, Feb. 15. 
An all-day rain and snowstorm, 
coupled with a cold wave, swept 
into Washington last Friday (11) to 
wreck weekend boxoffice. “Tender 
Trap.” at the Shubert, started well, 
but wound up its first stanza with 
$14,000. It is figured to do a little 
better this week. 

"Tonight In Samarkand,” in for 
a single week at the National The- 
atre. drew generally good reviews, 
but finished w ith a little over $11.- 
000 on its final week before New 
York. Tallulah Bankhead opened 
a single week at the National last 
night (Mon.) in "Dear Charles.” 


‘Stockings’ Wow $52,300 
On Detroit Holdover 

Detroit, Feb. 15. 

Smash eroo $52,300 was grossed 
last week for the second stanza 
of a three-week pre-Broadway 
tryout of "Silk Stockings at the 
Shubert. The 2,050-seat house is 
scaled at $6.60 weekends, $5.50 
other nights. 

Feuer & Martin musical is still 
undergoing pre- Broadway revi- 
sions, including the replacement 
®f Yvonne Adair by Gretchen 
Wyler and Clarence Hoffman by 
David Opatoshu. 

Future bookings: At the Cass, 
Pajama Game,” Feb. 20, two 
weeks; “Tender Trap,” March 7, 
two weeks, and “Solid Gold Cadil- 
lac.” April 4, three weeks. At the 
Shubert: “Dear Charles,” Feb. 28. 
one week, and “Fifth Season,” 
March 7, two weeks. 


Current Road Shows 

(Fob. 14-26) 

At Horn* with Eth«l W«t«r»— Gear 

* F. <21-26). 

s,op <tryout)— Walnut St., Phil 

(14 26 ). 

Caina Mutiny Court Martial (T.lo: 

Nolan. John Hodiak. Barry SuUivan) 
'tksone, Chi. (14-26). 

Cain* Mutiny Court Martial (2d C< 
'Jaul Douglas, Wendell Corev. Ste 
Hiodie) — Aud.. Charleston, W. Va. (1< 
Aud . Lynehburg (15): Fox. Charlotte < 1 < 
W.nthrop Cons, of Music. Rock Hill. S. 
(17): Reynolds Aud., Winston-Salem (II 
( « institution Hall. Wash. (19-21). 

Dear Charles (Tallulah Bankhead)— N 

' 2 *' ' 26 ) <14-19); Hanna, Clev 

Season (Chester Morris, Josej 

Hr o f f)_Erlanger. Chi. (14-26). 

Ouys A Dolls— WRVA, Richmond <14-1! 
Aud. Raleigh (22 23); Fox. Chariot 
^- 25 ); Township Aud., Columbia (26). 
King* | <Yul Brynner. Patricia Mo: 

* LV — Shubert. Chi. (14-26). 

)*4oon Is Slug (Jerome Cowan) — Curra 
Biltmore. L.A. (21-26). 

, M * n ' ° h Women (Ralph Bellamy) 
,,;, rr «. Chi. (14-26). 

Paiama Cam# (Fran Warren. Lar 
l*"u«las Buster West)— Her Majesty 
Mrntreai < 14 . 19 ,. Aud .. Rochester <21-21 
Tops (Diana Barrymore) — Nlxo 
<14-19); Cass. Detroit (21-26). 
x Year Itch (Eddie Bracken)— Clvl 

r>i on Paramount, Baton Rouge. L 

'-i 22 ): Music Hall, Houston (24 25); Texa 
Antonio (26). 

* Ik Stockings ttrvouD (Hildetfarde Nel 
V Ameohe)— Shubert, Detroit (14-19). 
Co,d Cadillac-- Colonist, Bost< 

■ea and Sympathy (Deborah Kerr> 
a m-ncan. st . Lo Uig (14.19); Lyceur 
•U' nea polls <21-26). 

M '* of tho August Moon (Burge 

M>tb. Scott McK-v)— -JUtmore. L.. 
Curra n- S.F. (21-?-). 
n tr J rap (Kent Smith. Stever 

1 1 .Nvpc)— Shubert. Wash. <14-1! 

f Ullj *. Haiti. (21-26). 


Deborah $31,400, Split; 
‘Caine’ $4,200 for Col. 

Columbus, Feb. 15. 

“Tea and Sympathy” garnered a 
rousing $15,000 in four perform- 
ances at the Hartman here last 
Monday-Wednesday (7-9). Top was 
$4.60 (tax included). 

“Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” 
on its second time around, man- 
aged only $4,200 at $3.85 (tax in- 
cluded) for a one-night stand last 
Wednesday (9) in the 3,000-seat 
Memorial Hall. 


Deborah $16,400, L’ville 

Louisville, Feb. 15. 

Deborah Kerr, in the touring edi- 
tion of “Tea and Sympathy,” 
grossed $16,400 in four perform- 
ances last Thursday-Saturday GO- 
12) at the Memorial Auditorium 
here. 


‘Wayward’ $21,009, 
2d Week, Boston 

Boston. Feb. 15. 

“Wayward Saint,” with Paul Lu- 
kas, wound its two-and-a-half week 
stand at the 1.590-seat Colonial 
with a nice $21,000, slightly better 
then the first full week. House 
was scaled at $4.40 and $3.85. 

Lone newcomer this week is 
“Solid Gold Cadillac.” which bowed 
into the Colonial last night (Mon.) 
for three weeks. 

‘PAJAMA GAME’ $44,000 
IN MONTREAL OPENER 

Montreal, Feb. 15. 

“Pajama Game” with Fran War- 
ren. Larry Douglas and Buster 
West, drew a sock $44,000 at the 
1,702-seat Her Majesty’s last week 
at a $5.63 top. Show drew raves 
from all critics, with special atten- 
tion to featured comedienne Pat 
Stanley. 

Musical currently is in its second 
week with biz still heavy. 

Eartha Kitt in “Mrs. Patter- 
son” for late April and Edith Piaf 
definite May 9 for two weeks. 


‘Itch’ 23G in Split 

New Orleans, Feb. 15. 

“Seven Year Itch” took in $23.- 
000 last week in a two-way split. 
The Eddie Bracken starrer played 
the Lanier High School auditorium, 
Montgomery, last Monday (7), mov- 
ing to the Civic here Wednesday 
(9) for the remainder of the week, 
i Comedy remains here through 
Sunday (20). 


Current London Shows 

London, Feb. 15. 

(Figures denote premiere dates) 

Airs Shoestring, Royal Ct. (4-22-53). 

All for Mary, Duke York (9-9-54). 
Baatrica Lillia, Globe (11-24-54). 

Ball, Book, Candle, Phoenix (10-5-54). 
Book of Month, Cambridge (10-21-54). 
Boy Friend, Wyndham's (12-1-53). 
Can-Can, Coliseum (10-14-54). 

Crazy Gang, Vic. Pal. (12-16-54X 
Devil in Village, Stoll (2-3-55). 

Dry Rot, Whitehall (8-31-54). 
Ghostwriters, Arts (2-9-55). 

Glass Clock, Aldwych (1-3-55). 

Hippo Dancing, Lyric (4-7-54). 

Intimacy At 1:30, Criterion (4-29-54). 
King and I, Drury Lane (10-8-53). 
Matchmaker, Haymarket (11-4-54). ‘ 
Mousatrap, Ambas. (11-25-52). 

Night of Ball, New Theatre (1-12-55). 
Old Vic Rap, Old Vic <9-9-54). 

St. Joan, St. Martin's (2-8-55). 

Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54). 

Separate Tebles, St. Jlmes’s <9 22 54). 
Sholom Aleichem, Embassy (1-11-55). 
Simon A Laura, Apollo (11-24-54). 
Spider's Web, Savoy (12-14-54). 

Talk of Town, Adelphi (11-17-54). 
Teahouse Aug. Meon, Her Maj. <4-22 54). 
Vicious Circle, New Water (2-1-55). 
Wedding in Peris, Hipp. (4-3-54). 


SCHEDULED OPENINGS 
Kind Folly. Duchess (2-15-55). 

Sailor Bowaro, Strand (2-16-55). 
Sarlous Charge, Garrick (2-17-55). 
Wonderful Town, Princes (2-23-55). 


CLOSED LAST WEEK 
Both Ends Moot, Apollo (6-9-54). 
Crime of Canyon Wayd, "Q” (2-1-55). 
Relations Apart, Starrick, (8-3-54). 


Current Stock Bills 


(Feb. 14-27) 

Cyprianna (tryout), by Dorothy Monet, 
based on Sardou’s "Dlvorcons" — Miller, 
Milwaukee (15 20). 

Feathered Fauna (tryout), by Charles 
Robinson A Jean Dalrymple — Theatre 
'55. Dallas (14-19). 

Firecracker (tryout), by Lenard Kanlor 
— Palm Beach (Fla.) Playhouae (21-26). 

Girl on Via Flamihla — Arena. Rochester 
(22 27). 

Kind Lady— Aliller. Milwaukee (22 29) 

Oh Man, Oh Woman — Palm Beach (Fla.) 
Playhouse (14-19). 

Sabrina Fair — Arena, Rochester (15-20). 

World of Sholom Aleichem — Arena 
Staoe. Washington (15-27). 

Years Ago — Playhouse. Houston (14-27). 


‘S.P.’ $42,500 in Split 

Toledo. Feb. 15. 

“South Pacific," starring Iva 
Withers and Alan Gerrard, did a 
hangup $42,500 last week in eight 
performances split between the 
Palace, Youngstown, and the Para- 
mount here. 

Musical grabbed $29,000 in five 
performances at the former spot 
Monday-Thursday (7-10) and $13,- 
, 500 in three performances here 
I Friday-Saturday (11-12). 

TaDulah $22,000, 
Solo Wk., PhiDy i 

Philadelphia, Feb. 15. 

Tallulah Bankhead walked off 
with the notices and by sheer brio 
carried the limping "Dear Charles” i 
through a. successful one-week 
stand at the Forrest. Only stage t 
attraction this frame is "Bus Stop,” i 
William Inge play which arrived 
last night at the Walnut. 

Future bookings list March 7, 
"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Forrest, 
tryout, two weeks; March 14. "Mrs. 
Patterson,” Locust, two weeks; Na- 
tional Ballet of Canada, Shubert, I 
one week; March 28, "The Honeys,” 
W’alnut, tryout, two weeks. 
Estimate for Last Week 

Dear Charles, Forrest (C) » $4.20; j 
1,760) (Tallulah Bankhead). Ever j 
kind Philly crix brushed off play, 
but did nip-ups for Tallu. 

‘Teahouse’ Hot $38,900, 
‘Mikado’ Moderate 4G, 
Leo Fuchs $4,000, L.A. 

Los Angeles, Feb. 15. j 

Local legit saw a couple of new 
entries last week. “Teahouse of the 
August Moon” continued to do 
huge biz at the Biltmore in its 
fifth week, and “This Is Your Life,* 
Mendel” was also big at the Civic ! 
Playhouse. 

Openers were “The Mikado,” 
first of seven offerings in the j 
American Savoyards’ eight-week 
Gilbert & Sullivan season at the 
Las Palmas, and "The Ticklish 
Acrobat,” a Stage Society presenta- 
tion in its tiny house. Holdovers 
were "Finian’s Rainbow,” at Holly- 
wood Repertory Theatre; “Green 
Fields,” New Playhouse; and "The 
Woman W’ith Red Hair,” Circle 
Theatre. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 

Biltmore (C) (5th wk) ($4.40; 1.636) 
(Burgess Meredith, Scott McKay). 
Smash $38,900; exits town this 
week. 

Mikado, Las Palmas (1st wk) 
($3.30; 400). Fair $4,000. 

This Is Your Life, Mendel, Civic 
Playhouse (C) (2d wk) ($3; 400 > 
(Leo Fuchs). Nice $4.'000. 

Finian’s Rainbow, Hollywood 
Repertory (71 h wk) ($3.30; 276) 
(Charles Davis). Modest $1,500. 


Tops’ 13 J G in Split 

Hartford, Feb. 15. 

Three -day (five- performance) 
stand of “Pajama Tops’.’ played to 
near capacity at the Parsons Thea- 
tre here Thursday-Saturday (10-12) 
for a gross of $8,500. Show was on 
a twofer basis. 

The comedy drew $5,000 in three 
performances Monday-Wednesday 
(7-9) at the Court Square, Spring- 
field. 


‘Bus’ 9 V 2 G (4), Princeton 

Princeton, Feb. 15. 

“Bus Stop” took in around $9,500 
in a four-performance breakin last 
Thursday-Saturday (10-12) at the 
McCarter Theatre. 

The Robert Whitchead-Roger L. 
Stevens production of William 
Inge’s drama is current at the W’al- 
nut Street, Philadelphia. 


B’way Still Off; Hours’ $18,800 (5), 
‘Corner’ 8G, ‘Peach’ 17G, ‘Saint’ 24G, 


‘Kismet’ $38,000, ‘Boy Friend’ $36,500 


Broadway continued to take a 
beating last week. Biz was off for 
the second consecutive frame, with 
several shows taking substantial 
drops. That repeated the pattern 
from the corresponding week last 
season. 

There were four closing last 
week, with two new entries coming ; 
in this week. Last week’s sole 
opener was "Desperate Hours.” 

. Estimates for Last Week 

Keys: C < Comedy), D (Drama), 
CD < Comedy-Drama). R (Revue), 
MC (Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi- 
cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op- 
eretta). 

Other parenthetic designations 
refer, respectively, to weeks played, 
number of performances through 
last Saturday, top prices, number 
of seats, capacity gross and stars. 
Price includes 10% Federal aud 
5% City lax, but grosses are net: 
t.e., exclusive of tax. 

Anastasia, Lyceum ( D > (7th wk; 
53; $5.75-$4.60; 955; $23,389) (Vi- 1 
veca Lindfors, Eugenie Leor.to- 
vich). Almost $19,600 (previous 
week, $20,300). 

Aniversary Waltz, Booth <C> i 
(45th wk; 355; $4.60; 766; $20,000) 1 
• Macdonald Carey). Nearly $15,- 
800 tprevious week, $15,600); the 
star is vacationing this week. 

Bad Seed, 46th St. (D» (10th wk; 
77; $5.75-$4.60; 1,319; $37,000) 

(Nancy Kelly). Almost $27,690 
(previous week. $31,800). 

Boy Friend, Royale (MC) (20th > 
wk; 155; $6.90; 1.172; $38,200). 

Nearly $36,500 (previous week. 
$36,300). 

Can-Can, Shubert (MC) (93d wk; , 
740; $6.90; 1,361; $50,160). Almost! 
$38,000 (previous week, $37,500), ! 

Desperate Hours, Barrvmore (D) I 
(1st wk; 4; $5.75-$4.60; 1.214; $28,- j 
300) Opened last Thursday '10) to; 
unaimously favorable reviews: over | 
$18,800 for first four performances 
and one preview’. 

Fanny, Majestic (MD) (15th wk; j 
116; $7.50; 1.510; $65,300) (Ezio 
Pinza, Walter Slezak). Capacity j 
again, nearly $66,000. 

Flowering Peach, Belasco (D) 
(7th wk; 55; $5.75-$4.60; 1,077; 

$2 8,3 0 0) (Menasha Skulnicki. 
Nearly $17,000 (prevous week, $18,- 
400). 

House of Flowers, Alvin (MC) 
(7th wk; 52; $6.90; 1,150; $47,000). 
Nearly $44,000, with theatre par- 
ties (previous week, $44,000), 

Kismet, Ziegfeld (OP) (63d wk; 
500; $6.90; 1,528; $57,908) (William 
Johnson, Elaine Malbln). Over 
$38,000 (previous week, $41,300). 

Lunatics & Lovers, Broadhurst 
(C) (9th wk; 72; $5.75-$4.60; 1,160; 
$29,500). Nearly $28,200 (previous 
week. $30,600). 

Mrs. Patterson, National <D) 
(11th wk; 86; $6.90-$5.75; 1.172; 
$36,000) (Eartha Kitt). About 
$8,000 for seven performances 
(previous week, $13,000). Closes 
Feb. 26. to tour. 

Pajama Game, St. James (MC) 
(40th wk; 316; $6.90; 1.571; $51,- 
717) (John Raitt, Janis Paige, Ed- 
die Foy, Jr.) Capacity as always, 
$52,100. 

Peter Pan, Winter Garden (MD) 
(17th wk; 133; $6.90; 1,510; $57,500) 
(Mary Martin). Over $37,300 (pre- 
vious week, $38,700); closes Feb. 
26. 

Plain and Fancy, Hellinger (MC) 
(3d wk; 20; $6.90; 1,513; $53,917). 
Over $52,100, with theatre parties 
(previous week, $51,000); moves 
Feb. 28 to the Winter Garden. 

Quadrille, Coronet (C) (15th wk; 
117; $6.90-$5.75-$4.60; 1,027; $30,- 
000) (Alfred Lunt, Lynn, Fontanne, 
Edna Best, Brian Aherne). Almost 
$21,000 (previous week, $24,000); 
closes March 12. 

Saint of Bleecker Street. Broad- 
way (MD) (5th wk; 49; $6.90-$6.00; 


1.900; $54,000). Nearly $24,000 

(previous week, $30,300); closing 
notice posted for Feb. 26. 

Seven Year Itch, Fulton <C) 
(117th wk; 933; $5.75-$4.60; 1.003; 
$24,000) (Tom Ewell). Over $15,- 
000 (previous week. $17,300). 

Southwest Corner, Holiday (D) 
(2d wk: 12; 55.75-M.60; 834; $28,- 
000) (Eva LeGallienne). Nearly 
$8,000 'previous week, $5,100 for 
first four performances). 

Tea and Sympathy, Longaere < D) 

< 7 1 s t wk; 565; $5.75-$4.60; 1,214; 
$28,300) i Joan # Fontaire). Almost 
$11,100 (previous week, $16,300); 
Star was out ill for six perform- 
ances, with understudy Mary Fick- 
ett replacing; la ter officially takes 
over Feb. 28 when Miss Fontaine 
exits. 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 

Beck (C> (70;<i wk; 504; $6.22-$4.60; 
1.214; $33,608) (David Wayne. John 
Forsythe). Over capacity as always, 
topped $34,000; Eli Wallaeh re- 
placed Wayne last Monday (14), 

Wedding Breakfast, 48th St. <C) 
<13th wk; 97; $5.75-$4.60; 925; $23,- 
720). Almost 59.100 on twofers 
(previous wed;. 5.9,000 onHwofers). 

Witness for the Prosecution, Mil- 
ler (D) <9lh wk; G8; $5.75-$4.60; 
920; $23,248'. Over capacity again, 
topped $23,600 (previous week, 
$23,700). 

Miscellaneous 

Doctor’s Dilemma, Phoenix (C) 
(5th wk; 40; $4.60-: : 3.45; 1,150; $24,- 
067). Nearly $11,000 (previous 
week, $12,500). 

CLOSED LAST WEEK 

Grand Prize, Plymouth (C) (3d 
wk; 21; $4.60; 1.107; $29,500) (June 
Lockhart, John New land). Almost 
$5,300. (previous week, $10,000); 
closed last Saturday (12) at a loss 
of approximately $55,000 on a 
$60 000 investment. 

Rainmaker, Cort <C> (16th wk; 
124; $3.45; 1,056; $18900) (Ger- 
aldine Page). Over $12,400 (pre- 
vious w eek, $9 900); closed last Sat- 
urday (12) at an approximate $75,- 
000 profit on a $75,000 investment; 
begins touring March 3. 

Solid Gold Cadillac, Music Box 

(C) (66th wk; 575; $5.75-54.60; 1,- 
077; $27,811). Nearly $12,800 (pre- 
vious week. $13,600); closed last 
Saturday (12) at an approximate 
$180,000 profit on a $100,000 invest- 
ment; began touring last Mon- 
day G4). 

Wisteria Trees, City Center (D) 
(2nd wk; 16; $3.60; 3,090; $50,160) 
(Helen Hayes). Over $30,500 (pre- 
vious week, $30,600 for first eight 
performances); closed last Sunday 
(13), winding up the Center’s four 
play drama season. Total gross for 
the series was $276,700 on a $200,- 
000 production-operation budget. 

OPENING THIS WEEK 

Tonight in Samarkand, Morosco 

(D) <$6-$5; 9:5; $31,000) (Louis 
Jourdan). Play by Jacques Deval, 
adapted by Lorenzo Semple Jr., 
presented by Bruce Becker and 
Robert Ellis MiPer; production fi- 
nanced at $100,000, cost about 
$100,000 to bring including approx- 
imately $20,000 tryout loss, but ex- 
cluding bonds, and can break even 
at around $16,500; opens tonight 
(Wed). 

Wayward Saint, Cort (C) ($5.75- 
$4.60; 1.656; $29,000) (Paul Lukas). 
Comedy by Paul Vincent Carroll, 
presented by Courtney Burr-John 
Byram-Elliott Nugent; production 
financed at $75,000, incl* ding 20% 
overcall, cost about $70,000 to 
bring in. including approximately 
$12,000 tryout loss, but excluding 
bonds, and can break even at 
around $16,000; opens tomorrow 
night (Thurs.h 


OFF BROADWAY SHOWS 

( Figures denote opening dates ) 
Grass Greener, Downtown Nat’l 
(2-15-55). 

Immortal Husband, de Lys <2- 


Total Legit Grosses 

Following are the comparative figures based on Varietv’s box- 
office reports for last week (the 37th week of the season) and 
the corresponding week of last season: 

BROADWAY 



This 

1953-54 


Season 

Season 

Number of shows current 

28 

27 

Total weeks played so far by all shows. 

764 

714 

Total gross for all shows last week ... 

$716,800 

$706,200 

Season’s total gross so far 

$20,236,500 

$19,796,100 

^Number of new productions 

43 

45 

ROAD 



Excluding stock 


Number of current shows reported . . . 

23 

18 

Total weeks played so far by all shows 

621 

531 

Total gross for all shows last week 

$462,800 

$410,200 

Season’s total gross so far 

$14,634,700 

$12,127,900 


14-55). 

Importance Being Earnest, Prov- 
incetown (11-9). 

Merchant of Venice, Club Thea- 
tre d-17-55). 

Thieves Carnival, Cherry Lane 

(2-1-55). 

‘Guys’ Jackpot $20,100 
For 3d Stad in Baito 

Baltimore, Feb. 15. 
Back for its third stand in two 
seasons, “Guys And Dolls” was 
brisk here at Ford’s last week. 
Despite snow and freezing tem- 
peratures, the Manny Davis tour- 
ing troupe garnered $20,100 with 
a top of $3 plus tax. 

Ford’s is currently dark, but 
relights Feb. 21 with “Tender 
Trap,” fifih offering of the local 
Guild-ATS subscription season. 


60 


CONCERTS-OPERA 


Wednesday, February 16 , I955 


CoL Artists Sues French for 200G; 
Conspiracy Charged in 1 Complaints 


Columbia Artists Mgt. Inc., filed ♦ 
suit in N. Y. Supreme Court last 
Friday (11) against Ward French, 
Robert Ferguson, Virginia Hender- 
son, Flora Walker, Vivian Taylor, 
Harold Welch and Ben Lobdlll for 
$100,000, alleging conspiracy to de- 
stroy part of CAMI’s business. Bu- 
reau also filed a second cause of 
action for $100,000 against French. 
Ferguson and Miss Henderson, 
charging they induced the others 
to enter the alleged conspiracy. 
Rosenman, Goldmark, Colin & 
Kaye were the filing attorneys, 
with Ambrose Doskow handling. 

French, until last November, 
was p:ez of a CAMI subsidiary, 
Community Concerts. Ferguson 
was veepee, and the others were 
execs of the outfit. AH were vet 
employees of CAMI. French and 
Ferguson were ousted by CAMI’s 
board of directors in a policy dis- 
pute, and with the others men- 
tioned above formed a competing 
outfit to Community, called Inter- 
national Concert Service. 

CAMI alleges that International 
was in the wo ks for some time, 
even while its execs were with 
Community. International wooed 
about five cities away from Com- 
munity, but folded after a month’s 
operations for lack of capital. The 
five cities have joined with Civic 
Concerts, a subsid of CAMI’s rival 
bureau. National Concerts & Art- 
ists Corp. 


Miami’s Opera Season 
Is Closing With ‘Lucia’; 
85G Budget on Shows 

Miami, Feb. 15. 

The Opera Guild of Greater 
Miami will present “Lucia” here 
this weekend, for the second of its 
opera offerings this year. Three 
Met Opera stars, Dolores Wilson, 
Ferruccio Tagiiavini and Frank 
Guarrera, will sing the leads, with 
Emerson Buckley conducting. Re- 
mainder of cast, including chorus, 
is local. “Lucia” will be given four 
times, Feb. 19, 21, 24 and 26, with 
two performances in Dade County 
Aud here, one in Miami Beach 
Aud and one in Fort Lauderdale. 

This is the 14th year fot the 
opera company, which presents 
two works a season, for seven per- 
formances in all. “Barber of Se- 
ville,” with Eugene Conley, Robert 
Merrill, Nicola Moscona and Gra- 
ciela Rivers, was heard Jan. 29 and 
31 and Feb. 2, with two shows in 
Miami, and one in Miami Beach. 

Company has been steadily 
building, in talelit, prestige and 
audience, and now has a budget of 
$85,000 for the two annual produc- 
tions. Seven performances take in 
about $40,000 to $45,000, with bal- 
ance being made up by cultural- 
minded donors. 

Arturo Di Filippi, a localite, is 
artistic director and general man- 
ager, and Buckley, from N.Y., has 
been musical director for the last 
six years. Orch of 40 consists of 
the professional members of the 
Miami U. Symph. Chorus of 80 is 
local. 


Gale’s Vic Herbert Fest 
Pulling on 12-Wk. Tour 

The Victor Herbert Festival, a 
Moe Gale package created and pro- 
duced for the agency by Emerson 
Buckley, is now at the halfway 
mark of a 12-week tour of 66 dates, 
with b.o. reaction good. Company 
of 18, headed by Robert Rounse- 
ville and Lillian Murphy, and aid- 
ed by two pianos, started out Jan. 
10 at Lynn, Mass. It goes as far 
west as Minneapolis, and south to 
Texas and Florida, returning to 
N. Y. by April 3. 

Group, booked by the National 
Concert & Artists Corp., sells at 
$1,750, with special rates in certain 
instances. 

Rumanian State Dance 
Co. Cancels Brit. Date; 
London Mgr.’s 8G Loss 

London, Feb. 15. 

The Rumanian State Dance Co., 
due to have opened in London last 
night (Mon.), cancelled its season. 
Troupe had been scheduled for a 
three-week engagement at the 
Stoll Theatre under Peter Dau- 
beny’s management. 

When the company was recalled 
from Paris by the Rumanian gov- 
ernment 12 days ago, it was stated 
they would fulfill their London 
engagement, and Daubeny so far 
has had no official notice intima- 
tion of the cancellation. A mem- 
ber of his staff said last week that 
they had been told that if they did 
not hear by last Tuesday (8), they 
were to assume the dancers would 
not be coming. 

The Daubeny office is filing a 
claim against Fernand Lumbroso, 
the Paris impresario who, in turn, 
will claim against the Rumanian 
government. The cancellation in- 
volves a loss of between $6,000 
and $8,000 and came too late to 
arrange an alternate program. 


CAN. BALLET HITS 46G 
IN TORONTO FORTNIGHT 

Toronto. Feb. 15. 

With every performance, includ- 
ing matinees, sold out to turnaway 
biz on the second stanza, National 
Ballet of Canada racked up a 
smash $24,700 last week, with the 
Royal Alexandra Theatre, 1,525- 
seater, scaled at $3.50 top. First 
week was $21,500, giving a hefty 
gross of $46,200 for the fortnight’s 
engagement here. * 

With William Morris Agpncy 
taking over its management, troupe 
opens a week’s engagement (14) at 
The Great Northern, Chicago. 


Ballet Russe 30G, S.F. 

San Francisco, Feb. 15. 

Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo was 
a disappointing $30,000 in six per- 
formances at the Opera House in a 
split \yefk at $4 top. 

Draw 'was better than Ballet 
Theatre or Festival Ballet, previ- 
ously, though. 


Two Polish Operas Set 

For Manhattan Bow 

Two Polish operas by Stanislaw 
Moniuszko, “Verbum Nobile,” 
(Nobleman’s Word of Honor) and 
“Flis” (The Raftman), will be giv- 
en March 6 at Manhattan Center, 
N. Y., by the Polonla Opera Co., 
under direction of Louis Kowalski. 
Soloists will be Longina Nano, so- 
prano; Ladis Kiepura, tenor; Casi- 
mir Zajac-Zan and Zygmunt Kos- 
sakowski, baritones, and George 
Pawlukowski and Casimir Ganski, 
bassos. 

Met’s Attracdre 60G 
‘Arabella’ in U.S. Preem; 
18G to Welfare Fund 

The Metropolitan Opera gave 
the U. S. premiere of Strauss’ 
“Arabella” in N. Y. last Thursday 
night (10), in a lavish $60,000 pro- 
duction that filled the eye and ear. 
It also filled the house at air upped 
$15 top, grossing about $34,000, 
and with extra donor gifts realiz- 
ing about $18,000 for the recently- 
established Met Opera Employees 
Welfare Fund. 

Opera finally reached the Met 
26 years after its composition, and 
it isn’t difficult to see why. The 
only other Strauss work besides 
“Rosenkavalier” with a Viennese 
habitat, it draws inevitable com- 
parisons, none of them favorable. 
It’s a pleasant, minor - league 
“Rosenkavalier” (which it sounds 
like in many places). But minor 
Strauss is better than a lot of 
major contemporaries. 

A more modern drawing-room 
comedy, “Arabella” has a thin, 
vapid book and a lean, somewhat 
diffuse music line. But there are 
frequent moments of the lush ro- 
mantic Strauss orchestration, and 
some fine though isolated musical 
writing, as in the first-act duet of 
the sisters and Mandryka’s first 
and second act monologs. Sum to- 
tal is an engaging evening despite 
various flaws, and a praiseworthy 
addition to the Met repertoire. 

Opera was given in a new and 
quite serviceable English version 
by Met assistant manager John 
Gutman. But the difficult music 
made most of the singers unintel- 
ligible, with the strong exception 
of Eleanor Steber and George Lon- 
don. Miss Steber made an impos- 
ing Arabella, vocally and thespi- 
cally. London found this his best 
Met role, distinguishing himself as 
a robust singer and vivid actor as 
Mandryka. 

Hilde Gueden sang beautifully 
as the younger sister, Zdenka. 
Brian Sullivan made a manly 
though obscure Matteo, and 
Blanche Thebom a visually strik- 
ing and competent Adelaide. 
Roberta Peters was a pert filly in 
the brief but difficult Fiakermilli 
role, while Ralph Herbert made an 
amusing, adequate Waldner in his 
Met debut. Rudolf Kempe, recent 
Met baton acquisition, handled the 
difficult score, and orchestra pit, 
quite capably. Herbert Graf’s stag- 
ing was attractive and uncluttered 
and Rolf Gerard’s sets and cos- 
tumes were topdrawer. Bron. 

BACH ARIA GROUP SET 
FOR PRADES FESTIVAL 

Prades, France, Feb. 8. 

This year’s Prades Festival, 
headed as usual by the noted 
cellist, Pablo Casals, will open July 
2 and run two weeks. Fest will be 
devoted to Bach, Schubert and 
Brahms. The Bach Aria Group of 
N.Y. will visit Europe for the first 
time to open the series, appearing 
again on July 8. There’ll be one 
replacement in the BAG, Eleanor 
Steber subbing for Eileen Farrell. 

Also appearing as soloists will 
be David Oppenheim, Columbia 
Records classical artists & reper- 
toire chief; Eugene Istomin, Yehudi 
Menuhin, David Lloyd, Dietrich 
Fischer-Dieskau. 


"A WONDERFUL SHOW !" — Martin, Times. 



"Proved That a Legend of Groatnoss Wat Fact. It Wat, Indeed, 
Sheer Mafic!” — Terry, Herald Tribune. 

■neagement Extandad Through Saturday, Fab. 2i 

PLAYHOUSE, 137 W. 48th Street 

■ xclutlva Managamant: CHARLES E. CREEN 

CONSOLIDATED CONCERTS CORPORATION 

39 Rockefeller Plata, New York 20, N. Y. Columbus 5-3580 


First American Tour of the European Recording Phenomenon 

MANTOVANI 

AND HIS NEW MUSIC 

(Orchestra of 45) ^ 

Now Booking, Oct. 7955 By Arrangement with 

COLUMBIA ARTISTS MGT. INC. UNIVERSAL VARIETY AGENCY, LTD. 

113 West 57th St., N. Y. C. London 

(Coppicus, Schang & Brown) London ffrr Records 


Era of Oldsters? 

Top names In the concert field last week were Wilhelm Back- 
haus and Vicente Escudefo. Backhaus, 71-year-old German-Swiss 
pianist, gave a recital In Carnegie Hall, N. Y., Sunday night (13 ) 
that not only filled the hall, but every available bit of seating 
space onstage. Dancer Escudero, well in his 60’s, opened an en- 
gagement at the Playhouse, N. Y., Monday (7) that brought raves 
about his zapateado (foot dancing), and an extension of the run. 
Last Thursday (10), a 65-year-old Myra Hess drew a full house 
for her appearance as piano soloist with the N. Y. Philharmonic. 

With 80-year-old Pierre Monteux and 79-year-old Bruno Walter 
guest-conducting in opera and concert around the globe; 76-year- 
old harpsichordist Wanda Landowski busy making recordings as 
well as concertizing; 78-year-old Ruth St. Denis still making dance 
appearances; a sixtyish Beniamino Gigli still tenortng to crowds 
abroad, and a fiftyish Alexandra Danilova still delighting ballet 
audiences in this country, who’s got room for kids? 

Arturo Toscanini, retiring last year at 87 as NBC Symph maestro, 
quit when he was ahead. 


Kid Impresario Scores in First N. Y. 
Concert Try; Recital Setup Mapped 


Concert Bits 

Emerson Buckley, former musi- 
cal director for the Mutual net- 
work, and Everett Lee have been 
added to the conductor roster for 
the N. Y. City Opera spring sea- 
son, starting March 17. Lee is be- 
lieved to be the first Negro musi- 
cian to conduct a major opera 
company in America. Troupe also 
added 13 new singers, including 
Lois Hunt, ex-Met and radio-tv so- 
prano; Adele Addison, Negro so- 
prano, and Gilbert, Russell, sdn of 
N. Y. City Center stage director 
Vladimir Rosing. Incidentally. 
N. Y.’s Board of Estimate last week 
agreed to give the City Center a 
10-year lease at a nominal $1 a 
year rent, and forgive $57,000 of 
back unpaid rent, due by the pre- 
vious arrangement of lVi% of all 
receipts. 

William Steinberg, musical di- 
rector of the Pittsburgh Symphony 
Orchestra, flew to Europe after the 
orch’s performance in N. Y.’s Car- 
negie Hall Friday (ID. to appear 
as guest conductor in 16 concerts 
with six orchestras in a five-week 
period. 

Wolfgang Schneiderhan, who’s 
currently doing solo violin per- 
formances in Europe with the 
Vienna Philharmonic, is set for his 
first tour of the U. S. in the fall 
of 1956, under aegis of Columbia 
Artists Mgt. 


Interracial 

«SSSB Continued from pace 1 

conductor is Kelly Wyatt. All are 
members of the American Gftild 
of Musical Artists, and Campbell 
put up the usual bond before the 
troupe went out. 

Troupe had a fall tour of three 
weeks (17 dates) that went as far 
as Virginia. The second, or winter 
tour, which just finished, com- 
prised 10 dates into North and 
South Carolina, as far as Green- 
ville. Third tour, in the spring, 
will run five weeks, into Texas, 
Arkansas and Mississippi, with 
one-niters, for about three a week. 

Negroes, of course, are the pro- 
moters or sponsors (colleges, fra- 
ternities, etc.), but whites come 
and sit with Negroes, says Camp- 
bell. and there’s no segregation. 
Whites are as happy to see an in- 1 
terracial company as Negroes, ac- 
cording to Campbell. 

Eyeing. Off-Broadway Try 

Troupe has been coached in the 
opera by Herman Weigert. ex-Met 
conductor, and Ignace Strasfogel, i 
Met coach, with Charles Weidman 
staging it. Because “Salome” is a 
short work, Campbell added a 20- 
minute ballet, “Ballet Negre,” 
staged by Edward Christopher and 
J. F. Riley. For the r forthcoming 
spring tour, Campbell plans to al- 
ternate “Salome” with a concert 
version of the musical. “Finian’s 
Rainbow.” Campbell will stage, 
with Christopher as choreographer. 

Campbell also hopes to bring his 
troupe into New York in late 
spring for two or three weeks, at 
some off-Broadway house. Group 
would present “Salome” and “Fin- 
ian’s Rainbow,” or "Carmen 
Jones,” last-named depending on 
Oscar Hammerstein 2d’s okay. 
Campbell started off his touring 
ventures threfr years ago with 
“Carmen Jones,” starring his wife. 
When he lost the rights to “Jones” 
this season, due to the release of 
the film version, he turned to “Sa- 
lome,” introducing the mixed cast. 


wesicnesier, w. y., concert man- 
ager and pub-relations exec, made 
such a quick success of his first 
Gotham music venture, that he’s not 
only skedded a repeat, but plans 
to launch a regular concert series 
in N. Y. next season. Conlin rent- 
ed the 3,612-seat Met Opera House 
for an operatic recital next Sunday 
(20) with Met stars Renata Te- 
baldi, Mario Del Monaco, Ettore 
Bastianini and a symph orch. 

With an unusual high (for a re- 
cital) of $6.90 a box seat and $5 75 
orchestra, and on three ads, the 
concert was half sold out on mail 
order, and the other half went the 
day the b.o. opened. Cortlin, who 
says he has enough mail orders 
left over to fill another third of a 
house, wanted to do a quick repeat 
Feb. 27, but couldn’t get the Met 
for the purpose. He’s taken it for 
March 15 instead. 


Conlin has two of the top concert 
draws currently in Del Monaco 
and Mme. Tebaldi, but even then 
he was warned by major music 
execs against trying such a ven- 
ture, due to its unusual nature and 
the risks involved. With the three 
singers. Met conductor Fausto 
Cleva and a full orch, the budget 
runs to about $10,000, certainly the 
most expensive in many a season 
for a recital setup. Gate, with 
standees, can run to $16,000. 


Conlin and Richard Petrucci, 
both recently out of the Army, set 
up as pub relations execs and im- 
presarios in Westchester this sea- 
son, skedding six events at the 
County Center. Both men, each 
26, are probably the youngest con- 
cert managers in the business. 

The Westchester series, in their 
first year at it, has gone well. The 
Voice of Firestone orch drew 3,500 
people to the 4,500-seat aud; Andre 
Kostelanetz and the N. Y. Philhar- 
monic pulled over 4,000, and the 
Boston Pops Tour Orch was SRO. 
Mischa Elman drew fairly well. 
Two remaining events are the 
Longines Symphonette March 16 
and Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo 
April 11. 

Conlin went In oh his own for 
the Met Opera recital event. While 
continuing the Westchester ar- 
rangement with Petrucci, he wants 
to set wp as a local manager in 
N. Y., doing a minimum of six con- 
certs a season with big names. Con- 
cert setup in N. Y. is unusual. Al- 
though the metropolis is filled 
with music bureaus and conrert 
managers, all handling artists, 
there is none as a manager or 
impresario whose business is solely 
to present various artists of the 
different managements in concerts. 

Artists who appear in recital in 
N. Y., do it on their own, with the 
help of their own managements. 

Nearest approach to a "local’’ im- 
presario is the Hunter College 
series in Gotham, Academy of 
Music presentations in Brooklyn, 
or the Carnegie Hall and Town 
Hall booking setups. 


SUB-TEEN COLORATURA 

Gianna Jenco, 11-year-old Italian 
coloratura soprano, was due in yes- 
terday (Tues.) aboard the Constitu- 
tion. 

Through the San Carlo Opera 
Co. management, she’ll make he 
American debut at Carnegie l‘ al * 
N. Y., March 2. 


Sir Thomas Beecham will act as 
guest conductor of the Hou^t 
Symphony Orchestra for the hi 
quarter of the present season^ * 
will direct eight concerts. Ma 
14 to April 5. 




Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


LITERATI 


61 


Literati 


Music, Disk Survey 
“Music In Recordings: 1955” will 
be published in the fall by Oxford 
University Press, in what is hoped 
to be the first of an annual survey 
of activity in music and disks. 

Tome will be compiled and writ- 
ten by Fred Grunfeld, as editor-in- 
chief, and Quaintance Eaton, as 
associate ed. Walter Bursten will 
be photo ed. Grunfeld, a writer 
with WOR, N. Y., formerly worked 
on WQXR, N. Y.’s “Musical Maga- 
zine.” Miss Eaton was associate 
editor of Musical America. 


Atlantic City 31 1G Budget 

The City Press bureau of Atlan- 
tic City, which has a year-round 
job of promoting the resort, has 
asked the city for $311,820 to con- 
tinue its functions this year. This 
is a drop of $5,710 from last year, 
when the Centennial celebration 
was underway, and the budget was 
up some $65,000 to pay for a train 
which made tours up and down 
the Boardwalk daily. 

Biggest item in the budget is 
the $120,000 for newspaper and 
magazine space and promotion ad- 
vertising. Others caU for $12,000 
for public entertainment and con- 
certs, and covers summer programs 
on the uptown Garden pier plus a 
subsidy for the Atlantic City 
Symphony Orchestra, which will 
again give free concerts on certain 
holidays. The Press bureau will 
spend $23,000 for special features 
and promotions this year, plus 
$3,000 more for the Palm Sunday 
and Easter boardwalk parade 
events. National Headliner and 
Press Photographer events will 
consume another $6,000. 

Costs of maintaining the bureau 
is listed at $66,245, a hike of 
$4,390. Salaries and wages eat up 
$29,810 and account for most of 
the hike. Bureau is operated by 
Mai Dodson, who has charge of the 
advertising and promotion, and 
Louis F. Cunningham, who handles 
publicity. Three photographers are 
employed, plus an office staff of 
four. 


5-Year Labanotation Pact 

J. Tatian Roach, manager of the 
standard and educational depart- 
ment of Music Publishers Holding 
Corp., a Warner Bros, subsid, last 
week signed a five-year contract 
with Ann Hutchinson, president of 
the Dance Notation Bureau Inc., 
for publication of Labanotation. 

In the near future, choreography 
with music will be available in 
printed form. This will be a means 
for teachers and students of the 
dance to obtain scores of famous 
ballets for practice and study. 


- Neue Zeitung Closes Shop 

With a substantial 32-page Sun- 
day issue (Jan. 30), Die Neue 
Zeitung (U.S. Information Serv- 
ice’s newspaper in Berlin) ended 
its career in Berlin. Last-minute 
efforts undertaken by its staffers to 
continue the paper under private 
German sponsorship failed. The 
paper was known for excellence of 
its editorials and particularly its 
cultural section. No other local 
paper could stand comparison. Ed- 
itor of the cultural section, Fried- 
rich Luft, was perhaps the number 
one film and theatre critic in 
Berlin. 

The last issue carried well- 
meaning farewell words by Sec. 
of State Dulles, James B. Conant, 
U.S. High Commissioner in Ger- 
many; General Honnen, U.S. Com- 
mander in Berlin, and other high- 
rank personalities. 


Brit. Horror Comics Bill 

The British government is to 
Introduce legislation to control 
horror comics. “The Children and 
Young Persons (Harmful Publica- 
tions) Bill” had its formal first 
reading in the House of Commons 
last Thursday (10). 

The bill will permit wide discre- 
tion of magistrates to decide what 
publications are harmful to chil- 
dren. Penalties include a four- 
month jail term for publishers and 
distributors. 


CHATTER 

Newsweek doing eight-column 
spread on the New Yorker mag on 
occasion of latter’s 30th anni. 

Gilbert Phelps, BBC program 
vet, has authored “A Man in His 
Prime,” a novel, for John Day pub- 
lication. 

Warners’ "Dragnet” pic being 
serialized in Evening News, 
Glasgow, plus cartoon strip featur- 
ln K “Dragnet” characters. 

The Scotsman, Edinburgh, will 
shortly celebrate its centenary as 


a daily newspaper. First daily 
issue appeared on June 30, 1855. 

Nelson W. Bryant, who has been 
associated with the Gloucester 
(Mass.) Times, named new manag- 
ing editor of the Claremont (N. H.) 
Daily Eagle. 

Charles L. Whittier, longtime 

Young & Rubicam ad exec, has 

done an encyclopedic book on 

“Creative Advertising,” which Holt 
will bring out this spring. 

Leslie Gilbert Pine, formerly as- 
sistant editor of Burke’s “Landed 
Gentry,” and now editor of 

“Burke’s. 'Peerage,” has authored 
“They Came with the Conqueror,” 
for Putnam publication. 

Time correspondent John Scott, 
now' assistant to the publisher of 
that magazine, has authored "Po- 
litical Warfare: A Guide to Com- 
petitive Coexistence” for John Day, 
with C. D. Jackson, Luce exec, 
doing the foreward. 

Newport (N. H.) Times sold to 
Nicholas J. Mahoney, Jr., owner 
of the Newport Argus-Champion, 
who has consolidated the two 
weekly newspapers. The Times was 
established in October of 1948 by 
George D. Graves Sr. and Jr. 

Charlotte Ebener, a foreign 
correspondent for the Chicago 
Daily News (as is also her hus- 
band, George Weller) is author of 
“No Facilities For Women,” which 
Knopf is publishing this month. 
It’s an account of her experiences 
behind the Bamboo Curtain. 

Ken Giniger, v.p.-g.m. of Haw- 
thorn Books, off on a quick trip 
to Europe Feb. 26 to confer with 
publishers and authors in London, 
Paris and Rome, returning to New 
York for the publication of his own 
book, “The Compact Treasury of 
Inspiration,” by Hawthorn on 
April 8. 

Mabel R. Bennett, the wife of 
Richard R. Bennett, public rela- 
tions director in Washington of 
the National Assn, of Manufactur- 
ers, and mother of three children 
who were all struck down with 
poliomyelitis and was instrumental 
in organizing the first Polio Parents 
Clubs, has written a personal 
memoir, “Hidden Garden” for John 
Day. 


‘The Fish’ 

Continued from page 1 

however, “the fish” is definitely 
bringing back the dance beat. In 
this case, it’s the r&b. or rock 'n' 
roll, combos which make a career 
out of honking their tenor sections 
to a sound and a beat which tech- 
nically has been called “dirty,” 
even before “the fish” was sighted. 

Its impact on pop music already 
has been felt. Sid Wayne and 
Phil Springer penned a tune, “The 
Fish,” which was cut by Mindy 
Carson for Columbia Records. 
“The Fish,” paradoxically, is not 
in “fish” tempo and some of the 
hipsters regard it as slightly on 
the square. It was designed as a 
pop entry in which songs don’t 
have to be what they are titled just 
as “Till I Waltz Again With You” 
was in fox-trot tempo. 

Even before Miss Carson’s slic- 
ing of “the fish,” a flock of pop 
names has already made the r&b 
switch. Perry Como climbed 
aboard with “Ko Ko Mo,” Tony 
Bennett with “Close Your Eyes,” 
the McGuire Sisters with “Sincere- 
ly” and Georgia Gibbs with 
“Tweedle-Dee,” among a flock of 
other pop singers and r&b tunes. 


Millionaire Hooey 

Continued from page 1 r 

ducers * current importance to film 
industry is described on page 3, 
this issue — Editor ). 

Ford’s bitterness is perhaps 
heightened by a recent personal ex- 
perience. It Involved the produc- 
tion by an indie company of “The 
Americano,” which RKO is pres- 
ently releasing. Company was left 
stranded while shooting in South 
America. “I don’t want to end up 
in the middle of the Brazilian jun- 
gle again without a producer, dir- 
ector, and cast — and particularly 
no money,” he said. “I had to bail 
the whole crew out of a hotel.” 

Thcsp’s new deal with Metro is 
a unique departure for the com- 
pany in that it will allow Ford to 
make one outside picture a year. 
It requires him to make five pic- 
tures every two years. Payment 
on the pact, which goes into effect 
March 7, is on the basis of 52 weeks 
a year. If he should appear in six 


pictures over a two-year stanza, 
payment is to be stretched a year 
beyond his five-year contract. 

Under on old agreement, Ford 
still owes Columbia three pictures 
at the rate of one a year. He said 
Metro was making efforts to buy 
up this commitment. 

His first appearance under the 
M-G contract banner will be in 
“Trial,” the film version of Don 
Mankiewicz’s novel. He’s also been 
mentioned for Metro’s filmization 
of the stage hit “Teahouse of the 
August Moon.” 

Ford’s one-a-year outside pic- 
ture does not involve television. 
“Why compete with yourself?” is 
his general attitude at the moment 
toward video. 


Niteries’ Screwy Setup 

Continued from page 1 

he’d reopen the spot should he get 
the right name. 

On the other hand, there are 
many acts that have headlined in 
some of the major spots in New j 
York. A lot of the places have 
closed during the past few years 
and consequently, there’s trouble 
in getting a showing. An indica- 
tion of this situation is seen in the 
booking of Ben Lessy & Patti 
Mpore for the Blue Angel, N.Y., 
March 3. This team last played at 
La Vie en Rose and prior to that 
at the Harem. 

Talent agencies and personal 
managers are hardpressed to find 
suitable outlets for some acts. 
There are many acts that haven’t 
played a top N.Y. spot in years and 
prospects of hitting in one are 
virtually nil. Except for the Copa- 
cabana and Latin Quarter, many of 
the top showcases are gone. In 
former years, a top performer 
could play some of the fringe spots 
and still be considered as working 
bigtime, but most of these spots 
are gone. It’s either a case of go- 
ing into the intimeries or some of 
the lesser spots, if the top two 
aren’t available. 


Seaton 

Continued from page 1 

erature.” They were composed in 
prose which bordered on poetry. 
He had read them over and over 
again and found it impossible to 
tire of them — which, he suggested, 
was the test of brilliant writing. 

Continuing in the same tongue- 
in-cheek vein Seaton reported that 
he found other directors had peaks 
of appreciation for film criticism 
which usually coincided with a 
well-received release of theirs. Ka- 
zan had been admiring critical in- 
telligence last July and August, 
Hitchcock in September, and so on. 

Seaton was not sure that he 
would hold his present enthusiasm 
into next year. Sometimes when he 
studies the script on which he is 
currently working he has a dread- 
ful foreboding that he may awaken 
at a later date to the fact that the 
critics have returned to their 
“snide, smug, unfunny, narrow- 
minded, unintelligent, sadistic style 
of criticism.” 

Harold V. Cohen, winner of the 
Critics’ Award this year (Bosley 
Crow'ther got the first award last 
year) stated in his remarks that 
the significant thing was the policy 
of his paper, the Pittsburgh Post- 
Gazette, which permits a critic “the 
great luxury of thinking for him- 
self.” 

Elia Kazan w r on Screen Directors 
Guild’s fourth annual award for 
best directorial achievement, 1954, 
per Horizon-Columbia’s “Water- 
front.” Roy Kellino got best tele- 
pix director award, per Four Star 
Productions’ “The Answer.” 


Town Needs Theatre 

Continued from page 3 

stress how much of an asset the 
film theatre is to a town and what 
a loss its demise would be. 

Minnesota towns in which such 
editorials have appeared during the 
past several weeks include Delano. 
Fairbault, Kenyon, Detroit Lakes 
and Waseca. 

Pointing out that the town’s lone 
theatre “is on the borderline,” the 
Delano Eagle editorial urged read- 
ers to “go down and take in a 
show.” 

"After a stretch of looking at 
the tv counterpart, you’ll especially 
marvel at the big screen, as we 
did,” the .editorial cQptinued. “And 
the colors are gorgeous.” 


i SCULLY’S SCRAPBOOKi 

»<»♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦«♦♦ By Frank Scully fttMmttmir 

Palm Springs. 

In the Westward Ho, Phoenix, a tall gray hostelry that looks like 
the architect gazed too long and too lovingly at Sing Sing before 
deciding to settle for a western version of the watch tower at West 
Point, an act was breaking in. It had competition. Winter was breaking 
in too. 

Both opened cold. The song-and-dance team opened with one of 
those clock-eaters which some fuehrer of new acts decrees for begin- 
ners. The opening song about we haven’t got an opening. 

While this sort of thing killed vaudeville, there comes a team now 
and then that seems able to transcend it This couple was big enough 
and gay enough and, despite their obvious youth, experienced enough 
to overcome the handicap. He was six feet tall and blond. She was 
five feet 7V6 inches and brunet. They sang duets like people in love. 
I’m a sucker for duets. I thought they were great. 

Her name was Suzan Ball and his was Dick Long. These were their 
real names and they were trying to combine a first season around 
niteries with a first .year of marriage. This is known as the tungsten 
test. Any marriage that survives it is practically indestructible. - 

Once in a moment of pure inspiration I tossed off the aphorism 
that life gives you what you want, if you want it long enough, but 
not at the time you want it most. The gal in this act, when a school 
kid at Hollywood High, dreamed of starring in musical comedy and 
night clubs. She was about as tall ancf as beautiful then at 17 as she 
is now at 22. But the best she could do at 17 was to get Saturday 
night dates as the singer with Mel Baker’s band. They performed at 
college hops and around airplane factories. 

This helped to keep her in good financial standing at Marie Cote’s 
House of Seven Garbos — the eatery that mothered Ruth Roman, Linda 
Christian and others. 

The Low-Cut Kid of U.I. 

The beagles at Universal, ever on the hunt for bright young things, 
were told by Mme. Cote that this kid was mighty promising. She 
had been to a school of models, not so much to mannequin as to stop 
stooping to hide her height. That taught her to stand erect and to 
be proud of her statuesque beauty. 

Universal screentested her and the report read: “A natural. Breath- 
taking . . . Fills a lowcut period costume better than anyone since 
Maureen O’Hara.” P.S. She got the job. 

Her first picture was “Untamed Frontier” with Scott Brady and 
Shelley Winters. But that wasn’t the one that got her the man in her 
life. It was the second one, called “Yankee Buccaneer.” 

In far away Tokyo, a GI was sweating out his hitch. He too had 
come from Hollywood High. He too had been picked up when he was 
17. He too had been signed by UI. 

In fact, he’d been catapulted into stardom in “Air Cadet” by 1950, 
before being yanked into the Armed Forces. 

He was curious to see what kind of pictures his old studio was 
turning out without his being around to bolster them up. So he took 
a look at "Yankee Buccaneer.” He liked what he saw, especially what 
he saw of Suzan Ball. 

By 1952 he was back to work at Universal City. He was coupled 
with Barbara Stanwyck in “All I Desire.” Suzan Ball was working 
on an adjoining stage in “East of Sumatra.” He saw her walk by on 
the set. She wore a sarong. She was very beautiful. 

“This was the only time I ever saw her walk normally,” he said. 

In that picture she had a native dance to do, but it unfortunately 
wasn’t done on native soil. She slipped and banged her right knee 
on the cement. It hurt .terribly but she tried to walk it off. 

Pardon My Knee, Again 

The next year on a personal appearance tour in New England, the 
car she was in was sideswiped by another. That right knee took another 
beating. 

She kept trying to walk the injury off. but it kept getting worse 
and she had to resort to crutches between takes. Doctors suspected 
everything from osteomyelitis to t.b. and cancer. 

While she was crutching around, Dick Long managed to strike up 
a conversation piece with her in the studio restaurant. She was the 
gayest thing on the lot and he seemed dreadfully in need of gayety. 

He had to go to Canada with Alan Ladd and Shelley Winters for 
a picture. Suzy had a picture coming up too. This one was an X-ray. 
He wired her asking her how it made out. She grabbed her crutches 
and flew to Canada to tell him. Her picture was n.s.g. 

In fact, it was so n.s.g. that the croakers told her, “You can keep 
that leg to get buried with, or you can send it off to a cemetery of 
its own and live.” 

By now the 125-pound goddess was down to 92. A bone graft which 
had left her in a cast from her feet to her chest had flopped. 

While making the decision about the amputation she and Long 
played gin rummy at her bedside. She won the game, and lost the leg. 

The Trick Leg At The Wedding 

They had planned to get married on Palm Sunday. That was a year 
ago. They wanted a church wedding. So Suzy speeded up the processes 
of learning to walk with, an artificial leg so that she might walk down 
the aisle to her own wedding. The orthopedist ordered a clasp device 
to lock the knee joint. She had to remember this at every step or 
she’d sprawl on her beautiful face. 

On one take she came through with a flawless performance. In a 
few months she was back to work. She went on location to South 
Dakota and played top squaw in “Chief Crazy Horse.” 

Then she and her husband decided to fulfill that early ambition, 
tour the country in a nitery act. 

There w r ere added reasons now. Such an act was one of the ways, 
if you didn’t flop, to get money fast. They wanted to buy a home and 
have a nestegg for a family. 

I caught them at Chi-Chi’s in Palm Springs. Chi-Chi’s isn’t the best 
place to work — except for acrobats. The entrance is narrow and the 
stage is two or three steps down. That also means two or three steps 
up when you try to exit smiling. Try that with one leg that might 
buckle on you and you know a mental hazard in the most terrifying 
meaning of the word. 

Well, Suzy made it. It was slow, but she made it. She came back 
for encores and even simulated a few dance steps. She made costume 
changes fast. Altogether it was a mighty pleasing act. Long didn’t 
sing “If you knew Suzy like I know Suzy” but he could have given 
it a deeper meaning than Eddie Cantor has all these years. 

Their last day at Palm Springs they had to fly to Hollywood for a 
tv show and get back to Chi-Chi’s in time for the 10 o’clock show 
at the nitery. They performed again at midnight and then planned 
to drive back to town at dawn, because they had to pack for a trip 
to New York in connd^tion with the opening of “Chief Crazy Horse.” 

I thought, perhaps, as an old general in the great army of pain, 
that here was a brave young couple I could help. Perhaps I could 
play Old Man Benzedrine to their morale. But after an hour of gay 
gagging and trading some laughs about peglegs betw’een tfie acts, I 
went home bucked up with a yeasty feeling that these kids didn’t 
need anything but time to prove that Tinsel Town can also turn out 
real heroes and real heroines. 



CHATTER 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


Broadway 


Robert S. Benjamin, United Art- 
ists board chairman, off to Jamaica. 
BWI, for a 10-day rest. 

Fashion authority Tobe Coller 
Davis off to Montego Bay, Jamaica, 
for a vacation until March 14. 

Vet maitre d’hotel Ernest Seute, 
43 years at Luchow’s, celebrates 
his 70th birthday with a big shin- 
dig Feb. 23 at that eatery. 

Laszlo Halasz was due in last 
night (Tues.) from six weeks of 
guest conducting stints, in opera 
and concerts, in Paris and Barce- 
lona. 

A1 Rieser, the old radio pianist, 
is tending bar at Paul Miller’s 
Regency House, Manhasset, L. I., 
after recovering from a siege of 
blindness. 

Cesare Vallettl, Met Opera ten- 
or, left N.Y. by air Sunday (13) 
for Milan, where he will spend 
the next three months perform- 
ing at La Scala. 

Maggi McNellis will handle the 
fashion show pitch at the benefit 
being staged by the National Coun- 
cil to Combat Blindness at the 
Hotel Plaza, Feb. 26. 

Alfred Drake, Doretta Morrow 
and Joan Diener, original star! of 
“Kismet,” sailed on the Queen 
Mary last Friday (11) to appear in 
the London production of the mu- 
sical. 

Ed Sullivan back from London 
on a filming quickie of sequences 
with Beatrice Lillie and Sarah 
Churchill for next Sunday’s (20) for 
next Sunday’s (20) CBS video 
salute to Gertrude Lawrence. 

Howard Lindsay elected prexy of 
The Players, succeeding Walter 
Hampden who resigned. Lindsay 
is the org’s filth prez since it was 
founded by Edwin Booth, in 1888. 
Dennis King was named veepee 
succeeding Lindsay. 

Composers Richard Rodgers, 
Bohuslav Martinu and Edgar . Va- 
rese were among 14 names elected 
to membership in the Nationalln- 
stitute of Arts & Letters last week. 
Others included novelist Hamilton 
Basso and Phyllis McGinley, poet. 

Jerry Piekman back from his 
flying trip to the Coast with the 
good news that brother Milton 
Pickman’s operation was a success 
and also that there is no malig- 
nancy. Their mother also flew out 
on the SOS quickie to Hollywood 
last week. 

Pegeen (& Ed) Fitzgerald, whose 
penchant for- the cult known as 
*‘cat people,” i.e. a lover of cats 
as w’ell as dogs, has evidenced that 
influence with a one-woman art 
show at Saks 5th Ave. and at the 
Hotel Pierre. A painting of Wins- 
ton Churchill, with a feline in- 
fluence of facial caste, was her 
first painting sold— a $300 item. 

Nancy Ranson, president of the 
Brooklyn Society of Artists, and 
wife of Jo Ranson, WMGM’s press 
chief, and Staats Cotsworth, star 
of CBS’ “Crime Photographer” as 
well as John Wenger, Broadway 
stage designer, are among the art- 
ists in the first national exhibition 
of the National Society of Paint- 
ers in Casein at the Riverside Mu- 
seum. The exhibition will con- 
tinue through Feb. 27. 

Lucy Monroe lunched with the 
U. S. ambassador in Bangkok on 
Monday (14) and was in Hongkong 
yesterday on her voluntary one- 
woman show for USO. She’s pay- 
ing her own way for the Far East 
junket, after playing the European 
theatre officially for USO. Inci- 
dentally, the thrush is probably the 
first and only trouper to do a com- 
plete globetrot tour for Army in- 
stallations in one sequence. 

C. Douglas Dillon, American 
Ambassador to France, and Robert 
W. Dowling, chairman of the Amer- 
ican National Theatre & Academy, 
will be hosts at a “Salute to 
France” dinner Sunday (20) at the 
Waldorf-Astoria, N. Y., with Judith 
Anderson and Jose Limon skedded 
to perform. Dinner is to tee off 
drive for support of American 
show biz’s “Salute To France” 
presentations in Paris this spring. 

Ex-singing juvenile Phil Regan, 
now super-sales exploiteer for An- 
heuser-Busch’s beer, got his last 
daughter married in Pasadena, 
took 23 of the wedding party to 
the Racquet Club, Palm Springs, 
for a weekend party— the honey- 
mooners went off by themselves— 
and SuperChief’d east for a Bud- 
weiser sales exec powwow’, but 
took the train back pronto for 
more family stuff at his Pasadena 
home. All within the same week. 


duction, preemed at Arena Stage, 
town’s theatre-in-round this week. 

Orville Crouch, Loew’s area 
manager, named chairman of an- 
nual Cherry Blossom Festival, 
March 29-April 3, for which tenor 
Morton Downey has been inked as 
headliner. 

Anthony Muto, Movietone News 
bureau chief, to be installed as 
prexy of White House Photograph- 
ers Assn, at organization’s annual 
dinner honoring President Eisen- 
hower March 19. 

“Birdland Stars of ’55,” headed 
by Count Basie orch, Sarah 
Vaughan, George Shearing Quin- 
tet and Erroll Garner Trio, here 
for a National Guard Armory stint 
last Sunday (13). 

RKO Keith’s, capital landmark 
since it opened as a class vaude in 
1913, with complete facelifting, 
opened for last week’s brasshat 
benefit preem of “Long Gray 
Line.” RKO showcase boasts a long 
line of chief executives, starting 
with vaude fan Woodrow Wilson, 
and last week’s preem produced 
the First Lady. 


Paris 


By Gene Moskowltz 

(28 Rue Huchette; Odeon 49-44) 

Lewis Milestone in to dub “The 
Widow,” which he directed in 
Italy. 

Charles Chaplin claims he prob- 
ably will make his next film in 
France. 

Eddie Constantine and ballet 
dancer wife, Helene, have a new 
baby daughter. 

Harold Rome here looking at 
various Gallic properties for possi- 
ble future musical adaptation. 

Harry Kurnitz ogling the art 
galleries while waiting for his 
legiter, “Reclining Figure,” to be 
put on in London. 

Preston Sturges has finished the 
script on the pic he will make 
here called “Les Carnets De 
Major Thompson.” 

Georgette Paul’s new play, 
“Mademoiselle Fanny,” will be 
done by Jean Metcure at his The- 
atre St. George in September. 

Marcel Pagnol heads for the 
U.S. in April to see “Fanny” and 
then take his first trip around the 
U.S. in the company of novelist 
Albert Simonin. 

Danielle Darrieux to Spain for 
starring role in Robert Rossen’s 
"Alexander the Great” (UA) oppo- 
site Richard Burton, Fredric 
March and Claire Bloom. 

Ludmilla Tcherina returns to 
the stage here to do a ballet be- 
fore heading for London to star 
in the Michael Powell-Emeric 
Pressburger pic, “Rosalinde.” 

-> Art Buchwald, Olivia De Havil- 
land. Sue Stanley and 'Sidney 
Bechet making up U.S. part of the 
March of Dimes Show, for the U.S. 
Army, which unrolled this week. 


Miami Beach 


By Lary Solloway 

Cyd Charisse with Tony Martii 
at the Fontainebleau while hi 
plays two-week date there. 

Jane Powell being set for Cop; 
City date by Wm. Morris’ Georg* 
Woods and Sam Bramson. 

Martin Block hosted 60 guest 
at daughter Joan Adele’s marriage 
to Wall-strc eter Ken Granger. 

Empress Hotel departed fror 
one-nighter policy with Henn; 
Youngman set for one-week run. 

Joe E. Lewis will rest here afte 
concluding two-week stint at Lath 
Quarter, returning to the Lou Wal 
ters plushery In March. 

Talent agent Sid Harris agaii 
will book shows for the Saxony be 
ginning April 1. Hostel’s owne 
George Sax and wife Rhoda leav 
in several weeks on a South Ameri 
can tour. 


Washington 


By Florence S. I, owe 

Met Opera will play Washington 
for first time since 1953 for two 
nights in April at Loew's Capitol. 

Cornelia Otis Skinner due here 
for a ona-nignt rtand at St. Mary’s 

iu? r Co, * ,L ’ge next Friday (18* 
night. 

"The World of Sholom Alei- 
Phem, utilizing costumes and 
music of original Broadway pro- 


Rome 

By Robert F. Hawkins 

(Archimede 145; 800 211) 
Son born to Silvana Mangan 
in local clinic. Star has two girl 
Rhonda Fleming may do “Lin 
Cavalieri” for Malenotti produi 
tions on return here following ht 
current U.S. trip. 

“Madame Buttei-ly, local-mad 
first Jap -Italian coproductioi 
which Carmine Gallone recent! 
produced-directed at Cinecitta. wi 
have its world preem in Toky 
next April during the Italian Fill 
Week there. 

Linda Darnell expected in Rom 
soon to costar with Vittorio DeSic 
in Giuseppe Amato’s productio 
of “The Last Five Minutes,” froi 
a play by Aldo De Benedetti. A< 
tress made “Forbidden Womer 
for Amato here last year. 


Palm Springs 


By George Brown 

Cab Calloway to guest at W; 
dorf-Astoria dinner for new Fren 
ambassador Feb. 20. flying fro 
Palm Springs to do his stint ai 
flying back to San Francisco whe 
he opens at the Paramount. 


London 

Harold Lloyd Jr. arrived last 
week to appear in “A Yank in 
Ermine” for Monarch. 

Jack Hawkins re-enacting his 
screen role in “The Cruel Sea" in 
a BBC radio adaptation. 

Actress Valerie White’s second 
book, "Case for Treachery,” set to 
be published this week. 

Helene Cordet opened a cabaret 
season at the Cafe de Paris imme- 
diately on her return from Canada. 

Joan Regan doing a personal at 
tomorrow’s (Thurs.) preem of “A 
Prize of Gold” at the Odeon, Lei- 
cester Square. 

Roy Disney arrived last weekend 
for confabs with Cyril Edgar on 
the setting up of a local distribut- 
ing organization. 

Jack Hylton is to conduct a rep- 
lica of his 1924 combo in a scrap- 
book program to be aired by the 
BBC today (Wed.). 

Richard Greene and Bernadette 
O’Farrell starring in a “Robin 
Hood” teleplx series being lensed 
by Hannah Weinstein. 

Yana, currently starring in cab- 
aret at the Pigalle, making her 
screen debut at Ealing in “The 
Ship That Died of Shame.” 

J. Denis Forman ankled his post 
as director of the British Film In- 
stitute to join Sidney L. Bern- 
stein’s television organization. 

Agatha Christie, author of the 
current Broadway hit, “Witness for 
the Prosecution,” and two London 
smashes, featured in a BBC radio 
program last weekend. 

Norman Payne, of the vaude di- 
vision of MCA, planed to N. Y. last 
Thursday (10) on a special talent- 
hunting mission for Claude Lang- 
don’s ice shows. He goes on to 
Hollywood before returning to 
London. 


Scotland 

By Gordon Irving 

(Glasgow; Kevin 1590) 

Nicky Ricaro, Scot accordionist, 
forming new musical trio. 

Jack Anthony & Co. topping 
vaude at Empire, Edinburgh. 

Terry Thomas will head vaude 
week at Empire. Glasgow, Feb. 28. 

“Peter Pan” missing Scot centers 
this year for first time in a decade. 

“A Star Is Born” (WB) being 
shown to cinema trade here Feb. 
22 . 

Flora Robson to Lyceum. Edin- 
burgh. in new comedy, “A Kind of 
Folly.” 

Moira Shearer now likely to play 
King’s, Glasgow, in “I Am A 
Camera.” 

Les Dounos guest act in Carrol 
Levis vaude week at Empire, 
Glasgow. . 

Big new tv center planned at 
site adjorning Glasgow’s Broad- 
casting House. 

Babette & Raoul, Scot adagio 
duo, clicking in cabaret at Ambas- 
sador Hotel, New Delphi, India. 

John McLaughlin, Edinburgh 
accountant, elected new vice-prexy 
of Scot Cinematograph Exhibitors 
Assn. 

Greta louder, niece of late Sir 
Harry Lauder, played big part in 
organizing Glasgow theatrical ball 
Feb. 17. 

Covent Garden Opera Co. 
skedded for two-week visit to 
King’s, Glasgow, Feb. 28. D’Oyly 
Carte Opera group due at same 
theatre March 28. 


Vienna 

By Emil W. Maass 

(Grosse Schiffgasse 1 A; 45045) 

Sascha Film Co. preparing new 
script of Pushkin’s novel, “The 
Postmaster.” for early production. 

Film star Maria Schell will give 
her Salzburg legit debut in Schil- 
ler’s drama, “Kabaue und Liebe.” 

Oskar Werner inked for Mozart 
role in the forthcoming Max 
Ophuls production by the Komet 
Co. 

American orch leader Fritz 
Reiner inked by Red-White Red 
network to direct Philharmonic 
Orchestra. 

Pianist Adele Marcus fell uncon- 
scious while playing a Chopin Son- 
ata in Schubert Hall. Performance 
was stopped, but it continued the 
following day successfully. 


Minneapolis 

By Les Rees 

Star Theatre offering “Gigi.” 

“Auintette Allegro” back at 
Hotel Radisson Flame Room for 
third time. 

Syndicated columnist Earl Wil- 
son in Twin Cities to give St. Paul 
Winter Carnival and local niteries 
the o o. 

“Tea and Sympathy,” starring 
Deborah Kerr, at Lyceum here 
currently, is theatre’s first show 
since New Year’s week. 

Ray Speer, Minnesota State Fair 
publicity director, handling same 
assignment for Florida State Fair 
second successive season. 

Shipstad-Johnson “Ice Follies” 


at Arena here for annual date 
March 29-April 17 has already 
opened mail order ticket sale. 

In addition to one-nighter at 
Twin Cities’ Prom Ballroom, Ralph 
Flanagan band also making similar 
appearances this week at Roches- 
ter and Austin, Minn. 

Bob Hope and his Hollywood 
unit in Twin Cities currently, play- 
ing two performances here and 
one in St. Paul for potato chips’ 
manufacturer that made show 
available. 

“South Pacific” at St. Paul Au- 
ditorium this week for exclusive 
Twin Cities’ five-performance run 
under aegis of Jay Lurye who 
brought show in under package 
deal for his northwest circuit. 


Philadelphia 

By Jerry Gaghan 

Local singer Tony Carey signed 
with Columbia Records. 

Ethel Waters’ visit to Academy 
of Music cancelled because of ill- 
ness. 

Gordon MacRae, starring at 
Latin Casino, performed for pa- 
tients of the Veteran’s Hospital. 

Jill Corey, former Dave Garro- 
way thrush, to be featured enter- 
tainer at annual Chamber of Com- 
merce Dinner this week (16) in the 
Bellevue-Stratford. 


Chicago 

Betty Brennan joined the Max 
Cooper flackery. 

Josh White opened at the Black 
Orchid last night (Tues.). 

Elroy Hirsch, grid star turned 
actor, here to bally the pic, “Un- 
chained.” 

Comedienne Jean Arnold cur- 
rently heading the bill at the Le- 
land Hotel, Aurora. 

Marge and Gower Champion 
made the radio-tv rounds in behalf 
of their new Columbia album. 

Columbia’s Mitch Miller and 
Mindy Carson here Friday (11) for 
huddles with the local deejays. 

Grace Kelly due tomorrow 
(Thurs.) for opening of “Country 
Girl,” in which she has a star role. 

Agent Leo Salkin rounding up 
the talent for the City of Hope 
telethon this weekend via W’GN- 
TV. 

Maraleita Dutton (Mrs. Doti Her- 
bert) in N. Y. this week setting up 
publicity for fourth anni of Her- 
bert’s “Mr. Wizard” show on NBC- 
TV. 


Memphis 

By Matty Brescia 

Harold Kimmell, New York UA 
pressagent, now working out of 
office here. 

Tony Tedesco, UA sales chief 
here, back to his desk from a trip 
to Mexico with his wife. 

Commercial Appeal radio-tv ed 
Paul Molloy to N. Y. for a tour 
on networks headquartering there. 

Thomas Mitchell skedded for a 
four-day p.a. tour here starting 
Feb. 16 to hypo “Mayor of Town” 
tv series. Some 100 mid-south 
mayors invited here for the hoopla. 


Pittsburgh 

By Hal V. Cohen 

Booker Don D’Carlo home again 
after week of checkups at Cleve- 
land Clinic. 

Earliest that Lenny Litman could 
get the Four Freshmen back at his 
Copa was May 30. 

Dancers Johnny and Maxine 
Starr motoring to West Coast for 
month of engagements. 

Tech drama grad Eddie Green 
now publicity director for Play- 
house Theatre in Houston. 

“Ice Capades” coming back to 
The Gardens Feb. 27 for three 
days and four performances. 

Uncle Sam’s greetings have 
arrived for John H. Harris, Jr., 
and he will shove off any day now. 

Helen Richards in ahead of 
Ballets Espagnols and Bernard 
Simon beating drums for “Tender 
Trap.” 


Sydney 

Dutch film producer K. Nort, of 
the Proofilti Film Co., here to 
make a film about Dutch migrants 
settling into the Australian way of 
life. 

Viennese conductor Kurt Woess 
arrived for a concert tour for the 
Australian Broadcasting Commis- 
sion, starting with a Beethoven 
Festival here. 

Paul Regan, American Impres- 
sionist, and vocalist Jeannine Ar- 
naud head a cabaret bill at the 
Hotel Rex, a policy launched when 
late drinking was okayed. 

At the film industry luncheon to 
J. Arthur Rank’s visiting lieuten- 
ant, John Davis, congratulated 
Herman Flynn on his 34th year 
with Paramount. Flynn, Par’s ad- 
publicity director here, took chair 
as prexy of the 47 Club. 


Hoflywood 

Connie Moore to Texas for nitery 
stints. 

Mitchell Hamilburg in town after 
three weeks of business huddles 
in N.Y. 

Cameron Mitchell left for Tokyo 
to join 20th -Fox’s “House of 
Bamboo” troupe. 

Pat O’Brien and Barbara Stan- 
wyck taped radio pleas for the 1055 
United Jewish Appeal. 

Henry Berman due back at his 
Metro producer desk next week 
following hospitalization. 

Gene Raymond planed to Day- 
ton, Ohio, to report for active duty 
with the Army Air Corps. 

Hal R. Makelim returned from 
another tour to sell exhibs on his 
guaranteed playing time plan. 

Waite; Hampton bedded with flu. 

James Hill checked back into 
Hecht-Lancaster after six weeks 
abroad for “Trapeze.” 

Edward J. Snyder repacted by 
20th for another year as lenser; to 
head background projection dept. 

Walter Cronkite due in next 
week from N. Y. to tape narration 
on several “You Are There” tele- 
films. 

Jose Rodriguez Granadas, Mexi- 
can art director, awarded member- 
ship in Society of Motion Picture 
Art Directors. 

Eddie Mack is exiting his ex- 
ploiting job for the RKO and Hill- 
street theatses to handle publicity 
for Disneyland Park. 

Jacques Gauthier, French pro- 
ducer, here to cast his bi-lingual 
pic, “Impasse du Desire,” to be 
lensed in Hong Kong. 

Ronny Lubin, associated with 
The Jaffe Agency, Inc., for past 
several years, has been made a 
veepee and given a stock interest 
in firm. 

Playwright and former radio 
scripter - producer Jerry Devine 
planning a European vacation this 
summer with his wife and son. 
They’ll travel by freighter. 

Frankfurt 

By Hazel Guild 

(24 Rheinstrasse; 76751) 

Burg’s Ellis Elliot nightclub 
dubbed its new girly show, “All 
About Eve.” 

“Bartered Bride,” after the 
Friedrich Smetana opera, is being 
made in C’Scope by German Sud 
Films. 

“Burning Glass,” Charles Mor- 
gan drama, will be given its first 
German showcase this month at 
Goettingen. 

Maxwell Anderson’s “What Price 
Glory” is now playing on the Co- 
logne stage, in a German adapta- 
tion by Carl Zuckermayer. 

Orson Welles, filming “Die 
Fledermaus” in Vienna, says his 
next will be “Noah’s Ark.” which 
he will produce. Paola Mori will 
star. 

Yves Ciampi begins work April 
1 in Paiis on the German-French 
coproduction, “The Heroes Are 
Weary,” starring Maria Felix and 
Yves Montald. 

“Journey to Sudan,” final pie 
Victor Vicas directs in Europe be- 
fore going to Hollywood where he 
has a 20th-Fox contract, is now in 
work in Zurich. 

“Rebellion of the Hanged,” Pe- 
dro Armendariz’ starrer first of a 
sertes of Jose Cohn productions in 
Mexico, is set for United Artists 
release; will be shown first in Ger- 
many. 


Boston 

Guitarist Don Alessi and bassist 
Ross Centamore join the music 
staff of WHDH Feb. 22. 

Fred Hall, Showbar’s perennial 
emcee, returned to the nitery fol- 
lowing a vacation in Florida. 

Booker Danny White sails from 
New York Feb. 17 on the SS. 
Constitution for extended talent- 
scouting tour of Europe. 

Billy DeWolfe inked for a three- 
day stand at the Sheraton Plaza’s 
Oval Room starting Feb. 24. This 
will mark first time in a couple 
of years that the room has played 
a name act. 


New Haven 

By Harold M. Bone 

British pianist Solomon is next 
New Haven Symphony artist at 
Woolsey Hall March 1. 

Shubert staff taking mid-season 
coffee break with nothing booked 
for month of February. 

Yale Dramat staging Moliere s 
“Le Tartuffe’s” at University The- 
atre Feb. 26-27 and March 4-5. 

IATSE localite Ike • Lowenthal 
still limping from broken gam suf- 
fered in crosswalk motor run- 
down. 

Yale Drama Dept.’s next major 
production. "The Seagull,” will he 
the first direction by new chair- 
man F. Curtis Canfield. 


Wednesday, February 16, 1955 


63 



" ONA MUNSON 

Ona Munson, 48, actress, was 
found dead in her New York apart- 
ment Feb. 11, a suicide, according 
to police. Death was attributed to 
an overdose of sleeping pills. 

Miss Munson, who began her 
career in vaudeville in 1922, later 
appeared in legit, films, radio and 
tv In 1925, she toured in “No, 
No Nanette” in the title role. The 
following year she repeated that 
assignment at the Globe Theatre, 
N Y. 

Other shows in which Miss Mun- 
son performed included ‘Twinkle, 
Twinkle,” “Manhattan Mar y,” 
•Hold Everything,” “Five Star 
Final” and “Ghosts,” with Alla 
Nazimova. She also appeared in 
a number of films including “Gone 
With the Wind.” Two years ago 
she had a role in the City Center 
production of “First Lady.” 

Her husband, . artist-designer 
Eugene Berman, survives. A pre- 
vious marriage to film director 
Eddie Buzzell ended in divorce. 

S. Z. SAKALL 

S. Z. (Cuddles) Sakall, 67, actor, 
died Feb. 12 in Hollywood. Born 
in Budapest, he appeared in films 
and legit in Vienna and Berlin. 
He came to the U. S. in 1939, 
following Hitler’s rise to power. 

Since his arrival in this country, 
Sakall appeared in a flock of Holly- 
wood films including “Casablanca,” 
“Look for the Silver Lining,” ‘The 
Dolly Sisters,” “Lullaby of Broad- 
way,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy, 
“Christmas in Connecticut,” “Two 
Guys from Milwaukee,” “April 
Showers,” “The Devil and Miss 
Jores” and “Tea for Two.” 

After laboring as a playwright 
for a while, Sakall switched to 
acting and was cast in the Hun 
garian film, “Two Hearts in Three- 
Quarter Time.” He was partnered 
with European filmmaker Max 
Glass for three years. He also 
acted in legit in Prague, Vienna, 
the Netherlands and other Euro- 
pean countries. 

Wife survives. 


charge. After his release, the team 
had difficulty in getting employ- 
ment. Bubbles is now touring Eu- 
rope with “Porgy.” 

Survived by his widow. Flash. 


in Miami, where he was spending 
the winter. Formerly a dancer, he 
was once on union staffs of pioneer 
White Rats, American Guild of 
Variety Artists and Ohio Guild of 
Theatrical Agents, of which he was 
secretary-treasurer. 

There were no known survivors. 


CHARLES H. GATES 
Charles H. Gates, .64, former 
vaude performer who trouped on 
the Keith-Albee, Loew and other 
circuits when vaude was at its 1 
peak, died Jan. 30 in Wareham, 
Mass., after a brief illness. He 
started his theatrical career at the 
age of 14 with his father in an act 
known as Gates & Blake. 

Gates, whose family name was 
Breckle. later married Marion Fin- 
lay. The couple teamed as Gates 
A Finlay in a song and comedy 
skit. Appraising one of their 
1920 performances Variety’s 1 bee. 
opined that the turn “may not have 
the heft in the present routine to 
gain much in the way of bigtime 
attention but the act should travel 
along nicely in the other houses.” 

More recently Gates helped 
found the Onset (Mass.) Players 
and long served as the group’s 
makeup man. A native of New 
York, he was one of the early mem- 
bers of the National Vaudeville 
Artists. ' 

Surviving are his wife, a son, 
and two daughters, one of whom is 
wed to Jerry Fujikawa, cast mem- 
ber of “The Teahouse of the Au- 
gust Moon.” A brother also sur- 
vives. 


PAUL ARON 

Paul Aron, 59, pianist, conductor 
and founder of the Opera Players, 
which s presents contemporary 
operas for short runs, died Feb. 6, 
in New York. Born in Germany, 
he made several, tours of Europe 
as a two-piano team with the late 
Max Reger, 

He came to the U. S. in early 
’40s. 


songwriter and record promotion 
man for number of stars, includ- 
ing Tony Bennett, died in Pitts- 
burgh Feb. 7 from a stroke. 


Arthur Dubuque, vaude and 
nitery performer, professionally 
known as Allan Drake, died Feb. 
13, in New York. 


Father. 78, of Morton Ives, 
Omaha theatreowner and former 
salesman there for Col, died Feb. 
4 in Pittsburgh. 


Mrs. Anne O’Malley Reardon, 

63, organist and pianist for years 
in Chicago film theatres, died Feb. 
8 in Chicago. 


Paris Fashion 

Continued from page t 


GEORGE A. BAMFORD 

George A. Bamford, 50, saxo- 

E honist - flutist, died Feb. 7 in 
rookline, Mass., following a heart 
attack. Prominent in Boston musi- 
cal circles, he played with the Paul 
Whiteman and Carmen Cavallero 
orchs and later was associated with 
a number of Hub bands. 

Surviving are his wife, a son and 
two daughters. 


TOM MOORE 

Tom Moore, 71, vet legit-film 
actor, died Feb. 12, in Santa Moni- 
ca, Cal., after a year’s illness. Born 
in Ireland, he went to Hollywood 
in 1917, where he appeared in such 
silent pictures as “Manhandled,” 
“A Kiss for Cinderella” and “A 
Song and Dance Man.” 

Other pix in which Moore played 
included “Under the Rouge.” “The 
Isle of Vanishing Men,” "Danger- 
ous Money,” “Pretty Ladies,” 
“Adventure,” “Good and Naughty,” 
“The Trouble with Wives,” “Synco- 
pating Sue,” “The Last Parade,” 
“Cabaret” and “The Love Thrill.” 
Two years ago he appeared in 
legit with Billie Burke in ‘Life 
With Mother” and later was on 
tv with Doris Kenyon. 

His wife, actress Eleanor Merry, 
a son and a daughter by one of 
his two previous marriages sur- 
vive. He was divorced from silent 
film actresses Alice Joyce and 
Renee Adoree. His brother Matt, 
an actor, also survives. 


ELSA G. ENGLISH 
Mrs. Elsa Granger English, 51, 
actress, died Feb. 8, in New York, 
after a long illness. Born in Aus- 
tralia, she played featured roles 
in silent pix there. She later came 
to the U. S. and was a featured 
player for Samuel Goldwyn for 
two years. 

Performing under her maiden 
name, Mrs. English also appeared 
in musicomedies and in recent 
years coached actors, singers and 
dancers in her New York studio. 

Surviving are her husband. 
Samuel English, a songwriters’ 
agent, and a daughter. 


ABIGAIL ADAMS 

Abigail (Tommye) Adams, 32, 
former actress, died Feb. 13 in 
Beverly Hills of an overdose of 
sleeping pills. Miss Adams started 
her theatrical career in Charlotte, 
N. C., appearing with the Civic 
Ballet, then came to Broadway, 
where she appeared in Olson & 
Johnson revues. She was signed 
by Columbia Pictures in 1947 but 
her option had been dropped 
before she made a picture. This 
was her second suicide attempt. 
She slashed her wrists in 1952 but 
recovered. , 

Miss Adams was divorced from 
actor Lyle Talbot and had been 
romantically linked with George 
Jessel. Burial is to be in Charlotte, 
N. C. 


FORD BUCK 

Ford Lee Washington, known 
professionally as Ford Buck, of the 
team of Buck & Bubbles, died Jan. 
31 after a brief illness in New 
York. The duo, one of the best- 
known Negro comedy teams, had 
been together for more than 30 
years. They had separated re 
cently. 

Buck & Bubbles were the only 
Negro team to play for Florenz 
Ziegfeld Jr. During their career, 
they had worked in musicals and 
films and appeared in “Porgy A 
Bess” and “Carmen Jones.” They 
had also worked on radio with 
Rudy Vallee. They started in 
show biz with Nat Nazarro, who 
had them as part of his act. He 
later managed them for 30 years. 
Three years ago, they broke away 
from Nazarro. 

Buck was recently released from 
* Canadian jail 1 on a narcotics 


PHYLLIS MANNING 

Mrs. Jerome W. Mendelsohn. 31, 
who sang in Broadway musicals un. 
der her maiden name of Phyllis 
Manning, died Jan. 31 in Cleve- 
land after a short illness. A so- 
prano, she went to New York in 
1942 and for 10 years appeared in 
tuneshows, including touring ver- 
sions of “Student Prince,” “Blos- 
som Time” and “Naughty Mariet- 
ta.” She quit the stage several 
seasons ago to take care of her ill 
mother. 

Survived by husband, father, 
two sisters and two brothers. 


MRS. MARIE ROSE 
Mrs. Marie Rose, 91, onetime 
vaudevillian, died Feb. 2 at a rest 
home in Freehold, N. J. She had 
appeared in vaude with her late 
husband. Max Rose, for approx- 
imately 50 years in an act tagged 
“Marcella’s Bird Cabaret.” 

The act toured the U. S., Europe, 
Australia and New Zealand. Mrs. 
Emilie Rose Friedlander, Rose’s 
sister, replaced him in the turn 
from 1924-1930. 


RUBY OWEN 

Ruby Owen, 56, known as “Rubey 
de Fontenoy, the Sharpshooter’ 
when she toured Europe, Africa 
and Australia with a vaude team, 
died Feb. 13 in St. Louis. She lived 
alone and was destitute and for- 
gotten. 

Miss Owen joined a group of 
French entertainers in St. Louis, 
returned to France with them and 
learned to shoot pistols and rifles 
In later years she was a beauty 
shop operator in St. Louis. 

HARRY DUSHOFF 

Harry Dushoff, 47, nitery oper- 
ator and onetime photographer, 
died Feb. 8 in Philadelphia. He 
was associated with his brother 
David, and Dallas Gerson in man- 
agement of the Latin Casino, top 
Philly night club. He was known 
as a pix and still photographer and 
was employed by Newsreel Labor- 
atories from 1939-’43. 

His wife, son, daughter and two 
brothers survive. 


ARTHUR J. KEARNS 

Arthur J. Kearns, 45, manager 
of the Randolph Theatre, Philadel 
phia, died Feb. 11, in that city 
First associated with Warners, he 
joined the Goldman chain in 1943 
and took charge at the Randolph 
four years ago. 

His wife, two sons, father and 
two sisters survive. 


ALFREDO JACKSON 

Alfredo Jackson, Cleveland the- 
atrical booking agefit» died Jan. 24 


REGINALD HALCROW 

Reginald Halcrow, 60, pianist 
with the Ballet Rambert Co., died 
of a heart attack Feb. 9 in Edin- 
burgh. With the Rambert group 
or five years, he insisted upon 
playing at the company’s opening 
performance at the Gateway The- 
atre, Edinburgh, although he felt 
ill. Previously he was with the 
Metropolitan Ballet Co. 

His wife survives. 


Wife, 69, of Leo Stahr, art di- 
rector for the Balabnn A Katz 
theatre chain, died Feb. 9 in Chi- 
cago. 


Larry Clifford, 77, member of 
the vaudeville team of Clifford & 
Burke, died Feb. 9 in Hollywood. 


George Leonard Jefferson, 67, 

radio pianist and choral conductor, 
died recently in Whitby, Eng. 

Dr. John M. Reed, 73. stepfather 
of Otto Krenn, of radio and tv in 
Pittsburgh, died in that city Feb. 7. 


JOHN STALZER 

John G. Stalzer, 79, onetime pro- 
fessional strong man who came to 
the U. S. from Germany, at the 
age of 18, died Jan. 31 in Kansas 
City. He traveled with circuses 
and toured the Orpheum circuit 
for a dozen years, then left show 
business. 

A daughter survives. 


SID BROD 

Sid Brod, 54, production man- 
ager for years at Paramount and 
Samuel Goldwyn studios, died of 
a heart attack Feb. 10 in Holly- 
wood. He had recently returned 
from retirement to produce two tv 
shows for Bing Crosby. 

Surviving is his wife, novelist 
Roscmond Marshall. 


Edwin H. Mayer, 76, Variety rep 
for years in Hamilton, O.. died 
there Feb. 7 after a brief illness. 
He was ad manager of the Mosler 
Safe Co., in that city, and was a 
charter member of Variety Club 
Tent 3, Cincinnati. His wife, a 
daughter and a sister survive. 


Clifford L. Niles, 76, onetime 
theatre operator who owned eight 
houses in eastern Iowa, died of 
cancer Feb. 7 in Anamosa, la. 
Besides his wife and five daugh- 
ters, he is survived by a son, 
Charles, former theatre operator 
and secretary of Iowa-Nebraska 
Allied, 


Michel Michon, manager of 
Roth’s Plaza Theatre, midtown art 
cinema, died Feb. 5 in Washing- 
ton, D.C. A former French actor, 
he came to the U.S. in a play and 
decided to stay. He became man- 
ager of the Plaza two years ago. 


Flora Dick, secretary to F. G. 
Dickely, manager of Altec Service 
Corp.’s central division office in 
Chicago, died last week in Chi. 
With Altec since 1943, she former- 
ly was with the company’s Detroit 
office. 


Julio Alonso, 49, screen actor 
and brother of Gilbert Roland, 
died Feb. 9 in Hollywood. He left 
his wife, Agnes, and another 
brother, Chico Day, assistant di- 
rector at Paramount. 


John Bell Clayton, 48, novelist 
and brother-in-law of songwriter 
Hoagy Carmichael, died Feb. 19, 
in Los Angeles. Surviving are his 
wife, Martha Carmichael Clayton, 
a son and a sister. 


Paul Cerf, 42, partner In the 
business management firm of Cerf 
& Ginter dealing with theatrical 
accounts, died of a coronary ail- 
ment Feb. 7 in Beverly Hills. Cal 
A sister survives. 


Donald Dudley Craig, 46, direc- 
tor of several Sheffield, Eng., cine- 
mas, died Feb. 5 in Bamford, Eng. 
He was a former chairman of the 
Sheffield exhibs’ organization. 


Roland “Duke” Daggy. 69, with 
Paramount’s special effects depart- 
ment for the past 32 years, died 
Feb. 12 in Hollywood. 

Father, 86, of legit-tv actress 
Luella Gear, died Feb. 8, in Bay- 
side, Queens, N. Y. 

Mother, 75, of Elmer Willet, 


Mardi Gras 


Continued from page Z 


gar Bowl game last New Year’s 
Day. 

Spots like the Blue Room at the 
Roosevelt, Swan Room at the Mon- 
teleone and Cotillion Room at the 
Jung have booked topdrawer 
names and bands to lure in the 
payees. The Bourbon streeters, 
too, have ghrnished their enter- 
tainment menus. Lines of visitors 
is the rule nightly, standing out- 
side the better known spots for a 
chance to see such torso tossers 
as Marcia Edgington, Stormy, 
Allouette, etc., and Cupcake, the 
naughty singer. 

The city fathers and Chamber 
of Commerce officials estimate that 
the visitors and tourists attending 
this year's celebration will spend 
in excess of $5,000,000. 

The Feb. 20 Colgate “Comedy 
Hour” will originate here. The 
telecast over WDSU-TV will spot* 
light singer-emcee Gordon Mac- 
Rae, Louis “Satc’hmo” Armstrong, 
an annual returnee who was king 
of the Zulus, Negro counterpart of 
Rex several years ago; Peggy Lee 
and Gene Sheldon. Jim Jordan 
Jr., director, heads a West Coast 
team for the show, which will in- 
clude segments from the old Ab- 
sinthe House, Antoine’s famed res- 
taurant, the Court of Two Sisters 
patio and courtyard of the Maison 
de Ville. 


midnight outfits are practical and 
the total lack of tricky ornaments 
shows the perfect balance Dior’s 
architectural talent can achieve. 
Shy and blushing, he was smoth- 
ered by the enthusiastic press. 

Oh, Those ‘OH’ Stockings 

Another type of emotion await- 
ed the audience at the Path pre- 
miere. Genevieve, the pretty )vidow 
of young Jacques Fath, who died 
only a few weeks ago, had decided 
to carry on. Everyone was tense 
and rooting for her. In the real 
Fath tradition, the curtain rose -on 
a gay scene, as if Jacques himself 
had ordered “enough of this sad- 
ness” . . . The famous “OH” stock- 
ings with their lace tops and dia- 
mond garters, the little puffed 
bloomers, the sheer summer night- 
gowns, the crazy beaclnvear, were 
followed by a youthful collection: 
striped blazers, starched Eton col- 
lars, slim boyish coats, pleated 
dresses with fitting bodices like a 
coat of mail, skin - tight draped 
cocktail dresses and evening 
dresses inviting one to dance all • 
night. The applause must have 
cheered the heart of Genevieve, 
hiding in the mannequins’ dressing- 
room. The whole staff was in tears. 

When asked about the A line, 
Mme. Chanel shrugged her should- 
ers. How can you make an A out 
of a double O ? Her clothes are 
made to fit the natural lines of 
the body. Looking like a young girl 
behind her smoked glasses, she 
sat on top of the stairs watching 
the reactions of a severe public. 
Most aoplaudcd were her simple 
navy jersey suits and the nostalgic 
Irene Castle chiffon dresses. Her 
chalkedfaced mannequins with 
chetfed haircuts enlivened the 
show. 

At Balenciaga, a typical atmos- 
phere: no flowers, no champagne, 
no welcome — a frozen-faced staff 
guarding the doors. After four sea- 
sons of unchanged line, the invis- 
ible Cristobal has re-discovered 
the tube-like tunic of pre-World 
War I to the delight of a bad- 
tempered press. Unwillingly they 
had to agree his collection was 
superb — at least those who* could 
get in. Many had been turned 
away. Among those refused ad- 
mittance were Clare Boothe Luce, 
U.S. Ambassador to Italy, in Paris 
for a few hours only. She had no 
1955 fashion press card. 


Palm Springs 

Continued from page Z 


or less permanent resident here. 
Grade and George Brown, ex-Par- 
amount Studios pub-ad chief and 
vet film pub-ad exec, having sold 
their La Serena Hotel, Palm 
Springs, likewise are looking for a 
larger operation, which was the 
major reason for selling out and 
taking a capital gain. Their 13- 
unit hotel was too small for the 
volume of in-season business. 

Frankie and Leo Spitz, the 
George Montgomerys (Dinah 
Shore), the Jack Bennys (Mary 
Livingstone), Fay and Sol Lesser, 
Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, the 
Phil Harrises (Alice Faye) are 
other permanent PS residents, 
more or less. Harris and Crosby 
are among the Thunderbird golf 
course development owners. Cros- 
by also now has a new trailer park, 
appropriately called the Blue 
Skies. 


Tallulah 


Continued from pace 1 


the show’s accountant to that ef- 
fect. Ed.) 

Washington and ’Frisco audi- 
ences are the “best in the world.” 
But, for benefit of a Houston Post 
reporter, so, too, are Texas audi- 
ences, and, come to think of it, 
there’s nothing like a London audi- 
ence. 

Also, dozens of censorable quotes 
on national political figures, GOP 
variety. 

Earlier, Miss Bankhead urged 
Congress by telegram to approve 
legislation lor a Civic Auditorium 
A Arts Center in Washington. 
However, she declined an invite to 
testify on the subject before a 
House committee. 


MARRIAGES 

Margaret Back to Peter Schelen- 
ker, New York, Feb. 5. Bride is 
exec secretary to the president at 
Transfilm, the tv production out- 
fit; he’s former Transfilm treas- 
urer. 

Theresa L. Handy to James E. 
Gamache, Burlington, Vt., Feb. 5. 
Bride is on State Theatre staff; 
he’s a projectionist. 

Mary Ann Jalosky to Clyde Bei- 
lin, Pittsburgh, Feb. 3. Bride’s a 
chorus girl at Pitt’s Casino Thea- 
tre; groom plays there in Howdy 
Baum’s house orch. 

Marjorie Ann Fineman to Alvin 
J. Ramanoff, Pittsburgh, Jan. 16. 
Bride’s the daughter of David 
Fineman, longtime Pitt theatre 
owner. 

Isabelle Buckner to Mort Lewis, 
New York, Feb. 12. Bride is a 
fashion coordinator; he’s a radio-tv 
writer. 


BIRTHS 

Mr. and Mrs. Nat Fields, daugh- 
ter, Brooklyn, Jan. 28. Father is 
indie pressagent. 

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Ingalls, son, 
Hackensack, N. J., Feb. 10. Moth- 
er, the former Rosemary O’Shea, 
is a legit singer and actress; father 
is a musical director. 

Mr. and Mrs. Don Roth, son, 
Chicago, Feb. 9. Father is owner- 
op of Blackhawk eatery there. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ron Poulton, son, 
Toronto, Feb. 9. Father is radio- 
television columnist of The To- 
ronto Telegram. 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Scott Jr., 
daughter, Burbank, Cal., Feb. 10. 
Father is assistant head of UI’s 
transportation dept; mother is ac- 
tress Doris Barton. 

Mr. and Mrs. Charlton Heston, 
son, Hollywood, Feb. 12. Father is 
a screen actor; mother is actress 
Lydia Clarke. 

Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Hoffman, 
son, Hollywood, Jan. 19. Father is 
manager of Royal Guards, singing 
combo; mother is former English 
dancer Marguerite French. 

Mr. and Mrs. Lige Bricn, daugh- 
ter, New York, Feb. 12. Father is 
special events director of United 
Artists. 

Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Feinberg, 
daughter, New York, Feb. 8. 
Mother is tv actress Ruth Gilbert. 









Wf<lnMilay, February 16, 19 


Y.v-Y.yrr.-K; 




*•*»• « « Soloist 
•onto Symphony 


Esropcan nightclub and thaolrs 
appearances in hit* spring 


— . 

GOLDFARB, MIRENBURG and VALLON 
U70 SIXTH AVENUE NEW YORK, N. Y. 


Conceit ‘Diucttcn 

COLUMBIA ARTISTS MANAGEMENT INC 

F«r»onal Direction; COPPICUS, SCHANO l BROWN 
113 WEST 57»h STREET 


NEW YORK 1*, N. Y ( 


Watch for LP album for JAZZ LABEL 


soon to bo re looted 




FILMS 

l\ 

RADIO 


VIDEO 


MUSIC 


STAGE 




Published Weekly at 154 West 46th Street, New York 36, N. Y., by Variety, Inc. Annual subscription. S10. 
Entered as second-class matter December 22. 1905, at the Post Office at New York. N. Y., under tha 

COPYRIGHT. 1955. BY VARIETY. INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 

Single copies. 25 cents, 
act of March 3. 1879. 


VOL. 197 No. 12 

NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1955 


PRICE 25 CENTS 



♦ 


H’wood’s ‘This Is Your Life’ Binge; 

40 Biographical Films on Sked 


Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Hollywood producers are off 
on a biographical binge un- 
equalled since 20th-Fox brought 
Don Ameche up from rags to 
riches in a score of films, and 
Warners made medical history with 
Muni and Robinson. 

Ready for release, in production 
or in script form are 40 films which 
draw on real-life characters. Para- 
mount leads the field with a total 
of 10. with indie producers lend- 
ing a helping hand. 

Mel Shavelson and Jack Rose 
have their biopic of Eddie Foy 
completed, “The Seven Little 
Foys,” with Bob Hope in role of 
the star. This film, in which 
Jimmy Cagney recreates his role 
as George M. Cohan, will be a 
June release for Paramount. Sha- 
velson-Rose also are prepping a 
script on the Wright Brothers of 
aerial fame under title of “Kitty 
Hawk.” and in their coffers also 
is Gene Fowler's yarn of the late 
N. Y. Mayor James Walker, “Beau 
James,” whom Hope is set to por- 
tray. 

Biggest of the blog films must be 
C. B. DeMille’s “10 Command- 
ments.” the saga of Moses. Bal- 
ance of Par’s 10 are “The Loves of 
(Continued on page 62) 

Classing Up Hollywood; 
Faces of 4,800 Stars 
Imbedded in Sidewalks 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Hollywood is embarking upon a 
•gigantic $1,000,000 facelifting to 
beautify The Little City of the 
Stars. Residents and visitors leav- 
ing now and returning at the end 
of the Chamber of Commerce five- 
year development plan will find an 
entirely different aura and it will 
be in fact what the average middle- 
westerner has always imagined Hol- 
lywood would be like. 

Most startling of the innovations 
will be multi-colored squares of 
pavements on both Hollywood Blvd. 
and Vine Street, the two main drags 
which are to undergo the glamour 
treatment, each of the squares to 
be imbedded with likenesses of 
stars from films, radio, tv and re- 
cordings. Totalling 4,800, no less! 

C of C has dubbed its project 
The Hollywood Story, with the first 
phase to become a reality before 
the end of the year. Merchants and 
property owners are getting behind 
the effort, which will see elimina- 
tion of “schlock shops,” ginger- 
bready facades at the Hollywood 
and Vine corners and diamond light 
reflectors to give streets a dazzling 
effect. 

Plans' encompass spectacular in- 
novations found nowhere else in 
the world, according to the C of C, 
even down to the most artistic trash 
eans and stands for newsies on 
Mreet corners. For the tourist, 
there’ll be hostesses to call at their 
jnotels and map out a rubberneck 
tour for ’em. 


No Whips on Wives; 

Coast Bans R&B Tune 

Hollywood. Feb. 22. 

“Crack the Whip.” written and 
recorded by Allan Copeland, of the 
Modernaires. under the Arwin 
label, has been banned by Dan Rus- 
sell, KFWB program chief, on 
grounds that the rhythm and blues 
platter is “sadistic” and in “very 
bad taste.” 

Russell said he foifrid most r-&-b 
tunes "pretty vulgar, while some 
are dirty. We just don’t play 
them.” He said of this platter. 
“There’s a sadistic element in its 
lyrics, one of the lines advertising 
the use of cat-of-nine-tails on your 
wife if she goes out, and the sound 
of whip-cracking as it’s sung.” 

* 

Heart Assn. Defies 
Theatre Authority 
On Telefilm Nix 

The American Heart Assn, has 
openly and successfully defied the 
jurisdiction of Theatre Authority 
over a television film distributed to 
stations in connection with the 
Heart Fund drive. Action of the 
Heart Fund, which succeeded in 
getting the film telecast all over 
the country in spite of a refusal 
by TA to grant clearance to the pic, 
is expected to pinpoint the entire 
question of limits of TA’s jurisdic- 
tion over fundraising shows. 

Case in point was a half-hour 
film, “Heart to Heart,” starring 
Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz, Jimmy 
Durante, June Havoc, Eddie Can- 
tor, Donald O’Connor & Sid Miller, 
Frankie Laine, Jo Stafford and Paul 
Weston orch. Film was compiled 
from some freshly shot footage 
along with clips from shows of the 
various stars, it was distributed to 

(Continued on page 63) 


Welles to Play 1st Vegas 
Date in May at $25,000 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Orson Welles will play his first 
nitery date in Las Vegas at the 
Riviera, which opens early next 
month with Liberace as the initial 
headliner. Welles, a U. S. expatri- 
ate, has settled his tax problems 
with the Bureau of Internal Reve- 
nue, and is expected to come back 
to the U. S. for some dates. Welles 
used to do a magic act in addition 
to legit work. 

Welles is reported to be getting 
$25,000 for this stand. He’ll go into 
the Riviera sometime in May. 


SAVING 'EM FOR 
TROUBLE SPOTS 


NBC-TV is in the process of 
evolving an extraordinary, unique 
pattern of rotating the comics for 
next season. Details of the “com- 
muting comics” formula is being 
kept under strict wraps until the 
schedule has been formalized, but 
it’s known that it will probably 
entail a wholesale reshuffling of 
personalities and programs in 
which the topflight comics on the 
network — including some addition- 
al ones for whom the network is 
presently negotiating — will move 
in as “troubleshooters” in areas 
where the competition from CBS- 
TV is particularly rough. 

Thus, a Milton Berle, a Sid 
Caesar, a Martin & Lewis or a 
Martha Raye, for example, would 
no longer be confined to a single 
time berth throughout next sea- 
son, but may find themselves 
checkerboarding around the NBC 
schedule to head up the "Com- 
muter Specials” as the web’s major 
rotating ammunition against such 
formidable CBS blockbusters as Ed 
Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town,” 
Jackie Gleason, the double-pronged 
Wednesday night “Disneyland”- 
Arthur Godfrey challenge, etc. 

When the occasion demands 
they’ll also do “spectacular” duty, 
particularly in the Sunday segment 
against the “Toast” competition. 

(Continued on v page 54) 


Play Possum On 


Bait & Switch’ 


The “bait” and “switch” investi- 
gation into N. Y. radio and tv is 
being treated most gingerly by the 
station mangements these past few 
days. It seems that matters have 
reached their most strained posi- 
tion between broadcasters and the 
man that started it all, Brooklyn 
D A. Edward Silver. In the mean- 
time, Silver’s office has started to 
subpoena the records of adver- 
tisers. 

The delicacy of the situation has 
made a good many broadcsters 
clam up about the matter entirely, 
with some saying that attempts to 
clean house, in conjunction with 
the N. Y. branch of Better Business 
Bureau, are being made now\ No- 
body, however, could be reached 
who would divulge the steps the 
radio-tv tradesters were taking to 
throw out objectionable airtime 
pitches. 

It’s felt evident that the chief 
(Continued on page 18) 


Sacred & Profane 

Buffalo, Feb. 22. 

George Jessel’s double fea- 
ture: 

Delivering Sabbath eve (25) 
sermon at Beth-El Temple at 
8:30 and back to the Town 
Casino’s floorshow at 9:30. 


Top Names Now Singing the Blues 
As Newcomers Roll on R&B Tide 


Mpls. Stripper in New 
Guise As Disk Jockey 

Minneapolis, Feb. 22. 

June March, erstwhile burlesque 
star who bridged the wide span 
between stripteasing and the spo- 
ken drama, is here in still another j 
entertainment capacity. She’s now I 
a disk jockey at the local 620 Club. 

Miss March, whose first local ap- 
pearances here were as the fea- 
tured exotic dancer with various 
burlesque troupes, graduated into 
a higher amusement realm when 
the Old Log, Minneapolis straw- 
hatter, engaged her as a guest star. 
She played the feminine leads in 
“White Cargo,” “Rain” and several 
other offerings. She also has been 
a headliner at several night clubs 
here. 


Boycott Protest 
Urged on Negroes 
On AM-TV Hirings 

Tired of hearing sympathetic 
promises from tradesters and get- 
ting no action against alleged dis- 
criminatory hiring practices, a 
committee of N. Y. Negroes is urg- 
ing a two-hour boycott of all radio 
and video next Saturday (26). The 
committee includes members of the 
N. Y. branch of the National Assn, 
for the Advancement of Colored 
People, the Coordinating Council 
for Negro Performers and the Ur- 
ban League. 

Wanting to end “an Amos *n’ 
Andy” stereotype, NAACP and the 
Council have led a fight to get 
members of their race acting Jobs 

(Continued on page 54) 


Like the major disk companies, 
the established pop vocalists are 
finding the current rhythm & blues 
phase of the music biz to be tough 
sledding. At the present time, the 
only veteran names in the topsell- 
ing brackets are Perry Como and 
Georgia Gibbs. Both are rolling 
with the cycle and have turned 
r&b tunes, such as “Ko Ko Mo" 
and “Tweedle Dee,” into pop hits. 

The major diskers are not finding 
it easy to crack the r&b formula. 
For one thing, most of the artists 
& repertoire chiefs frankly can’t 
recognize a potential r&b hit when 
they hear one. As a result, they 
are all waiting for the tunes to 
break through on the indie labels 
and then they decide to cover. 

However, unlike a straight pop 
tune on which a major could 
usually take the play away from 
an indie, this does not necessarily 
hold true of r&b tunes. The kids 
not only are going for the tunes 
and the beat, but they seem to be 
going for the original interpreta- 
tions as well. Several covers of 
r&b tunes by pop names have not 
been able to gain ground because 
they lacked that authentic low- 
down quality accented on the indie 
labels. 

The major labels are not only 
(Continued on page 63) 


NBC-TV To Shoot The 
Works the Night Color 
Bows at Burbank Studio 

Official dedication of NBC-TV's 
Burbank studios on the Coast as a 
compatible color operation on 
March 27 will have an all-encom- 
passing “show biz from vaude to 
video” spec attached. Idea is to 
celebrate the “coming of color" to 
California with a 90-minute hur- 
rah that Sunday night bringing to- 
gether the web’s stars under an 
umbrella of the major components 
(Continued on page 62) 


CHASE HOTEL 


ST. LOU 


Currently presents 


The Hour of Charm 

All Oirl Onliestra mill Choir 

Featuring EVELYN and her Magic Violin 

under the direction of 

PHIL SPITALNY 













MISCEMLAXY 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


LA to N.Y. by Train Lacks Glamor 
-And Porters Can’t Read 'Quiet’ Signs 


By ABEL GREEN 

The N.Y. to L A. traffic for show 
people is at a minimum so far as 
trains are concerned and the 
Broadway-Hollywood bunch blames 
nobody but the railroads. • The 
SuporChief-Century through-train 
hookup is a belated idea after, for 
a long time, confining it to the 
regular Chief (Santa Fe) and the 
N.Y. Central’s crack train from 
N.Y. to Chicago, the Century. But 
for yea s passengers had to repack 
— and many still do, if not booked 
on the "through cars" — in Chica- 
go, struggling with luggage from 
the Dearborn to the LaSalle sta- 
tions. 

This nuisance is avoided on 

J rianes. The tipping problem, also, 
s nil. There’s no queueing up for 
meals on the lore diner, which 
sometimes is too much space for | 
the meagre passenger list but 
sometimes, when there’s a conven- 
tion in Chicago, is inadequate. 

Show people, themselves the vic- 
tims of glamor, for the past years 
have observed, ‘‘There’s hardly 
ever a personality aboard a Hol- 
lywood to New York train." Con- 
ditioned to service, and themselves 
dispensers of ultra quality and 
service (productions, huckstering, 
theatres, etc.), they have been ap- 
palled at the relatively primitive 
methods of the railroads. 

The RRs, in justice, have tried, 
but not hard enough. Why the ra- 
dios should work from L.A. to 
Chicago but the Pullman drawing- 
room or compartment radios don’t 
(Continued on page 62) 


Favre LeBret in U.S. To 
Set Cannes Film Fest 

Favre LeBret, director general 
of the Cannes Film Festival, is due 
in New York today (Wed.) on fes- 
tival business, and plans visits to 
Washington and Hollywood during 
his stay in this country. LeBret 
will remain in New York until 
Feb. 27 when he goes to Washing- 
ton to confer with Eric Johnston 
on U. S. participation in the next 
Cannes Film Festival. 

He leaves here either Feb. 28 
or March 1 for Hollywood to line 
up stars for personal appearances 
at Cannes. 



HORACE HEIDT 

For Swift & Co. 

Offices — J. Walter Thompson, 
Chicago 


Downes’ Triple Attack, 'Inspired’ Story 
Claims, Keep N.Y. Center Pot Boiling 


Bobo Olson Eyeing 

Night Club Routine 

San Francisco, Feb. 22. 

Bobo Olson, middleweight boxing 
champ* has been offered a contract 
for night club engagements by the 
Milt Deutsch Agency of Hollywood 
and will probably accept, his mana- 
ger, Sid Flaherty, announced. 

Olson will be busy most of the 
rest of the summer with ring dates 
but is expected to take up night- 
clubbing in the fall. A two-week 
date in Las Vegas will probably 
open the tour. Asked what Olson 
can do in a night club, Flaherty 
said, "he can play the ukelele a lit- 
tle and if the money’s right he’ll 
learn to sing!" 


A Warning To The Music Business 


Spigclgass Lambasts 
Distortion, No Credit 
On Lux Video Series 

Hollywood screen writer Leonard 
Spigelgass has let loose with a 
double-barrelled blast at Lever 
Bros, concerning Its televersions of 
motion pictures on Lux Video The- 
atre (NBC). He beefs that one 
of his properties was recently "dis- 
torted” in the tv adaptation and 
that the authors -of original screen- 
plays receive no credit mention. 

Spiegelgass gets across his gripe 
in a letter published in Bulletin of 
Writers Guild of America, West. 
Discussing the tv airing of "SO 
Evil My Love,” the writer charges: 
"(1) It completely missed the point 
of the film; (2) The writing screen 
(Continued on page 62) 


Joan Harrison Aids H itchy 
On His Television Venture 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Joan Harrison, who was Alfred 
Hitchcock’s assistant and writer for 
years before turning producer her- 
self, returns to her former boss to 
assist him in his upcoming entry 
into television. 

Hitchcock is slated to co-produce 
a series of telepix with Revue Pro- 
ductions. 


Voluptua’s Time in Vegas 

Gloria Pall has been signed for 
the Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, start- 
ing March 11. Miss Pall had been 
doing a night show on Coast video 
in sexy habillements under the 
name of Voluptua. She was con- 
celled out after many protests that 
the program went much too far 

flow far she’ll go in her nitery 
an isn't disclosed as yet. 


Music “leer-ics" are t niching new lows and if 
the fast-buck songsmilhs and musiemakers are 
incapable of social responsibility and self-re- 
straint then regulation-policing, if you will- 
will have to come from more responsible sources. 
Meaning the phonograph record manufacturers 
and their network daddies. These companies 
have a longterm stake rather than a quick turn- 
around role. It won’t wash for them to echo the 
cheap cynicism of the songsmiths who justify 
their "leer^ic" garbage by declaring "that’s what 
the kids want" or "that’s the only thing that 
sells today." 


they forget, they’ll hear from authority. Seem- 
ingly That is not the case in the music business. 


What are we talking about? We’re talking 
about "rock and roll," about "hug," and 
"squeeze,” and kindred euphemims which are 
attempting a total breakdown of all reticences 
about sex. In the past such material was com- 
mon enough but restricted to special places and 
out-and-out barrelhouses. Today "leer-ics" are 
offered as standard popular music for general 
consumption, including consumption by teen- 
agers. Our teenagers are already setting some- 
thing of a record in delinquency without this 
raw musical Idiom to smell up the environment 
still more. 


Before it’s too late for the welfare of the in- 
dustry — forgetting for the moment the welfare 
of young Americans — Variety urges a strong self- 
examination of the record business by its most 
responsible chief executive officers. A strong sus- 
picion lingers with Variety that these business 
men are too concerned with the profit state- 
ments to take stock of what’s causing some of 
their items to sell. Or maybe they just don’t 
care. A suspicion has been expressed that even 
the network-affiliated and Hollywood-affiliated 
record companies brush things off with "that’s 
the music business." This is illogical because 
it is morally wrong and in the iongrun it’s wrong 
financially. 


Today’s "angles" and sharp practices in the, 
music business are an intra-trade problem. Much* 
of It, time-dishonored. The promulgation and 
propagation of a pop song, ever since there was 
a Tin Pan Alley, was synonymous with shrewd- 
ness; astuteness and deviousness that often bor- 
dered on racketeering in its subornation of tal- 
ent, subsidy, cajolery and out-and-out bribery. 


The time Is now for some serious soul-search- 
ing by the popular music industry. This is a call 
to the conscience of that business. Don’t invite 
the Governmental and religious lightning that is 
sure to strike. Forget the filthy fast buck. Nor 
is it just the little music "independents" who are 
heedless of responsibility. 


In its trade functions no trade paper. Variety 
included, wants to be accused of "blowing the 
whistle." But the music business is flirting with 
the shrill commands of an outer influence if it 
doesn’t wake up and police itself. 


The major diskeries, with the apparently same 
disregard as to where the blue notes may fall, are 
as guilty. Guiltier, perhaps, considering the 
greater obligation — their maturer backgrounds — 
their time-honored relations with the record- 
buying public. 


This is not the first time Variety has spot- 
lighted the pyramiding evils of thq music busi- 
ness as it operates today. One of the roots is 
the payola. If some freak "beat" captures the 
kids’ imagination, the boys are in there quick, 
wooing, romancing, cajoling the a&r men. 


The most casual look at the current crop of 
"lyrics” must tell even the most naive that dirty 
postcards have been translated into songs. Com- 
pared to some of the language that loosely pass- 
es for song "lyrics" today, the "pool-table papa" 
and "jellyroll" terminology of yesteryear is po- 
lite palaver. Only difference is that this sort of 
lyric then was off in a corner by itself. It was 
the music underworld— not the main stream. 


Here is where the responsible chief officers of 
the major diskeries should come in. They can 
continue to either blind themselves, as apparent- 
ly seems to be the case, or they can compel their 
moral obligations to stand in the way of a little 
quick profit. This has an accumulative force, be- 
cause their own radio outlets can lirpit the ex- 
ploitation of this spurious stuff. Not only the 
commodities of their own affiliation, but others. 


For the music men — publishers and diskeries — 
to say that "that’s what the kids want" and 
"that’s the only thing that sells nowadays, 
akin to condoning publication of back-fence lan 
guage. Earthy dialog may belong in "art novels 
but mass media have tremendous obligation 

- ■ ! =4 


is 


If 


Some may argue that this is a proposal of 
"censorship." Not at all. It is a plea to owner- 
ship to assume the responsibilities of ownership 
and eliminate practices which will otherwise* in- 
vite censorship. In short, chums, do it yourself 
or have it done for you. You’re not going to get 
or have it done for you. Abel 


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OLD GROOM SWEEPS CLEAN 


Lotsa Parties For George Jean 
Nathan and Julie Haydon 


George Jean Nathan’s wedding 
in June to actress Julie Haydon, 
after a 17-year romance, will see 
an old groom sweeping the Goth- 
am bistros clean when the June 
date is set. American Airlines veep 
Rex Smith is assembling a group 
to journey to Curacao, Netherlands 
West Indies, where the nuptials 
will take place, and also possibly 
accompanying the couple to Car- 
acas, Venezuela, where they will 
honeymoon. 

Meantime, the 73-year-old dra- 
matic critic has been the recipient 
of sundry "farewell," bachelor and 
other quasi-prenuptial parties by 
cronies from the Colony to "21." 


Nurse! Scalpel, Suture, 
Shears, Gauze & Disk 

In the latest song-making tieup 
with video, Decca Records and the 
Dow Chemical Co. are planning a 
major joint campaign on the Vic- 
tor Young disking of the musical 
theme * for the NBC-TV show, 
"Medic." Young wrote the theme 
and his version is played weekly on 
the video series. 

Decca is issuing display material 
to dealers and will cover the full 
list of disk jockeys with the Young 
recordings. Dow Chemical, mean- 
time, is sending samples of its prod- 
uct to the deejays. The Decca disk 
will also be billed in the show’s 
credits and Dow Chemical will spot- 
light the disk in its product 
wrappings. 


By ARTHUR BRONSON 

Whether the N.Y. City Center of 
Music & Drama will survive the 
current administrative crisis is the 
hottest topic of conversation in the 
opera and dance fields. 

The recent clash of personali- 
ties at the Center, with Lincoln 
Kirstein resigning as managing di- 
rector due to policy disputes with 
the board of directors, and the 
board split 13 to 12 over the re- 
newal of Joseph Rosenstock’s con- 
tract as opera director, was bound 
to attract a lot of attention in the 
trade. It was expected to spill over 
as well to the general press, both 
dailies and weeklies, because of 
the Center’s quasi-civic status. 

What perhaps hadn’t been antici- 
pated is the continued widespread 
interest in the Center's affairs, the 
snowballing q'uality of this curiosi- 
ty, and some unusual turns in the 
situation which could conceivably 
bring about a couple of explosions. 

The timing on certain stories, 
and what looks like inspired pro- 
nouncements, have also caused a 
little eyebrow-lifting. 

About a week after the original 
announcement of Kirsten’s bowout, 
the N. Y. Times’ Olin Downes dis- 
cussed the situation in his Sunday 
column. This was to be expected. 
Downes is not only the dean of 
N.Y. music critics, but the most 
authoritative, respected and pow- 
erful figure in American newspa- 
per music circles. What wasn’t ex- 
pected was a followup column a 
week later, hammering away at the 
same subject. What was most un- 
usual was another column on the 
Center affair, for the third week 
in a row, in last Sunday’s (20) 
Times. 

‘Second-Class Status’ 

In his first Sunday column 
Downes took Kirstein’s side, and 
criticized Rosenstock because un- 
< Continued on page 63) 

Adv. Up M in ’54 
To 8.1 Billions; TV 
Gets 10% of Total 

A Prentice-Hall statistical sur- 
vey shows a 4% increase in 1954 
advertising expenditures in all 
media over the year before. The 
all-media advertising expenditure 
is $8,100,000,000. 

The figures break down to show 
that tv ad spending was up 33% 
in ’54 over 1953, magazine adver- 
tising was up only 1%. Television 
now accounts for 10% of all adver- 
tising dollar expenditures but the 
newspapers still get the lion’s 
share, that is, 33%. It’s about the 
same as in *54. 

Before television, radio got 12% 
of the entire ad budget, but in ’54 
radio got only 7%. however, net- 
work radio was down 13% below 
1953 but local radio tilted 2%. 
(Local radio expenditures have 
risen every year since 1948, but net- 
work radio has declined every year 
since ’48.) 

Next to newspaper advertising, 
however, direct mail was the second 
biggest advertising dollar item — 
14% of the expenditures go in that 
direction. (For a time one’s local 
postman stuffed letterboxes with all 
sorts of giveawy and throwawy 

^ (Continued on page 18)^ 

Bruce Cabot Sues Flynn 

London, Feb. 22. 

A writ against Errol Flynn, with 
a claim for about $47,600, was is- 
sued in London last week by Bruce 
Cabot. The action relates to the 
filming of "William Tell” in Italy 
last year. The production was 
never finished. 

A London firm of lawyers, The- 
odore Goddard & Co., Is acting 
for Cabot. 


Writers Guild Bargaining 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Four separate contracts are un- 
der negotiation by the Writers 
Guild of America dealing with mo- 
tion pictures, radio and five and 
filmed television. 

Pact with CBS radio is nearing 
completion. Meanwhile, commit- 
tees are working out a new agree- 
ment with major film studios and 
preparing a dral with the Alliance 
of Television Producers and a liv’ e 
tv pact with the networks. 



Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


PICTURES 


PARAMOUNT’S FEE-TV POSITION 


‘Carmen Jones’ Boxoffice Click 
Improves Negro Casting Chances; 
May Do O’Neill’s Emperor Jones’ 


Success of 20th-Fox’s all-Negro* 
production, “Carmen Jones,” both] 
in the domestic and world market, 
plus the nomination of its star, 
Dorothy ^andridge, for an 
Academy Award as well as 20th’s 
decision to ink Miss Dandridge to 
a contract is seen as paving the 
way for Hollywood’s consideration 
of additional Negro subjects and 
the placement of Negro performers 
on an equal basis with their white 
counterparts. 

Although Hollywood has tackled 
Negro subjects in the past, it has 
always been with a great deal of 
trepidation, with distribution ex- 
ecutives always fearing the reac- 
tion of the South. However, the 
recent Supreme Court decision 
ending segregation in the schools 
plus the reception of “Carmen 
Jones,” perhaps from the film com- 
panies' standpoint a more realistic 
dollars and cents barometer, may 
succeed in lifting once and for all 
the so-called “curse” of presenting 
the Negro with dignity and as an 
(Continued on page 16) 


Hidden Hedged Bets 

Which side of the toll-tv 
question are the exhibitors 
really on? 

Recent check on Skiatron 
Electronics & TV corp. stock- 
holders revealed that close to 
10% of the Skiatron stock is 
being held by exhib interests. 
Little over 1,000,000 Skiatron 
shares are outstanding. 




Weill Sets 10-12 
Dubbed French 
Pix for States 


Jules Weill, having entered into 
a coproduction deal with the 
French Sinag Corp. in Paris, ex- 
pects to release between 10 and 12 
dubbed French feature pix a year 
in the U. S. via his Specialty Pic- 
tures Inc. 

Weill, in past year primarily con- 
cerned with films for tv, is leaving 
for Paris today (Wed.) for pow- 
wows with Sinag execs. He said he 
would have a 50% stake in the 
Sinag productions, most of which 
would be tinters. 

Specialty will release these films 
to the theatres in dubbed version, 
the dubbing to be done in N. Y. 
and/or Paris, Weill said. Costs of 
lip-sync on a feature-length film 
runs to $15,000 or more, he esti- 
mated. Specialty will get the Sinag 
productions for the western 
hemisphere. 

Weill said his outfit may also take 
on Italo feature pix (dubbed) for 
U. S. distribution. His first two 
Sinag releases will be “This Man 
Is Dangerous” and “Bengal Treas- 
ures,” the latter starring Lex 
Barker. Weill’s deal with Sinag 
calls for him to help in signing i 
U. S. stars. He may also send over 
a director. 


Selznick Terms: 

in Hand, 
15% Participation 

Deal being worked out looking 
to the re-association of David O. 
Selznick with Metro gives the pro- 
ducer a fancy cash guarantee. Pact 
provides for Selznick to make two 
pictures on an autonomous basis, 
with starting time and the prop- 
erties yet to be disclosed. 

As for the payoff, N. Y. sources 
say Selznick is to receive $100,000 
against a 15% participation in the 
net profits for each of the two 
pictures. 

Filmmaker’s last tleup with 
M-G was in 1938 via the com- 
pany’s release of his “Gone With 
the Wind” production. 


SEE EXHIBS IN 



Canadian Episcopalians 
Squawk Thai Cameras 
Single Out Only Catholics 

Ottawa, Feb. 22. 
High authorities of the Anglican 
(Episcopalian) church in Canada 
have cfsked the National Film 
Board to stop aiming its docu- 
mentary cameras at so many Ro- 
man Catholic workers in the Can- 
adian north and turn a few at 
Anglican workers. Most Rev. W. F. 
Barfoot, primate of the Anglican 
church in Canada, protested that 
NFB films on Eskimo activities 
show only the work done by the 
Catholics, conveying impression 
Romans are alone in working 
among the Eskimos. 

Barfoot’s letter went to a Cabi- 
net minister, Hon. J. W. Pickers- 
gill, and drew replies from Pick- 
crsgill and the NFB commissioner, 
Dr. A. W. Trueman. Both prom- 
ised consideration of the criticism. 

NFB and the Canadian Broad- 
casting Corp. have recently come 
under editorial needling for al- 
legedly spending too much film 
and time on Eskimos. 


Frances inglis Denies Any 
Snub to TV Brethren 
By Coast Screen Scribes 

By ART WOODSTONE 

4 

Frances Inglis, executive direc- 
tor of Writers Guild of America 
West, denied any rift in the new 
organization between screen 
writers and either their radio or 
tv counterparts. At the conclusion 
of a trip to N. Y. last week, she in- 
sisted that failure to invite radio 
and tv writers to the screen 
writers' awards dinner on Feb. 28 
had been misinterpreted. She said 
the decision not to join in the 
affair was entirely that of the radio 
and video branches of the writers’ 
union; it was not a snub by screen 
writers. 

Reason Miss Inglis gave for tv’s 
self-imposed absence at the forth- 
coming screen affair was that the 
video scribblers felt their own sys- 
tem of giving awards too “cumber- 
some.” She said that video writers 
merely wanted additional time be- 
yond Feb. 28 to iron out a new 
system for picking award winners 
from their own ranks. She added 
that, matters being thus, the tv’ers 
"preferred " not detaining their 
screen sidekicks from pursuing 
longstanding plans. She also felt 
finding room for the entire 1,200 
(Continued on page 16) 


By FRED HIFT 

In an increasingly aggressive 
mood, International Telemeter 
Corp., now 80% Paramount owned, 
is about to sound off In favor of 
its Telemeter coinbox system of 
pay-as-you-see tv, according to 
Paul MacNamara, Telemeter v.p. 

Outfit, which has been plugging 
toll-tv more quietly than either 
one of its competitors — Zenith and 
Skiatron — is mulling a Washington 
demonstration of its system this 
year and is also planning a pub- 
licity campaign both on behalf of 
its own system and of fee-tv in 
general. 

MacNamara explained in N. Y. 
Monday (21) why Telemeter hadn’t 
joined Zenith and Skiatron in ap- 
plying to the Federal Communica- 
tions Commission for authorization 
of its system as a commercial serv- 
ice, a circumstance which has left 
many observers puzzled as to Tele- 
meter’s (i.e. Paramount’s) inten- 
tions. 

“We don’t think that it was 
either the Zenith or the Skiatron 
application that brought about the 
FCC's move to institute rule-mak- 
ing procedure,” he stated. “We 
were convinced from the very start 
that, sooner or later, this had to 
happen because of the various eco- 
nomic factors involved. Now we 
feel we’re in a much better posi- 
tion than the rest, and we haven’t 
shown our hand.” 

Exhibs Can Cut In 

MacNamara reiterated Teleme- 
ter’s position that the film exhib- 
itors could cut their slice of the 
toll-tv pie via franchises. “It’s go- 
ing to cost more than $50,000,000 
to get this thing off the ground 
when the FCC gives us the green 
light,” MacNamara commented. 
“Obviously, the only practical way 
to launch it is through franchise 
arrangements. 

“We think the exhibitors belo lg 
there because they’ve been selling 
entertainment. But we also think 
that franchise holders should in- 
clude publishing interests, cultural 
interests, the broadcasters them- 
selves, etc.” Telemeter would col- 
lect royalties and would also hold 
some of the key franchises in the 
country. However, MacNamara 

(Continued on page 8) 


Firstest With the Mostest Tolstoy, 
Yugoslav Cavalry, Finnish Snow 
For Italian War and Peace’ 


Russians, Too 

Washington, Feb. 2. 

The Russians, who announc- 
ed last week they were enter- 
ing the “War and Peace” 
Derby, and would produce a 
film based on the Tolstoy 
novel, also listed some other 
pix they plan. 

They said they will do Tol- 
stoy’s “Resurrection,” and 
films based on books by Shake- 
speare, Jack London, Balzac, 
Flaubert, Schiller, Charles 
Dickens, and Howard Fast. 


New Era Shapes 
For Roadshowing 
Super-Features 

A new roadshow era appears 
closer at hand. Paramount being 
the latest to join in race to get 
widened film-size pictures on a 
special-showing basis. Russell Hol- 
man, Par’s eastern production 
chief, dropped the comment in 
N Y. last week that the company 
“is going to equip a number of 
theatres throughout the world” for 
horizontal projection of certain 
VistaVision pix. 

In this system, two standard 35m 
frames of film will be projected on 
the screen at the same time, just 
as they’re exposed in negative 
form. N. Y.’s Radio City Music 
Hall now is equipped for such a 
booth operation. For standard 
projection, the two horizontally- 
lensed frames are printed on con- 
ventional 35m release prints. 

Holman made the statement In 
the course of a discussion anent 
“War and Peace,” which Carlo 
Ponti and Dino DeLaurentiis are 
slated to produce abroad in asso- 
(Continued on page 18) 


National Boxoffice Survey 

Holiday, Milder Weather Up Biz; ‘Battle’ New 
Champ, ‘Girl’ 2d, ‘Country’ 3d; ‘Line,’ ‘Toko-ri’ Next 


'ONDINE' FINANCING 


Stars Teamed With Pressburger 
And Powell — Par Co-Producing 


Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

“Ondine,” to be filmed in Lon- 
don by a new indie company set 
up by co-stars Audrey Hepburn 
and Mel Ferrer and Emeric Press- 
burger and Michael Powell, will be 
financed and distributed by Para- 
mount and Associated British Pic- 
tures Corp. Both companies will 
put up the coin after completed 
picture, due to start at ABC Els- 
tree studios outside London in 
May, is delivered. 

Par will release film globally 
with exception of the United King- 
dom, reserved by ABC. Pressburg- 
er will produce and Powell direct 
picturization of the Broadway play, 
in which both stars appeared last 
year. 


Washington Birthday this ses- 
sion is giving film biz a real hypo, 
with milder weather in many local- 
ities proving an additional help. 
Some new, strong product playing 
in key cities covered by Variety — 
also has exhibitors happier than 
they have been in many weeks. 

“Battle Cry” (WB), second last 
round, «is pushing up to No. 1 spot 
this session, only the second week 
it has been out to any extent. It is 
supplanting “Bridges at Toko-ri” 
(Par) as top grosser after the Para- 
mount pic had been champ for 
three consecutive w r eeks. “Coun- 
try Girl,” another Par film, is 
moving up into second spot al- 
though playing only in eight keys, 
and promises to be heard from fur- 
ther in the future. 

“Far Country” (U), which was 
ninth a week ago, is soaring to 
third spot by dint of numerous 
playdates and excellent showings. 
Fourth money is going to “Long 
Gray Line” (Col), just getting 
started in bigger key spots. 

“Toko-ri” is winding in fifth 
position while “Leagues Under 
Sea” (BV) is dipping to sixth. 
“Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G) is 
firming a bit to cop seventh posi- 
tion although^ still a bit uneven. 
“Underwater!” <RKO) is taking 
eighth place. “Cinerama” (Indie) 
is slipping to ninth, since only in 
nine key cities. 

“6 Bridges To Cross” (U>. “White 
Feather” (20th) and “Racers" 


(20th) round out the Top 12 list 
in that order. “Sign of Pagan” 
( U ) and “Many Rivers To Cross” 
(M-G) are the two runnerup pix in 
that sequence. 

“Cinerama Holiday” (Indie) cur- 
rently is playing in four key cities, 
and smash in all of them. It is 
virtual capacity in first full week 
in .N.Y at the Warner, and great-in 
Philly, Detroit and St. Louis. 
“Capt. Lightfoot” (U), also new, 
shapes lusty in Chi. 

“Jupiter’s Darling” (M-G), an- 
other new entry, is spotty, being 
big in N.Y., okay in Detroit, fine in 
Indianapolis and oke in Seattle. 
“Long John Silver” (UAj looks 
good in Providence and Boston. 
“N.Y. Confidential” (WB) shapes 
terrific on preem week in N.Y. 
City. 

“Green Fire” (MG) shapes tall 
in Chi but only mild in Omaha and 
okay in K.C. “Aida” (IFE> is stout 
in Chi. “Cry Vengeance” (AA) is 
loud in N.Y. “Doctor in House” 
(Rep) is heading for near-record in 
N.Y. 

“Violent Men” (Col) is rated 
trim in St. Louis. “Tonight’s the 
Night” (AA), fine in Philly, !joks 
mild in Indianapolis. “Black 
Tuesday” (UA) shapes bright in 
Frisco. 

“Destry” (U) Is rated good In 
Denver. “Vera Cruz” (UA) looms 
fine in Philly and fair in Balto. 

(Complete Boxoffice Reports on 
Pages 9-12). 


By GENE ARNEEL 

Unless someone does some back- 
tracking, there will be two ver- 
sions, possibly three, of “War and 
Peace.” At Paramount’s N. Y. 
homeoffice Friday (18), Italian 
filmmakers Dino DeLaurentiis and 
Carlo Ponti stated they’re under- 
way with a filmization of the Leo 
Tolstoy novel, in association with 
Par, and they’re “not at all con- 
cerned about the plans of others 
— if someone else wants td make 
the picture, it’s their business.” 

Contacted subsequent to the 
DeLaurentiis-Ponti-Par announce- 
ment of plans, Mike Todd de- 
clared: “I will not be stampeded 
or even affected by what they’re 
going to do.” Todd stressed that 
he has lined up Robert E. Sher- 
wood to write and Fred Zinnemann 
to direct his “W & P” project and 
everything about it is quite def- 
inite. It will be done entirely in- 
dependent of Par or anyone else, 
said Todd. 

Some time ago David O. Selznick 
announced a “W & P” endeavor, 
(Continued on page 8) 


Oscar Nominees 
Dubious as To 
‘Originality? 

Gripe is being aired In writer 
circles that a couple of the nom- 
inees for the new “best story’* 
Oscar awards are doubtful con- 
tenders from the standpoint of 
qualification. The classification 
covers only stories written for the 
screen, not previously published or 
produced in any other medium. 

Rapped as the questionable 
starters In the Academy sweep- 

continued on page 8) 



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INDEX 

Bills H . 54 

Chatter 62 

Concert-Opera 61 

Film Reviews 8 

House Reviews 55 

Inside Legit 56 

Inside Radio-TV 30 

International 14 

Legitimate 56 

Literati . . . . , 61 

Music 41 

New Acts 50 

Night Club Reviews 53 

Obituaries 63 

Picture* 3 

Radio-Video-TV Films ... 20 

Radio Reviews 31 

Record Reviews 46 

Television Reviews 27 

Unit Reviews 55 

Vaudeville 50 


DAILY VARI1TY 

(Published in Hollywood by 
Dally Variety. Ltd.) 
tlS a year. $20 Foreign 






PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


Officials Divide on "Confidential* 


Meanwhile Thoae Who Fear New Gangster Cycle 
Feel Release May Suffer Overseas 


There seems to be a difference of 
opinion on the value of presenting 
auch films as "New York Conflden- 
tial,’' which shows in almost docu- 
mentary style the operation of a 
crime syndicate. Hugh M. Flick, 
the N. Y. censor, deplores this type 
of film since it has a tendency to 
portray gangsterism with a degree 
of sympathy. Flick also believes 
that Hollywood films accenting un- 
derworld violence seems to invite 
a certain admiration for the under- 
world code. He is also fearful that 
the success of a new gangster film 
may start a new cycle. 

On the other hand, the N. Y. City 
Anti-Crime Committee feels that 
Warner Bros., which is releasing 
the Edward Small production, is 
performing “a distinct public serv- 
ice in alerting the public to the 
realization that syndicated crime 
is still ‘big business’ in America.” 
In a letter to WB, signed by John 
M. O’Mara, executive director, the 
Anti-Crime Committee says “N.Y. 
Confidential” is authentic in its 
portrayal of syndicated crime as it 
exists in the U. S. today. O’Mara 
notes that it faithfully copies the 
parlance of the underworld and 
“perhaps, more importantly it 
it shows that organized crime in 
not only a hired killer from the lo- 
cal pool hall ... it is the sum total of 
eager, grasping hoodlums, corrupt 
politicians and greedy business- 
men.” 

Despite the endorsement of the 
anti-crime group, there are many 
quarters in the film business who 
are fearful of the effect of the re- 
lease of a picture such as "N. Y. 
Confidential” in the foreign mar- 
ket. “Here we go again,” said a 
company executive. “Foreigners 
will again believe that America 
is nothing more than a country of 
gangsters. All the efforts that are 
being made to give a real picture 
of America will go down the drain.” 
Because of censorship regulations 
in many countries, which restrict 
crime pictures, the exec felt that 
“Confidential” would be barred in 
at least 75 % of the countries 
abroad. 


Who Dat Scene-Stealer? 

Director Richard Sale tells 
of some business in “Gentle- 
men Marry Brunettes” where 
a triple-split screen is used 
and Alan Young plays three 
parts, himself, his mother and 
his elderly father. 

Young had a beef when he 
saw the rushes on the se- 
quence. “The old man steals 
the scene,” he complained. 


ALLEN-BROCCOLI SET 
4 MORE WITH COL 

Columbia and Warwick Produc- 
tions. latter headed bv Irving Allen 
ar.d A. R. 'Cubby) Broccoli, have 
extended their association to in- 
clude four additional pictures to 
be made by Warwick with Col 
providing the financing and taking 
on distribution rights. 

Two or the four properties al- 
ready have been selected, namely 
“Fire Down Below," a Max Catto 
novel with script by Irwin Shaw, 
and “Zarak Kahn,” a Richard 
Maibaum script based on the life 
of an Indian bandit and war hero. 

Under previous deals, three War- 
wick pix already have been deliv- 
ered to Col and three are due this 
year. Latter include “Prize of 
Gold,” already completed; “Cock- 
leshell Heroes,” slated to roll in 
England in April, and "Safari,” 
which is to start in Africa in May. 

A Tien ^mJ~Broccolt^are~now in 
London at work on the “Heroes” 
preliminaries. 


Perspecta-Using 
Group Enlarges, 
20th Solo Stereo 


With Universal joining Metro, 
Warner Bros., and Paramount in 
the use of Perspecta optical stere- 
ophonic sound in all its produc- 
tions, 20th-Fox will be all by itself 
with its magnetic stereophonic 
system. Addition of U to the Per- 
specta ranks increases the number 
of pictures carrying the optical 
soundtrack that are immediately 
available to exhibitors in the U.S. 
and abroad. 

Despite the increasing number 
of pictures in the optical “man- 
ner,” U.S. exhibitors have been 
slow to convert to Perspecta. 
When 20th introduces Cinema- 
Scope with magnetic stereo sound, 
U.S. exhibs made the necessary in- 
stallations and have been reluc- 
tant to again change to a new sys- 
tem. However, those who failed 
to install stereo sound initially are 
reportedly selecting Perspecta 
when they decide to convert to 
multi-channel sound. Perspecta 
has made greater headway abroad, 
largely through the aggressive ef- 
forts of Loews International which 
owns a piece of the sound com- 
pany. 

Perspecta is dickering with Co- 
lumbia and other American com- 
panies which may soon adopt the 
system. In addition, a number of 
| independents, both in the U.S. and 
I abroad, are using Perspecta, among 
them producers in France, Italy, 
and Switzerland. 


‘GENTS SLUG REDHEADS' 
LATEST LOOS SAGA 

Richard Sale, who has director, 
co-producer and co-scrlpter credits 
on the upcoming “Gentlemen Mar- 
ry Brunettes,” figures he has a 
possible solution to the cost prob- 
lem in acquiring rights to a click 
Broadway play for the screen. He’ll 
produce the play himself, this to be 
followed by the filmization. 

In Gotham last week after com- 
pleting “Brunettes” in Europe, Sale 
disclosed he has the legit property 
well set. It’s “Gentlemen Slug 
Redheads,” an original story by 
Anita Loos, aunt of Sale’s wife, 
Mary Loos. Sale figures he might 
do the adapting and adds he’d like 
to have Carol Haney and Gwen 
Verdon for key parts. As for the 
title, he’s averse to the word “slug” 
and is looking for a substitute. 
Story focuses on two femme re- 
searchers on Time mag who dig 
data on history’s famed redheads. 

Although “Marry Brunettes” is 
from an original by Anita Loos, it’s 
not substantially a sequel to. Miss 
Loos’ “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” 
Rights to the Dorothy and Lorelei 
characters in "Blondes” are owned 
by 20th-Fox. 

New film, lensed in Cinema- 
Scope, was brought in at close to 
$2,000,000 in negative cost. Sale 
claims the indie production for 
United Artists release would have 
cost an additional $1,000,000 if it 
were made at a major studio, figur- 
ing in the overhead charges. Pic 
was done mainly on location. Sale 
collaborated on the script with his 
wife and co-producer with Robert 
Bassler and Robert Waterfield. 
Jane Russell and Jeanne Crain are 
starred. 


:• New York Sound Track 


Todd-AO ‘Oklahoma’ Seen 
—But in CinemaScope 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Much publicized Todd-AO proc- 
ess first used for Rodgers-Ham- 
merstein’s “Oaklahoma” was re- 
placed by CinemaScope for the 
first sneak preview of musical, in 
Riverside. 

Work still was being done to 
! film’s Todd-AO version, so produc- 
ers took along the work print of 
the C’Scope version. Pic was 
lensed in both processes. 


Frank Rosenberg, Warner pro- 
ducer, has been elected chairman 
of the Hollywood Motion Picture 
Industry Council’s public relations 
committee, succeeding Allen Riv- 
kin who has occupied post for the 
past year. 


Tushinsky in Italy 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Joseph and Irving Tushinsky 
have closed a deal for the estab- 
lishment of a Superscope distribu- 
tor in Rome and state :hat 25 film 
producers in Italy will make about 
50 features in that medium this 
year. 

Distribution of Superscope lenses 
| will be handled by Nicole Bizzaro 
and Castelli & Co. 


Germans Plan U.S. Office and Fete 


Carol Hellmann Sees Omnia Future Bright — Not 
Sure UFA Will Be Rehabilitated 


Rival Van Gogh Films 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Another hassle to come out first 
with a property is in the offing, 
with both Metro prepping a yarn 
based on the painter Vincent Van 
Gogh and indie producer Robert 
Goldstein huddling with Italian 
Pepi Amato on an immediate film- 
ing in Rome. 

Latter would % make use of an 
American star and director, work- 
ing from Harry Brown’s already 
completed screenplay. 


Dudley's British Subsid 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

New subsidiary company in Brit- 
ain has been set up by the Dudley 
Pictures Corp. to handle its inter- 
national expansion plans. 

Carl Dudley, proxy, reports it 
will be in charge of company’s con- 
s.antly increasing European pro- 
gram. 


German industry “in the near 
future” expects to recapture a 
good part of its lost foreign mar- 
ket and is now intensifying its 

efforts towards that end, Carol 
Hellmann, general manager of 
Omnia, Germany’s largest export 
outfit, said in N. Y. last week. 

Hellmann, who’s also a director 
of the German Export-Union, 
which seeks to promote the circu- 
lation of German films abroad, 
said that organization envisioned 
opening an office in the U. S. in 
the not too distant future and that, 
at that time, a German film fes- 
tival may also be arranged. 

Export-Union, which functions in 
the p.r. realm only, has already 
opened an office in Paris and in- 
tends to follow up with a second 
one in Italy by March, Hellmann 
disclosed. He said the outfit hoped 
to get financial assistance from the 
government in carrying through its 
program. 

As for Omnia, export agent for 
40% to 50 % of all of German pro- 
S duction, Hellmann said he could 
report very good progress in the 
various foreign markets, partly due 
to the improved quality of German 
features. Omnia is actually owned 
by the producers releasing through 
it. In 1954, the foreign revenue of 
fthe German industry had risen 


Los Angeles police authorities decided that the death of Abigail 
(Tommy?) Adams was from natural causes, and not suicidal. After 
toxicological tests showed the presence of alcohol, seconal and ethynyl 
in her body, Police Chief Anderson overruled the findings earlier in 
the week and ruled that the death would be listed as accidental. Miss 
Adams, who was once under Columbia Pictures contract, was listed 
at that time as a descendant of both Presidents John Adams and John 
Quincy Adams. When George Jessel, an ardent Democrat, was a White 
House visitor during the Roosevelt and Truman administrations, on 
one state occasion he escorted Miss Adams. The solons were impressed 
by her Colonial lineage and obvious charms but, as the evening pro- 
gressed, Miss Adams’ unconventional language put a different com- 
plexion on matters. She and Jessel were linked romantically for some 
years and because of the comedian’s prominence she was much to 
the fore on Broadway and in Hollywood, sometimes too much so. 

Incidentally, United Press’ Aline Mosby apparently got hold of ad- 
vance proofs of Jessers due-in-April memoirs, “This Way Miss” (Henry 
Holt & Co.) and dwelt on a chapter in the book titled “Beauty and 
Busts,” wherein Jessel observes, in all seriousness, that so many of 
them “wind up with the sleeping pills.” A final love letter to Jessel 
from Miss Adams indicated, further, that her death was accidental; 
that she looked forward to their date on the morrow (he was out-of- 
town on one of his regular junkets) and flippantly signed off, “I love 
you more than life itself and ’you can hardly get them things any 
more,’ ” borrowing from the current George Gobel catchphrase. 

Marge and Gower Champion to the Coast for promotional work on 
Columbia’s “Three for the Show.” They’re due back in Gotham a 
week before the bow of their Broadway show, “Three for Tonight” 
on March 31 . . . Warner Bros., which is releasing the Edward Small 
production, “N.Y. Confidential,” has a letter from the N.Y. City Anti- 
Crime Commission declaring the picture “is a portrayal of syndicated 
crime as it exists in this country today.” It’s signed by John M. O’Mara, 
executive director . . . Robert Taylor to London to begin work on 
Metro’s “Quentin Durwood” . . . Ronald St. Clair and Arnold Berman 
are preparing a screen version of St. Clair’s play, “Maelstrom” . . . 
Motion Picture Bookers has shifted the date of its annual theatre 
party to April 21. Tickets for “The Desperate Hours” have been lined 
up . , . “Marty,” the Hecht-Lancaster screen version of Paddy Chay- 
efsky’s tv play, will open at the Sutton Theatre, N.Y. Chayefsky wrote 
the screenplay. United Artists is releasing. 

Wolfe Cohen, Warner Bros. International chief, touring company’s 
offices in west Germany. After stops in Holland and England, he's 
due back in the U.S. March 4 . . . Glenn Ford returned to the Coast . . . 
Metro sales chief Charles M. Reagan and advertising manager Si Sead- 
ler to the Coast for a look-see at new product . . . Debbie Reynolds 
winged back to the Coast . . . Director Vincente Minnelli due in Sun- 
day (27) . . . Groucho Marx, writing in the March issue of Coronet on 
why he doesn’t grow his own moustache: “Gentlemen, the truth is 
that I have one of the fertile upper lips in history; hairs grow so fast 
on my upper lip that it makes the Five O’clock Shadow of your normal 
male look like High Noon, Without Gary Cooper. My battery-powered 
razor must be kept in almost constant service to keep me the dean- 

faced man that my audience and I have come to love.” 

Fred and Beatrice Troller, from Switzerland, and John and Betty 
March, from Kansas City, two couples in “Cinerama Holiday,” wound 
up a tour of openings and left for their respective homes over the 
weekend to resume their private lives . . . French songstress Line 
Renaud, currently at the Waldorf’s Empire Room, heads for the Coast 
at the conclusion of her engagement to test for roles in “Can-Can’' 
and ‘‘International Revue.” She has starred in several French films. 

Mike Todd to produce the Ringling Bros, circus opening night stand 
at Madison Square Garden March 31 as an arthritis benefit. Tab will 
be $1,000 a box. Last year’s preein coin went to aid the fight against 

muscular dystrophy . . . Arthur L. Mayer off to Europe next month 

for a lengthy trip. 


100% over 1953, Hellmann esti- 
mated. He said that between 8% 
and 10% of the German films’ 
overall revenue now was coming 
from outside, the domestic mar ket 

On his way to Canada (and 
, home) from the Punta-del-Este film 
j festival in Uruguay and a swing 
through Latin America, Hellmann 
(brother of Britain’s Marcel Hell- 
mann) stressed the increasingly in- 
ternational aspect of German pro- 
duction and the continuing attempt 
at coproduction. 

He said German producers gen- 
erally realized their limitations in 
the U. S., but that there were now 
a number of productions which to 
him looked like a good bet for this 
country. He named “Cabaret” (with 
Paul Henreid), “Admiral Canaris,” 
“Die Goldene Pest” and “White 
Horse Inn” among others. Omnia 
product is agented in America by 
Munio Podhorzer. 

Hellmann saw a certain virtue 
in dubbing but pointed out that 
the added costs also increase the 
risk by anywhere from $10,000 up. 
i Asked about Omnia’s position vis- 
a-vis the UFA concern, the former 
German government (Nazi) monop- 
oly, Hellmann acknowledged that 
i “they are trying very hard.” How- 
ever, he added, it was not .at all 
j certain whether UFA would suc- 
ceed in reestablishing itself. 


KORDA-COLUMBIA PLAN 
SHAW’S ‘ARMS & MAN’ 

George Bernard Shaw’s “Arms 
and the Man” will be picturized 
under a deal now being worked out 
between British producer Sir Alex- 
ander Korda, who owns the screen 
rights, and Columbia. The two will 
collaborate on the production, if 
all works out as planned. 

That a pact looks fairly definite is 
indicated by the fact that the key 
member of the cast already is vir- 
tually set. Alec Guinness is to play 
the lead. 


N. Y. to L. A. 

Stanley Adams 
Lois Bolton 
Glenn Ford 
Shirley Herz 
Sam Handeiman 
George Hoffman 

'Alex C. K earner 

John Patrick 
Charles M. Reagan 
Debbie Reynolds 
Si Seadler 
Howard St. John 
Jill Warren 

L. A. to N. Y. 

Anne Bancroft 
Polly Bergen 
Ray Bolger 
Cab Calloway 
Jack Carson 
Claudette Colbert 
Jose Ferrer 
Stewart Granger 
Mike Hall 
Leland Hayward 
William R. Howard 
Nunnally Johnson 
Dorothy Lamour 
Joshua Logan 
Arthur M. Loew 
Ann Miller 
Vincente Minnelli 
Cleo Moore 
David Rose 
Lee Savin 
Mark Stevens 
Frances Stillman 
Franchot Tone 


Par Cut Contract Terms 
On ‘Sangaree’; Now Claims 
UA Theatres Didn’t Pay 

Although Paramount Film Dis- 
tributing Corp. was, considerate 

enough to reduce the Los Angeles 
United Artists Theatre’s rental on 
a 1953 booking of “Sangaree,” the 
house still owes part of the ad- 
justed terms and refuses to pay. 
That’s Par’s beef as filed in a N.Y. 
Federal Court suit Mon. (21) to re- 
cover $7,298 from United Artists 
Theatre Circuit, parent chain of 
the L. A. theatre. 

Original deal, it’s asserted, called 
for the United Artists to pay $17.- 
600 for the Arlene Dahl-Fernando 
Lamas 3-D costumer in its run from 
June 24 through July 14. 1953. 
When UATC sought a reduction, 
Par trimmed the rental to $15,600. 
Of this sum, it’s^ charged, only 
$8,301 was paid ~an<T^UATC has 
balked at turning over the balance 
of $7,298. 


N. Y. to Europe 

Jacques Abram 
Fred Carpenter 
Nat Cohen 
Tom Curtiss 
Ganjou Bros. 

Winifred Gaskia 
Ken Giniger 
Milton Gordon 
ATan Hewitt 
Karoly Kovacs 
Herman Levin 
Alan Jay Lemer 
Frederick Loewe 
Joy Mary Marlow 
Cole Porter 
Lily Prendergast 
John W. Rumsey 
Don Sharpe 
Jules Weill 

Europe to N. Y. 

Art Buchwald 
Corinne Calvet 
Jean Benoit-Levy 
Arturo Toscanini 



Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


PICTURES 


5 


$8,500,000 FOR O’SEAS ADS 


That Lady’ Too Hot for Spain? 

Franco’s banning of “That Lady,” a 20th-Fox release produced 
by Sy Bartlett with a good deal of the location work done in 
Spain, had 20th plenty sore last week. 

Company spokesmen said they were at a loss to understand the 
Generalissimo’s action which superseded that of his own censor, 
who had passed the Cinemascope pic. 

Film, which preems in the U.S. in May, stars Olivia De Havilland 
as Ana de Mendoza, princess of Eboli, who lived in the 16th cen- 
tury and counted among her lovers Philip III. It's thought possible 
that political angles involving the monarchy may have influenced 
Franco’s decision. Costuming, and the theme of the story also 
may have played a part. 

Times Sq. Flagship’s $100,000 Screen 
Cues Paramount Chain VistaVisioning 


In a move strongly indicated as 
foreshadowing the new era of 
“bigness” in the picture end of 
show business the N. Y. Paramount 
Theatre, flagship house of the 
650-theatre United Paramount 
chain, is underway with a con- 
version -program that will give it 
the largest screen of any indoor 
pic situation in the world and new 
equipment to accommodate the 
presentation of films of any size. 

Leonard Goldenson, president 
of American Broadcasting-United 
Paramount, commented this week 
that the exact dimensions depend 
on final details in architectural 
blueprinting but the screen will 
measure at least 65 feet in width. 
He added that contracts are to be 
let shortly for the work, includ- 
ing removal of the two prosce- 
nium arches, and the job should be 
completed by mid-April. 

The project further includes in- 
stallation of two specially-built 
double-magazine proection ma- 
chines which can throw on the 
screen any of the variety of new- 
sized pictures now coming into 
being. 

The house will tee off with its 
“bigness” policy with presentation 
of Paramount’s “Strategic Air 
Command,” which has been lensed 
in Par’s VistaVision process. In 
this respect, the Par Theatre over- 
haul is regarded as a major plug 
for this system, which in large 
measure is Par Pictures’ bid for 
the bigsereen bigtime in competi- 
tion with 20th-Fox’s Cinemascope, 
the 65m processes such as Todd- 
AO and, to some extent, Cinerama. 


Post Theatres 
Not to Precede 
Nearby Towns 

Washington, Feb. 22. 

Indications here are that the 
Department of Defense will accept, 
with few if any changes, a plan by 
the film industry to prevent some 
military posts from showing films 
in advance of theatres in nearby 
towns. 

ht vxchango for concession, 
which exhibitors have been de- 
manding for months, film industry 
will liberalize conditions of who 
may see pix at the low tab the- 
atres on the posts. The new pro- 
posal by the motion picture reps 
does not affect any concessions 
previously given to military hos- 
pitals. While the plan covers only 
Army Air Force bases, it will 
probably be expanded to Navy 
bases in this country, if adopted. 

The plan was presented at the 
Pentagon last week by spokesmen 
for the exhibitors and distributors, 
with another meeting slated for 
March 3 by which time the De- 
partment of Defense will have had 
full opportunity to study the de- 
tails. 


Loews 25c Quarterly 

Board of directors of Loew’s, 
Inc., declared a quarterly dividend 
of 25c per share on common stock 
at board meet last week. 

Slice is payable March 31 to 
stockholders of record March 15. 


EYE AIRPORTS FOR 
EXHIBITION SITES 

Plan to establish a string of the- 
atres at the country’s leading air- 
ports is currently being mulled by 
Alan Slifka who has chartered Air- 
port Theatres Inc. in Albany for 
that purpose. 

Arnold R. Krakower, Slifka’s at- 
torney and director of the com- 
pany, said last week that the com- 
pany was scouting the various pos- 
sibilities of obtaining theatre con- 
cessions at the airports. He said 
these would not be newsreel 
houses but would present regular 
feature programs. 


TOA’s N.Y. Office 
Now Restaffed 
For Economies 


Theatre Owners of America has 
completely overhauled its N. Y. 
homeoffice setup. With the de- 
parture of Dick Pitts as public re- 
lations director and Howard Bry- 
ant as service coordinator, TOA 
has installed Joseph P. Alterman 
as office manager. According to a 
TOA executive, Alterman will also 
handle the public relations chores 
under the direction of general 
counsel Herman M. Levy. Alter- 
man is new to the picture business, 
a former Boston business man. 

The shift in the operation of the 
homeoffice is the second TOA has 
made since 1952. Prior to Pitts- 
Bryant operation. TOA had in its 
employ former Democratic Nation- 
al Chairman Gael Sullivan as a 
$40,000 a year executive director. 
With the resignation of Sullivan, 
TOA decided to operate on a 
smaller budget. 

Change in the homeoffice opera- 
tion is tied in with TOA’s desire to 
aiep up its field activities. Exhib 
org now employs George Gaughan 
as a fulltime field representative 
and is ctirn?rftly on the prowl for 
three more field reps who would 
tour the company contacting mem- 
ber theatres and also signing up 
new members. Success of the 
grassroots effort in getting a re- 
duction in the Federal admission 
tax has apparently convinced TOA 
of the importance of closer liaison 
with exhibitors throughout the 
country. It’s felt that it can be 
done better by personal contact 
than by letters from the N. Y. 
office. 

Both TOA and Allied have the 
country fully covered with region- 
al units, but there are still many 
individual theatres that ara not 
members of either group. TOA’s 
desire to corral these unaffiliated 
theatres represents the exhib org’s 
new- interest in the smaller thea- 
tres which has been marked by ap- 
prehension on the fate of small- 
town and nabe houses. This new 
activity may stir up a competitive 
battle between TOA and Allied to 
act as spokesman for the small 
theatres. Previously TOA had been 
considered as the champion of the 
large theatres and circuits. 



S Commerce Dept Says Remittances 


REFUSE TO SHARE 

By HY HOLLINGER 

American film distributing com- 
panies spent an estimated $8,500,- 
000 during 1954 to advertise U. S. 
features in European, Asiatic, 
South American and other foreign 
lands. Of the total sum, at least 
75% involved some “participation” 
in the advertising by foreign ex- 
hibitors, although in certain coun- 
tries film theatremen, with the 
backing of their governments, re- 
fuse to share -the advertising bur- 
den. 

Largest amount of ad coin went 
to the western European countries 
which, excluding England, received 
an estimated $2,100,000. England 
was down for about $1,750,000. Im- 
portance of Japan as a market for 
U. S. pictures is pointed up by the 
fact that almost $1,000,000 was al- 
lotted for advertising in that coun- 
try. Brazil, with an expenditure 
of about $210,000, topped the Latin 
American market. A total of some 
$175,000 was spent in Australiia. 

Coin outlay, excluding the sal- 
aries of foreign pub-ad staffers, in- 
volves costs for newspaper and 
magazine advertising, foreign trade 
paper ads, trade shows, printed 
matter, exploitation expenses, ac- 
cessories shipped from N. Y. (in- 
cluding duty), radio plugs and star 
photos. (The $8,500,000 outlay rep- 
resents foreign currency at current 
exchange rates.) 

The total spent to bring to the 
attention of exhibitors and the for- 
eign public the wares of Holly- 
wood represents an average of 
about 3Vfe% of the total billing of 
U. S. film companies in foreign 
countries. The amount spent in 
each individual country depends 
(1) on local customs, and (2) the 
film rental potential of each coun- 
try. It varies from a low of one- 
quarter of 1% to a high of 6% or 
7% of the billing in each country. 
In many cases, the extent of the 
advertising participation with each 
exhiljitor is in accordance with the 
contract terms on each picture. For 
example, on a 50% film rental the 
film company may participate in 
(Continued on page 54) 


At $200,000,000 Mark Last Year; 
Free Worlds 108,537 Film Theatres 


FOREIGN PRESS AWARDS 
TAKE FORM OF ‘GLOBES’ 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

At the Cocoanut Grove on Thurs- 
day night two separate groups of 
film reporters, the Hollywood For- 
eign* Correspondents Assn, and the 
Foreign Press Assn., will get to- 
gether temporarily to hand out 
their annual awards. 

Total of 29 Golden Globes and, 
Henriettas will be presented by the' 
two organizations. Jointly they 
will deliver awards for the best 
motion picture of 1954 and for the 
one that best promotes under- 
standing between nations. 


TV, Once Hit As 
Foe, Now a Film 
Industry Ally 

That once unmentionable word 
“television” continues to grow as 
the film Industry’s most potent 
ally, particularly as a bally outlet 
for the promotion of pictures. Film 
pluggers have succeeded in har- 
nessing the medium to such an ex- 
tent that realists are putting up the 
warning flag that perhaps it’s be- 
ing overdone. 

Once the film companies drop- 
ped the "no tv” barrier, the pub- 
ad staffers went after video with 
a vengeance. The tv programs, 
happy to get a film star for free 
in return for a plug, gladly accep- 
ted Hollywood’s glamor parade. 
It’s reached the stage that a tv 
interview or panel program is not 
complete without a film guest. Al- 
though the radio-tv contacts have 
to woo the big tv shows, the lesser 
(Continued on page 18) 


Divinity School’s Commercial Terms 


Insists on Dignity for Theatrical Release of ‘Wine 

Of Morning’ 


By GEORGE GILBERT 

Newest entry in the cycle of re- 
ligious pictures comes not from a 
Hollywood studio but from Unusu- 
al Films, a division of Bob Jones 
U. of Greenville, S. C. Three years 
in the making, “Wine of Morning” 
was lensed on the campus in 16m 
Kodachrome commercial and is set 
for showings in 20 cities following 
its -world preem _ March 30 - in- 
Greenville. 

Based on an historical novel of 
the same name by Dr. Bob Jones 
Jr., who heads the evangelical uni- 
versity, the film is a spectacle of 
Biblical times. Theatrical distri- 
bution of the venture hasn’t been 
seriously considered according to 
director Katherine Stenholm for 
“we’re more interested in spread- 
ing the word of God than in mak- 
ing a profit.” 

But prior to returning to Green- 
ville with the film’s answer print, 
Mrs. Stenholm conceded in New 
York this week that theatrical re- 
lease of “Wine” probably would be 
sanctioned by school authorities 
providing it is handled with “dig- 
nity.” However, she added, “we 
would not approve Sunday show- 
ings nor would we want the pic- 
ture to be shown with a Hollywood 
film on the same program.” 

Mrs. Stenholm, who won the 
1953 National Evangelical Film 
Foundation award as “outstanding 
director,” explained that her con- 
J ception of a “dignified” release 
l would be in keeping with the man- 


ner that “Martin Luther” was dis- 
tributed by the Louis de Roche- 
mont organization. Meantime, she’s 
arranging a preview of “Wine” to 
be held in N. Y. early in 
March for the press and sundry 
otl>er groups. 

While no professionals were used 
in the cast, scale of the production 
is indicated by the fact that some 
35 sound stage sets were employed 
in fhe “shooting. Players were 
culled entirely from university per- 
sonnel, costuming was handled by 
the school’s staff as were makeup, 
sound, music, camerawork and 
other technical contributions. 

Used Centre Theatre Gear 

One big advantage the produc- 
tion crew had, Mrs. Stenholm re- 
called, was use of the revolving 
stage and stage elevator which for- 
merly graced the now razed Cen- 
ter Theatre, N. Y. There was no 
charge for this equipment, she 
said, just cost of taking it away. 
Actual filming, incidentally, began 
in Jan., 1954, and was completed 
in December. 

Print processing is being han- 
dled by Precision Film Labora- 
tories, N. Y, Reportedly, the qual- 
ity of the footage is such that it 
would blow up “very nicely” to 
35m in event prints were required 
in this gauge. “Wine” marks the 
eighth film to be turned out by 
Unusual since its formation in 
1950. Previously the unit’s pro- 
duction ranged from an 80-minute 
version of “Macbeth” down to 
15-minute sacred musieales. 


Washington, Feb. 22. 

U.S. film companies had for- 
eign remittances aggregating about 
$200,000,000 last year, for an all- 
time high, according to Govern- 
ment data. 

Most important factor of our in- 
creasing foreign business has been 
the greater number of high class 
films exported, with a worldwide 
increase in theatre facilities out- 
side the Iron Curtain also helping. 

This overall increase in theatres 
is especially noteworthy, because 
of the decline in the United States. 
From 1951 to the beginning of 
1955, the number of conventional 
theatres in this country dropped 
from 19,797 to 14,301, or about 
20%. However, the number of U.S. 
drive-ins increased in that same 
period from 3,323 to 4,050, with a 
capacity for about 2,800,000 per- 
sons in cars. 

New large screen techniques also 
count abroad, especially in Europe, 
reports Nathan D. Golden and Earl 
H Young, of the U. S. Department 
of Commerce motion picture divi- 
sion, in a worldwide survey of film 
theatre facilities. Recently there’s 
been a substantial increase of re- 
building of theatres destroyed in 
World War II. The new houses are 
larger than those they replace. , 
Significant data follows. 

Worldwide: As of Jan. 1, 1955, it 
is estimated, there were 108,537 
theatres showing 35m films in 120 
countries and territories of the free 
world, an increase of nearly 9,000 
theatres, or about 9% more than 
in 1951. Seating capacity was over 
(Continued on page 18) 


8 Producers Add 

i 

Fraud Charges 
Vs. 5 Distribs 


Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

New charges of fraud were filed 
in the 10-month-old suit in Superior 
Court by eight film producers 
against five distributors. Plaintiffs, 
who ask $2,500,000 damages, are 
Equity Pictures, Equity Films, Inc., 
Jack Schwarz Productions, Frost 
Films, Orbit Pictures, Inc., Orbit 
Productions, Inc., Russ Vincent and 
Dave Kessel. Defendants are Chesa- 
peake Industries, Inc.* United Ar- 
tists Corp., Eagle Lion-Classics, 
Inc., Eagle Lion Films, Inc., and 
Motion Pictures for Television, Inc. 

Plaintiffs contend the defendants 
failed to distribute the films prop- 
erly and sold them to television be- 
fore their theatrical runs were 
completed. 


TURKEY ANUjGREEE 
VEXATIONS TO MPEA 

New tax threat looming in 
Greece and the continuing lack of 
dollar remittances from Turkey are 
currently worrying the Motion Pic- 
ture Export Assn. Eugene Van 
Dee, MPEA rep in Rome, has been 
to both countries recently. 

Greek tax is one on admissions 
and is being contested by the U. S. 
distribs who want admissions raised 
tax-free. Greek government allo- 
cates to the American outfits a re- 
mittance quota of $600,000 a year. 
If there isn’t enough local exchange 
to cover it, the difference can be 
made up out of blocked coin. MPEA 
is now concerned lest Greek au- 
thorities decide to cut down on the 
$600,000. 

In Turkey, where the economy is 
dollar-short, the central bank has 
! taken over all remittances and has 
j refused to transfer dollars pending 
an improvement in the dollar bal- 
ance. U. S. companies trade in 
Turkey via local distribs. An ad 
' valorem tax also is pending in 
' Turkey. 




JAMES DEAN 
A dynamic new star 
on the screen! 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


Steinbeck could 
Elia Kazan coulI 

Warner Bros, pi 


starring 




1 
















most shocking 


tenge a girl ever 


one brother take 


another! 


* . 

/ /s 






PURL IVES • RICHARD DAVALOS DA m a?Sadm FI I A KA7AM 
FLEET -ALBERT DEKKER • LOIS SMITH * PAUL OSBORN • tLIA !\ AIAIN 




MUSIC BY 

LEONARD ROSENMAN 


PRINT BY 

TECHNICOLOR 


Weilnfwlay, F«*l»ruary 23, 1935 


MSrTETy 


Cine 


MA 


moves in breath-close to bring you 
realism and intimacy as never before! 


WarnerColor 


REOPHONIC 


UND 


I Sr 


WRITE IT SO RAW! 
FILM IT SO REAL! 
SENT THE 


HERE MARCH 9jH 

ix ** K 

I THEATRE, N.Y*, 


xfc 
















FILM REVIEWS 


Wednesday, February 23, 1935 


hief I raxy Horse 

(C’SCOPE— COLOR) 


Rise and fall of Lakota-Sioux 
chief who downed General 
Custer, presenting Indians’ 
side of story sympathetically; 
for regulation outdoor action 
market. 


Universal 
production, 
stein. Stars 
John Lund; 


Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

release of William AUand 
co-produccr. Leonard Gold- 
Victor Mature. Suzan Ball, 
features Ray Danton. Keith 
Larsen. Paul Guilfoyle. David Janssen. 
Robert Warwick. James Millican. Directed 
b.v George Sherman. Screenplay, Franklin 
Coen, Gerald Grayson Adams: story by 
Adams; camera (Technicolor), Harold 
Lipstein; editor. A1 Clark: music. Frank 
Skinner. Previewed Feb. IS. '53. Running 
time, li MINS. 

Crazy Horse Victor Mature 

Black Shawl Suzan Ball 

Major Twist John Lund 

Little Big Man Ray Danton 

Flying Hawk Keith Larsen 

Worm . . .... Paul Guilfoyle 

Lt. Colin, Cartwright David Jansse » 

Spotted 1*811 Robert Warwick 

General Crook lames Millican 

Red Cloud Morris Ankrum 

Aaron Cartwright Donald Randolph 

Jeff Mantz Robert F. Simon 

Caleb Mantz James Westerfield 

Old Man Afraid Stuart Randall 

Dull Knife Pat Hogan 

Mali Carlisle Dennis Weaver 

Sgt. Guthrie John Peters 

He Dog . . Henry Wills 


The settlement of the Black Hills 
of Dakota is here told from the 
Indians’ side^>f the fighting with a 
sympathetic treatment that Comes 
off okay, and with enough action 
to make “Chief Crazy Horse” suit- 
able materia r for the general out- 
door market. 

Of side interest to the presenta- 
tion, and also with a sympathetic 
angle, is the fact Suzan Ball makes 
her first camera outing since her 
leg amputation. The doubling in 
scenes requiring movement is very 
good, and elsewhere she acquits 
herself well in handling ^the role 
of the bride of Victor Mature, seen 
in the title role as the Indian who 
lived out a tribal prophecy. John 
Lund, as a white friend to the In- 
dian couple, is the third star of the 
WiHiam AUand production and also 
docs good work. 

On his deathbed a Lakota-Sioux 
chief predicts that a great warrior 
would arise in the tribe and lead 
it to victory over the invading 
whites, only to meet his death at 
the hands of a fellow Lakota. The 
Franklin Coen and Gerald Drayson 
Adams screenplay brings this about 
with sufficient dispatch for the de- 
mands of the market where this 
release will find its level, and 
gives George Sherman’s direction 
plenty of action setups, which he 
plays with fast movement. Among 
these sequences is Crazy Horse’s 
ambush of General Custer, and a 
number of other forays against the 
whites that pack a good action 
punch. 

With the three topliners doing 
their characters in good style, the 
support also is firstrate. Ray Dan- 
ton shows up well as the renegade 
Indian who murders Crazy Horse 
after the latter has made his peace 
with the soldiers led by James 
Millican. Keith Larsen, David Jans- 
sen. Paul Guilfoyle and Robert 
Warwick are others in feature spots 
lending capable support. 

The Cinemascope lensing of out- 
door locations by Haro’d Lipstein 
gives the picture Scenic beauty. 
This is so good, however, it makes 
the stock footage scenes inserted 
here and there seem very poor, 
particularly since these film library 
scenes have not- blown up to 
C’Seope w ith any clarity, appearing 
badly grained and fuzzy. Score by 
Frank Skinner is good. Brog. 


the pilot with a yen for gambling 
who gets involved in a smuggling 
racket; Robert Beatty, the chief 
duty officer, who is waiting for the 
day when the medico will again 
pass him for flying duties; James 
Robertson Justice, a bearded pilot 
with a justifiable superstition about 
a particular aircraft; and Eunice 
Gayson, who prefers the solidity 
of Beatty to the gaiety of Steel. As 
these characterizations are devel- 
oping, the script brings together 
David Knight and Margo Lorenz. 
He is an American engineer en 
route to Israel and she is a Ger- 
man-Jewish girl on her way to 
marry a wealthy widower in Wis- 
consin. Their last minute sw itch to 
fly off together almest defies 
acceptance. 

That there is drama in the every- 
day life of the airport is proved 
convincingly; and a prolonged 
scene in which James Robertson 
Justice is being talked down by- 
radar in dense fog is crammed with 
suspense. Brief glimpses of some 
of the ports of call, including air 
shots of the Pyramids and Rome 
present a colorful background. 

Anthony Steel offers a typical 
light-hearted portrayal as , the 
happy-go-lucky pilot. Robert 
Beatty does a believable job as the 
duty officer while David Knight 
and Margo Lorenz, both of whom 
perform with great delicacy, can- 
not overcome the inherent weak- 
nesses of their roles. A fine por- 
trayal of a cockney cabdnver 
forties from Gordon Hai'ker while 
James Robertson Justice gives a 
vital performance as the pilot. 
Eunice Gayson always looks attrac- 
tive as the hostess. Direction and 
other technical credits are up to 
average standard. Myro. 


Warns of Fee-TV 

Minneapolis, Feb. 22. 

Current North Central Al- 
lied bulletin request the ter- 
ritory’s independent exhibitors 
to respond to the present call 
for financial assistance in “the 
fight for survival vs. toll-tv.” 

Bulletin describes toll-tv as 
“this monstrous menace” and 
advises exhibitors to “make 
no mistake of it — this thing is 
more serious than most thea- 
tre owners realize.” 

If toll tv ever gets going, “it 
will cut like a razor, and from 
the bottom up," according to 
the bulletin. 

"We have no need to be 
ashamed of our efforts to kill 
off this threat,” says the bul- 
letin. “We are fighting not only 
for our own economic survival, 
but also are fighting the good 
fight to keep the air of Amer- 
ica free.” 


Paramount’s Fee-TV Position 


Skiatron Blasts 
Zenith s Tactics 


Continued from pace 3 
into the 


the .enter- 
of the 


Lf k N 

(The 


IHabolique» 

Diabolical Ones) 
(FRENCH) 

Paris. Feb. 15. 

Cinerti* release of Filmsonor production. 
Stars Simone Signoret. Vera Clouzot. Paul 
Meurisse. Directed b.v H. • G. Clouzot, 
Screenplr-y, Clouzot. Jerome Geromini, 
Rene Masson. Frederic Grendel from 
novel by Thomas Marcejac, Pierre Boi- 
leau; camera. Arnv.nd Thirard: editor, 
Madeleine Gug. At Paris, Paris. Running 
time. 110 MINS. 

Nicole / Simone Signoret 

Christina Vera Clouzot 

Michel Paul Meurisse 

Fichet Charles Vane! 

Drain Pierre Lacquey 

Herboux Noel Hoquevcrt 

Plantineau lean Brochard 

Raymond Michel Serraull 


Out of llio I lomls 

(BRITISH-COLOR) 


Semi-documentary, with new 
London airport as principal 
locale, but embodying unac- 
ceptable romantic theme, set 
for fair grosses. 


London. Feb. 15. 

General Film Dislribs release of Ealing 
Studios-Miehnel Baleon production. Stars 
Anthorty Steel, Robert Beatty. David 
Knight. Margo Lorenz. Directed by 
Michael Relnh and Tiisil Dearden. Screen- 
play, John Eldridge. Michael Relph: cam 
era (Eastmancolorr. Jeff Sfaholme: edi- 
tor. Jack Harris: music. Richard Addinsell. 
At Odeon. Leicester Square. London. Run- 
ning time, 88 MINS. 

tins Randall Anthony Steel 

Nick Milbourne Robert Beatty 

Bill David Knialit 

Leah Margo Loren* 

Captain Brent .. James Robertson Justice 

Penny Henson Eunice Gayson 

Mrs. Malcolm . Isabel Dean 

Taxi Driver Gordon Marker 

Customs Officer Bernard Lee 

Purvis Michael Howard 

Rich Woman Marie Lohr 

Her Companion .'. Esina Cannon 

Indian Abraham Sofaer 

Jean Osmond Melissa Strihling 

Gambler Sirney James 


Filmed in semi - documentary 
sf>lc. "Out of Clouds" is virtually 
a day behind t lie scenes at London 
Airport, with a wholly unbelievable 
romantic theme tagged on. This 
weakness notwithstanding, the pic 
is good average entertainment and 
should do fair grosses. 

With the new airfield as the main 
background, the script adroitly 
folows through on a few key per- 
sonnel. There is Anthony Steel, 


Relentless sordidness never 
made a great film unless it was 
tempered with sincerity and fer- 
vor. A mystery about H. fi, Clou- 
zot’s new film, besides that of its 
plot, is that it got the Gallic pic 
Crix Delluc Prize, supposedly for 
the highest film achievement in 
the realm of originality, even be- 
fore its release. This was followed 
up by rave notices terming the pic 
a masterpiece. 

Although it does not have a few 
hallucinating bits of terror, the 
fact is that the film is primarily a 
creaky-door type melodrama, its 
grim, downbeat groping for sus- 
pense is arrived at by too heavy- 
handed a dose of brutality and 
gratuitous baseness, which keeps 
this melodrama out of the art cat- 
egory so fervently seen by crix 
nere. 

Big-gun launching makes it look 
like a hit here, with word-of- 
mouth and crix-lauding a help. 
But for the U.S.. it is primarily for 
special situations. Its macabre as- 
pects and lack of sympathy for the 
characters make this a hybrid 
which flounders between a blast- 
ing look at human infamy and an 
out-and-out contrived whodunit. 
For America, this will have to be 
pushed on shock value. Theme is 
one which may well run into cen- 
sorship troubles. 

A brutal headmaster of a pri- 
vate boy’s school tyrannizes his 
frail, sickly wife, and lias a mis- 
tress, a teacher at the school, with 
whom he has just broken off. The 
women band together, and .driven 
by the steely teacher, plot to kill 
him. which apparently they do. 

But the wife comes on his body 
in the bathtub, which rises as she i 
shrieks herself to a heart-attack 
and death. The mistress and hus- 
band had concocted this ghastly 
method to kill her with immunity 
and also for the film fireworks. 
However, they are apprehended by 
a wily, retired police inspector. 

Clouzot s interest in terror and 
human dreariness for its own sake 
has robbed this of intrinsic non- 
esty, and it is strictly in the hor- 
ror category. He has gotten a fine, 
if spotty performance, from his 
real wife, Vera, who plays the frail 
mate in the pic. It is Mrs. Clou- 
zot’s second film. Simone Signoret 
portrays a resoundingly solid com- 
petence as the powerful crime in- 
stigator. Paul Meurisse is prop- 
erly despicable as the so-called 
victim. Other characters are also 
a rather vile bunch, and children 
arc shadowly etched in this. Lens, 
ing and editing are firstrate. 
Charles Vanel turns in an acting 
gem as the shabby, knowing in- 
spector. Alosk. 


While they may have a unity 
of purpose, proponents of the three 
major toll-tv systems are facing 
the Federal Communications Com- 
mission with something less than 
unity of design. In fact, it looks 
as if each company intends to go 
its own separate way, notwith- 
standing the possibility of some 
serious disagreements when it 
comes to the showdown. 

Failure to arrive at a common 
approach to the problem of con- 
vincing the FCC tiiat the boxoffice 
in the home should be authorized 
was pointed out dramatically fol- 
lowing the FCC’s move to initi- 
ate rule-making procedure on the 
question of pay-as-you-see. The 
Commission, in so doing, nixed 
Zenith’s bid for immediate authori- 
zation of fee-tv, without a hear- 
ing. 

Lay press generally fastened on 
that negative aspect of the FCC de- 
cision, reporting it more promi- 
nently than the general decision 
to move ahead and elicit written 
comments from interested parties. 
This caused a heap of unhappiness 
at Zenith’s competitors, particu- 
larly Skiatron. 

In a letter to his stockholders. 
Arthur Levey, Skiatron Electronic 
& TV proxy, last week explained 
that Skiatron TV <the operating 
company) deliberately did not join 
in the Zenith request. "It was 
your management’s view that it 
was not only highly unrealistic but 
not in accordance with the public 
interest to request the Commis- 
mission to undertake such a move 
without a thorough and compre- 
hensive investigation of all the 
relevant facts,” he w'rote. 

“The action of the Commission.” 
said Levey, “conforms exactly with 
the request made by Skiatron TV 
in its petition and constitutes . . . 
a most important and most favor- 
able development of the problems 
of securing the authorization of 
commercial television service.” 
~*There is some area of agreement 
among the toll-tvers that a united 
stand before the FCC would be of 
help. Some months back, an at- 
tempt to correlate and unify the 
different points-of-view, and more 
specifically those of Zenith and 
Skiatron. was made but didn’t 
come off. One of the reasons was 
that Zenith didn’t care for the ap- 
proach of Skiatron in its petition 
to the FCC. Skiatron wanted to 
have toll-tv limited to UIIF bands 
for the first three years of opera- 
tion. 

It’s felt that the individualistic 
attitude on the part of the pay-as- 
you-see forces is apt to hurt them 
when it comes to FCC considera- 
tion of the whole question of toll- 
tv. One of the vital questions the 
Commission must tackle is whether 
it should authorize a specific sys- 
tem or set broad standards within 
which a number of systems could 
operate and compete 


stressed, it wouldn’t go 
manufacturing end of 
prise, leaving the making 
coinboxes to others. Also, he 
thought, programming would have 
to be handled on both a national 
and a local level, with a special 
company possibly being formed for 
that purpose. 

MacNamara emphasized Tele- 
meter’s firm belief in the coinbox 
as the only practical means of 
realizing toll-tv. “We’re sold on it,” 
he declared. “We have no interest 
at ail in the code card systems. As 
a matter of fact, I don’t think J 
they’re practical." 

New Coinbox 

Telemeter has developed a new 
type of coinbox which would allow 
the customer credit, so that no 
exact change would be necessary. 
The gadget, using magnetic tape, 
would deduct the cost of the pro- 
gram on the air and would credit 
the rest to subsequent uses. Mac- 
Namara said there would be an 
$8 to $10 “installation” charge for 
the equipment and the subscriber 
would have to spend a minimum 
airount each month on toli-tv 
shows. 

MacNamara said he felt certain 
the FCC or any other agency au- 
thorizing pay-as-you-see would 
standardize the transmission part 
of the service, but not the “mer- 
chandising” part, i.e. the decoder 
units at the set. In this connection 
he held that Telemeter had a strike 
on the rest of the system v a its 
exclusive “barker” method. It 
works this way; 

While the scrambled program is 
broadcast, a voice is superimposed 
and at regular intervals repeats the 
type of program being shown, its 
cost, and the amount of time it’s 
already been on the air. Regular 
sound comes on only when the sub- 
scriber puts his coins into the slot. 

MacNamara said he fully agreed 
it was "a crying shame” that the 
three toll-tv systems should go be- 
fore the FCC without even an at- 
tempt made to correlate their posi- 
tions. However, he added, this 
wasn't surprising in view of the 
individualistic attitudes of the top 
execs involved. 

He saw' no conflict between the 
interests of Paramount, the film 
distrib. and Paramount, owner of 
Telemeter. “They keep those two 
operations completely separate,” 
he said, pointing out that any num- 
ber of exhibs also operated tv sta- 
tions. 


tions by May 9, MacNamara said 
Telemeter would file a voluminous 
brief. He said his company agreed 
that toll-tv would aid the position 
of the UHF stations, but didn’t go 
along with the Skiatron position 
that the service should be re- 
stricted to UHF for the first three 
years. Main opposition to pay-as- 
you-see would come from the 
broadcasters, MacNamara thought, 
adding that the advertisers would 
find ways of fitting into the toll-tv 
scheme of things. 


‘War and Peace’ 


Continued from page 3 


Paramount used to own 50 r o of 
Telemeter. Some months back Par 
bought up David Loew s holdings 
in the company, bringing its own 


to 80Cc. Carl Les- 


percentage up 
serman and MacNamara retain 
their small c /o holdings in the com- 
pany, and so does the Lehman 
Bros, banking outfit. MacNamara 
estimated that Par had about $3,- 
000,000 invested in Telemeter so 
far. He said the film outfit was 
very bullish on Telemeter’s future. 

Rouse Sportsmen 

The Telemeter v.p. said he and 
his associates had spent much time 
to get publishers and the sports 
world roused to the possibilities of 
Telemeter and toll-tv. "Those are 
the people whose pressure really 
counts,” he says. “We don’t think 
that the exhibitors’ arguments 
carry much weight in Washington. 
Everyone knows they’re only fight- 
ing to protect their own interests.” 

Asked about the problem of coin 
collection in the homes,* MacNa- 
niara said Telemeter had done con- 
siderable research on the question 
and was likely to come to an ar- 
rangement with the Brink people 
to handle collections. He agreed 
that, in the event of FCC authori- 
zation of toll-tv, a big patent fight 
was likely to break out among the 
various systems. 

Telemeter was tested on the 
Coast both over-the-air and via 
closed-circuit (In Palm Springs). 
MacNamara reported that, 1600 tv 
sets currently hooked up to the 
Palm Springs community tv sys- 


with Ben Hecht doing the screen- 
play. The producer has made no 
subsequent announcements. 

There’s a wide variety of asides 
and conflicts. 

DeLaurentiis claimed he’ll have 
the cooperation of the Yugoslav 
Army for his production. He 
showed a cable from his brother, 
Luigi, from Belgrade stating that 
Marshal Tito has promised to make 
a cavalry division available. 

Previously, Todd said Tito had 
promised him “sole right” to use 
the Army. Todd’s statement was 
confirmed by the Yugo Consulate 
in N. Y. 

Russell Holman, Par’s eastern 
production head, pointed out that 
Metro has first registration rights 
to the “W & P” title in the U. S. 
As a consequence, the Par produc- 
j tion may not be called “W it P.” 

Via an interpreter, Ponti and 
: DeLaurentiis said the Battle of Bo- 
1 rodino and the burning of Moscow 
will be lensed in Yugoslavia. The 
Yugo Army (needed because it has 
the only cavalry division in the 
world) will be used in the manh 
on Moscow. Olher outdoor filming 
! will be done in Finland (a light 
snow’ is required) and interiors are 
set for Rome. King Vidor, who’s to 
direct, left N. Y. Thursday (17) for 
Italy on advance work. 

The Italo producers said they’ve 
had the picture in prep, nation 
two years and costumes and pro- 
duction layouts already are set. 
They said Igor Stravinsky has 
asked to score the picture (his oniy 
previous film was “Fantasia” tor 
Walt Disney) but Aaron Sapiro, 
the composer’s legal rep, said 
Stravinsky had been asked to take 
on the assignment and declined. 

Confusion also centered on the 
identity of Avala Film, a Yugo 
outfit which is to own all rights 
to the film in Yugoslavia. State- 
ments were in conflict on whether 
this is a private or government- 
owned company. 

Par has distribution rights in all 
countries except Yugoslavia. Fin- 
land and Russia, a Par press hand- 
out stated. 

Film will be lensed in the Vista- 
Vision process, will run 220 min- 
utes and the script is by R. C. 
Sherriff. Budget has been esti- 
mated at close to $4,000,000. with 
Par participating in the financing. 
Cast is as yet unset but Vidor has 
expressed preference for Gregory 
Pack and Jean Simmons. Dialog 
will be in English throughout with 
pic to be dubbed for non-English 
speaking countries? 

As for the various conflicts, 
Ponti and DeLaurentiis stated: 
Time will prove all our points. ’ 


Interesting difference has de- i f em > an d 1750 on order, the system 


veloped between Zenith. Skiatron 
and Telemeter (Paramount) re the 
prospects of future cooperation 
with exhibs. Telemeter is openly 
plugging for oxhib cooperation, 
going on the theory that exhibs 
could obtain territorial franchises 
for what is in effect a closed-cir- 
cuit. 

Zenith outfit, too, has dangled 
the lure of franchises before the 
1 theatremen. Skiatron, on the 
1 other hand, has stood aloof. 


is now almost in the black. Tele- 
meters toll-tv system had a six- 
month run in Palm Springs. Cur- 
rent subscribers to the (free) tv 
service, which relays LA. pro- 
grams, are charged $150 for instal 
lation and another $5 a month 
service charge. MacNamara said 
Telemeter was not interested in 
any further community-tv setups 
As for the FCC invite for inter- 1 
ested parties to submit their writ- 
ten views on various toll-tv ques- 


Oscar ‘Originals’ 


Continued from page 3 


and 


said 

“be- 

sound 
rr- 


stakes are “Broken Lance 
“There’s No Business Like Show 
Business.” Two prominent scrip 
ters, in making the charge, 
they wanted to be anonymous 
cause we don’t want it to 
like sour grapes.” 

“Lance,” they insisted, is a f 
make of “House of Strangers. 
Latter was produced at 20th-rox 
by Sol C. Siegel in 1949. Hie 
screenplay by Philip Yordan " as 
based on a novel by Yerome Wein- 
man. “Lance” also was produced 
by Siegel at 20th and the writer 
credits were Richard 
screenplay, based on 
Yordan. ... 

The late Lamar Trotti did 
“Show Business” story, and. 
cording to the beefs, this 
“melange of the old Alice 
musicals.” The credits on 
Business” are 


Murphy lot 
a story by 

the 

av- 
is a 
Faye 

•Show 


Phoebe and HcmV 


Ephron for the screenplay, 
the Trotti original. 


from 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


GROSSES 


9 


Chi Wanner, Biz Hot; ‘Girl’ Mighty 
$42,000, ‘Lightfoot’ Lively at 21G, 
‘Fire Bright 29G, ‘Bridges’ 10G, 3d 


Chicago. Feb. 22. 4- 

Biz looks on the upbeat here this 
round, with five well-plugged pix 
opening, several of them smashes. 
Elsewhere, warmer weather also is 
bringing out the crowds. 

Big opener is “Country Girl at 
the United Artists, with a giant 
$42 000. “Green Fire” at Oriental 
shapes hefty $29,000 on preem 
v £ck 

The McVicker’s “Captain Light- 
foot” looms fat $21,000 for first ses- 
sion while “Little Kidnappers” is 
hot $5,200 at Surf v _ „ 

“They Were So Young and 
“Champagne Safari” combo at 
j ,oop looks fair $7,000 in first. 

"3 Ring Circus” with The Gay- 
lords helming vaude, is strong at 
the Chicago in the second round. 
“Cattle Queen of Montana” and 
“Maslerson of Kansas” at Roose- 
velt is holding nicely for same 
frame. The Ziegfeld’s “Mile. Go- 
bette” is rated peppy in second 
week. 

“Six Bridges To Cross” and “Pi- 
rates of Tripoli” combo at the 
Grand shapes nifty at Grand in 
third frame. “Bad Day At Black 
Rock” is sluggish at the Woods for 
same week. 

“20.000 Leagues Under the Sea 
shapes dullish in the ninth round 
at the State-Lake as “Aida” stays 
strong at the World in same week. 
“Cinerama” is still holding well in 
82d week at the Palace. 

Estimates For This Week 

Carnegie (Telem’t) (480; 95) — 
“Big Day” (Indie) (2d wk). Nifty 
$3,800. 

Chicago <B&K> (3,900; 98-$1.50) 
—"3-Ring Circus” (Par) with the 
Gavlords topping stageshow (2d 
wkh Nice $45,000. Last week, 

$30,000. 

Grand (Nomikos) (1,200; 98-$D— 
“6 Bridges To Cross” (U) and “Pi- 
rates Tripoli” (Col) (3d wk). 
Staunch $10,000. Last week, $13,- 
1)00. 

Loop (Telem’t) (606; 90-$1.25)— 
“They Were So Young” (Indie) and 
“Champagne Safari” (Indie). Fair 
$7,000. Last week, “Dead Reck- 
oning” (Col) and “I Am The Law” 
(Col) ireissues), $7,000. 

Me Vickers (JL & S> (2,200; 65- 
$1.25) — "Captain Lightfoot” (U). 
Swell $21,000. Last week, “White 
Feather” »20th) (2d wk), $10,000. 

Oriental (Indie) (3,400; 98-$1.25) 
—“Green Fire” (M-G>. Lofty $29.- 
000. Last week, “Violent Men” 
(Col) (3d wk*, $16,000. 


Palace <Eitel> (1.484; $1.25-$3.40) 
—“Cinerama” (Indie) (82d wk). 
Hefty $25,000. Last week, $27,000. 

Roosevelt (B&K) (1,400; 65-98 >— 
“Cattle Queen Montana” (RKOi 
and “Masterson Kansas” (Col) (2d 
wk>. Modest $14,500. Last week, 
$ 22 , 000 . 

State-Lake <B&K) (2,400; 65-98) 
— “20.000 Leagues Under Sea” 
(BV.i (9th wk). Fair $14,000. Last 
week. $16,000. 

Surf (H&E Balaban) (685; 95)— 
“Little Kidnappers” (Indie). Lofty 
$5,200. Last week “Detective” 
(Col) (8th wk), $2,800. 

United Artists (B&K) (1,700; 98- 
S1.25) — “Country Girl” (Par). 
Smash $42,000. Last week, “Sign 
of Pagan” ( U) (3d wk), $12,000. 

Woods (Essaness) (1,206; 98- 

$1.25) — “Bad Day At Black Rock” 
< M-G) (4th wk>. Okay $16,000. 
Last week. $17,000. 

World (Indie) (697; 98)— “Aida” 
(IFE) (9th wk). Strong $3,800. Last 
Week. $4,200. 

Ziegfeld (^.opert) (430; 98) — 

“Mile Gobette” (Indie (2d wk). 
Good $4,000. Snappy. Last week, 

$5,700. 


‘Gray Line’ Great 41 G, 
Hub; ‘Silver’ Fine 23G, 
‘Girl’ Rousing 30G, 2d 

Boston, Feb. 22. 

Biz is holding very steady this 
frame aided by mid-winter school 
vacations and Feb. 22 holiday 
crowds. Of the newcomers, "Long 
Gray Line” at the Orpheum and 
State is excellent while “Long 
•John Silver” at Paramount and 
Fenway shapes fine. “The Country 
Girl” in second week at the Astor 
continues smash. “20,000 Leagues 
Under Sea,” also in second round 
*t the Memorial shapes sock. 

Estimates For This Week 

Astor (B&Q) (1,500; 75-$ 1.25) — 
‘Country Girl” (Par) (2d wk). 
Holding at huge $30,000 following 
record $34,000 opener. 

Beacon Hill (Beacon Hill) (800; 

(Continued on page 54) 


Estimates Are Net 

Film gross estimates as re- 
ported herewith from the vari- 
ous key cities, are net; i.e., 
without usual tax. Distrib- 
utors share on net take, when 
playing percentage, hence the 
estimated figures are net in- 
come. 

The parenthetic admission 
prices, however, as indicated, 
include the U. S. amusement 
tax. 

‘Holiday’ Terrif 
$26,009, St. Louis 

St. Louis, Feb. 22. 
Washington’s Birthday holiday is 
boosting biz at all big firstrun 
houses after a lull over the week- 
end which had prolonged rain. 
“Cinerama Holiday” is making an 
impressive debut and looks sock- 
eroo for outstanding #oin in city at 
Ambassador. “Bad Day at Black 
Rock” also is lusty at Loew’s. 
“Violent Men” looms nice at the 
St. Louis without attracting too 
much attention. “Bread, Love, 
Dreams” still Is good in fourth 
round at Shady Oak. 

Estimates for This Week 
Ambassador (Indie) (1.400; $1.20- 
$2.40) — "Cinerama Holiday” 
(Indie). Sockeroo $26,000. Last 
week. “Cinerama” (Indie) (55th 
wk), $23,(500. 

Fox (F&M) (5,000; 85'— “Battle 
Cry” (WB). Opened tonight <Tues.) 
Last week. “Far Country” <U> and 
“West of Zanzibar” (U), solid $16,- 
000 . 

Loew’s (Loew’s) (3.100; 60-85) — 
“Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G) 
and “Operation Manhunt” <UA». 
Lusty $18,000. Last week. “Green 
Fire” (MG) and “Steel Cage” (UA>, 
$ 12 , 000 . 

Orpheum (Loew’s) (1.400; 60-85) 
— “Athena” (M-G) and “Crest of 
Wave” (MG) (2d wk>. Good $8,000 
after $10,000 initial session. 

Pageant (St. L. Amus.) (1,000; 
82) — “Heart of Matter” (Indie). 
Oke $1,500. Last week. “Daughters 
of Destiny” (Indie*. $2,000. 

Richmond (St. Louis Amus) (400; 
82)— “Heart of Matter” (Indie). 
Good $2,000. Last week. “Daugh- 
ters of Destiny” (Indie), $3,000. 

St. Louis (St. L. Amus.) (4:000; 
75' — “Violent Men” (Col). Neat 
$14,000. Last week, “Carmen 
Jones” (20th) (2d wk), $10,500. 

Shady Oak (St. Louis Amus.) 
(800; 82) — “Bread, Love, Dreams” 
(IFE) (4th wk). Good $2,500 after 
$3,000 last week. 

‘Chalice’ Crisp $24,000, 
Toronto; ‘Bridges’ Wham 
14G, ‘Sea’ Tall 19G, 2d 

Toronto, Feb. 22. 

With biz hep at all downtown 
houses on product appeal, “Silver 
Chalice” at a two-house combo, 
is topping the town with wham 
returns. “6 Bridges to Cross” also 
is socko. But with exception of 
“Chalice,” holdovers are doing 
better than the newcomers, notably 
“20,000 Leagues Under Sea” and 
“Carmen Jones,” both in second 
stanzas. Second frame of “Bad Day 
at Black Rock” also Is big. 

Estimates for This Week 
Christie, Hyland (Rank) (848; 
1,354; 75-$l)— “Lease of Life” 

(Rank) (2d wk). Okay $5,000. Last 
week, $6,000. 

Downtown, Glendale, Scarboro, 
State (Taylor) (1,050; 955; 698; 40- 
70) — “They Were So Young” (In- 
die) and “Port of Hell” (IFD). Oke 
$12,500. Last week, “Sitting Bull” 
iUA> and “Diamond Wizard” (UA), 
$14,000. 

Eglinton, University (FP) (1.080; 
1.558; 75-$l)— “Silver Chalice” 
(WB). Smash $24,000. Last week, 
"Desiree” (20th) (3d wk) in 2 days, 
$3,500. 

Imperial (FP) (3.373; 60-$l)— 
“Leagues Under Sea" (BV) (2d wk). 
Terrific $19,000. Last week, $22,500. 

International (Taylor) (805; 50- 
80)— “Belles St. Trinian’s” (IFD) 
'9th wk>. Oke $2,500. Last week, 
$3,000. 

Loew’s (Loew’s) (2.090; 60-$ 1) — 
^‘Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G). 
I (Continued on page 54) 


‘Rock’ Solid $15,000 In 
Buff.; ‘Country’ Hep 12G 

Buffalo. Feb. 22. 
“Far Country” looms fancy at 


Lafayette here this stanza. “Bad 
Day at Black Rock” is doing lusty 
biz at the Buffalo. Standout coin, 
however, is going to “Country 
Girl,” now in second stanza at 
Paramount. “Battle Cry” is hold- 
ing surprisingly w’ell in third 
round at the Center. 


Estimates for This Week 


Buffalo (Loew’s) (3,000; 60-85)— 
“Bad Day at Black Rock” ?M-G> 
and "Operation Manhunt” (Indie). 
Lusty $15,000. Last week. “Vera 
Cruz” (UA) (2d uk\ $10,000 at 95c 
top. 

Paramount (Par) <3,000; 70-$l) — 
“Country Girl” (Par) (2d wk). 
Sturdy $20,000. Last week, $25,- 
000 . 


Center (Par) (2,000; 65-$ 1 ) — 

‘Battle Cry” (WB) (3d wk». Spry 
$15,000. Last week, $18,000. 


Lafayette (Basil) (3,000; 50-80) — 
“Far Country” (U ) and “Both Sides 
of Law” (U). Fancy $12,000. Last 
week, “Women’s Prison” (Col) and 
“The Bamboo Prison” (Col), $11,- 
000 . 


Century (Buhawk) (3,000; 60-85) 
— “Underwater!” <RKO> (2d wk). 
Okay $8,000. Last week. $14,000. 


Country’ Hot 15G, 
D.C.; Line’ 25G, 2d 

Washington, Feb. 22. 

Washington’s Birthday today, a 
holiday in the nation’s capital, 
brought plenty of people into the 
midtown area and is boosting this 
week’s boxoffice. “Long Grey Line" 
and “Country Girl” continue to 
lead the city, with “Battle Cry” 
doing fine in its third week day- 
dating in two houses. “Many Rivers 
to Cross” looks fast but “Bad Day 
at Black Rock” is disappointing. 
“Far Country” looks lusty. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador (SW) (1.490; 90- 

$1.25)— “Battle Cry” (WB) (3d wk). 
Fine $6,000. Stays on. Last week. 
$7,000. 

Capitol (Loew’s) (3.434; 70-95)— 
“Far Country” (U). Nice $15,000. 
Last week. “Carmen Jones” (20th) 
(3d wk-6 days), $6,500. 

Columbia (Loew’s) (1,174; 70-95) 
— “Many Rivers to Cross” (M-G). 
Fine $12,000. Last week. “Prince 
of Players” (20th), $5,000 for 6 
days. 

Dupont (Lopert) (372; 65-$ 1 ) — 
"Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (9th wk). 
Scant $2,000 in 4 days. Last week. 
$3,000. 

Keith’s (RKO) (1,939; 90-$1.25) 
— “Long Grey Line” (Col) <2d wk). 
Smash $25,000 after $27,000 open- 
er. 

Metropolitan (SW) (1.200; 90- 
$1.25)— “Battle Cry” (WB) (3d wk). 
Solid $12,000. Last week, $13,000. 
Holds over. 

Palace (Loew’s) (2,370; 70-95)— 
“Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G) 
<2d wk). Mild $10,000. Last week, 
$13,000. 

Playhouse (Lopert) (435; 70-$l) 
— “Aida” (Indie). Fairish $6,000. 
Last week, “Sign of Pagan” (U) 
<9th-final wk), $1,500 in 4 days. 

Warner (SW) (1,300; $1.20-$2.40) 
— “Cinerama” (Indie) (67th wk). 
Climbs back up to good $14,500 
after $13,500 last stanza. 

Trans-Lux (T-L) (600; 70-$l)— 
“Country Girl” (Par) (3d wk). 
Bounced up to sock $17,000 after 
$16,000 last week. 


B’way Up; ‘Confidential’ Loud 40G, 
‘Jupiter’ Jumps to 155G, ‘Doctor’ 
Fancy 18G, ‘Feather’ Soft 34G in 8 


Broadw'ay film business did an 
about face over the weekend after 
hitting bottom last Thursday (17*. 
This rebound coupled with the 
usual great Washington Birthday’s 
holiday trade yesterday (Tues.) is 
giving the first-runs a big week, 
with some few exceptions. Fact 
that the holiday fell on Tuesday in- 
stead of Monday (as it was last 
year* prevented the usual long 
holiday weekend for many. Also 
N.Y. schools had no holiday Mon- 
day although nearby communities 
like Westchester gave pupils the 
extra day. Some pix are running 
ahead of last week. 

“N.Y. Confidential” looks ter- 
rific $40,000 at the Victoria to pace 
newcomers. “Jupiter’s Darlj/ig” 
with stageshow, which opened dis- 
appointingly, is heading for a big 
$155,000 in first week at the Music 
Hall. Show did big Monday and 
was terrific yesterday. “Doctor in 
House” shapes to rack up a mighty 
$18,000, or close, near the house 
record, at the arty Trans-Lux 52d 
Street. 

“Cry Vengeance” with vaude- 
ville likely will hit a solid $26,500 
at the Palace. “White Feather” 
looks only light $34,000 or near in 
the single 8-day week it is playing 
the Roxy. House brings in “Three 
For Show” tomorrow (Thurs.). 
“Wages of Fear” landed sturdy 
$12,500 opening week at the arty 
Paris. 

“Long Gray Line” is pushing 
ahead of initial session to grab a 
sock $53,000 or near in second 
round at the Capitol. “Sign of 
Pagan” looks nice $19,000 in sec- 
ond week at the State. “Under- 
water!” edged ahead of opening 
frame to reach solid $27,000 in sec- 
ond Mayfair week. 

Helped by great word-of-mouth. 
“Battle Cry” is climbing to smash 
$66,000 in third session at the 
Paramount. This is ahead of sec- 
ond week, and means an indefi- 
nite stay. “Far Country” is hold- 
ing with good $12,000 or close in 
first holdover stanza at the Globe. 
“Gate of Hell” is edging up ahead 
of ninth week to great $13,800 for 
10th week at the Guild. 

“Country Girl” continues the 
longrun champ, with a smash $35.- 
000 probable for current (10th) 
week— $9,000 ahead of ninth frame 
at the Criterion. “20,000 Leagues 
Under Sea” also is pushing ahead 
of previous round with a great 
$32,500 in sight for ninth week at 
the Astor. “Bad Day at Black 
Rock” looks just okay with $9,500 
for third week at the Rivoli. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; 75-$1.75) 
— “Leagues Under Sea” (BV) (9th 
wk). Present stanza winding today 
(Wed.) is heading for smash $32,500 
as against $25,000 for eighth week. 
Holds again. 

Little Carnegie (L. Carnegie) 
(550; $1.85-$2.20) — “Aida” (IFE) 

(15th wk). Current round ending 
today (Wed.) looks to reach $5,500, 
okay, after $4,800 for 14th week. 
Holds a little longer. 

Baronet (Reade) (430; 90-$1.55) 
— "Game of Love” (Indie) (11th 
wk). The 10th round ended yester- 
day (Tues.) was sturdy $4,500 after 
$4,800 for ninth week. Stays, with 
“Trouble in Glen” (Rep) set to 
follow. 

Capitol (Loews) (4,820; 85-$2.20) 
— “Long Gray Line” (Col) <2d wk). 
This is pushing to sock $53,000 in 


initial holdover session finishing 
today (Wed.) to beat opening week 
which was $44,000. First week was 
disappointing for a preem round. 
Holding. 

Criterion (Moss* (1.700; 75-$2.20> 
— “Country Girl” (Par) (10th wk). 
Present week concluding today 
(Wed *, is soaring to great $35,000 
as against ninth week’s $26,000. 
Continues indef. 

Fine Arts (Davis) (468; 90-$1.80) 
— "Holiday for Henrietta” (Arde> 
(5th wk». The fourth round ended 
Sunday (20> was socko $7,200. 
Third week was $8,200. 

Globe (Brandt) (1.500; 70-$1.50) 
—"Far Country” <U> (2d wk'. Ini- 
tial holdover session winding up 
Friday (25* looks to reach good 
$12,000. Opening week was $13,000. 

Guild (Guild) (450; $1-$1.75)— 
“Gate of Hell” (Indie) (11th wk). 
The 10th frame ended Monday (21) 
pushed to big $13,800 to top the 
$13,000 done in ninth week. Stays 
on. with end far from being in 
sight. 

Mayfair (Brandt) (1.736; 79-$1.80> 
— “Underwater!" (RKO) (3d wk>. 
First holdover round finished yes- 
teerday (Tues.) was big $27,000 or 
near after $24,000 in first week. 

Normandie (Trans-Lux) (592; 
$1.15-$ 1.65 > — “CaVnille” (M-G) (re- 
issue) (4th wk). Third round ended 
Monday (21) was terrific $15,500. 
Second week was $17,300, for sec- 
ond record round in succession. 

Palace (RKO) (1,700; 50-$1.60)— 
"Cry Vengeance” <AA* and vaude- 
ville. Week finishing tomorrow 
iThurs.) looks to land dandy $26.- 
500, the Feb. 22 holiday naturally 
helping. Last week, “So This Is 
Paris” (U) and vaude, $23,000. 

Paramount (ABC-Par) (3,664; 
85-$l. 75)— “Battle Cry” (WB) (4th 
wk). Third stanza concluded last 
night (Tues.) climbed to great $66.- 
000 after $59,000 for second. Now 
set to stay on indef. 

Paris (Pathe Cinema) (568; 90- 
$1.80) — “Wages of Fear” (Indie) 
(2d wk». First frame ended last 
night (Tues.) was headed for solid 
$12,500. In ahead. “Animal Farm” 
(Indie) (7th wk), $5,500. 

Radio City Music Hall (Rocke- 
fellers* (6,200; 95-$2.75) — "Jupi- 
ter’s Darling” (M-G) and stage- 
show. Likely will hit big- $155,000 
in opening stanza ending today 
(Wed.). Trade was amazingly big 
Monday and terrific most of yes- 
terday. Showing is very fine in 
view of slow start Thursday. 
Holds. In ahead. “Bridges at Toko- 
ri” (Par) and stageshow (4th wki, 

I $101,000. but winding up very sol- 
id run here, particularly for time 
of year and very bad weather. 

Rivoli (UAT) (2.092; 85-$2)— 

“Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G) 
(4th wk). Third stanza ended Mon- 
day (21) held with okay $9,500 
after $10,000 for second week. 

Roxy ( Nat’I. Th.) (5,717; 65- 

$2.40) — “White Feather” (20th). 
Holding eight days, with lone week 
ending today (Wed.) looking to get 
light $34,000. Absence of marquee 
names hurl this, obviously. “Three 
For Show” <Col> opens tomorrow 
(Thurs.), first pic not from 20th- 
Fox in some time. 

State (Loew’s) <3,450; 78-$1.75) 
— “Sign of Pagan’ <U> (2d wk). 
Initial holdover session finishing 
Friday (25) probably will hold 
with fine $19,000 after $21,000 
opening week. Stays on. 

Sutton (R&B) (561; $1-$1.80)— 


‘Battle’ Giant 35G, Det.; Darling’ Oke 
9G, ‘Holiday’ Sock 32G, Feather’ 25G 


Detroit, Feb. 22, 

Biz is uneven this week at down- 
towners, albeit “Battle Cry” at the 
Madison and “Cinerama Holiday” 
at the Music Hall are smasheroo. 
"White Feather” is average at the 
Fox. “Many Rivers to Cross” 
shapes slow at the United Artists. 
“Jupiter’s Darling” is about okay 
at the Adams. Holdovers “Bridges 
of Toko-ri”»at the Michigan and 
“Violent Men” ’at the Palms look 
nice. 

Estimates for This Week 

Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000; $1- 

$1.25)— “White Feather” (20th) 
and “Crest of Wave” (M-G). Fair 
$25,000. Last week, “Racers” (20th) 
(2d wk), $18,000. 

Michigan (United Detroit' (4,000; 
95-$1.25) — “Bridges At Toko-ri” 
(Par) (3d wk). Trim $15,000. Last 
week, $24,000. 

Palms (UDi (2.961; 95-$1.25> — 
"Violent Men” (Col) and “Bambo 


Prison” (UA) (2d wk). Oke $16,- 
000. Last week, $27,000. 

Madison (UD) (1.900; 95-$1.25)— 
“Battle Cry” (WB). Terrific $35,- 
000. Last week. “Leagues Under 
Sea” (BV) (8th wk), $6,000. 

Broadway-Capitol (UD) (3.500; 
80-$l> — "Smoke Signal” (U) and 
“Keystone Kops” (U). Slow $9,000. 
Last week. “Twist of Fate" (UA) 
and “White Orchid" (UA). $7,500. 

United Artists (UA) < 1.938; $1- 
$1.25) — “Many Rivers to Cross” 
(M-G). Slim $10,000. Last week, 
“Tonight’s the Night” <AA' and 
“Holly and Ivy” (AA>, $6,000. 

Adams (Balaban) <1,700; 95- 

$1.25) — “Jupiter’s Darling” (M-G). 
Average $9,000. Last week, “So 
This Is Paris” <U), $6,000. 

Music Hall (Cinerama Produc- 
tions* (1.194; $140-$2.65>— “Cine- 
rama Holiday” (Indie) (2d wk). 
Smash $32,000. Last week, $29,- 
000 in 4 days. 


“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (10th 
wk). The ninth round ended yes- 
terday (Tues.) pushed to solid $8,- 
200 after $6,700 for eighth. Stays 
on. with no new pic set. 

Trans-Lux 52nd St. (T-L) (540; 
$1-$1.50> — “Doctor in House” 
(Repi. Initial stanza ending today 
(Wed.) likely will hit $18,000 or 
near, and close to house record. 
Stays over. In ahead. “Tonight’s 
the Night” <AA) (8th wk), $2,600. 

Victoria (City Inv.) <1,060; 50- 
$1.75)— “N. Y. Confidential” (WB*. 
Heading for terrific $40,000 or 
near in first week ending tomor- 
row (Thurs.). In ahead, “Un- 
chained” (WB) (3d wk-8 days), 
$4,000. 

Warner (Cinerama Prod.) (1.600; 
$1.20-$3.30> — “Cinerama Holiday” 
(Indie) <3d wk). First holdover 
session ended Saturday <19> soared 
to terrific $56,000, virtual capacity, 
this being first full week here 
since house ends its week on Sat- 
urdays, Pic did $46,600 in first 
four days <13 shows), tremendous. 

! Advance sale is amazing. Now look 
for even bigger this current round 
since getting in 18 shows instead 
jof usual 17 performances for full 
1 seven-day week. House capacity 
1 now scaled at $57,900. 


10 


Pfin iEfr 


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Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


P^KIETY 


11 


THE COUNTRY GIRL 

BEST PRODUCTION 

BEST ACTOR 

BEST ACTRESS 

BEST DIRECTOR 

BEST SCREENPLAY 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (black and white) 
BEST ART DIRECTION (black and white) 

Set Decoration 


\ 

( ' ••••••• •; * 

y. . ;U' ■; X iv' *. J 

< 

Produced by William Perlberg 
. Bing Crosby 
. Grace Kelly 

, George Seaton 
. George Seaton 

. John F. Warren 

Hal Pereira and Roland Anderson 

* >■ 

Sam Comer and Grace Gregory 


SARRINA 

BEST ACTRESS Audrey Hepburn 

BEST DIRECTOR Billy Wilder 

BEST SCREENPLAY Billy Wilder , Samuel Taylor y Ernest Lehman 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN (black and white) Edith Head 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (black and white) Charles Lang , Jr. 

. BEST ART DIRECTION (black and white) .... Hal Pereira and Walter Tyler 
Set Decoration Sam Comer and Ray Moyer 


REAR WINDOW 

BEST DIRECTOR Alfred Hitchcock 

BEST SCREENPLAY John Michael Hayes 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (color) Robert Burks 

BEST SOUND RECORDING Paramount 


WHITE CHRISTMAS 

BEST SONG Irving Berlin’s “Count Your Blessings” 

KNOCK ON WOOD 

BEST STORY Norman Panama and Melvin Frank 

RED GARTERS ~~ 

BEST ART DIRECTION (color) Hal Pereira and Roland Anderson 

Set Decoration Sam Comer and Ray Moyer 

f 

cture Academy of Arts and Sciences— 

arch 30th when the world will be waiting for the final awards 


• • 







12 


PICTURE GROSSES 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


LA Perks Sharply; ‘Country’ Brisk 
I, line’ Smooth 34G, ‘Feather’ 




26G, ‘Racers’ NSG 19G, ‘Battle’ 33G 


Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

Boxoffice pace is up in current 
frame as compared with a week 
ago and also the comparable ses- 
sion a year ago. Several new bills 
are helping the general improve- 
ment, the holiday also figuring in 
overall upbeat. “Long Gray Line” 
rates good $34,000 in two theatres 
but standout is “Far Country,” 
with brisk $28,000 in three conven- 
tional plus a neat $34,000 in four 
other locations. 

"White Feather” looks pleasing 
$26,000 in four spots. "The Rac- 
ers” looms moderate $19,000 for 
showcasing at the Chinese. 

Among the holdovers and ex- 
tended-runs, "Battle Cry” still is 
sturdy at $33,000 in third round in 
two sites. Outstanding is the 
jump taken by "Country Girl,” 
with nearly $12,000 in ninth ses- 
sion at Warner Beverly. 

"Hulot’s Holiday” is holding 
steady with $6,000 in fourth weFk 
at small Fine Arts. "Bridges at 
Toko-ri” looks snappy $11,500 in 
fifth round at Hollywood Para- 
mount. 

Estimates for This Week 

llillstreet, Pantages (R K O) 

(2,752; 2.812; $1-$1.50) — "Long 

Gray Line” < Col ). Good $34,000. 
Last week, "10 Wanted Men” (Col) 
and "Women’s Prison” (Col) <8 
davs), $18,000. 

Chinese <FWC) (1,905; $1-$1.75) 
“Racers” (20th). Moderate $19,- 
000. Last week. "Show Business” 
(20th) « 8th wk), $8,700. 

Warner Downtown, Wiltern, Hol- 
lywood iSW-FWC) (1,757; 2,344; 
756; 80-$ 1.25) — "Far Country” (U) 
and "Bob Mathias Story” (AA). 
Brisk $28,000, plus neat $34,000 in 
four other locations. Last week, ex- 
cluding Ilollyw'ood, "Americano” 
<RKO> and "Target Earth” (AA) 
(2d wk), $12,000. 

Los Angeles, Iris, Loyola, Ritz 

(FWC) <2.097; 816; 1.248; 1,363; $1- 
$1.50) — "White Feather” <20th) and 
"Other Woman” (20th). Pleasant 
$26,000. Last week, in other units. 

Orpheum, New Fox, Uptown 
(FWC) >2.213; 965; 1.715; 80-$1.25) 
—"Theodora” (IFE) and "Tarzan’s 
Hidden Jungle” <RKO). Sad 
$8,000 in 6 days. Last week. Or- 
pheum, with Hollywood. "Mau- 
Mau” (Indie) and "Intruder” 
(Indie), $12,500; New Fox with 
Ritz, “6 Bridges to Cross” (U) and 
"Meet Keystone Kof>s” (U) (2d wk), 
$ 6 , 000 . 

Four Star <UATC) (900; 90-$1.50) 
— "Aida” (IFE) <2d wk). Nice 
$6,000. Last week, $8,100. 

State, Hawaii (UATC-G & S' 
(2.404; 1.106; 80-$1.50>— "Bad Day 
Black Rock” <M-G) and "Jungle 
Cents” <AA) (State only) (2d wk). 
Slim $9,500. Last week, $15,600. 

Downtown Paramount, Egyptian 
(ABPT-UATC) <3,200; 1.536; $1- 

$1.50)— "Battle Crv” (WB> (3d wk). 
Sturdy $33 000. Last week, $40,- 
100 . 

Vogue (FWC) <885; $1-S1 .50) — 
’'Barefoot Contessa” (UA) and 
‘Operation Manhunt” <UA) (3d 
wk). Light $3,509. Last week, 
with Los Angeles, Loyola, Uptown, 
$22,000. 

Fine Arts (FWC) (631; $1-$1.50) 
—"Hulot’s Holiday” (GBD) <4th 
wk). Smart $6,000. Last week, 
ditto. 

Hollywood Paramount (F&M) 
<1.430; $1-$1.50<— "Bridges Toko- 
ri” (Par) (5th wk). Snappy $11,- 
500. Last week, $13,000. 

Fox Wilshire (FWC) <2.296; $1- 
$1.50)— "20.000 Leagues” <BV) (9th 
wk». Steady $10,000. Last week, 
$10,600. 

Warner Beverly <SW) (1.612; 90- 
$1.50) — “Country Girl” (Par) (9th 
*vk). Bright $11,500. Oscar nom- 
inations boosting it. Last week, 
$10,700. 

El Key <FWC> (861; $1-$1.50)— 
‘Romeo and Juliet” (UA» <9th wk'. 
Scant $1,200 in 6 days. Last week. 
$1,400. 

Warner Hollywood (SW) ($1.20- 
$2.65) — "Cinerama” < Indie) (95th 
wk). Started current frame Sun- 
day < 20) after big $24,800 last 
week. 

Vagabond (Rosener) (390; $1.50) 
— "Gate of Hell” < Indie) (9th wk'. 
Good $3,500. Last week, $3,800. 


Vogue Case Up April 4 

Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

Vogue Theatre Corp.’s $4,- 
500.000 antitrust suit against film 
majors and distribs for assertcdly 
holding back firstrun product will 
be heard here April 4. 

Federal Judge Harry C. West- 
over denied defendants’ motion to 
continue the set trial date for three 
Weeks. 


Broadway Grosses 


Estimated Total Gross 
This Week . .. . $650,700 

(Based on 21 theatres.) 

Last Year ...... $673,900 

( Based on 23 theatres.) 


Darling’ Fast 10G, 
Indpk; Janie 11G 

Indianapolis, Feb. 22. 

Biz is spotty at firstrun situations 
here this stanza despite the return 
of mild weather. "Underwater!” at 
Indiana is setting the coin pace 
with a good take. However, "Jupi- 
ter’s Darling” at Loew’s looms 
standout, with a nice total. "To- 
night’s The Night” at Circle is 
mild. 

Estimates for This Week 

Circle (Cockrill-Dolle) (2,800; SO- 
BS)— "Tonight’s The Night” (AA) 
and "Cry Vengeance" (AA). Mild 
$7,000. Last week, ‘‘Far Country” 
(U>, $11,500. 

Indiana (C-D) (3,200; 50-85) — 

; "Underwater!” (RKO). Stout $11,- 
000 for Jane Russell starrer. Last 
week, "The Racers” (20th), $10,500. 

Loew’s (Loew’s) (2,427; 50-80) — 
"Jupiter’s Darling” (M-G) and 
“Crossed Swords” (UA). Nifty $10,- 
000. Last week, "Violent Men” 
'(Col) and "Bamboo Prison” (Col), 
$8,500. 

Lyric (C-D) (1,600; 35-70)— 

“Abott-Costello Meet Keystone 
Cops” (U) and "Man on Run” 
(Indie). Oke $6,000, with country 
stage show replacing second fea- 
ture Sunday only at $1.25. Last 
week, "Private Hell” (FM) and 
"Utopia” (Indie), $4,500, same set- 
up. 

Holiday Tilts Prov. Biz; 
‘Sea’ Wow 20G, ‘Battle’ 
Ditto; ‘Toko-ri’ 9G, 2d 

Providence, Feb. 22. 

With the long weekend and 
Washington birthday holiday, all 
stands are jammed for way above 
average biz. Upped scales have 
Majestic’s "Battle Cry” and RKO 
Albee’s "20,000 Leagues Under 
Sea” riding at terrific paces. Also 
hot are the State’s “Long John 
Silver” and Strand’s second week 
with "Bridges at Toko-ri.” 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) (2,200; 65-90)— 

“Leagues Under Sea” (BV). Ca- 
pacity $201000. Last week. "Ameri- 
cano” (RKO) and “Steel Cage” 
<RKO), $8,000. 

Majestic (Fay) (2,200; 70-$l) — 
"Battle Cry” (WB). Wow $22,000. 
Last week, "Racers” (20th) and 
"Devil's Harbor” (20th), $12,000. 

State (Loew) (3.200; 50-75) — 
"Long John Silver” (UA) and 
"Masterson of Kansas” (Col). Good 
SI 2.500. Last week, "Green Fire" 

< M-G) and "Steel Cage” (UA), 
$ 11 , 000 . 

Strand (Silverman) (2.200; 50-75) 
— "Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) (2d 
wk). Nifty $9,000. First sesh, 
$ 12 , 000 . 


Cincinnati, Feb. 22. 

Downtown traffic is climbing 
rapidly with fadeout of winters 
deep freeze and giving firstrun 
business a decided hypo this frame. 
"Battle Cry” looms great at the 
big Albee. But standout is "Bridges 
at Toko-ri,” terrific shaper at the 
much smaller Keith’s. “Far Coun- 
try” stocks up for a nice round at 
the Grand. Another new bill, 
“Black Knight.” is in fairish gait 
at the Palace. “Cinerama” is on the 
rise in its 36th week at the Capitol 
after the cold spell shrinkage. 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) (3,100; 75-$1.25)— 
“Battle Cry” (WB). Great $20,000. 
Holds for second stanza. Last week. 
"Green Fire” (M-G), $11,000 at 75c- 
90c scale. 

Capitol (Ohio Cinema , Corp.) 


‘RIVERS’ OKAY $6,500, 
OMAHA; ‘TOKO-RI’ 10G 

Omaha, Feb. 22. 

“Many Rivers to Cross,” only 
new entry this week, looks good at 
the Omaha. Other spots are hold- 
ing because of the holiday. Strong- 
est holdover is "Bridges at Toko- 

ri,” big at the Orpheum. "Under- 
water!” at the Brandeis and 
"Green Fire,” at the State are both 
fairish in their second stanzas. 

Estimates for This Week 

Brandeis (RKO) (1,100; 65-85)— 
"Underwater!” (RKO) and "Sleep- 
ing Tiger” (Indie) (2d. wk). Okay 
$4,000 or near. Last week, $6,000. 

Omaha (Tristates) (2,000; 65-85) 
— "Many Rivers to Cross” (M-G) 
and "Crest of Wave” (M-G). Good 
$6,500, Last week, "So This Is 
Paris” (U) and "Hell Raiders of 
Deep” (Indie), $6,000. 

Orpheum (Tristates) (2.890; 70- 
90) — "Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) 
(2d wk). Big $10,000. Last week, 
$16,000. 

State (Goldberg) (875; 55-90) — 
"Green Fire” (M-G) (2d wk). Mild 
$3,500. Last week, $7,000. 

‘Girl’ Record fl^G, 

Mpk; ‘Battle’ 15G 

Minneapolis, Feb. 22. 

With temperatures dropping be- 
low zero after a 24-hour sleet 
storm, first run biz herd was 
sloughed after a pickup earlier. 
However, “Country Girl,” cash- 
ing in on its Academy Award 
nominations, is a dilly among the 
newcomers and will break the 
sure-seater World’s house on initial 
stanza. Otherwise, holdovers are 
setting the pace. In its second 
round "Battle Cry” still is smash 
at Radio City It’s the third okay 
stanza for "Bad Day at Black 
Rock” while "White Christmas” 
in third round at the State, both 
being hit by storm. 

Estimates for This Week 

Century (S-W) (1.140; $1.75- 

$2.65) — “Cinerama” (Indie) (45th 
wk). Extra holiday and other 
matinees plus large party booking 
boosting take. Superb $15,000. 
Last week, $14,000. 

Gopher (Berger) (1.000: 65-85) — 
"Bad Day at Black Rock” <M-G) 
(3d wk). Highly acclaimed pic, but 
hasn’t lived up to high hopes. Lean 
$2,000 in six days. Last week, 
$4,300. 

Lyric (Par) (1,000; 65-85)— "Un- 
chained” (WB). Only mild $3,500 
or near. Last week, "Reap Wild 
Wind” (Par) (reissue), $4,500. 

Radio City (Par) (4,100; 85-$l)— 
"Battle Cry” (WB) (2d wk). A real 
blockbuster. Giant $15,000. Last 
week. $21,000. Stavs on. 

RKO-Orphcum <RKO) (2.800; 65- 
85)— "10 Wanted Men” <Col). Mild 
$6,000 in 6 days. Last week, 
"Underwater!” (RKO), $9,500 at 
85-$ 1 

RKO-Pan (RKO) (1,600; 85-$l)— 
"Underwater!” (RKO) (m o ). Okay 
$5,000. Last week, "Women’s 
Prison” (Col) and “Bamboo Prison” 
(Col), $6,000 at 65-85c. 

State (Par) (2.300; 85-$l) — 

"White Christmas” (Par) (3d wk). 
Off to okay $6,000. Last week, 
$ 10 , 000 . 

World (Mann) (400; 65-S1.20)— 
"Country Girl” (Par). Breaking 
old house record held by “Ameri- 
can in Paris” here. Should run for 
months in this small house. Terrific 
$9,500, amazing considering capaci- 
ty. Last week, "Little Kidnappers 
(UA), $2,300 in 6 days. 


(1.376; $1.20-2.65) — "Cinerama” 

(Indie) ( 36th wk). Leveling off at 
hefty $18,000, same as last week, 
with lift from return of seasonable 
weather. Fifth monthly excursion 
from Louisville, Ky., drew 325 
Saturday (19). 

Grand (RKO) (1,400; 75-90)— 
"Far Country” <U). Five $8,000. 
Last week. “Francis Joins Wacs” 
(U) and “Naked Alibi” (U), $6,500 
at 50-84c scale. 

Keith’s (Shor) (1.500; 75-$1.25)— 
"Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par). Soaring 
to terrific $20,000. remarkable for 
this house. Stays for another week 
at least. Last week. "Barefoot Con- 
tessa” (UA) < 3d wk), $7,000. 

Palace (RKO) (2 600; 75-84)— 
"Black Knight” (Col). Six days. 
Fairish $8,500. Last week. "Under- 
water!” (RKO), $12,500 at 75-90c 
scale. 


Toko-ri’ Huge $20,080, Cincy Ace; 
Battle’ Same, ‘Country’ Lusty 8G 


West End Strong; ‘Cruz’ Sock $13,000, 
‘Desiree’ Fat 8G, ‘Fire’ Bright 14G, 
‘Show Biz’ 12G, 2d, ‘Colditz’ 9G, 3d 


Key City Grosses 


Estimated Total Gross 
This Week $2,780,650 

( Based on 22 cities and 211 
theatres, chiefly fnsr runs, in- 
cluding N. Y.) 

Total Gross Same Week 
Last Year ....... $3,137,300 

( Based on 24 cities and 232 
theatres.) 

Girl’ Terrif 30G 
In 3d Wk, PhiDy 

Philadelphia, Feb. 22. 
Springlike weather over week- 
end is boosting film biz here. 
“Cinerama Holiday” got off to a 
happy start, and looks smash in 
first three days at Boyd. "To- 
night’s the Night” shapes bright 
at the Viking. "Country Girl” con- 
tinues terrific at the Midtown, the 
$30,000 due in current 43d) week 
being the same as in second stanza. 
Estimates for This Week 
Arcadia (S&S) (625; 99-$1.35)— 
"Deep in Heart” (M-G) (9th wk). 
Oke $5,000. Last week, $6,800. 

Boyd (SW) (1,430; $1.25-$2.60)— 
"Cinerama Holiday” (Indie). Smash 
$14,000 in first three days. Last 
week. "Cinerama” (Indie), $26,000 
for 71st and final week. 

Fox (20th) (2,250; 90-$1.40) — 
“Racers” (20th) (2d wk). So-so 
$15,000. Last week, $17,000. 

Goldman (Goldman) (1.200; 65- 
$1.30)— "Underwater!” (RKO) (2d 
wk). Potent $13,000. Last week, 
$ 20 , 000 . 

Mastbaum (SW) (4.370; 75-$l .30) 
— "Vera Cruz” (UA) (2d wk). Fine 
$22,000. Last week, $32,000. 

. Midtown (Goldman) (1.200; 74- 
$1.49) — “Country Girl” (Par) (3d 
wk). Mighty $30,000, same as last 
week. 

Randolph (Goldman) (2.500; 75- 
$1.40) — "Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par) 
(5th wk). Fair $8,500. Last week, 
$13,000. 

Stanley (SW) (2,900; 74-$1.40)— 
"Far Country” (U) (2d wk). Off to 
$11,000. Last week, $18,000. 

Stanton (SW) <1.473; 50-99) — 
"10 Wanted Men” (Col) and 
"Stormy” (Disney). Fair $8,500. 
Last week "Women’s Prison” (Col) 
and “Bamboo Prison” <Col) (2d 
wk), $7,000. 

Trans-Lux (TL) (500; 99-$1.50) 
— “Camille” (M-G) (reissue) (3d 
; wk). Nice $4,200. Last week. $5,000. 

I Viking (Sley) (1,000; 74-$1.50)— 
"Tonight’s the Night” (AA). Good 
$15,000. Last week. “Last Time 
i Saw Paris” (M-G), $G,500 for 9th 
week. 

Trans-Lux World (TL) (604; 99- 
$1.50) — "Green Fire” (M-G) (2d 

wk). Fast $5,500. Last week, $7,000. 

‘FEATHER r FINE $8^000, 
PORT.; ‘ROCK’ FIRM 9G 

Portland. Ore., Feb. 22. 
Town is loaded with strong ac- 
tion product this round. Biz is perk- 
ing despite the holdovers. "Battle 
Cry” and Toko-ri” move into a sec- 
ond and third stanza, both big. 
"White Feather” looks nice at the 
Orpheum. "Black Road” is neat. 
"Romeo and Juliet” is socko at 
Guild. 

Estimates for Thsi Week 
Broadway (Parker) (1,890; $1- 
$1.25) — "Underwater!” (RKO) and 
"Passion” (RKO) (2d wk). Fair 
$6,500. Last week, $10,800. 

• Fox (Evergreen) (1,536; $1-$1 .25) 
— “Battle Cry” (WB) (2d wk). Stout 
$12,000 or near. Last week, $13,200. 

Guild (Indie) <400; $1.25) — 

"Romeo and Juliet” (UA). Giant 
$5,000. Last week. "Bread, Love, 
Dreams” (JFE) (2d wk), $2,200. 

Liberty (Hamrick) <1,875; $1- 
$1.25)— "Bad Day At Black Rock” 

< M-G) and "Fast and Furious” (In- 
die). Neat $9,000. Last week, 
"Vera Cruz” (UA) and "Return 
Treasure Island” (UA) (3d wk-6 
days), $6,500 after two sizzling 
seshes. 

Orpheum (Evergreen) (1,600; $1- 
$1.25)— “White Feather” (20th) and 
“Laughing Anne” <Rep). Fine $8,- 
000. Last week. "Racers” (20th) 
and "Black 13” (20th), $8,900. 

Paramount (Port-Par) <3.400; $1- 
: $L25) — "Bridges At Toko-ri” (Par) 
,'3d wk). Big $8,500. Last week, 
| $ 12 , 000 . 


London, Feb. 15. 

With a few minor exceptions. 
West End firstruns were booming 
last week despite an exceptionally 
cold spell over the weekend. "Vera 
Cruz” with a sock $13,00Q or near 
at the London Pavilion. "Cine- 
rama” is getting about the same 
in 19th week at the Casino. 
"Desiree” shapes solid $8,000 at 
Carlton. 

"Young at Heart” Warner is 
fancy $9,500 in second week. “Show 
Business,” however, is standout 
holdover with a great $12,000 in 
second week at Odeon, Marble 
Orch. 

"Green Fire” looks fine $14,000 
opening session at the Empire. 
"Colditz Story” still Is big in third 
round at the Gaumont. 

Eaatmatea for Last Week 

Carlton (20th) (1,128; 55-$1.70)— 
"Desiree" (20th). Heading for solid 
$8,000 or better. Stays on. 

Casino (Indie) (1,337; 70-$2.15) 
— "Cinerama” (Robin) (19th wk). 
Still strong at $12,600. Holdf. 

Empire (M-G) (3,099; 55-$1.70) — 
"Green Fire” (M-G). Looks to hit 
smooth $14,000 or better. "End of 
Affair” (Col) preems Feb. 24. 

Gaumont (CMA) (1.500; 50-$1.70) 
—"Colditz Story” (BL) (3d wk). 
Over $9,000 looms this round. 
Previous week great $10,500. 
"Underwater!” (RKO) comes in 
Feb. 24. 

Leicester Square Theatre (CMA) 
(1.753; 50-$ 1.70)— "Out of Clouds” 
<GFD). Below hopes at around 
$5,500. 

London Pavilion (UA) (1,217; 50- 
$1.70) — "Vera Cruz" (UA). Set for 
sock $13,000 or close. Weekend 
gross of $5,300 established new 
house record here. Continues. 

Odeon, Leicester Square (CMA) 
(2.200; 50-$l. 70)— "Rough Com- 

peny” (Col) (3d-final wk). Fair 
$5,800. Previous week was $7,000. 
"Prize of Gold” (Col) opens Feb. 
17. 

Odeon, Marble Arch (20th) (2,- 
200; 50-$1.70)— "Show Business” 
<20th) <2d wk). Great $12,500 or a 
bit over. Opening week was 
$14,700. 

Plaza (Par) (1,902; 70-$1.70) — 
"Lyons in Paris” ,Excl.) Only fair 
$5,500 or near. 

Rialto (20th) (592; 50-$1.30)— 
"Carmen Jones” (20th) (3d wk). 
Fine $4,200 after $4,700 In second 
week. Holds. 

Ritz (M-G) (432; 50-$1.70)— 

"7 Brides for 7 Brothers” (M-G). 
Neat $3,300. Stays. 

Warner (WB) (1,735; 50-$1.70) 
—“Young at Heart” (WB) (2d wk). 
Nice $9,500 after $11,000 opening 
round. 

‘Bridges’ Lofty $14,000, 
K.C.; ‘Battle’ Ditto 2d, 
‘Rock’ Weakish at 91G 

Kansas City, Feb. 22. 

Play is largely in three situa- 
tions, with many holdovers and 
wet, chilly weather strongly in the 
picture. "Battle Cry” in second 
week at Paramount is still smash, 
word-of-mouth helping. "6 Bridges 
To Cross” in four Fox Midwest 
houses is lofty. "Bad Day at Black 
Rock” is nice at the Midland. 
"Green Fire” at Roxy and “Far 
Country” at Orpheum are okay 
holdovers, both in third rounds. 
Estimates for This Week 

Glen (Dickinson) (750; 75-$l)— 
“One Summer Happiness” (Indie). 
Sock $3,000. Holds. Last week, 
"Manon” (Indie) (2d wk), $700. 

Kimo (504; 25-$l)— "Little Kid- 
nappers” <UA). Just so-so $2,000. 
Last week, "Romeo and Juliet” 
(UA) (8th wk), $700. 

Midland (Loew’s) (3,500; 60-80) 
—’’Bad Day at Black Rock” (M-G) 
and "Crest of Wave” (M-G). Only 
fair at $9,500. Last week. "Vio- 
lent Men” (Col) and "3 Hours To 
Kiir <Col) (2d wk). $(L000. 

Missouri (RKO) (2.650; 50-80)— 
"10 Wanted Men” (Col) and "Pi- 
rates of Tripoli” (Col). Sad $4,000 
in 6 days. Last week, "Black Tues- 
day” (UA) and "Snow Creature” 
(UA), $5,500. 

Orpheum (Fox Midwest) (1.913; 
75-$l ) — "Far Country” (U) (3d wk'. 
Satisfactory $6,000. Last week, 
$7,000. 

Paramount (United Par) (1,900; 
75-$l ) — "Battle Cry” (WB) (2d 
wk). Sock $14,000 for giant second 
(Continued on page 54) 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 






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14 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


FORCED USE OF ITALIAN LABS TO TINT 

YANK FILMS RUNS INTO SNARLS 


■With still no official word tof- 
guide them in the Italian color 
print situation, the American film 
companies are, to an extent, 
changing their thinking on some 
aspects of any edict that would 
force them to do their tint work 
In Italo labs. 

They’re as opposed as ever to 
the basic idea of being forced to 
do anything, if for no other reason 
than that their acceptance of the 
principle is bound to have reper- 
cussions in other European coun- 
tries, notably Germany. 

At the same time, there is now 
some sentiment among these lines: 
(1) If the Italian labs can keep 
their costs down, it might actually 
pay to service^ the Italo market 
print-wise from Home. (2) Perhaps 
it’s a mistake to apply too strict 
standards to the quality of the 
tint work being produced by the 
Italo labs. 

There is now no question at all 
that the Italians are committed to 
a decision forcing the American 
companies to dole out all of their 
color print work 'excepting Tech- 
nicolor imbibition printing) to 
Italian labs. This pales the signfi- 
cance of the second test under- 
taken by Warner Bros, to estab- 
lish the quality of prints made by 
the Italians on Ferrania positive 
stock from an Eastman color dupe 
negative. The first such test was 
completely unsatisfactory to the 
Americans. 

There are some American film 
execs who feci that it’s a mistake 
to be too finnicky in judging the 
Italian color quality. “After all,” 
said one, "if the color is okay with 
the Italians, why shouldn’t it be 
okay for us?”. This is not a view- 
point uniformly shared, but it is 
indicative of the resigned attitude 
some of the companies are adopt- 
ing. 

Where's The Money? 

There is a good deal of specula- 
tion on how the Italiah labs pro- 
pose to handle the added volume 
if and when the Italian decision 
is formally announced. There are 
10 big labs in Rome but only one 
— Stacofilm — has new equipment. 
The rest would have to spend 
some time digging up the neces- 
sary finances to equip. 

The Italian labs, via their as- 
sociation. headed by Alberto Gene- 
si. are behind the pressure to force 
the Americans to do their tint 
printing in Italy. More pressure 
comes from the unions. The lab 
assn, is said to be disturbed over 
the effect the new Italian film law 
may have on their biz since it’s 
bound to cut down, via decreased 
“protection,” on the number of 
tint documentaries now being put 
out. 

One moot point at the moment 
Is whether or not Americans, if 
in mood to fight, could count on 
the support of the U. S. State De- 
partment. Genesi is on record as 
saying that they would not. How- 
ever, it’s understood that this isn’t 
so; that the Embassy only recently 
asked for a brief on the whole 
matter. 

Ferrania Status? 

Another somewhat obscure fac- 
tor in local developments is Fer- 
rania. the Italo color outfit, which 
enjoys government subsidies and 
is indirectly controlled by FIAT, 
the automobile outfit. Ferrania 
for some time has been angling 
for the Technicolor concession in 
Italy and it’s been passing the 
word that it has signed with Tcch- 
ni for a Milan plant. Feeling in 
Rome is that Ferrania would like 
to have Techni included in the col- 
or print ban as well; then be pre- 
pared to step in. set up a lab and 
get the Italian monopoly on the 
Techni process, which is still pre- 
ponderantly used by Italian pro- 
ducers. 

The other labs, it’s indicated, 
are concerned re Ferrania and its 
possible future as Technicolor. 
Though Ferrania at the moment is 
said to claim that it would do Tech- 
ni work only, plus the surplus of 
what the other labs can’t handle, 
latter feel this might put Ferrania 
eventually into an over-powerful 
position. It's this internal dispute 
which, according to Home sources, 
has prevented any official Italo 
•diet in the tint printing to date. 


STINGY WITH CREDIT 


COMPO Ad Makes Point Against 
N. Y. Times 


Council of Motion Picture Or- 
ganizations gave the back of 
its haqd to the N. Y. Times last 
week in the form of a page ad in 
Editor & Publisher. Subtle criti- 
cism is made by COMPO of the 
brushoff which the Times gave a 
story on the patriotic and public 
service activities of Hollywood 
personalities. 

The industry organization merely 
reproduced the story, which ran 
a paragraph, identifies it as being 
taken from the daily and heads the 
E&P page in bold-face type, “Just 
a Stick of Type on Page 28.” 

COMPO’s point, of course, is that 
such favorable news reports about 
picture people should be given a 
play, not buried. 


Watertown Exhibitor Sues 
UA, Scbine Charging His 
Fight Exclusive Crimped 

Albany, Feb. 15. 
Damages of $10,163 are asked of 
United Artists and the same 
amount plus “exemplary and puni- 
tive” dahiages of Schine Service 
Corp. in an unusual action filed in 
Supreme Court here by Sylvan 
Leff, operator of the Town The- 
atre, Watertown, N. Y. 

LefT claims he licensed the Mar- 
ciano-Charles fight picture from 
UA on an exclusive basis last fall. 
The film was played in Schine’s 
Avon Theatre, also in Watertown, 
at the same time and this caused 
Let?, he alleges, “great financial 
loss” and "great loss of reputation 
and prestige.” 


BOOTHMEN STILL WORK 

AFTER STRIKE VOTE 

/ 

Minneapolis. Feb. 22. 

Although they’ve voted a strike, 
AFL projectionists still remain at 
their independent theatre posts 
here sans any contract. 

A showdown, how’ever, is ex- 
pected this week on the proposi- 
tion of carrying over the terms of 
the expired contract into a new 
three-year pact, as insisted upon 
by the committee representing all 
local downtown and neighborhood 
theatres, or walking out. 

The AFL union demands a 7% 
pay boost for each of the second 
and third years and 15 minutes-ad- 
ditional Scope preparatory time to 
a total of 30. 

United Paramount Theatres and 
RKO Theatres have their own con- 
tract separate from the independ- 
ents’ and it recently was extended 
three years on the basis of 7% 
scale tilts for each of the final 
two stanzas. 


Rhoden Credits Quality 
Product for National’s 
Better Quarterly Gross 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Jligh quality pictures in the sec- 
ond quarter of the fiscal year 
helped National Theatres offset the 
downward trend of the first stanza, 

according to prexy Elmer C. 
Rhoden. At the annual stockhold- 
ers meeting here last week, Rho- 
den, voicing confidence both in 
the chain’s and the film industry’s 
future prospects, stated that the 
first seven weeks of the first quar- 
ter showed a hike of 4.2% in the 
gross and an estimated increase of 
12% in profits before Federal 
taxes over the same period of a 
year ago. 

Rhoden said the improved trend 
will be sufficient to overcome the 
first quarter decrease of $103,000 
against comparable quarter last 
year, topper basing his optimism 
for the future months on the large 
inventory of top-draw pictures, 
estimated to number 14 important 
attractions as compared to eight 
in the same 1954 period. 

Rhoden said the upcoming pic- 
tures were “the strongest we have 
had in a long, long time which 
should swell the grosses of picture 
theatres throughout the country.” 
j\s a result of NT’s compliance 
with the Government’s consent 
decree and its divestiture of 105 
theatres, Rhoden stated that the 
company was now in a position to 
embark upon a program to in- 
crease its earnings, which calls 
for, among other things, invest- 
ment in additional theatres and 
allied phases of the amusement 
industry, liquidation of unproduc- 
tive properties, stimulating attend- 
ance Via expanded campaigns, and 
introducing new techniques such 
as Todd-AO. 

Reelected directorate includes 
Gregson Bautzer, John B. Bertero, 
Peter Colefax, B. F. Giles, Earl G. 
Hines, Willard W. Keith, Alan May, 
Richard W. Millar, Rhoden, F. H. 
Ricketson Jr., Graham L. Sterling 
Jr. New addition to the board is 
George H. Heyman Jr., partner 
Abraham & Co., member firm of 
the N.Y. Stock Exchange. 

Stockholders approved a stock 
option plan to permit 20 key execs 
to acquire NT shares at 95% of a 
given market price. 

Board, immediately after the 
stockholder session, reelected the 
following officers: Rhoden, prexy; 
Ricketson, veepee, Bertero, veepee 
and counsel; E. F. Zabel, veepee; 
May, veepee and treasurer; T. H. 
Sword, secretary; Laurence A. 
Peters, assistant secretary, Paul F. 
Scherer, assistant treasurer and 
assistant secretary, and A. M. 
Ahlskog, assistant treasurer. 


4,475 Screen Titles Filed Last Year 


50,000 Back to 1901 — No One Producer May Have 
More Than 100 Titles Under Registry 


Activity in 'the indie production 
field in 1954 boosted to 4.475 the 
number of film titles submi’ted to 
the Motion Picture Assn, of Amer- 
ica’s title registration bureau. Ac- 
cepted titles of features and shorts 
in 1954 ran to 4,199, compared 
with 3,794 in 1953. 

The bureau, under the direction 
of Margaret Ann Young, is cur- 
rently enjoying the largest mem- 
bership in its history, with 216 pro- 
ducers using its facilities. Of 
these, 200 are independents or Brit- 
ish producers submitting to the 
Code. 

Miss Young said last week that 
she has had no more complaints 
than usual about titled similarities. 
Last year, out of the 4.475 sub- 
mitted, 153 were returned due to 
similarity with other titles on file, 
and 30 proved not acceptable due 
to Code restrictions. 

There are currently some 50.000 
titles in the bureau's release index I 
which goes back to 1901. Titles in 
unreleased tile fluctuate. No pro- 1 


Disney Going Fission 

Title of a feature registered 
w-ith the Motion Picture Assn, 
of America by Walt Disney; 
“U»0*.” 

Film the producer has in 
mind focuses in part on atomic 
energy developments, it’s un- 
derstood. 


ducer can have more than 100 titles 
registered at any one time, along 
with 200 shorts titles. There’s no 
limit to the number of copyrighted 
properties and song titles that can 
be registered. In the unproduced 
file, there are 15,000 feature and 
shorts titles. 

Protection on an original title 
runs for one year. Thereafter, un- 
less there i§ a reserve list, i.e., 
someone’s waiting to use the same 
title, it is extended for another 
year. After 18 months, the pro- 
ducer must either prove that he is 
is in production or give up rights 
to his original tag. 


TV Angle In Sabbath Argument 

• - Montpelier, Vt., Feb. 22. 

Some 15 theatres have been closed in Vermont in recent months, 
exhibitors told a legislative committee here in supporting a 
measure to permit Sunday afternoon operation. 

Film shows are already perflfttted Sunday nights in this state, 
and the theatremen pointed out that receipts from these shows 
constitute one-third of their gross revenue for the week. 

They argued that if people can watch films on television in their 
homes on Sunday afternoon, they should be allowed to do likewise 
in the theatres. 

20th s Deal With F.P.-Canadian 

Doesn’t Exclude Odeon, Others 


COLUMBUS SHOWMEN QUIT 


Shinbach to Drive-Ins — Schreiber 
Into Canay Business 


Columbus, Feb. 22. 

Two well-known theatre men in 
this area who have*worked decades 
for RKO have resigned their posts: 
Jerry Shinbach, as RKO midwest 
division manager; and C. Harry 
Schreiber as RKO city manager in 
Columbus. 

Shinbach. who was RKO Colum- 
bus manager from 1944 to 1947 and 
midwest division manager since 
1947, has resigned to become presi- 
dent and general manager of Mon- 
arch Theatres, a new chain tljat 
consists of the East and Dixie 
drive-ins in Louisville, the North 
Flint in Flint, Mich., one here (due 
to open March 10) and an indoor, 
the 105th Street Theatre in Cleve- 
land, which Shinbach recently pur- 
chased himself. With Shinbach in 
Monarch is the Chicago law firm 
of Holleb and Yeats. Lou Holleb, 
former manager of the Majestic 
and Uptown here, will manage the 
In-Town, Monarch’s ozoner here. 

Schreiber is retiring after 26 
years with RKO to take over man- 
agement of his family’s wholesale 
candy business in Chestertown, Md. 
He started with RKO in 1929 on 
the staff of the Fordham Theatre in 
New York and worked in RKO 
houses in Washington and Cin- 
cinnati before coming to Columbus 
in 1933 as city manager. From 
1944 until 1947 he was assistant 
district manager for RKO in Chi- 
cago and RKO city manager in 
Cleveland. He returned to Co- 
lumbus in 1947. 

No successors have yet been 
named for either post. 


7 BALABAN HOUSES 
JOIN ILLINOIS ALLIED 

Chicago, Feb. 22. 

Seven theatres of the H&E Bala- 
ban chain here have joined Allied 
Theatres of Illinois. They are the 
Bryn Mawr, Commercial, Esquire, 
Milford, Surf and Windsor theatres 
in Chicago and the Des 1 Plaines 
Theatre, Des Plaines, 111. 

Other recent additions to the Al- 
lied Theatres of Illinois roster are 
the Melrose Theatre, Melrose Park, 
111., the McHenry Theatre, Mc- 
Henry, 111., the Northside and 
Tivoli Theatres in Mishawaka, In- 
diana. the Avon, the Colfax and the 
Moonlile Drive-In in South Bend, 
Ind., and’ the Starlite Drive-In in 
Osceola, Ind. 

Allied of Illinois is currently ex- 
panding its membership and has 
hired Kermit Russell as assistant 
film buyer to Jack Kirsch, Allied 
prexy, to handle the heavier load 
of buying and booking occasioned 
by the membership increase. 

Political Change Affects 
Drive-In Tax Load 

Saskatoon, Sask., Feb. 22. 

City council has reaffirmed a 
decision that two drive-in the- 
atres, now within the Saskatoon 
city limits, have to collect amuse- 
ment taxes, just as downtown the- 
atres do. 

Until Jan. 1 the drive-ins were 
in Cory municipality, where no 
amusement tax is collected. When 
the area was incorporated in the 
city, council set a license rate of 
$1.25 per speaker, whereas before 
: they had paid $2 per speaker to 
! Cory. 

One of the reasons for the re- 
| duction by the city was that the 
saving would partly compensate 
the theatre* for their new duty of 
| collecting the 10% amusement tax. 


Exhibition deal under which 
Famous Players Canadian Corp., 
leading Canadian theatre circuit, 
is to take all of the 20th-Fox prod- 
uct for three years, isn’t exclu- 
sive and envisions sales also to 
Odeon Theatres and other Cana- 
dian chains. 

Arrangement with Famous Play- 
ers runs through 1957 and, accord- 
ing to 20th, is expected to result 
in excess of $10,000,000 in film 
rentals for those years. 20th’s 
Canadian rentals last year ran to 
close to $6,000,000. 

Under the deal, Famous Players 
agreed to take all of the 20th fea- 
tures and shorts, giving it “A” 
time in its “A” houses. Contract, 
said to be the largest ever signed 
by 20th for Its Cinemascope prod- 
uct, is actually more far-reaching 
than would appear since it affects 
not only the Famous Players 
houses but also situation in which 
the circuit is partnered. Most of 
the Famous Players theatres are 
equipped for Cinemascope. The 
Rank-owned Odeon chain also is 
equipping. 

Deal was worked out by John J. 
Fitzgibbons, Famous Players prez, 
and his team on one side and 
20th’s A1 Lichtman, Arthur Sil- 
verstone and Peter Myers on the 
other. Famous Players controls 
and operates nearly 200 Canadian 
houses. The largest circuit in the 
Dominion, its headquarters are in 
Toronto. 


Drive-In Nixed Because 
New Freeway Uncompleted; 
Turnoffs Seen a Danger 

Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

Because the construction of a 
drive-in theatre would constitute 
“a menace to public safety,” the 
L. A. City Council has instructed 
the Supt. of Building to nix the 
application of the Fernando Drive- 
In Theatre Corp. to erect an 
ozoner on San Fernando Road, un- 
til the proposed Golden State 
Freeway is completed. Move 
marks the first time that the city 
fathers have taken such a step. 

Claim, is that the road is the 
second heaviest travelled thorough- 
fare in the city. Two members of 
the council, however, stated they 
didn’t think the resolution would 
stand up in court if protested. 
Start of the new freeway isn’t due 
for five years. 


MARCH OF DIMES LOBBY 
DRIVE GETS $21,204 

Chicago, Feb. 22. 

The theatres of Cook County 
raised $21,204.90 in lobby collec- 
tions for the 1955 March of Dimes 
during the week of January 7. 

This amount was 10% greater 
than last year’s total. The Bala- 
bn & Katz chain led with a collec- 
tion of $9,789.28; other theatre to- 
tals were as follow's: Allied Thea- 
tres, $6,161.22; Coston Enterprises, 
$1,070.43; Essaness Theatres, $941.- 
64; H&E Balaban, $1,108.05; Stan- 
ley-Warner Theatres, $1,103.93, 
other independent theatres 
$1,120.35. 


McGowans Planning Feature 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Dorrell and Stuart McGowan, 
former screen producers who turn 
out the “Death Valley Days” vid- 
pix series, will return to theatrical 
production later in the year with 
a feature to be lensed in South 
America. 

Pic. budgeted close to $1,000 - 
000, for which financing already 
has been arranged, according to 
the producers, will be a modern- 
day story of Rio de Janeiro. 





>> 


LfcjBRA 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


M-G-M has the BIG Show your patrons want 
for the Easter holidays! Here it is, a screenful of 
romance, music, spectacle in radiant COLOR. 
There's love and joy and heauty in this great M-G-M 
entertainment.- At the Music Hall and across the 
nation it will enchant holiday crowds. Don’t settle 
for less than the perfect Easter attraction! 


Starring the X 
new picture wi 


KEENAN WYNN • ESTELLE WINWOOD 
ELSA LANCHESTER • BARRY JONES 

Written For the Screen Ly HELEN DEUTSCH • Ballets hy ROLAND PETIT 
^ Featuring BALLET da PARIS • Photographed in EASTMAN COLOR 

Directed hy CHARLES WALTERS . Produced hy EDWIN H. KNOPF 


(Available in Perspecta Stereophonic or 1-Channel Sound) 





16 


PICTURES 


P^RMEfY 


Wednesday, February 23, 1953 


Suburbs, Often Bigger Than Cities, 
Sure to Alter Exhibition Map 


The suburbs of large American* 
cities, with their rapidly Increasing 
population, loom large in film ex- 
hibition’s scheme of things. Cir- 
cuits and indies alike are sharply 
aware of the shifting population 
pattern and are laying plans to 
mould their operations in accord- 
ance with it. 

The move to the suburbs, tied 
closely to the rising income curve, 
has been taking shape since the 
war and has already made itself 
felt via the theatre b.o. in many 
areas of the country, with the 
neighborhood firstruns picking up 
a growing slice of the downtown 
business. 

This has gone so far that, in 
some specific situations, distribs 
have actually launched their plx in 
the suburbia keys rather than loop 
showcases. Results of these experi- 
ments haven’t always justified the 
distribs’ expectations, but they 
have been sufficiently encouraging 
to have sales execs watch the 
changing population pattern with 
more than ordinary interest and 
to generate a good deal of policy- 
level thinking on the subject. 

Statistical proof of the changes 
taking place came last week with 
the release in Albany of a report 
showing that by 1960, in N. Y. 
state, some 85% of the population 
of the state will be living either in 
cities or suburbs. 

The su vey, made by the Tem- 
porary Commission on Fiscal Af- 
fairs of Stat* Government, ob- 
served that the big population 
growth within the next five years 
could be expected in incorporated 
villages and the unincorporated 
town areas that now make up the 
heartland of suburbia. 

Since the N. Y. trend can be 
p ojected to other states, it’s inter- 
esting to note that, in some areas 
of N. Y. state, the suburban pop- 
ulation now’ is greater than the 
urban population. This is true, 
among others, of Utica-Rome and 
Binghamton. Around Buffalo, the 
suburban population now almost 
equals the city population and a 
similar condition is shaping up in 
Syracuse and Rochester. 

Exhibs are taking their cue from 
such figucs, the import of which 
they have felt and evaluated for 
some time now. 


‘Carmen Jones’ 


ANOTHER OHIO PROPOSAL 

Would Censor Films for Viewers 
Under 21 Years of age 


Columbus, Feb. 22. 

One last film censorship bill was 
dropped in the hopper at the Ohio 
Legislature during the post-dead- 
line rush last week and it appears 
to be one of the most lenient yet. 

House Bill 640 proposed by Rep. 
Louis J. Schneider <R., Cincinnati) 
would censor all films for persons 
under 21 years of age. Except are 
trailers and newsreels. The pro- 
posal also makes censorship inex- 
pensive since it sets a fee of only 
$3 per reel that is censored. There 
I is no mention of any fee for ad- 
ditional prints. 


LARRY COWEN ARRESTED 


Theatre Manager Picked Up — Wife 
and Mother Made Charges. 


ALLIED ARTISTS NETS 
$352,696 IN 26 WKS. 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Steve Broidy, president of Allied 
Artists, reported that the company 
and its wholly owned subsidiaries 
' gained a net profit, before Federal 
1 taxes, of $352,696 for the 26-week 
! period ending Jan. 1, 1955. Figure 
for the same period last year was 
$361,871. Company has set up a 
i reserve of $178,000 for the pay- 
ment of taxes. 

Gross income for the 26-week 
L period was $5,786,784-. compared 
with $5,359,196 for the preceding 
period. 


Albany, Feb. 22. 

Larry Cowen, former manager 
of Proetor’s Theatre in Troy and 
long-time trusted Fabian em- 
ployee. was arrested in Biloxi, 
Miss., Thursday *17), and was held 
on warrants for forgery and grand 
larceny. Troy Police Chief Enoch 
Eaton said that extradition papers 
were being prepared t o return 
Cowen. 

The forgery warrant, signed by 
Cowen’s wife, Kathleen, alleged he 
forged her name as co-maker on a 
promissary note for $413 last 
March. The grand larceny war- 
rant was issued at the request of 
his mother, Mrs. Frances Cow’en, 
80, a resident of the Jewish Home 
for the Aged in Troy. Mrs. Cowen 
charged she gave her son $6,000 
worth of jewelry on May 18, 1953, 
for depositing in a safe deposit 
va’ut at an Albany bank, and he 
“diverted it to his own use.” 

Pioneer Credit Corp. of Troy, is 
attempting to repossess the ex- 
theatre manager’s car, which he 
allegedly took along when he dis- 
appeared from his home in subur- 
ban Melrose last Sept. 4. Cow r en 
told his wife he was going to the 
home office of Fabian Theatres in 
New York, but he never arrived. 

Cowen, w ho had command of the 
Albany Zone office of Naval In- 
telligence during World War II, 
with th6 rank of lieutenant com- 
mander. 


Bedridden-Sees AD the Films 

mm 

Minneapolis, Feb. 22. 

Although he has been completely paralyzed and bedridden for 
the past seven years, Charles Muller of Spring Valley, Minn., near 
here, hasn’t missed a single picture that has played at his home 
town’s lone theatre, the Grove, in all that time. 

With Muller living next door to the showhouse, Charles Merserau, 
its owner, built a periscope through the theatre’s roof. This 
periscope throw’s the screen image upward and into Muller’s second 
floor room — a mirror trick. * 

A radio speaker is tied into the theatre’s sound system to bring 
Muller the dialogue. 

With AFL-CIO Merger Looming, 

See AD Ad-Pub Staffers Joined 


WISECRACKS CONTINUE 

Allied Bulletin Still Mows Down 
Current Releases 


Continued from pace 3 ; 
Didinary citizen and integral 
of the American community. 

The film industry apparently 
ready to follow the trend 
non-segregation. It all fits 


part 
is 

toward 
in with 

the pattern that has recently seen 
the Metropolitan Opera hiring Ne- 
gro singers, a tour of the South by 
an interracial opera company, the 
use of Negro performers in key 
roles on tv, and the use of Negro 
models in a downtown N. Y. fash- 
ion show. 


Hail Ezell’s 50th Anni 

Dallas. Feb. 22. 

Claude C. Ezell is to be honored 
here on March 9 at the Baker 
Hotel for his more than 50 years in 
show biz. A Golden Jubilee ban- 
quet will be held at the Crystal 
Ballroom of the Baker Hotel. Early 
in his career he opened the Bass 
Film Co., in New Orleans. He 
moved here as southern district 
manager for General Film Co. He 
later opened an office here for 
Lewis J. Selznick, became division 
manager and then was promoted 
to assistant to Selznick in New 
York. He later became division 
manager for Warner Bros. 

He returned here and with the 
late W. B. Underwood bought the 
territorial franchise for distribut- 
ing Monogram Pictures. Later the 
two entered the drive-in theatre 
field. 


SIEGEL-PAR NO JELL; 
TALKS WITH BERLIN 

Sol C. Siegel's deal with Para- 
mount for a 10-picture indie setup 
having fallen through, the producer j 
is talking with Irving Berlin on a 
unit operation. 

Siegel's windup by 20th-Fox was 
Berlin’s “No Business Like Show 
Business” and both have been as- 
sociated together in other films. 


Minneapolis, Feb. 22. 

North Central Allied’s “own re- 
viewing stand,” with its capsuled 
one sentence appraisals of pictures 
for the territory’s independent ex- 
hibitors’ guidance, again takes 
caustic potshots at current releases. 
Here are latest cracks: 

“Don’t let 'Prince of Players’ 
(Fox) make a clown out of you.” 

“ A Star Is Born’ <WB) is dying; 
this picture is just now dragging 
them in.” 

“ ‘There’s No Business Like 
Show Business <20th-Fox) states it 
correctly; this one just isn't click- 
ing.” 

"Don’t let RKO’s ‘Underwater’ 
Sink You— 50% yet.” 

"The arrogant company (WB) 
hasn’t had anything in a long time. 
So what happens? When they 
have a ‘Battle Cry’ it is 70%. ” 


‘Hold Back’ Held Back 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

MPAA's Production Code has 
nixed Hugo Haas’ recently-com- 
pleted indie, “Hold Back Tomor- 
row,” and sent it back for revision. 
Understood that the Johnston Of- 
fice believes film in its present 
state is “too immoral.” Subject 
deals with the last night of a con- 
victed slayer in the death cell and 
femme he marries before the ex- 
ecution. 

Haas’ other production, “Tender 
; Hearts,” has been granted a Pro- 
i duction Seal. 


London SeDoff Affects WaD Street 


The boxoffice 
men” 
other 
grocs 
chalk 



res for “Car- 
fUmites that 
Thlf with Ne- 
Negroes could 


starred Paul 
released by 


has conv 
properties' 
and acted 

up similar results. William 
Perlberg and George Seaton are 
prepared to make a film version of 
‘‘Porgy and Bess,” which has al- 
ready achieved world-wide acclaim 
as an American classic. 

There is renewed interest for a 
ikw film version of “Emperor 
Jones,” based on the famous play 
by Eugene O’Neill. A 1934 film, 
p oduced by John Krimsky and 
Gifford Cochoran, 

Robeson and was 
United Artists. Krimsky still owns 
the film rights, and since the suc- 
cess of “Carmen” has received a 
number of inquiries from major 
companies and indie producers. 
The offers* have mentioned the 
names of Nat “King” Cole and 
Harry Belafonte as possible leads. 
Irving Lazar is handling the prop- 
erty for Krimsky in Coast nego- 
tiations. 

Since the announcement that 
Kralt would do “Emperor Jones” 
in a one-hour color telecast on 
NBC-TV tonight (Wed ), Krimsky 
has received several new’ feelers 
on the property. Jane Rubin, agent 
lor the O'Neill estate, received 
Krimsky’s okay for the kine rights 
ot the telecast. Krimsky, now with 
Hie Donahue & Coe ad agency, 
leols tlie tele outing not only will 
sene as a good pre-test but will 
idso enhance the value of the 
property. 


Radio Shares Standout Among Amusements — 
Skiatron Improves on FCC Action 


By MIKE WEAR 

Last week film company and 
cinema shares generally were un- 
even to lower. Wall Street man- 
. aged to keep the blue-chip issues 
! in high ground even though there 
| were unfavorable developments in- 
cluding a sharp selloff in the Lon- 
don market last Friday (18). FiLm 
shares and pix theatre stocks fell 
back from loss of interest more 
than anything else. Then, too, a 
batch of mediocre pictures and 
murderous film theatre weather 
over the last few weeks hurt the 
boxoffice. 

The lone film stock to move into 
new high ground was Republic, 
which hit 7 : ’h for a fractional ad- 
vance on the week. However, 
American Broadcasting-Paramount 
Theatres again registered a new 
peak while another film theatre 
company, National Theatres, firmed 
up to $10 where it was only frac- 
! tionally away from the 1954-55 
1 high. 

j Stanley Warner, after making a 
new peak in the previous week, 
slipped off 1>* points. RKO Thea- 
tres moved up fractionally to with- 
| in less than a point of the best 
1954-55 price. Columbia Pictures, 
sans dividend, dropped one point 
to 36, the expected stock split not 
being forthcoming. Apparently 
* the record earnings for six months 


already had been discounted up- 
wards. 

General Precision Equipment, 
which is gradually moving into the 
blue-chip stock category, was the 
champ performer for the week. It 
soared to a new peak at 65 ’h and 
a net gain of 6% points on the 
week. This represents an advance 
of around 15 points in little more 
than three weeks time. The move 
apparently was predicated on 
future prospects of the company. 

In the Amusement Group, radio- 
tv shares were markedly strong. 
RCA pushed to a new high of 45 
and a gain of 27« on the week. The 
stock continues the big favorite 
with those who are buying stocks 
on the installment plan. Zenith 
also was a strong favorite, hitting 
a new high- of 97 3 4 for an advance 
of 5?4 on the week. CBS issues 
were off 2 points for the Class A 
and 3 n <i for the “B” shares. 

Loew’s tapered off after the pre- 
vious week’s rise but still managed 
to hold above $20. There were 
reports of a new group picking up 
shares with hopes of gaining con- 
trol of the company, but this specu- 
lation was categorically denied by 
insiders. 

Skiatron came to the fore again, 
after lagging for a couple of weeks. 
It wound up with a bid price of 4VS, 
as compared with the year’s high 
of 5. 


‘BATTLE CRY’ HEADING 
FOR POSSIBLE 9-MIL-$ 

On the basis of the results in 
early engagements, Warner Bros, 
thinks “Battle Cry” may be its top 
all-time grosser, bettering “High 
and the Mighty,” the Wayne-Fel 
lows production released by WB. 
“Battle Cry,” a strictly Warner en- 
try, is expected to exceed 
“Mighty’s” take by several million. 
It’s estimated that “Mighty,” still 
making the rounds, will hit between 
$5,000,000 and $6,000,000. 

Neutral observers are estimating 
between $9,000,000 and $10,000,000 
for “Battle Cry” if the current pace 
continues. In 33 initial pre-release 
engagements across the country, 
the filmization of Leon Uris’ novel 
chalked up a hefty $1,250,000, ac- 
cording to Warners. The total was 
achieved despite adverse weather 
conditions in the east and midwest. 
Picture was held over in 100% of 
the situations in its first dates. It 
goes into general distribution on 
March 12. 


Pickford Vs. Goldwyn 

Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

After a two-day pre-trial hear- 
ing to determine what pertinent 
issues will be intro’d in the upcom- 
ing Morch 21 Mary Pickford-Samu- 
el Goldwyn suits against each other 
over the Goldwyn studios, Superior 
Judge Paul Nourse took exhibits 
and documents under submission. 

Partners in ownership of studio 
— Miss Pickford holding 41/80th 
and Goldwyn 39/80th — are 
suing each other on various 
counts, as climax to a five-year 
hassle over disposal of studio 
which court last January ordered 
sold in 60 days. Among other 
counts, Miss Pickford is asking for 
an accounting of rentals from 
Goldwyn and latter is asking for 
her share in operating costs of 
studio. 


Attach Oboler’s Home 

Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

Legal battle over the 3-D film, 
“Bwana Devil,” took a new turn 
when Branco Pictures attached 
Arch Oboler’s home in an action 
demanding an accounting and pay- 
ment of profits on the picture 
which Oboler produced. 

Branco contends it put up $100,- 
000 for a share in the profits and 
further claims there was no coin 
forthcoming when the producer 
sold the negative to United Artists. 


Consolidation of all N. Y. film 
company publicity - advertising 
staffers into one union is seen re- 
sulting from the decision of the 
AFL and CIO to merge into one 
gigantic labor outfit. 

At present, the N. Y. film bally 
men are spread among three 
unions, two with AFL affiliation 
and one with CIO. The Screen 
Publicists Guild, connected with 
the CIO Retail, Wholesale, and De- 
partment Store Union, represents 
staffers at Warner Bros., Universal, 
20th-Fox, Columbia, and United 
Artists. Paramount pub-ad men be- 
long to Local H-63, Homeoffice 
Employees Union, IATSE, AFL 
while RKO Pictures, RKO Thea- 
tres, Loew’s Theatres staffers are 
members of Local 230, ^ Sign, Pic- 
torial & Display Union,* AFL. 

When the AFL-CIO merger goes 
through, the separate locals will 
have to convene to decide who gets 
jurisdiction over the publicists. 
With the SPG already spokesman 
for staffers at five companies, it 
will naturally make the pitch to 
corral the others. 

Except for the N. Y. publicists, 
the AFL-CIO merger is seen as 
having little effect in union opera- 
tions in the film industry, since 
most unionites in the picture biz 
are members of the IA. 


No Writer Snub 


Continued from page 3 


members of WGA West to hold a 
banquet was also a problem in 
Hollywood. 

The radio and tv writers, she re- 
ports. haven’t decided on a way to 
handle their own awards dinner, 
but, barring a few minor details, 
had pretty much set the new sys- 
tem for picking award recipients. 
Last year at the screen dinner 
when the television writers were 
present (that being before forma- 
tion of an integrated radio-tv- 
sereen writers union like WGA) the 
video awards were given on the 
basis of two consecutive ballots by 
the entire membership of Tele- 
vision Writers Group (a Writers 
Guild subsid). Miss Inglis said 
that, though time proved this ballot 
system unwieldy, it was the first 
attempt to find a voting system on 
awards. She pointed out that, un- 
like screen writers, there wasn't 
and still isn’t a large enough group 
of tv writers to have seen enough 
tv shows to make an indicative 
judgment. 

Under the new plan, however, 
the tv branch expects to set up its 
own screening committee, instead 
of taking written nominations from 
the members at large. The com- 
mittee, composed of wTiters who 
specialize in a particular type pro- 
gram (eg., soapers, juve shows, 
hoss opera types, comedy, etc.) and 
who will only judge that type, will 
meet periodically in as many ses- 
sions as necessary, to see all shows. 
She said that Coast tv writers felt 
this was the only manner truly in- 
dicative of award winners in tv. 
It’s likely radio will follow the 
same system in picking its winners. 

In clarifying her insistence that 
the screen writers did not slough 
off the tv and radio members of 
WGA West, Miss Inglis asserted 
that in planning the Feb. 28 din- 
ner three members from each 
branch of the union were present. 
The six radio and tv guys were not 
pressured into their decision by 
the three screen members, she said. 


Danny Kaye's "Assignment Chil- 
dren,” film record of his recent 
tour of Asia in behalf of the United 
Nations International Childrens 
Emergency Fund, has been select- 
ed for the Brotherhood Award oi 
the National Conference of Chn s * 
tians and Jews. 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 




% brodflction of 



fthootiDg will continde later in 

JV^aozaoares, {^1 J^olar, Rascafria, 

^egovia, aod J^alaga in J^pain, 
aod in Variofls parts of Greece. 


18 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


TOA Aims Its Film Program by May; 
Fence-Sits Re Allied’s Govt. Plan 


Continued from pace 3 


Washington. Feb. 22. 

Theatre Owners of America' 
looks forward confidently to 
launching its film production unit 
. — the Exhibitors Film Financial 
Group — by mid-May, it was dis- 
closed r.t TOA’s midwinter board 
meeting here. 

Subscriptions to the corporation, 
whore purpore * s to stimulate more 
production, are pouring in and, at 
the fir.'t stockholders meeting on 
May 15, “We hope and expect to 
make an important announcement 
of production plans,” it was stated. 

Other-developments at the board 
sessions: 

1. The hoard voted a resolution 
to throw the full weight of TOA 
behind the Joint Committee on I 
Toll TV. and will recommend in- 
formation kils for grassroots ex- 
hibitors and nationwide clinics to 
“expose the inherent fallacies of 
subscription claims.” 

2. The board decided to take ( 
no position nr* the Allied States 
plan for legislation to place dis- 
tributor seibng prices under fed- 
eral control, pending a meeting 
with Allied toppers. The planned 
meeting will cover a wide range of 
industry problems, including arbi- 
tration, extended runs, product 
shortage. c‘c.. to seek a wide base 
of cooperation among the exhibitor 
assocations. 

4. E. D. Martin, TOA prexy, ap- 
pointed a committee comprising 
Elmer Rhoden. J. J. O’Leary, Ar- 
thur Lockwood and R. J. O’Don- 
nell to select the next “Star of the 
Year” award winner, with the 
award to be put on a permanent 
basis 

5. The board voted to hold the 
national TOA convention in L. A. 
next October, with the exact date 
still to be decided. 

6. The board “reaffirmed its 
faith’’ in COMPO, but did not ask 
COMPO to take a hand in the toll 
tv fight. 

Alfred Starr, co-chairman of the 
Joint Committee on Toll TV, re- 
ported to the hoard that exhibitors 
will be joined in their fight by 
many other interests which would 
be adversely affected by toll televi- 
sion. He named particularly broad- 
casters, advertising agencies, in- 
dustries allied with the theatre, 
transit companies, organizations to 
save downtown business areas from 
economic blight, etc. "Of course 
we have a selfish interest in this.” 
said Starr, “but this is also in the 
public interest.” 

EFFG was of special interest to 
the product hungry exhibitors. By 
the time the stockholders meeting 
is held May 15. sa 5 d Walter Reade 
Jr., “our subscriptions will be well 
up in seven figures if funds con- 
tinue to come in at the present 
rate.” 


Roadshow Era 


Play Possum 

Continued from page 1 


reason broadcasters are shying 
from the subject these days is in 
an effort to avoid aggravating the 
D. A. into further action. So far 
he’s limited his actual investigat- 
ing and threatened legal steps to 
adverstisers, while merely “warn- 
ing” stations. Therefore, it is said 
that stations are in the precarious 
position of trying to clean their 
own house quietly before the D A. 
feels forced to step in, thus creat- 
ing undue furor. 

Countless dollars are in jeapordy 
throughout N. Y. Stations face an 
unenviable decision: try to find a 
way to retain borderline bankroll- 
ing and simultaneously make it 
publicly acceptable. 

One subject the close-mouthed 
broadcasters became most vocifer- 
ous about was that D. A. Silver 
didn’t start on the newspapers, 
which, they allege, are “as bad as 
any group could be in ‘bait’ and 
‘switch’ advertising.” When Silver 
called the Rackets Grand Jury be- 
fore Judge Samuel Leibowitz last 
month, the question was shortly 
raised why radio and tv should 
have been singled out for invest!-, 
gation. The D. A. reportedly told 
a closed meeting of broadcasters 
that it was because radio and tv 
were involved in 90% of the com- 
plaints. 

The exact steps to be taken by 
broadcasters regarding the investi- 
gation is being kept a close secret 
for the time being. One or two 
broadcasters, believed on the in- 
dustry vigilante committee set up 
to weed out objectionable spiels, 
have volunteered that some results 
might be forthcoming in three or 
four weeks. 

As the broadcasters continue to 
wax cryptic. Silver’s staff took out 
search warrants on a few of the 
more belligerent advertisers ac- 
cused of "switch” advertising by 
listeners and viewers, it’s said. 
Others permitted police entry to 
offices and came across with books 
whan they were requested. The 
subpoenas are believed the result 
of evidence garnered. 


Advertising Up 4% 


Continued from page 2 


ciation with Par. Accord'ng to 
present plans, the pic will run 
three hours and 40 minutes, re- 
quiring an intermission. Whether 
it will play two a day, as with the 
roadshows of old, depends on fu- 
ture decision. 

Just how Par will go about 
equipping theatres hasn’t been 
made public knowledge. But it’s 
indicated the company might un- 
derwrite the costs of exhib in- 
stallations of the equipment. Or, 
if the lccal clearances can be ob- 
tained, Par might rent theatres on 
four-wall deals. 

In any event, it’s clear that Par 
is intent on taking part in the big 
film, big screen sweepstakes, com- 
peting with th<*upcoming Todd-AO 
pictures. Cinerama and the 55m 
roadshow product to be turned out 
by 20th-Fox. 


leaflets until the Postmaster-Gen- 
eral edicted against it.) 

Newspaper circulation was up 1% 
in 1954 but magazine circulation 
dipped a trifle that year; however, 
the mags’ decline was less than 1%. 

The biggest losers in magazine 
advertising have been the women’s 
and farm magazines; these are way 
down. The general mags (weeklies 
and monthly) gained in ’54. 

Among the new trends, there are 
two salients: (1) to increase subur- 
ban newspaper advertising; and (2) 
to more spot tv commercials. 

There is also an inclination to 
(H share tv sponsorship with 
“magazine”-type shows; (2) to 
more local radio; and (3) to a 
cheaper form of network radio ad- 
vertising. 


33 CURRENTLY WORK 
METRO WRITING MILL 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Writing mill at Metro is busier 
than at any time in the past two 
years, with 33 scripters working on 
29 film stories, including novels, 
legit plays, musicals and originals. 

Writers and their tasks include: 
Lenore Coffey on “Mary Onne;” 
Don Mankiewicz, “Trial;” Richard 
Brooks. “The Last Hunt;” George 
Froeschel, “Hans Blinker;” Sonja 
Levein and Ivan Moffat, "Bhowani 
Junction;” Dorothy Kinsklcy, 
“Robin Hood;” Jan Lusiig, “The 
Golden Princess;” Millard Kauf- 
man, “Raintree County;” William 
Roberts, “The Power and the 
Prize;” Frank Gruber, “The Big 
Sin;” Helen Deutsch, “i'll Cry To- 
morrow;” Karl Tunberg, "Ben 
Hur;” Betty Comden and Adolph 
Green, “Cole Porter "Cavalcade," 
Frances Goodrich and Albert 
Hackctt, “Gaby.” 

Isobel Lennart, “Week-end at 
Las Vegas;” Guy Trosper, “Your 
Cheatin’ Heart;" Leonard Spigel- 
gass, “International Revue;” Wil- 
liam Ludwig and Ruth Brooks Flip- 
pen, “Star Bright;” Ernest Lehman, 
“Bannon;” Norman Corwin, “Lust 
for Life;” Christopher Knopf, 
“Running of the Tide;” Chris- 
topher Isherwood, “Dianne” and 
“The Wayfarer;” William Wister 
Haines and Admiral John D. Price, 
an untitled Navy yarn. 

Charles Schnee, “The Romance 
of Leonardo da Vinci;” Michael 
Blackford, “Jeremy Rodock;” Ju- 
lius Epstein, “The Tender Trap;” 
Charles Lederer and Luther Davis, 
“Kismet.” 

Robert Anderson is expected to 
check in soon to work on “Tea and 
Sympathy” and John Patrick Qn 
"The Teahouse of the August 
Moon.” 


Exhib Convention Book 
Rejects ‘Mom & Dad’ 

Columbia, Feb. 22. 

Robert A. Wile, Independent 
Theatre Owners of Ohio executive 
secretary, last week turned down 
an ad for “Mom and Dad” in the 
forthcoming ITO convention pro- 
gram. 

“Much as we need the money," 
he wrote Kroger Babb of Hallmark 
Productions, “and as much as I 
regret doing so for this reason, I 
must decline to publish the ad you 
offer in our program. The adver- 
tising that has been done on "Mom 
and Dad” has done incalculable 
harm in our fight to keep censor- 
ship off the books in Ohio. If you 
would carry your ad with a picture 
such as “Prince of Peace,” we shall 
be more than happy to publish it.” 


Film Eds Retain Todd 

Film Editors, Local 776, IATSE, 
re-elected Sherman Todd president, 
with Robert Joseph chosen as sec- 
retary, Walter Feldman as treas- 
urer and Ving Hershon as sergeant- 
at-arms. Contest between Gene 
Fowler Jr., and Tom Neff for vee- 
pee ended in a draw and will re- 
quire a runoff. 

At the same time Sid Sidney was 
elected head of Cine-Music Editors 
of Local 766, with Harry King as 
veepee, Evelyn Kennedy as secre- 
tary and Joe Glassman as treasurer. 



. Votes Down Newsreel Censorship 


Chief Snipper's Straight We-Need-the-Fees 

Argument Loses 


New York Theatre 


r 


RADIO CITY MUSIC H ALL __ 

Koclceftller C«nter 

“JUPITER’S DARLING’* 

in cintmaScwt and u« starring 
Esther WILLIAMS • Howard KEEL 
Marge & Gower CHAMPION . George SANOERS 
AN M-G-M PICIURE 

men mu tun nuumwi 


Baltimore, Feb. 22. 

Maryland’s House of Delegates 
voted last week to exempt news- 
reels from censorship by a two vote 

margin. Aft^r heated debate, an 
initial vote showed 52 in favor and 
60 against the amendment. Under 
House rules, each delegate was 
obliged to “explain” his vote and 
during this period enough votes 
were changed to pass the amend- 
ment with 59 voting for and 57 
against. 

Delegate Jerome Robinson of the 
Baltimore Fourth District led the 
debate favoring the amendment. He 
called newsreel censorship “an 
abridgement of the freedom of the 
press under the First Amendment 
of the Constitution.” 

Sydney Traub, chairman of the 
Maryland Board of Motion Picture 


Censors, argued that newsreel cei 
sorship brings the board a vit. 
yearly income of $10,000. Otht 
opponents of the amendment aske 
from the floor why no represent, 
tive of the newsreel distributoi 
had appeared at hearings. Sidne 
Lust, a Washington exhib, was th 
only person to ask for newsrei 
exemption. 

The amendment will now be ii 
eluded in the revised censorshi 
bill which will be passed on to th 
State Senate next week. The ne 
censorship bill is based on U. ! 
Supreme Court rulings and pr 
hibits censorship on “sacreligiou 
indecent, inhuman or immoral 
| grounds. It still permits censo 
; ship of films that are “obscene, ( 
which tend to debase the morals < 
i incite to crime.” Full definitioi 
i of these latter terms are outline 


20th Shoots Extra Footage Abroad 
For Television Ballyhoo Campaign 


Remittances 

Continued from page 5 

56.745.000. compared with 54,107,- 

000 in 1951. 

Canada: Has had a building 
boom in recent years, with 33C 
theatres added since 1951, of which 
about 160 are drive-ins. In addi- 
tion. the.e are 36 drive-ins and 43 
hardtop theatres either under con- 
struction or planned, at present. 

New Zealand and Australia: 
Here is found most complete thea- 
tre coverage, with an average of 
one seat for every 7 , /fe persons. In 
Italy the ratio is 1 seat to 11 per- 
sons; in Canada, 1 to 13; in Britain 

1 to 12; in the U. S. 1 to 14. World- 
wide, except for the Iron Curtain 
countries, the ratio is 1 seat to 
every 41 persons, a flight gain 
from 1951. 

Europe: Has over 63,000 thea- 
tres. The 18,351 in the U. S. (in- 
cluding drive-ins) puts us second. 
There a"e 6.600 in South America, 
over 9,700 in the Far East; 2,351 
in the South Pacific; 2,829 in Mexi- 
co and Central America; nearly 
1,700 ih Africa, with the remainder 
in scattered places, 

Italy: Has more theatres than any 
other country in free Europe — 
9,543, with 4,248.000 seats. Ger- 
many, including East Germany, is 
estimated to have over 8,100, with 

3.300.000 seats. France has 5,635 
theatres; Spain about 5,000; and 
Britain over 4.500. The Russians 
claim 15,700 theatres seating 6,- 

200.000. These figures include trade 
union halls, etc. 

Mexico: Tops the Latin Ameri- 
can nations with 2,459 theatres 
with 1,591,000 seats. Argentina is 
second with 2,300 houses; and 
Brazil is third with nearly 2,000. 
Cuba has 537 theatres; Colombia 
560; Chile 400; Peru 334; Ecuador 
150; Uruguay 211; Venezuela 496; 
and Costa Rica 106. No other Latin 
American country has as many as 
100 . 

Japan: With 3,734 theatres hav- 
ing 1,900,000 seats, is in the lead 
in Asia. India is second with 3,200 
theatres and 2,000,000 seats. Aus- 
tralia has 1,730 theatres and 1,189,- 

000 seats. 

Africa: Biggest tally is in Union 
of South Africa, which has 475 
theatres with 265,000 seats. Second 
is Egypt — 355 theatres and 343,000 
seats. Algeria has 288 theatres and 

144.000 seating capacity; French 
Morocco has 125 houses with a 
capacity of 75,000. No other nation 
or territory in Africa has as many 
as 100 theatres. 

Atlantic Islands: The Canary Is- 
lands have the most theatres — 105 
with 49,000 seats. Iceland is second 
— 48 theatres and 12,000 seats. 

Jannings, Eisenstein 

Pairings Extended 

Program of foreign-made silent 
films, which had been hooked for 
an eight-week run at N. Y.’s 55th 
Street Playhouse, is being held over 
indefinitely. 

Series, under the overall title of 
“The Golden Age of the Cinema,” 
include "Tartuffe." starring Emil 
Jannings, and "Ten Days That 
Shook the World,” directed by Ser- 
gei Eisenstein. 

Hoyts' Topper Off 

For U. S. This Month 

Sydney, Feb. 15. 

John C. Glass, general manager 
of the Hoyts loop, leaves for a trip 
to the U. S. and Europe Feb. 26. 
He’ll be accompanied by Mrs. 
Glass, and will be away four 
months. 

John Evans, a director of Great- 
er Union Theatres and chairman of 
the loop’s management committee, 
has been given the nod by his boss, 
Norman Rydge, to start packing for 
an overseas o.o. later in the year. 
It’s unlikely Evans will take off 
before Glass’ return, as both are 
at present involved in an applica- 
tion for a Melbourne commercial 
tv license. — 

Glass will not neglect drive-in 
developments while abroad. Hoyts 
is bulldozing five more sites in 
Melbourne for ozoners while in 
Brisbane six new applications for 
drive-ins will be considered by the 
Picture Theatre and Films Com- 

1 mission next w eek. 


Part of an overall attempt to 
hypo promotion of its features on 
tv, 20th-Fox is going to lens extra 
background footage on all of its 
films being shot abroad. Purpose 
is to give audiences a behind-the- 
scenes glimpse of film-making in 
foreign locales. 

First feature on u’hich this poli- 
cy goes into effect is “A Many- 
Splendored Thing,” starring Wil- 
liam Holden and Jennifer Jones 
and being done in Hong Kong. 
While the companies have not hesi- 
tated to splurge with fr e tv clips, 
drawn from the films themselves, 
it's rare that anyone has gone out 
of his way to show the actual mak- 
ing of a picture as part of an ex- 
ploitation campaign. 

Universal did it once on one of 
its top westerns, “Bend of the 
River.” and Samuel Goldwyn 
raised the curtain high w'hen he 
let Edward R. Murrow’s “See It 
Now” cameras roam on the set of 
“Hans Christian Andersen.” Walt 
Disney recently used special foot- 
age to plug "20,000 Leagues Under 
the Sea” on his “Disneyland” TV 
show. 

General attitude in the past has 
been to tell the public as little as 
possible about the actual making of 
the pix, feeling being that any 
overdone of such material might 
spoil the final screen illusion. 
However, most newspapers thrive 
on "how it’s done” yarns about 
various pix in production. 

As 20th sees it, tv is beginning 
to require more individual atten- 
tion. On "Untamed,” for instance, 
shot in South Africa, a special 
short — “Zululand” — was produced 
in 2-D version. It’s not directly 
connected with the problems of 
making the film, but will be made 
available to tv — and also possible 
to theatres — as a useful promo- 
tional tool in plugging the Cinema- 
Scope release. 

On "Untamed,” too, in reply to 
exhib requests for free material 
to place on tv, 20th has lihsqueezed 
five short scenes and is shooting 
them out with a script. They’ll be 
for use on the gab shows and will 
g|ve the film a heavy plug both 
visually and via anecdotes, story 
outline, etc. 

On another upcoming 20th re- 
lease, "Soldier of Fortune,” Clark 
Gable’s first 20th film. Movietone 
cameras trailed the star’s journey 
to the Far East, including stops in 
Hawaii, Tokyo, etc. 


TV Now ‘Ally’ 

" ~ Continued from page 5 

programs are pursuing the film 
companies with who’s in town.” 

Steve Allen’s "Tonight” show is 
beginning to rival Ed Sullivan’s 
"Toast of the Town” as a friend of 
the industry. Allen has been play- 
ing up preems of pictures, either 
via a hot kine or a direct remote. 
In the space of a week, “Tonight" 
carried the festivities attendant to 
the opening of "Cinerama Holiday" 
in New York and subsequently 
went to Washington to catch the 
kleig-light opening of Columbia’s 
"Long Gray Line.” The "Ciner- 
ama” remote turned out to be 
something of a fiasco as Gene Ray- 
burn was left standing without a 
celebrity to interview. 

The Washington excursion fared 
much better, since the video cam- 
eras were able to catch Mrs. 
Dwight Eisenhower, Secretary of 
the Army Stevens, General Mat- 
thew Ridgway, Pearl Mesta, and 
the star of the picture, Maureen 
O’Hara. Col arranged the details 
with military precision. Value of 
the proceedings as entertainment, 
however, has been questioned in 
many quarters. 

New gimmick to film-tv tieups 
was added this week when NBC 
launched a contest in cooperation 
with "Cinerama Holiday.” Deal, 
arranged by Margaret Larson of 
the Lynn Farnol office, involves 
the three NBC-TV network shows, 
“Today,” "Home” and "Tonight." 
Contest offers a free all-expense 
vacation to Switzerland for the 
writer of the best letter on "Why 
I would like a Cinerama Holiday 
in Switzerland ...” 

Sullivan’s "Toast” on CBS-TV 
continues to be an important na- 
tionwide outlet, either via the in- 
troduction of personalities or spe- 
cial shows devoted exclusively to 
ttie film industry, as Sullivan’s re- 
cent "1716 Columbia Story.” 





Wednesday, February 23, 1953 


HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 


BTIS1S present* 
















20 


RADIO -VIDEO -TV FILMS 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


Neatest Trick of ’56: Chi-to-Frisco 
Convention Shuttling of Politicos; 

A 250G Added Rap for TV Networks 


Any way you figure it, each off 
the tv networks will have to pony 
up an extra $250,000 or so to ef- 
fect transfer of the 1956 political 
powwow from the Demos’ Chicago 
site to the GOP’s San Francisco 
selection. Both the CBS and NBC 
camps had hoped to use the Presi- 
dential nominating conventions as 
bait for the sale of color sets, with 
1956 shaping up as the target year 
to introduce tint on a large scale. 
The stymie at the moment is that 
an interim of eight weeks is need- 
ed to make the switch between Chi 
and Frisco if color programs are 
to originate from both cities. As 
of now, it looks like the Demo 
starting date will be July 23 
(though on Aug. 13 teeofT is pos- 
sible. depending on certification of 
nominees under the various state 
law deadlines) and the Republi- 
cans will open their Coast show 
Aug. 20. 

Both CBS’ Sig Mickelson and 
NBC’s Davidson Taylor, public af- 
fairs v.p.’s. are agreed on live ac- 
tion all the way, though toying 
with the possibility of telescoping 
some of the sessions on film. One 
of their chief concerns is with the 
extra attractions — the “sidebars” 
during the dull phases when big 
politicos and pundits are grabbed 
off for quickies. These often pro- 
duce the most interesting phases 
of the politico classics. Under a 
two-city setup, some of these may 
have to be scrapped for lack of 
equipment. 

There’s little to choose between 
the Chi Amphitheatre’s 50,000 
square feet and the Cow Palace’s 
49,000. The nets build their own 
facilities in the arenas and can 
adapt themselves to whatever el- 
bow room is available. But there 
is keen disappointment mixed with 
surprise that the political parties 
failed to get together on an agree- 
ment to use the same site — Chi- 
cago, which has housed the two 
conventions since 1940. 

Television is remembered as the 
medium which gave the two par- 
leys slambang coverage in li>52 
and, with the added technical savvy 
stemming from the four-year gap. 
could devise ways of pulling over 
a super-spectacular next year. On 
the other hand, it's felt the public 
will be served with a chan^b of 
pace by the introduction of two 
(Continued on page 38) 


‘Lucy* Topdog Again 

“I Love Lucy” regained the 
No. 1 spot, lost recently to 
CBS-TV colleague Jackie Glea- 
son, in Nielsen’s Top 10 for 
the second January report. 
Gleason is runner-up. The 
standings: 

I Love Lucy (CBS-P.M.). 55.2 
Jackie Gleason (CBS).. 52.8 
I Love Lucy (CBS-P&G) . 52.1 

Disneyland (ABC) 50.1 

Dragnet (NBC) 50.0 

Groucho Marx (NBC)... 49.4 

Milton Berle (NBC) 48.7 

Martha Raye (NBC).... 47.5 
Toast of Town (CBS)... 45.9 
Comedy Hour ( NBC ) . . . . 45.0 


John Henry Faulk 
Set for TV Show 

John Henry Faulk, longtime fix- 
ture on WCBS, N.Y., gets televi- 
sion exposure in a regular series 
of his own, “John Henry Faulk 
Show,” an audience-participationer 
on WABC-TV, N. Y. which starts 
Monday (28). Series, a Gross-Baer 
package, goes into the 9-10 a m. 
crossboard slot as a local replace- 
ment for the ABC-TVersion of 
“Breakfast Club,” which the net 
has dropped on tele. 

Faufk’s done several guest shots 
on tele, especially on the “Leave 
it to the Girls” segment that last 
aired on ABC-TV. But this is his 
first regular series. It’s an audi- 
ence - participation and amateur 
segment, with the first half-hour 
devoted to preschool-age moppets, 
the second devoted to a contest 
wherein contestants finish a story 
Faulk begins. WABC-TV slotting 
doesn’t interfere with his chores 
at WCBS. 

Show is being installed coinci- 
dental with an overall reshuffling 
of the daytime setup at the sta- 
tion. and Nancy Craig, whose after- 
noon show is being dropped, will 
stay on to host a morning duo of 
half-hour film segments titled 
“Road of Romance” and “Drama of 
Life,” which will air in the 10-11 
a.m. slot. Joe Franklin, originally 
slated to replace "Breakfast Club” 
with his own “Memory Lane” stint, 
remains hi the afternoon with a 
halt-hour version of the show at 
o' )u< a ' so hosts dramatic film 
3 on “Romantic Interludes.” 


Mrs. Matvig Faces 
Grand Jury Probe 
In Lamb Recant 


Washington, Feb. 22. 

Dept, of Justice yesterday (Mon.) 
ordered an immediate Grand Jury 
investigation of testimony by Mrs. 
Marie Matvig. a Government wit- 
ness at the Federal Communica- 
tions Commission hearings into 
Commie charges against broadcast- 
er-publisher Edward Lamb. 

Mrs. Matvig, who is still under 
subpoena by the FCC, retracted 
testimony she gave against Lamb 
after w'hat she described as “an 
awakening as if from a nightmare.” 
Hearing examiner Herbert Sharf- 
man has called her a “completely 
incredible” witness but has de- 
ferred a ruling on a motion to 
strike her testimony. 

The Grand Jury action earn? as 
FCC attorney Edward Brown was 
inquiring into the circumstances 
by which another Government wit- 
ness, Lowell Watson, rescinded his 
testimony “to live with my con- 
science.” Watson is consultant to 
the Dept, of Justice on immigration 
cases. 

Brown charged Watson with “at- 
tempting to evade the statute on 
perjury” and “skating around it 
very thinly” by the way he an- 
swered his questions. 

Watson, the FCC attorney 
brought out, wrote a letter to 
Lamb's counsel, Russell Brown, a 

(Continued on page 38) 


Plrilco’s $1,200,000 
* Uliss America’ Stake; 
Plan ’55 Telecast 

Atlantic City, Feb. 22. 

With negotiations for a contract 
to telecast the 1955 Miss America 
Pageant underway and due to be 
terminated by March 15, reported 
deadline for signing such a pact, 
Philco Corp., which inaugurated 
the first telecast of the Pageant 
last summer, in a statement by 
R. B. George, v.p. in charge of 
merchandising, said that the cor- 
poration had invested $1,200,000 in 
promoting “Miss America” all 
over the country since the Septem- 
ber event. 

George’s statement came as di- 
rectors of the Pageant, a group of 
unsalaried business and hotelman 
who stage the $100,000 five-day 
extravaganza, featuring some 52 
girls from all parts of the country, 
in huge Convention hall, discussed 
plans for the 1955 telecast (17) 
and nominated Hugh A. Wathen, 
last year’s pageant president, to 
again head their group this year. 

Pageant last year was paid 
$10,000 by Philco for tv rights. 
Preliminary talks with Philco of- 
ficials have been held and it is no 
secret that Pageant officials this 
year hope to do better, with others 
besides Philco purchasing televi- 
sion rights. 


CBS-COL, GEN. MILLS 
2-WAY TV STRETCH 

CBS-Columbia will join General 
Mills and vice versa in alternate 
backing of “Willy” and “Life With 
Father” on CBS-TV. GM is the 
regular sponsor of “Willy,” which 
moves from Saturday night at 
10:30 to the same time Thursday 
(ousting “Name That Tune”) to 
make way for Screen Gems’ “Da- 
mon Runyon Theatre.” 

The phono-tv subsidiary of % the 
CBS corporation is the regular on 
Tuesday’s “Father.” 


20th Into TV 
‘in a Big Way’; 
Major Entries 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Entrance of 20th-Fox into tele- 
vision will be on a big scale, ac- 
cording to Sid Rogell, veteran of 
30 years of picture-making, who 
will be in charge of the studio’s 
video subsidiary. 

“We’re getting into television,” 
he said, “with the full knowledge 
of its vast potential and consider- 
able impact, and the very fact that 
we’re using the parent company's 
name should be proof enough that 
quality will be of utmost consid- 
eration in our production of film 
for tv.” 

Rogell’s plans for the conversion 
of the Western Avenue studio call 
for the transformation of the lot’s 
seven movie sound stages into 15 
for television, at a cost of more 
than $1,000,000. 

Study is being made of story 
properties to be made available for 
tv filming. Among those to which 
the studio holds video rights are 
“The Jones Family,” “Mr. Moto,” 
“Charlie Chan,” “My Friend 
Flicka” and “Dr. Belvedere.” 

Subsid would actually produce 
“Belvedere,” and while it hasn’t 
yet been decided, Clifton Webb, 
who starred in the pix, may top- 
line the video series. 

Studio would either produce 
“Flicka” series on its own or lease 
rights on a participation basis. 
"Flicka” pix were filmed in the 
mid 1940's, and were based on 
boss yarn by Mary O’Hara. 

Michel Kraike, who exited as 
producer at Screen Gems, joins the 
20th tv subsid, TCF Productions, 
Inc., as exec assistant to Rogell. 


Blueprint for a Tale of 2 Cities 

Washington, Feb. 22. 

The* radio-television industry is launching into plans for cov- 
erage of the 1956 Republican and Democratic national conventions 
with a built-in, ready made headache — how to cut its expected 
losses? 

In 1952, despite both conventions being located in the same 
city and the fat sponsorship tabs picked up by Westinghouse, 
Philco, Admiral, etc., the webs and stations went an estimated 
$3,000,000 or more into the red. 

In 1956, with separate convention cities and a much larger area 
covered by more video stations, it could be worse. 

There is, however, a way in which the broadcasters might re- 
duce the anticipated wallop and, at the same time, make it a much 
better show for the anticipated radio-tv audience of 100,000,000 
or more Americans. 

The industry could get into the political convention hosting 
business itself, as a partner of the host cities . , . Chicago and 
San Francisco. 

Here is how it would work. 

As is customary, Chicago has guaranteed the Democratic Na- 
tional Committee $250,000 toward its convention expenses, and 

San Francisco has made the same guarantee to the Republican 
National Committee. This money is raised from merchants, 
mainly from the hotel and restaurant people who will benefit 
most from the conventions. In exchange for the $250,000 con- 
tributions, each city is assured that the conventions will last a 
minimum of four days. In other words, the delegates, alternates 
and other convention visitors will be held there that long to give 
the merchants a chance to get back their nut and make a profit, 
if possible. 

Telescope the Dullness 

In order to provide a four-day minimum, the first two days of 
every national convention are mostly waste motion and waste 
time. Nominations don’t start until the third day. There is 
nothing in the first two days w-hich cannot be telescoped into one 
day, without loss of the democratic process of nominating a Presi- 
dent and Vice President. 

These first two days are mainly productive of dull and windy 
oratory and most delegate seats in the convention halls empty most 
of the time. It makes bad listening for those at their home 
radio sets and bad listening and looking for the televiewers. And 
it is liable to cost the broadcasting industry close to $1,000,000 
per day for each such day. 

But, suppose the, industry offers to pay one-fourth, or even one- 
third, of the $250,000 guarantee from each city, providing the first 
two days of each convention are telescoped into one. 

Cite Benefits 

These benefits would result: 

The radio and television networks and stations would be well 
ahead of the game financially. 

The programs which go out over the ether would be snappier, 
faster moving and more interesting to tne American public. 

The hotels anct restaurants of the convention cities would not 
lose anything since they would be required to contribute less to 
the two national committees. 

The delegates, other convention guests, and their wives, would 
save a little money on food and hotel expenses. 

Finally, assuming the strong possibility that the conventions 
may be back-to-back, with only a day or two between the windup of 
the Demmy hassle and the beginning of the Republican shindig, 
the Republicans could start one day later. This would give the 
broadcast industry one more day to transport its personnel, and 
such equipment as can be moved, from Chicago to San Francisco. 

So . . . why not? 


DIXIE CUP COIN FOR 
ABC-TV ‘SUPER CIRCUS’ 

Dixie Cup makes its first plunge 
into network television with alter- 
nate week half-hours on ABC-TV’s 
“Super Circus” starting in April. 
Dixie Cup replaces Mars Candy, 
which has shared half-hours on the 
show with Kellogg on an every- 
week basis for the past several 
years except for summer hiatuses. 
This time, however,* it appears that 
Mars is off for good, with budget- 
ary problems blamed. Candy out- 
fit, via Leo Burnett, recently 
bought into the “Buffalo Bill Jr.” 
vidpixer which it’s cosponsoring in 
about 100 markets on a spot-booked 
basis. 

Dixie sale leaves ABC-TV, with a 
half-hour every other week still to 
be sold. Deal for Dixie, which will 
peddle ice cream, was set via Hicks 
& Greist. 


Feel Sharp , Be Sharp , Don Sharpe 


Departure of Don Sharpe for 
England (along with Milton Gor- 
don, prexy of Television Programs 
of America) to negotiate for British 
vidpix distribution of the Ronald 
Colman-Benita Hume “Halls of 
Ivy” and “Lassie” series when the 
new commercial tv operation opens 
up this summer, has sparked a 
fresh outburst of activity pinpoint- j 
ing afresh Sharpe’s “one-man 
vidpix industry” status. 

Fractionally on a round-the- ! 
clock N.Y.-L.A. (and now overseas) 
schedule, the Sharpe treadmill (as 
of last weekend) encompassed 
among other things: 

1. Finalizing plans for the launch- 
| ing of a “safari” on March 27 
which will take a camera crew to 
1 South Africa for the filming of 


stock footage (both in 35m East- 
man color and black-and-white) for 
the new “Sheena” series which 
will carry the ABC Film Division 
distribution tag. This is the "female 
Tarzan” series which will star a 
newcomer, Irish MeCalla, in the 
title role (she’ll also join the 
“safari” for South African back- 
ground shooting). 

2. Negotiating a new deal where- 
by the “Rheingold Theatre” series 
goes to ABC Film Syndication, 
after kicking around from NBC 
Film Division to Interstate TV to 
Eliot Hyman’s Associated Artists 
Productions. 

3. Negotiating for the shooting 
of 34 more “Four Star Playhouse” 
films next season, with a fourlli- 
year-around status quo on sponsor- 
ship practica'ly assured. 

4. Huddling with Official Films 


on stepped-up “Star and the Story” 
activity, with the revelation that 
the series has hit the $1,300,000 
gross jackpot with a 65-market 
spread. 

5. Putting out the sponsor shin- 
gle on his Frank Leahy series (two 
films are in the can; the first 
already having received exposure 
on “Cavalcade of America”). 

6. Acquiring telefilm rights to 
(a) the ex-NBC radio series, “Mr. 
and Mrs. Blandings,” with author 
Eric Hodgins as chief scripter; (b) 
acquiring rights to the Carleton 
Morse “I Love a Mystery” radio 
show for telefilm production; (c) 
acquiring vidpix rights to the ex- 
CBS Radio entry, “Grand Central 
Station”; (d) initiating plans for a 
modernization of “Black Beauty” 
as an addition to the “animal king- 
dom” in the telefilm sweepstakes. 


‘Porgy’ TV Pickup 
Nixed by Equity 

A design to film a slice of 
“Porgy and Bess” in Europe for 
the CBS-TV “See It Now” fell 
apart last week when Actors 
Equity nixed the “no pay” project. 
The George Gershwin folk opera 

was to be filmed at La Scala in 
Milan at its preem Monday (21) as 
part of a tour under the State 
Dept. 

Equity took a vote oq the mat- 
ter after Blevins Davis and Robert 
Breen, producers of “Porgy ” had 
waived monetary rights. Union’s 
council voted down the proposal 
on the ground that the cast must 
be paid a week’s salary when a 
performance is televised (in the 
neighborhood of $11,000). It’s fig- 
ured that the rule might have been 
waived if “See It Now” were a 
sustainer (it’s sponsored by Alum- 
inum Co. of America). 

Ed Murrow and cameramen were 
poised to fly to Europe, having ob- 
tained clearance from the Gersh- 
win estate. 

It wasn’t only a question of pay- 
ing the cast — in itself a Setback for 
the already budget-loaded “See” 
show — but an agreement to do so 
would have set up immediate re- 
percussions. For instance, the Mi- 
lan Symphony Orchestra (batoned 
by Alexander Smallens), the stage- 
hands, etc., would not be expected 
to sit still while the singers were 
compensated, although it's known 
that these jurisdictions had waived 
monetary rights in favor of the 
Murrow film. Known also is that 
if a live show were involved, there 
would have been a waiver from 
AFTRA. 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


RADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


21 




'So Who Needs Boca?’ 


A few years back, when NBC was having troubles galore with 
its tv affiliates, there was nothing on the agenda that a Boca 
Raton, Fla., convention couldn’t resolve within the four-five-day 
span of the powwow-under-the-sun. But indicative of the “how 
times have changed” and the “who needs Boca?" sentiments pre- 
vailing at NBC was the meeting held last week among the tv 
web’s high command and key affiliate membership to set the 
groundwork for the annual meeting to be held in New York April 
21 - 22 . 

As a reflection of the harmonious relations now existing, the 
only “pressing” problems the boys could find to kick around were 
such matters as: “How will daylight saving affect the Steve 
Allen Tonight’ show?”; or “Can you persuade the network to 
speed up the accounting procedures?” 

True, the question of crystallizing the network’s daytime tv 
schedule came up again, but this was strictly a. hangover from 
previous years. Nobody was noisome about it. 

Some, in fact, were wondering why it was necessary to hold 
the April meet. 


Hi Ho Silvers 


‘Don’t Show Catsup Label, You Never Know Who 

Your Sponsor Will Be’ 

4 


Hazards of making a telefilm 
series more or less on spec by get- 
ting a flock of them in the can 
without any inkling as to who (or 
even if) your sponsor will be, are 
cited by comic Phil Silvers, who 
over the past few months has been 
doing five-days-a-week duty at the 
rented DuMont studios on East 
67th st.. New York, grinding out 
his new soldier-themed half-hour 
vidfilm series for CBS-TV. 

“You can’t, for example, just in- 
troduce any old song that comes to 
mind,” says Silvers. “That’s all 
right for a live show. But films 
are something else again, so it’s 
not just a one-shot song, and a 
whole thing develops in terms of 
ASCAP. 

“Then there’s the cigaret prob- 
lem. I generally smoke about two 
per 30-minute sequence. I like 
filters. So you gotta hide the fact 
that you’re smoking filters, because 
how to do you know who your spon- 
sor’s gonna be? It could be an 
anti-filter cigaret company. So you 
learn new ways how to smoke. 

“Then we come to a mess hall 
scene. You gotta have catsup. But 
watch out for the label. Your spon- 
sor might be a food company with 
a different brand of catsup. If you 
get caught that means reshooting 
and the costs go up.” 

But Silvers is sold on “going 
film.” Not just for residual poten- 
tials^ which he realizes can also be 
iffy. And not because it’s easier, 
for Silvers’ five-day spread over a 
single installment is just as strenu- 
ous a routine as playing it live. But 
the whole process of putting a show 
together on film fascinates him. 
That goes, too, for writer-producer- 
director Nat Hi ken, although it’s 
lliken’s belief that “you shouldn’t 
shoot >n the dark too long” and pile 
up too many segments without 
having some inkling of audience 
reaction as to where you’re going. 
“We’re too close to it to know,” 
says 1 liken. 

But CBS-TV is pretty confident 
It knows just where it's going. With 
(Continued on page 40) 


NBC Spot Sales 
In Exec Shuffle 

NBC spot sales has created two 
key executive posts under v. p. 
Thomas B. McFadden. John H. 
Reber is promoted to director of 
the tv end. He’s ex-national tv 
sales manager, a post that becomes 
vacant for the time being. H. W. 
(Hank) Shepard, manager of new 
business and promotion, is tapped 
as SS director on the radio side. 
His berth goes to Mort Gaffin, ad- 
promotion manager. It’s expected 
that Charles Denny, who’s to as- 
sume the overall reins of the web’s 
radio ramparts, will have other 
appointments to make in concert 
with McFadden. 

George Dietrich continues as na- 
tional radio manager of the divi- 
sion and Edwin T. Jameson, ex- 
eastern radio sales manager 
switches to same post in tv. 


Why Not? 

In view of the “richest man 
in television” status applied to 
Jackie Gleason in the wake of 
his $8,000,000-and-plus Buick 
sponsorship deal, Phil Silvers 
last week proposed to Gleason 
that the “Mr. Saturday Night” 
comic should personally spon- 
sor the upcoming Silvers se- 
ries on CBS as a means of 
siphoning off some of his 
heavy tax rap. 

‘Tve even got the commer- 
cial,” said Silvers. “It reads: 
’Gleason is good for you.’ ” 


Everybody’s on A 
TV Cartoon Kick, 
Thanks to Disney 

Sale of westerns and cartoons to 
local stations has shown a sharp 
upbeat over the past three weeks, 
ever since it was disclosed that 
Walt Disney is entering the day- 
time field with his upcoming 
“Mickey Mouse Club.” Apparently 
the feeling among non-ABC affili- 
ates is that they’d better start mak- 
ing plans early about how to com- 
pete for the kids audience once 
Disney gets going. 

In the cartoon field, the situation 
is especially interesting, coming at 
a time when the demand for car- 
toons would ordinarily be far out- 
weighed by supply. Acquisition by 
Guild Films last week of, 191 War- 
ner Bros, cartoons brings the total 
of new cartoons available to. tele- 
vision to nearly 600 over the past 
three months. This is more than 
enough to satisfy the requirements 
of most stations, which buy car- 
toons under library deals and in- 
sert them into existing kiddie 
shows. 

Nonetheless, Guild reports lots 
of interest in the cartoon package, 
and can only attribute it to the 
possibility that stations are plan- 
ning an expansion of their car- 
toon shows, presumably to buck 
the Disney segment. Similarly, CBS 
Television Film Sales reports a 
sharp upbeat in interest In the 
firm’s western library, one of the 
biggest. It’s assumed here also 
that other stations will take an op- 
posite tack, slotting westerns and 
adventure shows against Disney in 
a bid to keep the moppet audience. 


Classy Corn Coin 

Corn Products’ buy of a quarter- 
hour segment of Arthur Godfrey’s 
morning show on CBS radio and tv 
puts it back on full network AM 
for the first time in a dozen years. 
(“Stage Door Canteen” was the 
sponsor’s last “shoot the works" 
spread.) Outfit also goes Godfrey 
every-fourth-Friday on radio only 
for Its Mazola. 

CP picked up “Sunshine Sue” 
on the aural web a couple of years 
ago. but this w as a 78 station re- 
gional deal. 


DENNY TO HEAD ' ' 
AM OPERATION? 

By GEORGE ROSEN 

Resignation of William H. Fine- 
shriber, Jr., as veepee in charge 
of the NBC Radio network, effec- 
tive March 1 (following by a week 
the administrative overhauling of 
the video operation in which Tom 
McAvity assumed the status of v.p. 
in charge of NBC-TV), stems pri- 
marily from conflicts on basic pol- 
icy matters shared by the outgoing 
executive and prexy Pat Weaver. 

Those close to the scene say it 
had been coming for some time 
and thus it wasn’t too surprising 
when exec veepee Robert W. Sar- 
noff went on a closed-circuit last 
Thursday to inform the radio af- 
filiates that Fineshriber had re- 
signed for personal reasons and 
that henceforth he (Sarnoff) would 
assume active command of the AM 
network. 

Actually Sarnoff’s doubling in 
brass will be on a pro tern basis 
only (in view of the pressures of 
his own administrative functions), 
with everything pointing to the 
fact that Charles R. Denny will 
move back into the radio fold (over 
which he previously presided be- 
fore taking command of the NBC 
owned & operated setup). 

It was Denny who recently pro- 
jected to the Weaver-Sarnoff com- 
mand the proposal for a radical 
change in weekend programming 
which the network is about to 
launch, and it’s understood that 
Fineshribcr’s opposition to the 
plan was a major factor in widen- 
ing the policy breach which culmi- 
nated in the announcement of his 
resignation. 

'Operation Redesign* 

In his closed-circuit talk to the 
affiliates, Sarnoff apprised them 
of the full-speed-ahead on what 
he described as NBC Radio’s 
“Operation Redesign.” The Denny- 
conceived weekend programming 
plan, it’s reported, will be the ini- 
tial step toward its implementation. 
This, in effect, will involve tossing 
off the present Saturday-Sunday 
program schedules and installing 
a 48-hour weekend show to attract 
sponsors on a participating basis. 
In some respects it will be an ex- 
tension of the radio network’s pres- 
ent Sunday afternoon “Weekend” 
show, with its variegated program 
components (news, music, weather, 
etc.). Whether or not the few Sat- 
urday-Sunday commercial segments 
that now exist will be tossed off 
with the others to permit for the 
full 48-hour continuity in program- 
ming or be integrated into the new 
scheme remains a question mark. 

Also a question mark is how the 
affiliates will respond to the new 
weekend idea, and it’s understood 
that this was one of the areas of 
conflicting viewpoint in the deci- 
sion of Fineshriber and his bosses 
to call it quits. 

Fineshriber to Caribbean 

Fineshriber joined NBC in 
March, 1953, as veepee and gen- 
eral manager of the radio-tv net- 
works, moving over from Mutual 
with his ex-associate Frank White, 
the former NBC (and Mutual) pres- 
ident. He became head of the radio 
(Continued on page 40) 


‘MODERN ROMANCES’ 

IN ABC RADIO EXIT 

“Modern Romances” ends a skein 
of a couple of years on ABC Radio 
this week. With Junket having can- 
celled out on its three-a-week 
sponsorship of the soaper, the net- 
work is dropping the Stark-Layton 
package, which was one of the first 
of the “completed story” category. 

Moving in as a replacement is 
“Companion,” another dramatic 
segment based on marriage coun- 
selling case histories from the 
Woman’s Home Companion, which 
moves down from 11:15 a m. Go- 
ing into the 11:15 slot is a new- 
comer, “Paging the New," a dra- 
matic series produced in conjunc- 
tion with the National Book Coun- 
cil featuring dramatizations of 
bestsellers plus interviews with 
editors of women’s magazines. 


Matusow Recant Cueing 'Reevaluation 
Of Blacklisting by Ad Agencies? 


4 

Valiant Boy 

When Jim Kirkwood Jr., 
who plays the juve lead on 
CBS-TV’s “Valiant Lady” 
soaper, showed up for work 
Monday (21) he was suffering 
from a bad case of laryngitis 
and found he couldn’t talk. 
There was only two hours to • 
noon, playing time for the 
show, which presented some- 
thing of a dilemma. 

Out of a huddle came the 
solution: Kirkwood went 

through T.all_ the motions; an 
off-camera mike picked up the 
voice of a stand-in, while 
Kirkwood synced the lip move- 
ments. It came off okay. 

Everything’s Up 
In the Air About 
‘NorbyV Future 

Hen 's the status of the Eastman 
Kodak sponsored “Norby” series, as 
result of some weekend huddling 
by the major factotums concerned: 

Shooting of the tinted vidfilm 
series has already been halted and j 
it’s fairly certain that they won’t ; 
be resumed. There are 13 half- 1 
hour segments now in the can, to 
be played out, but what happens 
after that is anybody’s guess. With 
Fred Coe hired in an advisory ca- 
pacity and David Swift dropped as 
producer of the series (giving him j 
a percent ownership stake in the 
package and nothing more), the 
task of trying to come up in the 
interim weeks with a suitable live 
format is being entrusted to Coe. 

If the live entry meets with 
everybody’s satisfaction (star David 
Wayne, it’s been indicated, won’t 
continue unless the script meets 
with his approval), Eastman Kodak 
will continue to ride along with the 
show. Otherwise, the client will 
scram out of the picture alto- 
gether. 

The 7 o’clock Wednesday time 
still poses a major hurdle. If the 
shows goes live, EK will undoubt- 
edly press for a better period capa- 
ble of delivering a rating, so as rot 
to dissipate such a costly show in 
fringe time. 

‘Girls In Greasepaint’ 

Pitched to PM, P&G 
As ‘Lucy’ Summer Sub ; 

Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz are i 
now keeping watch over their sum- j 
mer replacement time, as are 
Jackie Gleason, Sid Caesar, et al. 
Desilu Productions, the filming 
outfit of the “I Love Lucy” setup 
has signed Rose Marie for a filmed 
series “Girls in Greasepaint,” a 
musical with a backstage locale. 

Last summer, CBS-TV departed 
from the usual procedure of ex- 
hibiting “I Love Lucy” reruns and 
slotted “Public Defender” in that 
slot. This year "Lucy” sponsors 
Philip Morris and Procter & Gam- I 
ble are being pitched up the Rose 
Marie series as the hot weather 
filler. 

“Lucy” reruns will still be on 
the summer spectrum, but in a 
Sunday afternoon slot starting in 
April. 


Stewart’s GE Stint 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

James Stewart, now touring the 
Orient, will make his dramatic tv- 
bow in one of the “General Elec- ! 
trie Theatre” series, tagged "The 
Windmill,” scripted by Borden 
Chase. Filming is due to start 
around March 1. 

Ethel Barrymore also is skedded 
for same program, in “Prosper’s ; 
Old Mother.” 


Testimony on blacklisting last 
week by former Communist-turned- 
informer - turned - recanter Harvey 
Matusow, along with the turnabout 
parlay in Washington in the Ed- 
ward Lamb hearings, may usher 
in a reevaluation of the entire 
blacklisting and subversion phi- 
losophy in the radio-tv industry. 

If blacklisting is abolished or cur- 
tailed. it’ll be done in the name 
of good public relations, just as 
it was initiated for that reason. 

The Matusow testimony, in 
which he claimed he gave false 
blacklist information to BBD&O 
and Lennen & Newell, has kicked 
off general speculation about the 
reliability of the information on 
which the blacklists are based. If 
Matusow is typical of the sources 
of blacklist Information, then the 
agencies are going to start a hur- 
ry-up check on their lists of in- 
formers. Backing this up is the 
realization of the general unre- 
liability of Communists-turned-in- 
formers as spotlighted by the re- 
traction of testimony against Lamb 
by two witnesses in the current 
FCC hearings. 

Matusow said that in 1952, while 
working for Counterattack, he was 
paid $150 by Lennen & Newell to 
make up a blacklist. He was called 
in by the agency, he said, in con- 
nection with “Schlitz Playhouse of 
Stars,” after a Syracuse supermar- 
ket operator and parttime blacklist 
publisher objected to the then pro- 
ducer on the show. Also, he said, 
he helped work up a blacklist for 
BBD&O. Persons he named on the 
list, he said hast week, weren’t to 
his knowledge Reds or Red-con- 
nected, and many of them were 
not even known to him. 

His testimony in N. Y. federal 
court brought general denials by 
the agencies involved. Lennen Sc 
Newell claimed that Matusow 
hadn’t been paid for a blacklist but 
for three years of back issues of 
Counterattack purchased from Ma- 
tusow. BBD&O issued an outright 
denial, claiming its one and only 
contact with Matusow came in con- 
nection with Sam Levenson, whom 
Matusow had accused in the N. Y. 
Journal-American of belonging to 
a Communist booking and enter- 
tainment agency. "We felt the per- 
former was a perfectly good Amer- 
ican,” BBD&O said, “and called 
the Journal-Ame.ican to correct 
this false accusation. Under their 
prodding, Matusow came to our • 
office and gave us a written re- 
traction admitting his accusation 
as false. We had no further dealing 
with him.” 

Additionally, Matusow testified 
he had faLsely accused director 
Sidney Lumet and later written 
(Continued on page 40) 


Nabisco Iffy On 
TV Halls of Ivy’ 

Disposition of the "Halls of Ivy” 
vidfilm entry on CBS-TV will prob- 
ably be resolved on March 1, which 
is option time on the two-way 
sponsorship renewal or cancella- 
tion. Tab for the 8:30 to 9 (opposite 
Milton Berle) series is being shared 
by International Harvester and Na- 
tional Biscuit Co., with indications 
that the latter will drop out of the 
picture. 

If International Harvester re- 
news, there’s still the problem of 
(1) finding another client; (2) try- 
ing to negotiate with CBS for a 
switchover to another time period, 
in view of the present unhappiness 
over the current slot, where the 
show’s ratings have fluctuated from 
a low of 12 up to 22. Ronald Col- 
man himself has indicated that he’s 
willing to continue with the series. 

Problem looms, too, of finding 
a “compatible” sponsorship au- 
spices, since it’s felt that Interna- 
tional Harvester is more interested 
in reaching a clientele in the “over 
35” age bracket, with Nabisco 
shooting for the “under 35” audi- 
ence. 



22 


RADIO - V I DEO - TV FILMS 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


NBC, CBS Radio Affils to Mutual; 

Gives Em More of Indie Status 


There’s been some fresh activity 
on the Mutual network affiliate 
front. That web list week joi.ied 
NBC in a dual affiliation at 5.000 
waiter VVORZ in Orlando. Fia. 
Consummated this week was an- 
other dual affiliation for Mutual at 
KKYS, Corpus Christi, previous. v 
a CBS basic. It’s said other such , 
moves are in the wind for Mu. cal. I 

It’s been learned that when 
WOilZ prexy Naomi Murrell 
pledged part of her time lo T'u- 
tuai, she decided to bre: k her 
NBC affiliation which has approxi- 
mately another six months to run. 
However, the net refused to tv low 
the break until the legal termina- 
tion dale. One NBC spokesman de- 
nied knowledge of this. 

KEYS, a 1,000 waiter days and 
500 \v r t !. at H"ht. be'*anr' ‘ 10 
new' CBS-MBS dual affiliate in 
about three years and the th rd .n 
history. VVORZ, on the o her hand, 
has been an NBC affi’iate since 
its start eight years ago. 

A novel situation has evolved 
jonce tiie announcement of the 
VVORZ dual affiliation. It’s been 
verified that the greatest vat age 
radio outlet in the market. ABC 
at’fil WIIOO pitched for the MBS 
tie. but by the time it came the 
WORZ deal was firmed. 

Speculation cantering about the 
moves is interesting. Though it is 
too early to actually tell, some 
tradesmans are associating the two 
new additions to the Mutual lie d 
with the trend by radio indies to- 
ward strictly local programm ng in 
order to absolve themselves of 
heavy network demands on their 
time. 

Mutual has fewer daytime pro- 
grams, for example, than CBS or 
NBC. The siat ons, it’s o’.verved. 
want as much time as possible to 
sell locally at full rates. According 
to these sources, the indie radio 
operator’s chief interest in a net- 
work pact these days is for spe- 
cial events programming mat'onal 
or international in scope), but not 
for revenue. So since Mutual makes 
limited demands on affil time 
while doing a fair amount of spe- 
cial events stuff, it’s felt in cevii’.n 
quarters, that a move into the 
MBS lineup is only logical. 


NBC Hits Back In 
New Haven Claims 


New Haven’s WNHC-TV— Con- 
necticut’s sole V station — which 
last week attacked NBC’s pur- 
chase of WKNB-TV, UHF’er in 
New Britain, as “a nak 'd c-"e of 
trafficking in permits,” was an- 
swered by the network and local 
principals this week in a brief filed 
With the FCC. 

The web and majority stock- 
holders of the New Britain opera 
tion charged WNHC with ‘‘delay- 
ing tactics” in preventing NBC's 
acquisition, that its objective was 
to perpetuate ‘‘its present VHP 
monopoly, frustrate development of 
competition and delay expansion 
and development of UHF in the 
Connecticut Valley region.” It 
accused the petitioner of “bad 
faith” and of making “reckless 
charges.” 

NBC said the New Haven sta- 
tion failed to show “direct and sub- 
stantial iniury in the allegation on 
information and belief that 
that WNHC-TV will not receive a 
renewal of its NBC basic affiliation 
agreement upon its expiration eight 
months hence. Certainly WNHC- 
TV is not claiming here a right to 

(Continued on page 40> 


TV, Great Leveler 

Mayor Robert Wagner of 
New York (Dem.) and former 
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey (Rep.) 
are bitter political and per- 
sonal enemies. They were un- 
til last week, when protocol 
dictated a publicly acclaimed 
affection. 

The mayor and the former 
Presidential candidate shook 
hands at the “Junior League 
Mardi Gras Ball,” seen last 
week over Gotham’s WCBS-TV 
and produced by CBS-TV, 
w hich latter is an old hand at 
“kiss and make up" devices for 
international rivals stemming 
from its ex-"United Nations 
in Action.” 


Writers Guild 
Set for Major 
TV-Sponsor Test 

| The radio and television nets, 
sponsors, agencies and packagers 
will undergo their first major ne- 
! gotiations with the new Writers 
Guild of America within the next 
two or three weeks. WGA East is 
ready to serve notice on scribbler 
employers now, after a huddle of 
-membership last week in N. Y. 
WGA West holds a similar pow- 
wow in California today (Wed.) to 
i draw up demands for tv. Coast 
i membership will meet again short- 
ly to similarly o o. the radio writ- 
ing scene. • 

Demands will cover all freelance 
radio and tv. (The now defunct 
: Television Writers of America held 
' sway jurisdictionally among free- 
lance video writers before writers 
merged into WGA.) The forthcom- 
ing negotiations shape as the larg- 
| est in unionized scribbler history. 
WGA, having spent the last few 
months in organizing, took its time 
reaching the present stage. 

A spokesman for WGA East dis- 
closes that the union constitution 
provides that contracts national in 
scope, as will be the forthcoming 
ones, must go through “concurrent 
stages of approval” on both Coasts, 
meaning plans for negotiations with 
employers must first go through 
the hands of the two exec boards, 
the radio and tv councils on both 
Coasts and the entire membership 
body, now totalling in excess of 
1.600. WGA West exec director 
Frances Inglis was in N. Y. last 
week to aid in integrating steps by 
both sections of WGA, 

WGA East would not disclose the 
nature of its demands against em- 
ployers at this time for fear of 
showing its hand too far in advance 
to do anything other than give 
webs, sponsors, etc., a strategic ad- 
vantage. 


Starbuck to Coca Show 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 
James Starbuck has been inked 
to take over choreographer chores 
on the Imogene Coca show and 
leaves for New York immediately. 

§tafbuck. who staged the chore- 
ography on “Show of Shows” last 
year, just completed same assign- 
ment on Paramount’s "The Court 
Jester.” 


Official Sets Station Deals On 

Juliet’ as 1st Telepix Soaper 


Red Barber Plays The 
Field; CBS Pact Meant 
Bypassing Lotsa Loot 

Red Barber, no longer deskbound 
now that he’s ankled CBS as sports 
counselor, will try to rake in the 
dough in his newly won freelance 
Fia: us. It’s known that Barber 
was thrown for a loss of about $40,- 
000 when the web refused to clear 
him for a stint in behalf of Texaco 
on NBC-TV’s Donald O’Connor 
show. Since this wasn’t for a sports 
assignment but for straight com- 
mercials, he felt, it’s understood, 
that the “conflict” was academic 
under his exclusive CBS pact. Last 
season he performed the Camel 
plugs on his pre-and-poslgan\e Yan- 
kee telecasts, with the filmed com- 
mercials used later on another net- 
work without drawing a squawk 
from Columbia. 

As a free agent, Barber figures 
he can latch on to non-sports berths 
as well as his specialty. Latter in- 
cludes the fore and aft segments of 
the Yankee games and the current 
“Red Barber's Corner” on the web 
seguing from the Pabst Wednesday 
fightcasts. Barber, who leaves for 
the ballclub's spring training camp 
in St. Petersburg next week, will 
fly back for the “Corner” show. Be- 
tween now and start of the pennant 
race he’ll do a little work on his 
autobiog. 

The sportscaster is busy promo- 
tionallv, too. with a Red Barber 
Award established that goes annu- 
ally to a U. of Florida student 
broadcaster selected for industry, 
improvement, initiative and integ- 
rity. Barber himself was a stude- 
caster at WRUF, the U.'s station at 
Gainesville, 25 years ago. Winner 
will get $100 and a sterling silver 
Paul Revere bowl engraved with 
his name. 


Cincy Symph’s Spot 

Cincinnati, Feb. 22. 

One of the biggest orches- 
tras ever set to perform on a 
singing commercial has been 
set for a one-minute spot 
which will be distributed to 
stations here. It’s the 87-piece 
Cincinnati Symphony Orch, 
which will do a one-minute 
spot being prepared by 
WKRC vocalist Barbara Cam- 
eron, who does a prolific 
jingles business on the side. 

Best part of the entire deal is 
that the Symph is donating its 
services. Commercial is being 
made and aired in behalf of 
the Cincinnati Fine Arts 
Drive, which raises money for 
such institutions as the Art 
Museum, the Summer Opera 
and the Symphony. 


Storer’s Miami 
Story’ on Agenda 
For FCC Hearing 


Amy Vanderbilt In 

New Round of Briefies 

Etiquet expert Amy Vanderbilt 
planes to Chicago March 9 to be- 
gin production of another series of 
five-minute telepix on etiquet for 
American Bakeries, which spon- 
sored her last 39 on a three-a-week 
basis over the past year in 18 mar- 
kets. Films are being produced by 
Walter Colmes’ Emerson Films un- 
der a deal with Jules Alberti, En- 
dorsements Inc. prexy, who repre- 
sents Miss Vanderbilt. 

American Greetings Corp., for 
whom Miss Vanderbilt did a series 
of spots last year, has also picked 
up her option for another series 
to be shot in New York in April. 
In addition, she’s taping a five- 
minute radio series for American 
Bakeries. 


Washington, Feb. 22. 

Federal Communications Commis 
sion will hear oral arguments next 
Monday (28) on questions raised 
regarding transactions by which 
Storer Broadcasting Co. obtained 
an NBC affiliation for its WGBS- 
TV ultra high station, in Miami, 
Fla. The proceedings will be held 
before the full Commission which 
will issue a final decision imme- 
diately afterwards. 

Agency ordered the “expedited” 
hearing on allegations by radio 
station WINZ, which holds a UHF 
permit in Miami, that Storer’s 
acquisitions of two stations in 
southern Florida resulted in de- 
priving Ft. Lauderdale of a second 
local station, the assets of which, 
including the NBC affiliation, 
were bought by Storer. 

The Commission will also inquire 
into possible monopoly questions 
raised in permitting Storer to have 
seven tv stations, in view of the 
company’s large radio holdings 
and its newspaper interests in 
Miami. 

In ordering the hearing, the 
Commission rejected charges by 
WINZ that the Storer purchase of 
the assets of WFTL-TV in Ft. Lau- 
derdale and the construction per- 
mit of WMIE-TV in Miami consti- 
tuted “trafficking in broadcast au- 
thorizations and network affilia- 
tions.” The agency also refused to 
accept as an issue for inquiry an 
allegation that Storer is planning 
to convert all receivers in the area 
to tune in only one UHF station, 
WGBS-TV. 

WINZ has contended that Storer 
paid $300,000 for the assets of 
(Continued on page 40) 


♦ Official Films looks a sure bet lo 
he first in the filmed soapopera 
field. Official this week picked up 
its options on Charles Irving’s “The 
Heart of Juliet Jones” soaper, and 
plans to start production on 26 or 
39 weeks of five quarter-hours each 
in May in New York, probably at 
the Parsonnet Studios where the 
pilot was shot last summer. Irving 
will produce the series, which will 
go into immeditate delivery as fast 
as it’s shot. 

Official had the property under a 
two-month option, granted by Irv- 
ing and the William Morris office, 
while it peddled the package on a 
conditional basis. It’s now in the 
process of wrapping up the condi- 
tional deals, changing them to per- 
manent contracts. Feeling of Offi- 
cial .while it was peddling the soaps 
was that if it could sell conditional 
contracts amounting to 40% of the 
production cost < believed some- 
where about $17,000), it would sign 
the show. While it didn’t succeed 
in wrapping up that much biz, sta- 
tion reaction was healthy enough 
to make Official believe there’s a 
strong market for the soaps. 

Already set are KSD-TV in St. 
Loufc and WFAA-TV in Dallas, 
with conditional deals still to be 
finalized with KDKA-TV in Pitts- 
burgh and WSPD-TV to Toledo, 
among others. Official’s charging 
the highest half-hour Class A rate 
in the market as the package price 
in each situation for the five quar- 
ter-hours. In other w’ords, a sta- 
tion would get five quarter-hours 
at a price equivalent to the high- 
est half-hour Class A rate of his 
own station or his competitor’s, 
whichever is higher. 

Pilot strip of the series, which is 
based on a King Features comic 
strip, was filmed last summer by 
Irving, who owns the property, with 
financing from Motion Pictures for 
Television. MPTV released the 
show’ after feeling out stations, with 
the condition that it would get its 
coin back as soon as Irving sold 
it. Official will finance the new 
series. Deal makes Official first 
in the soap field in film, although 
other firms have been feeling their 
wav about. Television Programs of 
America has the Bernard Prockter 
pilot strip of “Family Next Door,’* 
while ABC Film Syndication has 
pacted with Trans-America’s John 
Clark for a pilot strip based on 
“Life Can Be Beautiful.” Neither 
is going into actual production on 
a w eek by-week basis, however. 


Closed -Circuit’s 6 Open Sesame 9 


‘Johns Honhins Review’ 

As ABC-TV Kid Show 

It’s virtually set Tor “Johns Hop- 
kins Science Review,” which has 
been dropped by DuMont, to switch 
to ABC-TV under a now format and 
title stressing the attractions of a 
science career for youngsters. ABC 
news veep John Daly and Johns 
Hopkins television chief Lynn j 
Poole meet today (Wed.) to wrap 
up the final details, including a 
starling date in mid-March. Show 
would go into the Saturday-at 7 po- 
sition. 

Program w ill originate over | 
nAA.M-TV in Baltimore. 


This is closed-circuit video’s 
“open sesame” year. Activity in 
the medium, which has been bat- 
tling to get off the ground for the 
pact six years, is just beginning to 
reach the payoff stage for the en- 
trepreneurs in the field. Started 
as medium for the presentation of 
hoxoffice events to theatres, it saw 
its emphasis shifted to business 
meetings and the use of hotels and 
auditoriums. 

Closed-circuit sessions are no 
longer a novelty. They have been 
employed by the nation's top busi- 
ness firms, ineluding General 
Motors. Ford, Dodge, Chrysler, Na- 
tional Dairy Products, and other 
companies which rate a listing in 
any directory of "Who’s Who in 
American Business.” 

Use of closed-circuit by Presi- 
dent Eisenhower to address meet- 
ings in various parts of the coun- 
try has proved a potent hypo for 
the medium. It has served to con- 
vince officials setting up various 
confabs that closed-circuit can be 
put to use to corral busy Govern- 
ment officials and business lead- 
ers to make "appearances” at 
these sessions. 

Nate Halpern’s Theatre Network 


Television and Bill Rosensohn’s 
Box Office Television, the two es- 
tablished closed-circuit companies, 
are more active than ever. Two 
weeks ago TNT presented a 
"Videclinic,” at which some 20.- 
000 doctors gathered at hotels and 
auditoriums to hear new develop- 
ments in the treatment of heart 
disease. President Eisenhower de- 
livered the opening address. Ses- 
sion was sponsored by Smith. Kline 
& French Lab in cooperation with 
the American Medical Assn. 

On Feb. 11 TNT produced 
the first closed-circuit employee- 
employer relations meeting. Some 
11.000 hotel employees in the N.Y. 
area gathered at four hotels to 
witness ceremonies attendant to 
the distribution of pension pay- 
ments. Meeting, including enter- 
tainment (Tex. & Jinx, Line Ren- 
aud, Maureen Cannon), originated 
from the Waldorf-Astoria and was 
piped to the grand ballrooms of 
the Statler, Henry Hudson, and 
Sheraton Astor Hotels. Marc Dan- 
iels directed. 

During the last month, BOTV 
staged closed-circuit meetings for 
the Humble Oil Co. of Texas, the 
Farm Bureau Insurance Co., and 


the Tide Water Oil Co. Last 
Tues. (15) it supervised a manage- 
ment-labor confab in Chicago for 
the American Management Assn, 
and tomorrow (Thurs.) it will pre- 
sent a medical symposium for 
Wyeth Laboratories. 

That the potential of the medium 
is being watched carefully is point- 
ed up by the entrance of new firms 
into the field. National Closed Cir- 
cuit System Inc. was established 
by Allan D. R. Stern, a former 
Dumont staffer. Stern’s firm will 
act as authorized sales representa- 
tive for Dumont's closed-circuit. 
Recently ABC set up a full closed- 
circut department under the di- 
rection of William Balaban. Wells 
TV, outfit which furnishes hotels 
with home tv sets on a rental basis, 
has organized a closed-circuit affil- 
iate, known as Wells Closed Cir- 
cuit Network Inc. 

. Another recent newcomer to the 
field is Telecom Systems, headed 
by Irving Suls, former closed-cir- 
cuit specialist of ABC-Paramount 
Theatres. Telcom staged its first 
event last week, handling a closed- 
circuit telecast beamed to 34 
hotels for the Amerit_n Heritage 
Foundation. 


Wick Flickers On 
Own Distrib Setup 

Charles Wick is reportedly con- 
sidering giving up the ghost on his 
Telefilm Enterprises' distribution 
business. Wick last week screened 
his only property, “Inspector Fa- 
bian of Scotland Yard.” for a cou- 
ple of major distributors toward 
working out a deal whereby one 
of them would take over distribu- 
tion of the series, thereby enabling 
him to get his coin out and wind 
up his own distribution setup. 

Wick’s had “Fabian” for over a 
year (he’s got a financial stake jn 
the series as well as distribution 
right*) but has been unable to 
move the property to any great ex- 
tent, despite some excellent pub- 
licity breaks in the U. S. and Can- 
ada on Robert Fabian, the title 
character of the series. Wick 
landed two regionals on the show, 
one on the Coast with KTTV in 
Los Angeles and its regional setup, 
another with Molson’s Brewery 
(Canadian) for a number of key 
northern U. S. markets. His dis- 
tribution setup has undergone per- 
sonnel changes, with Bud Austin 
having left a couple of months ago 
as v.p. in charge of sales, to be 
succeeded by John Alicoate. 


■Lower-Case ‘Patterns’ 

“U. S. Steel Hour’s” March 1 
ABC-TV outing, “Man in a Corner,” 
promises to be a lower-case version 
of the now-celebrated “Patterns.” 
Ernest Pendrell teleplay, which will 
star Jack Carson and Ernest Truex, 
is a drama about an assistant fac- 
tory foreman’s conflict with his 
boss. 

’ Patterns” dealt with the same 
topic, but on an executive level. 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


RADIO -VIDEO -TV FILMS 


23 


A HOUSE (& SENATE) DIVIDED 


♦ 


♦ 


Rating the Rating Services 

Latest detailed study on the relative merits of the rating serv- 
ices came out of Philadelphia, a wrapup by U. of Pennsylvania 
masters degree candidate Edwin F. Lefkowith under a grant from 
WFIL-TV there. Lefkowith’s study, titled ‘‘A Brief Discussion of 
Radio-Television Rating Methods,” doesn’t come to any con- 
structive conclusions on how rating services can be bettered or 
how the whole overall problem of the evils of the system can be 
solved, but it does make some telling comparisons of the various 
methods used. 

Lefkowith uses as his approach some 25 points which represent 
the ideal attributes of a rating method, among which are such 
items as speediness, low cost, representative sample, adequate 
sample size, standardization of approach and questions, non-elfect 
of changing conditions on the sample, orientation of respondent, 
human factor of mistakes and misunderstandings not being a key, 
surveying of foreign-language groups, proper handling of "not-at- 
hopaes,” “no-answers,” busy signals and party lines, memory not 
being a factor, measurement of “conscious listening,” measure- 
ment of all sets in the home, measurement of out-of-home listen- 
ing, ability to obtain complete information and supplementary 
info, etc. 

He then breaks down the methods into six categories, the recall 
telephone;, coincidental telephone, recorder, roster personal, short- 
term diary, and long term diary, and goes into a detailed discussion 
on how each method fulfills each of the 25 desirable attributes. 
Wrapup is a chart in which each method is rated by a numerical 
assignment corresponding to the manner in which each method 
fulfills the attribute. 

While Lefkowith admonishes his readers not to make an over- 
all conclusion on the basis of the chart, since the 25 attributes 
vary in importance and the assignment of a numerical value 
is in many cases arbitrary, a glance at the chart shows the recorder 
method (Nielsen) to come out on top on an overall basis. Next 
best are the diaries and the roster, with the telephone methods 
last. Phones show up best in terms of speed, cost, standard ap- 
proach, but are poor in terms of representative sample, adequate 
sample, orientation of respondent and evaluation of the trust- 
worthiness of respondent, human factors, memory, etc. Nielsen’s 
show up best on representative sample, standardized approach, 
human factor, memory not being a factor, measurements of all 
breakdowns, while its disadvantages are lack of speed, high cost, 
refusal rate, non-measurement of conscious listening, non-measure- 
ment of out-of-home listening and inability to secure supplement- 
ary information. 


Bob Hope on Layoff: ‘Who, Me?’ 


Not a Question of Money, Just Won’t Be 

Happy Without TV 

4 


Minneapolis, Feb. 22. 

It's not a matter of money be- 
cause, of course, the Government 
takes most of his earnings for 
taxes and the recent $3,300,000 in 
cash which he received for his oil 
will holdings and not inconsidera- 
able other accumulated wealth 
make it unlikely he and his fam- 
ily will go hungry. But Bob Hope 
has changed his mind, and will not 
lay ofT tv after present commit- 
ments’ fulfillment, as recently an- 
nounced. 

Realization that he can’t be really 
happy unless he’s toiling strenu- 
ously, his health’s good shape and 
medical opinion that it's unneces- 
sary and even inadvisable for him 
to change his working habits are 
the reasons for the decision’s re- 
versal, Hope explains. 

“I apparently wasn’t born to take 
life easy,” says the comedian. “I 
really enjoy the kind of work I’m 
(Continued on page 40) 

NBC-TV Dropping 
Studebaker in Chi 

Chicago, Feb. 22. 

According to present plans, NBC- 
TV will relinquish its lease of the 
Studebaker Theatre and will con- 
fine its production activities to the 
Merchandise Mart headquarters. 
Dropping of the Michigan Ave. 
theatre, which it has been renting 
since 1950, would seem to preclude 
any major upbeat in Chi network 
tv production for the web in the 
foreseeable future. 

For the most part, the Stude- 
baker was used for network shows 
with the WNBQ localers coming 
from the Mart. Currently the sole 
occupant is the “Hawkins Falls” 
serial which will be moved back 
to the homebase. Exiting of 
Studebaker will leave the Chi plant 
without an audience studio of any 
size for the berthing of such in- 
frequent visitors as the recent 
Ralph Edwards “This Is Your 
Life” and an occasional “Comedy 
Hour.” 


Home’s $5,000,000 

NBC-TV’s “Home” show 
will rack ^up its first anni 
March 1 with the assurance 
that the 1955 billings will 
reach $5,000,000. The figures 
are projected through the 
year’s end on the basis of the 
current list of 34 shareholders 
plus those latching on as the 
year progresses. 

For the 10 months last year, 
the take was $3,050,000. 

Knight’s Editor 
Throws Right At 
TV Midsection 

Chicago, Feb. 22. 
An insight into the soulsearch- 
ing that’s going on in the more 
alert newspaper front offices 
around the country regarding the 
dailies’ stake in the television era 
was tossed out last week by Basil 
Walters, exec editor of the John S. 
Knight newspapers. Major portion 
of Walters’ speech at the Inland 
Daily Press convention was devoted 
to tv which he described as a 
“challenge, a peril and an oppor- 
tunity.” 

Knight exec tossed a couple of 
punches at tv’s midsection, argu- 
ing that video can excite interest 
in news but it can’t fully satisfy 
that interest. He charged that be- 
cause the medium operates under 
federal license “it must always be 
more or less subservient, con- 
sciously or unconsciously, to the 
politicians.” He pointed out that 
newspapers, on the other hand, are 
protected by the constitution 
from government and political in- 
terference. 

Also Walters challenged tv’s 
practice of selling its new r s cov- 
erage direct to advertisers. While 
making no direct allegation that 
such a setup leads to bankroller 

(Continued on page 26) 



By JACK LEVY 

Washington, Feb. 22. 


Differences among the member- 
ship of the Senate Interstate Com- 
merce Committee as to whether 
legislation is needed to regulate 
the networks appear to have de- 
veloped with the issuance of the 
report by former FCC Comr. Rob- 
ert Jones on the Committee’s in- 
quiry into the UHF problem. 

In connection with the release 
of the report last week. Sen. John 
W. Bricker (R-O.), former chair- 
man of the Committee and now its 
ranking Republican member, made 
it clear he thinks legislation is nec- 
essary to bring about “a truly com- 
petitive tv system” in the United 
States. Bricker has introduced a 
bill to place networks under direct 
FCC regulation. His measure set 
off the current probe. 

The previous report by Harry 
Plotkin declared that the FCC al- 
ready has the power to regulate 
the networks. Bricker said he 
doesn’t agree. Actually, Bricker 
went beyond the Jones report, 
which found that there is not suf- 
ficient information available as yet 
to justify bringing the nets under 
FCC regulation. However, Jones 
saw justification for further study 
of the proposal. 

While no disagreement with 
Bricker’s views have been ex- 
pressed by other members of the 
Committee, it’s believed that many 


Even Prexies Are Typed 

Frank Stanton, CBS prexy, 
went on a closed-circuit for a 
second time in as many weeks 
last Friday immediately after 
publication of the Jones re- 
port, to alert the affiliates to 
the “our-whole-future-is-at- 
stake” import of the networks 
and affils fighting the DC. 
currents. 

Not until he finished did he 
realize the ironic twist: He was 
talking from the studio that’s 
the originating point of 
“Search For Tomorrow.” 


of the Democrats w'ould be inclined 
to go along w'ith Plotkin. who was 
appointed minority counsel before 
the change in party control of Con- 
gress. Jones was appointed by 
Bricker. It’s recalled that in trans- 
mitting the Plotkin report to the 
Committee, Chairman Warren 
Magnuson (D-Wash.) commended 
it as “an excellent basis” for the 
forthcoming hearings. 

On the other hand, Bricker 
praised the Jones report as “a 
penetrating analysis” of tv prob- 
lems and delivered something of a 
slap at the Plotkin report by say- 
ing that Jones did not attempt “to 
project unwarranted recommenda- 
tions” from the “incomplete” in- 
formation presently available. 

Conflicting Views 

The Plotkin report contained 
| specific recommendations for deal- 
ing with the UHF problem. Jones’ 
report was devoted largely to find- 
ings, but carried some recommend- 
ations for industry action and for 
gathering additional data needed 
for continuing the inquiry. 

On the basis of Jones’ findings. 
Bricker said that it appeared that 
the networks, rather than the FCC, 
control the number of tv stations. 

(Continued on page 40) 


Scheiner on Tap 

Washington, Feb. 22. 

With Senate Interstate Com- 
merce Committee due to act 
this week on selection of a 
chief counsel for its forthcom- 
ing hearings on network-UllF 
problems, it’s expected that 
Arthur Scheiner, former chief 
of the Rules and Standards 
Division of the FCC, will get 
the post. 

Scheiner is now' associated 
W'ith Benedict Cottone, former 
FCC general counsel, in radio 
law practice. A native of 
New York. Scheiner is a gradu- 
ate of Columbia Law School, 
lie is 37. 


Doerfer Cautions on Too Many 
Controls, Censorship in Blasting; 
‘U.S. Way Far Ahead of British 1 


Revlon’s Paaradise 

CBS-TV’s “Morning Show” 
headed by Jack Paar wound up 
the week’s work last Friday 
(18) clearly “in the red.” 

The Rexall commercial had 
been pitched. Next up for 
plugging was Revlon. This 
was read off via the Tele- 
Prompter while the Rexall 
card was still on camera; a 
prop man had forgotten to 
remove the card. 

Ad lib or no, the rest of the 
show' was devoted to Revlon to 
make amends for the glar- 
ing error. For instance: 

Charles Collingwood de- 
livered “Revlon News.” 

Pupi Campo stepped forth 
with the product all over his 
Latin lips. 

Jose Metis daubed the piano 
keys with lipstick (too bad the 
show’ wasn’t in color). 

Paar presented “Revlon 
Productions.” 

DuM Pruning Now 
Hits Publicity Dept. 
Eyes ‘Filmed Web? 

Though there is no exact count 
available, it appears like the Du- 
Mont television network, perhaps 
temporarily, is being shaved to a 
staff large enough to service ade- 
quately only the needs of N. Y. 
o&o WABD. Additionally, there 
are a few* extra people being re- 
tained in programming, it seems, 
as liaison between the web and 
the remaining o&o. WTTG, Wash- 
ington, D. C. On top of cutbacks 
in network sales, sales service, pro- 
gramming and earlier in engineer- 
ing and other departments, the 
outfit has taken the razor for the 
first time in six months to the pub- 
licity department. 

DuMont publicity is now down 
to four staffers, including depart- 
ment head Gerry Lyons and his 
secretary. Also remaining are 
writers Connie Ryan and Bob 
Bernstein. The remaining five 
publicity payrollers got walking 
papers on Friday (18) or earlier 
in the week. 

Despite personnel retrenchments. 
DuMont still operates as a tele 
web. although on what is obviously 
a shrunken basis. The three net- 
work salesmen remaining (includ- 
ing the sales chief and the eastern 
sales manager) teamed to renew 
the co-sponsors on Friday’s 
j “Chance of a Lifetime.” It’s not 
known whether bankrollers Len- 
theric or Miles Labs are included, 
but it is said that some DuMont 
sponsors insisted upon and got 
contracts cancellable by the week 
or fortnightly. 

Moreover, any sponsor pact 
with DuMont amounts to pretty 
much of a regional deal (north- 
eastern U. S. ). As it stands it’s 
hard to figure just how’ DuMont 
will tie this regional matter up 
with plans re its new’ film camera 
it - says it w ill probably disclose 
next month. Though it’s said in 
some quarters that the camera is 
purely a technological matter, it is 
known that DuMont has been dis- 
cussing ways to bring affiliates in 
on it, portending a “film network.” 


Gleason’s Gleem 

Sheaffer Pen having written off 
the CBS-TV Jackie Gleason show 
for the balance of the season (as of 
end of March) Procter and Gamble 
steps in as one of the three partici- 
pating sponsors, along with Schick 
and Nestle. 

P&G will plug Gleem, having 
been repped on the Saturday 
(lighter once before with Lilt. 


San Francisco, Feb. 22. 

Whatever its faults, the Ameri- 
can way of broadcasting has manj 
advantages over the British system 
of government operation and 
would lose “cherished freedoms’* 
if radio and tv were subjected tt 
“stricter controls or more censor- 
ship,” FCC Comr. John C. Doerfei 
told the Commonwealth Club hen 
last W’eek. 

On almost every front — sets it 
use, choice of programs, hours ol 
programming, development of th« 
broadcasting industry, and ad- 
vancements in the art, such at 
color television — Comr. Doerfei 
found the American system fal 
ahead of the British. 

As to quality of programs. Comr 
Doerfer did not attempt a com- 
parison because of differences it 
tastes and heeds of the two coun- 
tries. But he observed that whiU 
there is some criticism of the qual- 
ity of American radio and tv p:o» 
grams “there exists a wide field oi 
approval and satisfaction. Even 
Englishmen who have regarded 
some of our broadcasts as abhor- 
rent and abysmal will admit that 
much of it is good, educational and 
of high quality.” 

Competition between stations and 
choice of programs, Doerfer found, 
provides a powerful incentive fo| 
good broadcasting. People w ho art 
“appalled” by lack of censorship, 
he said, do not realize that tht 
broadcasting and advertising indus- 
tries are accomplishing by self- 
regulation “much that could b« 
hoped for” by government super- 
vision. 

Code Making Progress 

Code operations of the NARTB, 
he continued, are “quietly, but . . . 
effectively” making “substantial 
progress" in elimination of mate- 
rial "not in good taste or constitut- 
ing excessive advertising.” The ad- 
vertising industry, he added, also 
has a code to educate sponsors on 
the “futility” of excessiveness in 
commercials and poor taste in pro- 
grams. 

“For a station to make money,” 
Doerfer declared, “it must acquire 
and hold substantial listeners. Lis- 
teners who become bored either 
tune to a different station or turn 
off their sets. This is reflected in 
polls and ratings. Obviously, there 
(Continued on page 40) 

RCAtoTVFilm 
Push; Name While 

Custom Record Dept, of the RCA 
Victor Division, which has been 
branching out into tv film distribu- 
tion on its own (as distinct and 
separate from the NBC Film Divi- 
sion. also an RCA subsid), is in- 
augurating a five-year expansion 
program for its RCA Recorded Pro- 
gram Services in a bid to attain 
a major status in the field. As 
one of its initial steps, it has named 
Paul White, ex-prexy of Prockter 
Syndications and a vet in the radio- 
tv-film field, in an advisory capac- 
ity. 

It’s known that several ambi- 
tious programming schemes are on 
the upcoming agenda, designed to 
inject some fresh ideas into the tv 
film picture. While basically the 
division functions in sales and dis- 
tribution of films for television, 
White has been blueprinting some 
ambitious programming ideas to 
implement the five-year plan. 

White says emphasis will be 
placed particularly on daytime pro- 
gram categories, including musical 
J shows, audience participation, 
sports subjects, offbeat human in- 
terest yarns and film library shows. 
Color programming will also be 
stressed. White is prexy of Paul 
White Productions and is asso- 
ciated with Bernard L. Schubert. 

James P. Davis is manager of the 
Custom Record Dept. 






i .«■ >i« 


^ edneiday, February 23, 1955 


BC Netwo 


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TELEVISION 


a service of 















TELEVISION REVIEWS 




M r ednf«lay, February 23, 1955 



Television Followup Comment 




They shoulda’ stayed in bed, or 
at least back in Hollywood. “Col- 
gate Comedy Hour,” that is. Sun- 
day night’s (20) NBC-TV’er, amid 
much ballyhoo, originated from 
New Orleans coincidental with the 
Mardi Gras celebration. But as 
much as viewers caught of the fes- 
tivities (apart from. a crowded and 
uncostumed street shot) and the 
local cOiOr, the show might have 
originated from anywhere. Two 
kcv points were the Court of the 
Two Sisters and the Absinthe 
House, but producer Bill Morrow 
and director Jim Jordan succeeded 
somehow in keeping the salient 
features off the television screen. 
Otherwise, it was a standard “Col- 
gate” outing. Ted Bates agency 
and NBC have been unable to lift 
the “Comedy Hour” from a low 
groove of mediocrity, and Sunday’s 
was as good an example as any. 
Gordon MacRae starred, with 
guests Peggy Lee, Louis Arm- 
strong, street dancers Skeet & 
Pete, a teenage Dixieland band 
from N. O.. regular pantomimist 
Gene Sheldon and a superably 
camouflaged Carmen Dragon orch. 

Each of the acts, let’s face it, is 
tops in its class, but as a show 
they just failed to mesh. Best it 
can be called is a variety show, 
and the overindulgcnce in music, 
while perhaps suited to the oc- 
casion. made for a dull and longish 
session. Typical of the production 
elements that went into the show 
was the finale, “Birth of the 
Blues.” in which MacRae and Miss 
Lee sang from a balcony, with har- 
lequins standing there throwing 
down streamers. Chan. 

CBS-TV did another hangup job 
with “You Are There” on Sunday 
(20). recreating "The Liberation of 
Paris” (Aug. 14. 1944) and under 
Walter Cronkite’s narration, Lee 
Davis’ scripting, Sidney Lumet’s 
direction and George W. Russell’s 
production once again the tv me- 
dium brought home to the public 
how quickly Americans forget. Re- 
created vividly, showmanly, pun- 
gently and dramatically was the 
military question whether it was 
wise for the Parisian civilian popu- 
lation to uprise against the Nazi 
occupation forces, and possibly up- 
set the Allied war strategy, and 
while the Sunday night audiences 
were left to interpret for them- 
selves, it also had two other tid- 
bits to toy with. One is the cur- 
rent P. 1 hassle about the Berlin 
Philharmonic’s American tour un- 
der the baton of admitted Nazi 
maestro Herbert von Karajan and 
the other is a recollection of a lit- 
tle folksy tidbit in a currently re- 
leasing Paramount film, “The 
Bridges of Toko-Ri.” Therein an 
American family (headed by Wil- 
liam Holden and Grace Kelly) and 
a Japanese counterpart family are 
shown indulging in that, popular 
Nippon indoor (and presumably 
also outdoor) sport of bathing in 
the nude in indoor (and presum- 
ably also outdoor) pools. And it 
all seems only like yesterday! 

Abel. 

Art Carney, Patrice Munsel and 
Harold Lang are not bad rush-’em- 
in material for the Godfrey-less 
•'Arthur Godfrey & Friends” on 
CBS-TV. And neither is that other 
name. G. Washington, used as a 
pre-birthday backdrop for the hour 
session last week (10), and pipe 
that Federal Hall replica which set 
the show back a reputed $10,000 
merely to establish after all these 
years that the nation’s Father was 
inaugurated there. 

Tradewise, some interest cen- 
tered on Lester Gottlieb as guest 
producer drafted from his radio 
sanctum where he v.p.’s it over 
programs. Gottlieb has pointed 
out smartly that he’s no video 
newcomer except to the 21-inch 
set; he catered to the successive 
sevcn-and-10-inch clientele back in 
the not so long ago vintage years, 
but things are no different today 
in tv’s Cinemascope dimensions. 
The show is still the payoff, if the 
cliche fits, and Gottlieb as master- 
minder without Godfrey’s master 
mind and presence came through 
with a well paced and hearty 
stanza. 

Carney was an okay ringmaster 
and right away tossed off a quickie 
takeoff on AG just to show that he 
hasn't lost his impressionist savvy. 
The Metopera oriole was in there 
pitching her classy coloratura while 
Marion Marlowe is Cotillion Room- 
ing in N. Y. (with the McGuire 
Sisters also on a nitery Kick'. She 
did "Love Is Where You Find It” 
le X tarried the load in the 

i St til Get Jealous” number from 


the ex-“High Button Shoes,” joined 
by Lang, Carney and regular Frank 
Parker in the old vaude styled 
rouser which included individual 

dance challenges that showed off 
chantootsie’s pinup pins. Lang, 

| that lithe musicomedy hoofer- 
! singer, shot over "I Only Have 
Eyes for You” in terp and chant, 
finishing with those fouette leaps 
that have carried him to the top. 

Of the Godfrey regulars, the 
1 “Ancient” Mariners (4) tried on the 
j "Landlubbers” sea chantey for 
! size that fit snugly, Lu Ann Simms 
! gave a rather squeaky treatment to 
| “Thou Swell” and Janette Davis 
j piped in with an okay “It’s a Lovely 
Day Today.” Parker’s contribution 
i aside from in-and-out folderol was 
“I’ll Know.” Parker is able to make 
a virtue out of self-effacement as 
per nixing reference to “one of 
; the oldest” tenors, altering it to 
the oldest. Carney had himself a 
i semi-panto ball knocking down the 
pins down by the Bowling Green, 
to square the colonial motif, and 
also emerged in his Ed Norton 
character to make with a ditty. The 
inauguration sequence segued into 
Miss Munsel & Co.’s “God Bless 
America” wrapup to make it a 
Washington-to-Berlin deal, proving 
that they always have to come back 
to the tunesmith when even caper- 
ing with history is the fulcrum. 
Jimmy Carroll handled the baton 
and a lot of it. 

As a postscript, one of the com- 
mercials took a curious turn. 

; Carney had introed Tony Marvin, 
all rigged out in colonial garb, and 
I asked him to take it away for Toni 
for 60 seconds. (Alternating spon- 
sors are Frigidaire and Pillsbury.) 
Marvin blurbed for better than two 
and a half minutes. Postscript No. 
2: Sid Garfield, the CBS Radio 
exploiteer, supplied guest material. 

Trau. 

The story of Leon Trotsky’s 
murder in Mexico 15 years ago 
was turned into a wordy and 
murky drama on the “Phileo Tele- 
vision Playhouse” Sunday (20). 
Written by Bernard Wolfe, a for- 
mer secretary to the exiled Bol- 
shevik leader, the 60-minute script 
failed to come alive in its attempt 
to define the motivation of Jacques 
Mornard, the assassin who was 

generally credited with being in 
the hire of the Russian GPU. 

Nehemiah Persoff, in the role of 
the assassin, gave a superb per- 
formance that carried whatever 

conviction this stanza had. He 

depicted the character as a moral 
weakling who, because of his devo- 
tion to his mother, was picked for 
this particular crime. Jo Van Fleet, 
the assassin’s mother, was also 

effective as the dedicated Russian 
agent who was ready to send her 
son to death in the name of “his- 
' tory.” 

i Jacob Ben-Ami, as Trotsky, had 


the most difficulty in creating a 
credible character and the failure 
of the script in this respect was 
decisive for the whole play. The 
drama of the Stalin - Trotsky 
struggle, which culminated in the 
assassination, was reduced by 
Wolfe to an effort by Stalin to stop 
Trotsky’s writing of his biography. 
Aside from conversations between 
the Mexican police chief and 
Trotsky, Wolfe avoided any discus- 
sion of the underlying politics. 
While this may have been difficult 
for the average viewer, the long 
arguments in the script about the 
role of the individual in history 
were just as obscure. 

Other members of the cast, in- 
cluding Gaby Rodgers as the as- 
sassin’s girl friend, Celia Adler as 
Trotsky’s wife and Carlos Montal- 
ban as the Mexican police chief, 
also played well. . But, fundamen- 
tally, the script failed to draw 
flesh-and-blood characters about 
! whose fate one could be concerned 
j about. Herm. 

Despite a good deal of technical 
buoyancy, “Freighter” on the U. S. 
Steel Hour over ABC-TV plied 
some pretty sluggish dramatic 
waters last week 1 15). Suffering 
from an overdose of cliches 
throughout, show did pick up to 
! some rousing climaxes under the 
j capable hands of director Alex 
I Segal who rarely fails to impart 
his special touch. 

George Lowther’s original script, 
set aboard the creaky S. S. Singa- 
pore on her last voyage before 
heading for the scrap heap, threw' 
together a lot of intriguing char- 
acters with intriguing problems, 
i none of which were ever brought 
! into ‘clear focus. Result was that 
the ending, with everyone finding 
' his answers, fell far short of credi- 
bility. 

There certainly were a bunch of 
literate seamen aboard that boat. 
Thomas Mitchell played a grizzled 
and philosophical Chief Engineer, 
and as usual, played him well; 
James Daly did what he could with 
the role of t^e bottle-happy first 
mate, and Henry Hull put a lot 
of heart into the captain deter- 
mined to go down with his ship 
; rather than give her up. Jamie 
j Smith did well as the ambitious 
I young third engineer who failed 
to get his promotion, and Jocelyn 
Brando pleased in a bit part as 
Daly’s wife. 

Credit for most of what was 
good in the production must go 
to Segal who tried, successfully 
in parts, to weld together the vari- 
ous character elements and sub- 
ordinate them to the larger prob- 
lem of a crippled freiPhter tossing 
' helplessly in a raging storm, its 
engines out of commission. 

Segal had some expert sets to 
work with, and he effectively in- 
tegrated shots of the ship fighting 
1 mountainous seas, with the radio 


Mr. S. Salutes ‘Mrs. A.’ 

Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” (CBS-TV) salute to the late 
Gertrude Lawrence, pegged to the current bestseller "Mrs. A.” 
biog authored by the star’s husband, legit producer Richard Aid- 
rich, could pretty well stand as a model of what show biz tributes 
should look and sound like on tv. There was none of the usual 
wordy sentimentality associated with such occasions; it never got 
sticky or over-nostalgic, nor did it wind up as just another over- 
stuffed songfest. Result was a well-balanced, nicely-paced integra- 
tion of live and film material in a production super-charged with 
potent marquee values (Helen Hayes, Judith Anderson, Dorothy 
Sarnoff, Gracie Fields. Lily pons. Beatrice Lillie, Sarah Churchill, 
Mindy Carson — and "Mr. A.” himself to take a bow from the 
audience). Sullivan could well be proud of this one. 

Right off the bat there was a kine playback of Miss Lawrence 
singing “Getting To Know You” from her final musical, "King and 
I,” as she sang it on the “Toast” show back in ’51. 

Then there was a throwback to "Chariot’s Revue” of 1927 (in 
which Miss Lawrence was introduced to American audiences for 
the first time) for a “Limehouse Blues” production number given 
an effective offbeat camera-slanted treadmill twist. Sarah Churchill 
voiced a tribute on behalf of the British theatre. Mindy Carson 
did a medley of Gertie faves — "Sunny Side of Street” from “In- 
ternational Revue”; "Some Day I'll Find You” from “Private 
Lives” and “Jenny” from "Lady In the Dark,” the latter partic- 
ularly well done with accompanying visual background treatment 

Next came Sullivan's integration of the filmed sequences — his 
flight to England (with Mrs. S.) to retrace the childhood days of 
the ex-cockney from Clapham, with a panoramic sweep of Picca- 
dilly and into the Globe Theatre for some of the show’s most 
delightful moments — onstage and backstage pickups of Beatrice 
Lillie in some of her favorite bits on the night the Queen Mother 
saw the show. Lily Pons (with whom Miss Lawrence teamed for 
wartime benefits) came on, seldom looking more fetching, to do, 
natch, the “Bell Song” from “Lakme”; Gracie Fields and Dorothy 
Sarnoff (latter appeared with Miss Lawrence in “King and I”) 
reprised tunes from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical and 
Judith Anderson did her standout dramatic bit from “Medea.” 
Latter’s appearance was pegged to forthcoming presentation of 
the drama in Paris under the ANTA auspices with which Mrs. A. 
was closely identified. Helen Hayes paid a warm tribute to the 
late star on behalf of the U.S. theatre. 

There wasn’t a static moment in the whole 60-minute span. Rose. 


j operator tapping out his S.O.S. 
messages. The drama of these shots, 
and some of the climactic scenes 
between Hull and Daly, helped to 
bridge the lagging action in much 

of the rest of the show, such as 
the obscure philosophical observa- 
tions thrown out periodically and 
at length by Mitchell. 

Pitching motion of the ship was 
simulated very effectively and the 
background noises were convinc- 
ing. Outstanding scenes involved 
the moment when Daly, roused 
from a drunken stupor, realized 
Hull was trying to sink the ship 
in the storm, and when Smith 
agreed to be pushed into the boiler 
to fix a broken line and get the 
engines going again. There was 
some heart-pounding excitement 
on the screen then. Camera han- 
dling on that particular scene was 
topnotch. 

Lowther’s dialog, even when 
pertinent, tended to be on the 
draggy side and, as mentioned be- 
fore, his solutions appeared ridicu- 
lously pat. In the end, the captain 
was in a hospital and recovering; 
the first mate had given up the 
bottle and the young engineer had 
regained his confidence. All that 
was missing was a message from 
the operators to say that the S. S. 
Singapore wouldn’t be scrapped 
after all. U. S. Steel commercials, 
remotes from an experimental 
farm in Wisconsin, provided a wel- 
come change. Hift. 

“The Stranger” series looked 
very good on its farewell telecast 
over DuMont, if the strident, repe- 
titious and offensive Serutan com- 
mercials are overlooked. James 
Blumgarten, who did about half 
the scripts during the 34-week run 
I provided the final story and Olive 
jDeering, Edwin Binns, Betty Garde 
and Robert Carroll acted it out 
; under Frank Telford’s direction. 

I Show hit nine stations live. 16 on 
kine and that apparently sums up 
the sponsor and agency (Edward 
Kletter) gripe. That a dramatic 
j series of this technical excellence 
is now free (under a flukey non- 
; orthodox setup, the property re- 
verts immediately, without any 
waiting period, to Telford’s owner- 
: ship) impresses as more of Du- 
Mont's jinxed showmanship — 
creating commendable properties 
and then not reaping the rewards, 
although 34 weeks sponsored is 
still 34 weeks sponsored. 

Teleford uses lots of closeups. in 
fact employs the faces of a few 
players to draw' a camera-map of 
emotion. His story-telling technique 
has a firm authority and a “sim- 
plicity of line” which manages to 
make the action suspenseful and 
denouement important. Serutan 
forced the three acts, and that’s 
! a tough writing problem on a half 
I hour. Land . . 

When 'he year’s best of “Ford 
Theatre” telefilm series is compiled 
it can be safely ventured that “To- 
morrow We’ll Love,” a tender 
love story, will be up in the 
forefront. What gives it an im- 
portant ranking* is the sensitive 
and wistful performance of Nicole 
Maurey, the French girl first seen 
with Bing Crosby in Paramount’s 
"Little Boy Lost.” She hasn't been 
heard from since, with any promi- 
nence, but she’ll be kept as busy 
as she wants to be after this per- 
formance. The stock of Larry Parks 
will also get a bullish spiral. 

The story as such by Karen De- 
Wolf from Gerry Day’s original 
would have occasioned only pass- 
ing interest in hands less expert 
than the two leads and strongly 
mooded direction by Arnold Laven. 
The romance of a flier and a nurse 
in the Orient is given such a warm 
depiction that the tale becomes 
subservient to the actors and. they 
carry it off with deep feeling and 
unpretentious naturalness. Once 
caught up in its swirling current 
of simplicity the clutch at the 
heart takes hold and tightens, the 
hallmark of persuasive acting. 

The narrative is this simple. A 
flier sacrifices his own love for 
the one girl in his life because of 
the harrowing thought that his 
calling is so fraught with danger 
he would leave her a widow. It's 
this emotional tug between the two 
that motivates the pangs of their 
inner feelings. The miracle of a 
medal pendant clutched in her 
hand when she is visited by him 
in a dream is so poignantly de- 
veloped that none can be too criti- 
cal of this poetic license to in- 
tensify the impact when he goes 
to his death in a fiery crash. 

Eduard Franz, Laurie Carroll and 
Peter Hansen lend admirable sup- 


port and the production quality is 
top grade. “Tomorrow We’ll Love” 
deserves and will probably get a 
rerun. It’s a glowing example of 
why teleplays are filmed. Helm. 

“Tabloid,” a 20-minute dinner- 
hour stanza with comfortable, in- 
formal format, is one of the few 
shows that started when the Ca- 
nadian Broadcasting Corp. televi- 
sion web preemed three years ago 
and has stayed, except for a brief 
summer hiatus, without a break. 
Today, “Tabloid” is one of CBC’s 
finest and, partly because it is 
aired at the dinner-hour and fol- 
lowed by the news but chiefly 
because it is a top show in itself, 
it has one of the biggest audiences 
of any Canadian video session. 

“Tabloid” moved from Toronto 
to Ottawa for the two days of the 
International Dog Derby and its 
two Ottawa-originating productions 
surpassed anything it had done to 
date. Producer Ross McLean and 
cast Elaine Grand, Dick McDougall, 
Gil Christie and Percy Saltzmann 
clicked solidly every second. The 
first (10) Ottawa airing included 
filmed inserts of the dog sled 
races where the four players were 
starters. Live sections included 
indoor and outdoor sequences at 
the CBC Ottawa studios, climaxing 
with McDougall, Grand, Christie 
and Saltzmann exiting in a Quebec 
police car taking them to the Fair- 
mount Club to help present dog 
derby awards and prizes. 

CBC has four boffo people in 
"Tabloid.” Saltzmann, a govt, me- 
teorologist with a natural talent 
for showmanship and comedy, has 
built what could have been an 
insipid weather segment into a top 
gab session and works easily into 
the rest of the show. Christie is 
“Tabloid’s” femme Interest, a good- 
looking lad with a flair for natural 
charm. Miss Grand, a non-pro 
before she opened in "Tabloid,” 
fits the easy-going format perfectly 
and, like emcee McDougall, handles 
interviews and other guest activi- 
ties with an easy smoothness. Mc- 
Dougall, also emcee of CBC’s 
talent showcase, “Pick The Stars,” 
is a fleshy' Heywood Broun type 
who, even in his most active mo- - 
ments, gives the impression of 
lolling. Ross McLean, show’s pro- 
ducer, has exhibited increasing 
ability in sustaining the relaxed 
atmosphere and builds dialer in- 
terest by seldom following a single 
idea line, allowihg ad libs and 
cuing only where required for 
camera or web demands. 



Knighl Editor 


Continued from page 23 — 

pressures, he asked how many of 
his listeners had “heard any re- 
ports on television about the con- 
troversy which has been raging the 
last year about cigarets and 
cancer?” 

Editor did figuratively doff his 
hat to tv for its enterprise and 
salesmanship and warned that the 
newspapers must modernize their 
news standards to stay in tune with 
the tele age. He referred to the 
to-do the tv webs made of their 
coverage of the Russian high com- 
mand shakeup and asked how 
many editors carried the United 
Press yarn of its Kremlin coverage 
when for seven and half hours it 
kept open the Moscow to London 
telephone line, at $1 a minute, to 
relay the latest developments. 
“Can you imagine the capital a 
television station would have made 
of a similar dramatic episode in 
television achievement,” he asked. 

“If we fail to fit our products to 
the television age, we’ll find our 
readers more and more turning to 
the national news magazines. Or 
unless we do the job better than 
do the television newscasters, we’ll 
let our readers get fooled into 
thinking they can get all their 
news over the air,” Walters warned 
his newspaper colleagues. 

He added that since tv Is pri- 
marily an entertainment medium 
it is also challenging the dailies’ 
entertainment features. He sug- 
gested the comic strip techniques 
may be outmoded, especially those 
in the adventure idiom. He re- 
ported that a recent study has in- 
dicated that while tv appears to 
be providing competition for the 
adventure strip, it apparently has 
not damaged the gag strip or hu- 
mor panel. 


Wednesday, February 23, 1953 


TELEVISION REVIEWS 


27 


JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT SPOT- 
LIGHT 

With Sandy Mack, Bob Wood, Bill 

Evans, guests 
Producer: Yale Roe 
Director: Cliff Braun 
3§ Mins.: Wed., 9 p.m. 

CHICAGO PLASTERING 
INSTITUTE 
WBKB, Chicago 

After a curtainraiser that is best , 
forgotten, this Junior Achievement 
“learn by doing” entry into tele 
production on the second try (17) 
more nearly measured up in 
junior grade entertainment values i 
to the laudable purpose of the ! 
project. 

Certainly no one can find fault the 
basic premise of the series which 
has a JA group building its own tv 
show as its particular “business 
enterprise.” complete with stock 
capitalization and board of direc- 
tors. The WBKB-sponsored “firm” 
is believed to be the first instance 
of budding capitalists getting their 
practical schooling in any facet of 
show biz. Usual JA activities are 
confined to more tangible handi- 
crafts. While the tv package is 
essentially the teenagers’ baby, 
from script to “sales,” some of 
the necessary guidance from the 
regular WBKB pros was evident, 
so what emerged was an intriguing 
demonstration of youthful enthusi- 
asm and enterprise. 

It’s to be hoped that further edi- 
tions will escape at least partially 
the straight vaudeo format, with 
its complete reliance on high 
school talent of the amateur va- 
riety. Unless they branch out into 
meatier fare such as p<mel discus- 
sions of juve problems or per- 
haps a try at dramatics, the im- 
pression is going to be left that the 
kids of Chicago spent most of their 
time mugging to records. First 
two acts were variations on the disk 
mimic theme which were okay but 
the sort of thing which a little of 
goes a long way. Other guest 
turns, a modern dance duo, a young 
tenor and a budding femme 
thrush were at least par for the 
tyro circuit. Kids were all nicely 
showcased videowise. 

Co-hosts for the first several ' 
shows are teenagers Sandy Mack 
and Bob Wood and both turned in 
acceptable jobs. Lass, especially, 
showed an instinctive knack for 
picking up those dangling ad libs. 
“Participations” in the series are 
sold to other J A groups to* plug 
their individual wares and the 
spokesmen for the two “clients” 
delivered highly polished sells. 
Bill Evans handles smoothly the 
institutionals for the Plastering 
Institute which is underwriting the 
time. 

WBKB’s tieup with the JA’ers 
could well set the pattern else- 
where as Its’ a natural goodwill 
vehicle. Dave. 


INVITATION TO THE BIBLE 
With Dr. J. Edward Carothers, 

Rev. Daniel Y. Brink, Dr. Fred 

K. Kirchner, Robert Fegley 
30 Mins.; Sun., 2 p.m. 

Sustaining 

WRGB-TV, Schenectady 

A specific passage in the Bible 
is discussed, analyzed back- 
grounded and interpreted, in an 
informal living room set, by two 
ministers and two laymen on high 
level program presented by Sche- 
nectady County Council of Protes- 
tant Churches, with Albany and 
Troy councils as co-sponsors. The 
panel not only discusses, search- 
ingly and provocatively, a particu- 
lar section, but its ramifications, 
morally, sociologically, historical- 
ly and theologically. 

Dr. J. Edward Carothers, featur- 
ed on previous video originations 
and on a weekly commentary via 
radio station WGY, is an experi- 
enced broadcaster; has served as 
radio-television chairman for the 
State Council of Churches. 

Present feature seems to be a 
video followup or outgrowth of a 
program presented on WTRY, 
Troy, several years ago with Dr. 
Fred K. Kirchner. Albany research 
chemist, included in that panel, 
too. Rev. Daniel Y. Brink, minister 
of Scotia Reformed Church, and 
Robert Fegley, member of General 
Electric’s advertising department, 
round out the cast. Foursome are 
obviously Biblical students and 
highly articulate. 

An interesting angle, on last 
show viewed, was the church-made 
affiliations of Abraham Lincoln 
and Dwight D. Eisenhower, after 
they became president. It was em- 
phasized their religious convictions 
and attitudes long antedated for- 
mal church membership. Jaco. 


Memphis — Thomas Mitchell 
checked in here for four days to 
hypo his tv series “Mayor of the 
Town,” piped over WHBQ-TV, CBS 
outlet. Star was hosted at several 
parties with John Cleghorn, sta- 
tion's general manager, picking up 
tab for press-radio-tv session at 
Variety Club. 


FRIGIDAIRE ENTERTAINS 
With Byng Whitteker, Frosts 
Gregory, The Crosswinds, Ber- 
nard Turgeon, Jimmie Namaro’s 
Orch; Jimmie Caesar, guest. 
Director: Stan Harris 
Writer: Maurice Rapkin 
30 Mins., Fri., 9 p.m. 

FRIGIDAIRE PRODUCTS 
(CANADA) 

CBC-TV, from Toronto 

( Baker ) 

Here is a 30-minute stanza with 
no social message and just diversi- 
fied family entertainment. Goes 
to a 19-station hookup of the Cana- 
dian Broadcasting Corp., and will 
probably sell refrigerators, thanks 
to the astute emceeing of Byng 
Whitteker and the smooth, con- 
ciensed commercials of blond Beth 
Lockerbie. Show' opened with 
The Crosswinds, probably one of 
the most unique trios that tv has 
turned up in its search for novelty. 
It’s two mer. and a gal. with Mar- 
vin Fudella on accordion; Johnny 
Greer on bass; and Ann Summers 
as vocalist. (Greer is director of 
music at St. Michael’s Cathedral 
boys’ school, which has turned out 
The Four Lads and The Crew 
Cuts.) 

Crosswinds had a bouncy pop 
medley opening, with Jimmy 
Namaro’s band on for “Brazil,” 
with Namaro hefty on the Ham- 
mond organ solo work; a newsreel 
cut-in of the international Sled 
Dog Derby; and thdn Bernard 
Turgeon, baritone. for “The 
Green-Eyed Dragon,” this sung to 
a kid in bed about to go to sleep, 
although seemingly it’s not a 
soothing lullaby. 

Jimmie Caesar, as guestar, was 
on for a rousing songabout of “All 
in Favor Say Aye" and then into 
his voice imitations of screen star 
greats, and all over big; only 
viewer-listener regret being that 
he wasn’t brought back until the 
finish and then for a brief thank- 
you begoff. In there was Frosia 
Gregory for a sweet balladeering 
of “If I Loved You”; the Jimmy 
Namaro orch back with a whammo 
“Has Anybody Seen My Gal” and 
then into a tempo switch of 
“Moonlight Bay” and “Bicycle 
Built for Two,” p’us his celeste and 
solovox stints. Whole made for a 
pleasant 30-minute stanza, with 
the engaging emceeing of Whitte- 
ker, and the commercials never 
obtrusive. McStcy. 


WORLD OF SPORTS 

With Dick Nesbitt 

Producer: Ken Barry 

Director: Earl Niemi 

Writer: Dale Lynch 

10 Mins.: Mon. thru Sat., 10:30 p.m. 

Participating 

KSTP-TV, Minneapolis-St. Paul 

Following the familiar format for 
this type of show, this sports news 
program depends primarily for its 
success, of course, upon the sports- 
caster’s projecting talent. 

In rugged looking Dick Nesbitt, 
who recently took over as sports 
director and handles “World of 
Sports,” KSTP-TV seems to have 
a wanner. He’s a likeable, friendly 
former pro and college football 
star whose opinions and analyses 
carry weight and authority. And 
he boasts the necessary vocal and 
diction -equipment and gabbing 
knack, plus a measure of showman- 
ship. to propel him among the lo- 
cal leaders in his line. 

, As to be expected, Nesbitt rat- 
tles off the basketball and hockey 
scores and the day’s sports news 
generally, doing a minimum of 
reading. He also injects his per- 
sonal comments on happenings. 
There usually, too. are some film 
clips and an interview with a 
sports celebrity. 

Show has advantage of good 
scripting and direction and com- 
mercials aren’t overdone. Rees. 


NORMAN BROKENSHIRE SHOW 
With Bill Hayes. Jet McDonald, 
Dick Hyman Orch 
Producer-director: Dick Eckler 
Writer: Bobby Lane 
25 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 1:05 p.m. 
Participating 
WRCA-TV, N. Y. 

Norman Brokenshire is now how- 
do-you-doing a variety crossboard- 
er for the daytime crowd as NBC’s 
New York key realigns the early 
afternoon sked under program 
chief Steve Krantz. Opener on 
Monday (21) was a relaxing stanza 
at a leisurely gait and with no spe- 
cial departure from the norm. How- 
ever, there’s a potential good gim- 
mick in which the headman and 
his principals, singers Bill Hayes 
and Jet McDonald, engage in 
folderol with studio aud on sub- 
jects suggested by the tunes them- 
selves. For instance, after Miss 
McDonald had put away “It's a 
Most Unusual Day” there was a 
session with a voice coach and oth- 
ers on diction, structure and lyric 
values in songsmith product. 

Hayes’ workover of his “Ballad 
of Davy Crockett” waxing segued 
into palaver on how a guitar can 

K unctuate dramatic action, with 
liss McDonald joining him on two 
ways of playing a skit — with and 
without the instrumental back- 
ground. Nothing to tax the imag- 
ination or create a stir; just a post- 
song fillip to round out 25 min- 
utes. Hayes can do better than his 
“Crockett” effort and "will un- 
doubtedly be fronted in solider 
tunes. He’s also a handyman to 
have around for skits and capers. 
Miss McDonald is a blonde looker 
— in the wholesome sense — who 
can handle songs capably and par- 
ticipate in the side fare. Dick 
Hyman's orch is the backer-upper. 
Preem finale had “Broke” and the 
chirpers in a straw hat fling ex- 
changing cornball jokes in mock 
vaude vein. 

Brokenshire paces the show in 
his'w.k. “easy does it” style, with 
his paternal mien figuring to set 
well with daytime dialers. After 
all these years in radio and tv, he’s 
entitled to a hit show' of his own. 
Too early to say whether this is it. 

Program is in a participating 
basis with Chesterfield first in. 
There was also a “salute” to the 
Peter Reeves Markets that should 
have been paid for if it wasn’t, 
since the plug values were high. 

Trau. 


JAN MURRAY SHOW 

With Fletcher Feck, Novelites. 

Tina Louise 
Prod.-Dir.: Dave Brown 
TONI 

(Following Fri. Fights) 

NBC-TV, from New York 

( Maxon ) 

Jan Murray and staff are work- 
ing ui\der an exceedingly peculiar 
setup with his show which follows 
immediately the Friday night Gil- 
lette fights on NBC-TV. If the 
fight results in an early knockout, 
j Murray is liable to find himself 
with more time than he has pre- 
pared material, and in the case of 
a 15-rounder, he may not even 
have time for a commercial. Mur- 
ray has an 11 p.m. deadline be- 
, fore he’s cut and that’s the only 
| limitation. 

Such a setup isn’t inducive to 
top video, but the format seems to 
be the best under these circum- 
stances. Murray is essentially a 

likeable and capable comic. He has 
the ability to adlib and he has col- 
lected a batch of accompanying 
talent able to do more than that 
which is called for in the script. 

On Friday (18) session, Murray 
after a few introductory remarks 
went into a song with pianist- 
singer Fletcher Peck, a good nov- 
elty, pernitted a musical selection 
by the Novelites and had time to 
tell the audience that Tina Louise 
couldn’t go on. With the odds on 
the Charles-Norkus fight at 4 to 1. 
Murray must have been planning 
for a show which he w'ould have 
lots of time. Fight, however, went 
the entire 10-round route and Mur- 
ray had to go through as much as 
possible in a hurry. The show is 
advertised at 10:45 p.m., but this 
is a flexible starting point. Jose, 


PRESS CONFERENCE 

With Blair Fraser, Tania Long, 

Robert McKeown, C. J. Woods- 

worth; guest, His Excellency Liu 

Chieh 

Producer: Pierre Normandin 
30 Mins.; Thur., 8 p.m. 

Sustaining 

CBC-TV, from Ottawa 

"Press Conference," one of Ca- 
nadian Broadcasting Corp.’s more 
profound television stanzas, origi- 
nates in several places, depending 
on, chiefly, the guest. Show caught 
was from Ottawa with the am- 
bassador to Canada for Nationalist 
China. His Excellency Liu Chieh. 
Session was particularly timely 
with the ambassador able to reply 
to his quizzers shoulder straight 
on Formosa and other related 
questions. 

Panel was equally able. Chair- 
man of the show, Blair Fraser, 
Ottawa editor of Maclean’s maga- 
zine, just back from a world tour 
that included the Orient; C. J. 
Woodsworth, who lived so long in 
the East he’s practically a native, 
now- an Ottawa journalist; Robert 
McKeown, Ottawa editor of Week- 
end magazine, and Tania Long, 
who, with her husband, Ray Da- 


DEADI.INE 

With Herb Robinson, Kefth Jack- 

son 

Producer-director: Ed Lackner 
30 Mins; Mon.-thru-Fri., 6 p.m. 
Participating 
KOMO-TV. Seattle 

This half-hour news program is 
really a television newscast, with 
pictorial content and quality em ; 
phasized by use of tv Movietone 
clips for national and international 
coverage and of film shot by 
cameramen Merle Severn and 
Howard Ramaley for local cover- 
age. 

Producer-director Ed Lackner 
makes good use of shifting em- 
phasis- and camera from KOMO-TV 
news editor Herb Robinson to 
Keith Jackson and back again to 
keep news rolling along in staccato 
manner from tightly-written script 
by Robinson and Jackson. Mixture 
of local, national and international 
news makes for continuing inter- 
est; well-rounded picture of day’s 
happenings in Seattle and nearby 
area adds interest. 

Reporter Keith Jackson handles 
sports page of newscast in addition 
to working on local stories. 

Various commercials are inter- 
spersed without blocking flow of 
news. Use of spotlight shifting 
from man to man in darkened 
studio adds dramatic note to news 
coverage. 

A good job all around, with 
plenty of evidence that KOMO- 
TV news staff is working toward 
interesting format of television 
news that is in effect a well- 
balanced daily newsreel and a 
valuable run-down on the day for 
viewers. Reed. 

niell, is Ottawa correspondent for 
the New York Times, tossed lively 
queries at the guest. Not a pro- 
gram to be lapped up by teeners 
and below, “Press Conference" was 
plenty okay for the more serious 
members of CBC’s video audience. 
, Production by Pierre N<frmandin 
was smooth, cameras sticking most- 
ly to c’oseups as panelists spoke. 

Show’s theme is key-clacking 
| “Typewriter” tune, with titles in 
| typewriter lettering. Gorin. 


DE MELIO'S FRISCO POST 

San Francisco, Feb. 22. 

Jack DeMello, who has been 
with the KROW sales staff since 
1953 and who recently won the 
Radio Advertising Bureau’s “Sales- 
man of the Month Award” for the 
Bay Area, has been made local 
sales manager of KROW replacing 
Jack Grant. 


CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 
With Prof. Dale Harris 
Producer: Sheldon Goldstein 
Director: Norman Page 
30 Mins.: Tues., Thurs., 1:30 p.m. 
Sustaining 

WMIN-TV, Minneapolis 

This sample of what educational 
tv can mean should prove a stim- 
ulant to the current movement to 
bring it about here separate from 
commercial video. If anything is 
more capable of enlisting a vast 
aud»ence of feminine dialers — 
mothers and prospective ones — 
than the opportunity to learn how 
best to understand and raise their 
children and to become happier 
and more relaxed parents and to 
achieve more successful parent- 
J hood through knowledge of the 
problems involved, it escapes this 
reporter. 

That’s what this twice-a-week 
l^-w’eek 30-minute U.-of Minnesota 
tv course in child psychology 
offers. And in doing it the program 
reaches for the ultimate in signif- 
icance and human interest. The 
fact that the preem show launched 
the project interestingly and effec- 
tively gives it a fast start on the 
road to video success. Coming at 
a time when juvenile delinquencv 
is so mqch in the limelight, it’s 
particularly apt. 

Presented by the U. of Minne- 
sota General Extension Division 
and the school’s radio station. 
KUOM, in conjunction with WMIN- 
TV, which enhances its prestige by 
this noteworthy public service, this 
home study via video marks a 
educational tv milestone here. For 
the first time setowners can earn 
the chance to obtain credits toward 
a university degree. They pay a 
$15 registration fee which also 
entitles them to literature on the 
subject. Dialers not .interested in 
such credits are assessed nothing, 
of course, but for $1 they can 
secure a written outline of the 
lectures and also a list of suggested 
readings. 

Opening program consisted en- 
tirely of the lecture by Prof. Dale 
B. Harris, director of the univer- 
sity’s Child Welfare Institute and 
president of the American Psy- 
chological Association childhood 
and adolescence division. He 
I simply stood facing the camera 
and gabbed, with occasional re- 
course to blackboard and charts. 
But it’s his ability as a lecturer 
and teacher and the vital subject’s 
universal appeal that are calculated 
to make the show- a “must” for 
thousands of femme setowners. 
Later shows also will include some 
fiim demonstrations with children, 
it was announced. 

That WMIN-TV, in presenting this 
program and creating this oppor- 
tunity for the community, will win 
for itself the regard and esteem of 
many women, improving its public 
1 relations, goes without saying. In 
j all this connection, praise must go 
, to producer Sheldon Goldstein of 
; KUOM and director Norman Page 
: of WMIN-TV for their important 
parts in putting the show over. 

I Rees. 


SHOWER OF STARS 
With William Lundigam Harry 
James, Johnnie Ray, Larry 
Storch, Anna Marie Alberghetti, 
Shirley MacLaine, Kelley 
Brown, Wally Boat. David Rose 
Orch. others. 

Producer: Nat Perrin 
Director: Seymour Bern* 

60 Mins: Thurs., 8:30 p.m. 
CHRYSLER 

CBS-TV, from Hollywood (Color) 

( McCann-Eriekson ) 

The CBS Chrysler colorcast 
played it as safe as possible on 
Thursday’s (17) edition, having 
collected a batch of top names, 
a’l with reputations for ability to 
deliver entertainment. There were 
some last-minute switches due pri- 
marily t 0 the inability of Betty 
C cable to appear because of in- 
juries. Consequently there were 
some subs, notably Shirley Mac- 
Laine, who has gotten into the 
habit of making good as a stand- 
in. She replaced Carol Haney 
temporarily in "The Pajama 
Game" on Broadway. 

It’s the newcomers that pro- 
vided the bulk cf the excitement. 
From citizens like Johnnie Ray, 
Larry Storch, Harry James, it’s 
presumed that they know their 
jobs and will deliver a certain 
standard of entertainment. When 
a comparative newcomer, such as 
Miss MacLaine makes good, the 
gentry in the living room are let 
in on a scarce commodity — that of 
a discovery, and it’s an added and 
extremely valuable plus to any 
show. Miss MacLaine had several 
opportunities to make good and 
she did the maximum with both. 
Her b*t with Kelley Brown on ballet 
dancers at home had wit and 
charm. Her delineation of “In- 
diana Dinner” and “Art of Con- 
versation” also stamped her as 
grade A material. Another good 
bit with virtual unknowns was a 
street scene which was distin- 
guished by some good terp work. 

Second half of the show had 
considerably more steam than the 
initial segment. Part of this was 
due to the stronger comedy con- 
tributions by Storch who did a col- 
lection of characters. Miss Alber- 
ghetti’s two coloratura vocals, Mo- 
zart’s “Queen of the Night” and 
Friml’s “Gianina Mia” passed mus- 
j ter. 

Johnnie Ray’s frequently excit- 
i ing delivery made itself eyident 
j in his song groups, and he got good 
! results with the numbers that he’s 
been purveying on his nitery 
stands. Harry James had a good 
production bit with his fronting of 
a band in a “Pied Piper" scene, 
and William Lundigan sullivancd 
I the proceedings smoothly. 

This CBS colorspec was a good 
indication that the usual and well 
traversed paths of entertainment 
have dropped some of the inherent 
excitement. It’s the departures 
: that provide the extras. Juse. 


HEART TO HEART 
With LueiHe Ball & Desi Arnaz, 
Donald O’Connor & Sfd Miller, 
Eddie Cantor, June Havoc, Jo 
Stafford, Frankie Laine, Jimmy 
Durante, Paul Weston & Orch 
i Producer-writer: Hal Marc Arden 
30 Mins.: Sun., 2 p.m. 

WCBS-TV, New York (film) 
j American Heart Assn.’s 1955 
! Heart Fund film, which received 
, w ide distribution during the past 
week (WCBS-TV showing was only 
one of six in the N.Y. area) will 
; probably be remembered less for 
; its entertainment value than the 
| fact that it was released desoite the 
refusal of Theatre Authority (ree 
news story). It’s merely a loosely 
tied package of freshly shot' and 
rerun footage featuring a group of 
stars, some doing their television 
stuff, others simply pitching audi- 
ence-consciousness of the progress 
I against heart disease. 

! Tying the package together is a 
telephone chain gimmick through 
which one star introes the next by 
telling him they’re Petting together 
a show for the Heart Fund. In- 
tegrating footage was shot in a 
number of studios on the Coast, 
while a couple of the guest stints 
, themselves were also shot new. 
Remainder were clips from the 
various stars’ shows. Considering 
the manner in which the show had 
to be produced, it didn't come off 
badly. At least it got its message 
across, and from some sincere and 
talented people. 

Lucy & Desi served merely as 
the springboard for the affair. Don- 
ald O’Connor & Sid Miller reprised 
their Beethoven musical skit; Eddie 
j Cantor did a straight talk on heart 
disease: June Havoc reprised the 
“benefit” bit from one of her 
“Willy” shows; Jo Stafford and 
Frankie Laine did one number 
j apiece and then dueted, with Paul 
Weston on piano in these numbers 
and conducting the orch through- 
out; and Jimmy Durante wrapped 
I it with a brief number and a tele- 
phone handover back to Lucy & 
Desi. Production was good through- 
out, except for a bad laughtrack, 
and the integration served the 
purpose. Chan. 



Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


MUSIC by Ray McKinley 
and an orchestra that 
includes such “hep” people 
as Billy Butterfield, Tbmmy 
Howard, Bobby Christian. 


SONGS by Bob Carroll, 
MGM recording star, who’s 
equally good on the piano 
and guitar. He dances, too. 
Very talented fellow. 


SINGING and DANCING 

by charmer Marion Colby, 
who was featured in Broadway's 
“The Pajama Game.” Plus 
more stars every day! 


LAUGHS with emcee Tbm 
Poston, comedy ‘ find’’ and 
an overnight sensation in the 
new Broadway hit “The 
Grand Prize.” 





Wednesday, February 23, 1955 







DAYTIME! 


TIME TV 


mu/ mote w 

MVT7ME7V . 


1 






n Starting next Monday, February 28th at 12: 30 P.M., WABC-TV 
upsets all the traditions of daytime TV and introduces a new 
show with new talent and a great new idea. The idea is that in the 
daytime, no less than at night, people watch television for fun and 
entertainment. So weTe giving them fun and entertainment . . . 
150 minutes of it every day ... in a cheerful, tuneful, talent-full 
show called, Entertainment , a 2^-hour extravaganza with all the 


excitement and glamour and variety of big night-time TV. In 

* 

fact, we're so hipped on this fun idea, we’re building our whole 
daytime schedule around it. No more chitchat, no more inter- 
views, no more cooking classes. We’re introducing a brand-new, 
fun-filled line-up of shows that offer solid entertainment . . . 
especially Entertainment. We’re sure a dandy time will be had 
by all, and most of all by the participating sponsors! 



wabc-tv CHANNEL 7 < N NEW YORK 


so 


RADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


Wednesday, February 23, 1953 


Television Chatter 


New York 

Producer Hal Friedman to 
Panama next week on Air Force 
mission . . . Bob Wilson subbing 
for vacationing Ken Banghart on 
WRCA-TV weekday news spot . f . 
Charles Irving, producer-director 
of CBS-TV "Search for Tomor- 
row,” is out of the hosp where he 

was treated for blood clot, with 
Hal Cooper, co-director, still fill- 
ing in . . . Lee Hanna, ex-Bentcn & 
Bowles, to WCBS-TV’s production 
staff to work on Bill Leonard’s 
"Eye on New York” . . . Writer 
Max Ehrlich off to Haiti and Vir- 
gin Islands for 17 days . . . Michael 
Kane will one-man show "Telltale 
Heart” as second in Poe series on 
WCBS-TV’s "Camera Three” . . . 
Treva Frazee, who’s doing a 
"brassy babe” role on ABC-TV 
"Steel Hour” starring Jack Carson 
March 1, being given special photo 
treatment nationally by the web 
. . , Buddy Piper subbing for Jack 
Barry on CBS-TV "Winky Dink & 
You” Saturday (19) . . . Kid 
Parade: Jonelli Allen, 7, on Kraft 
tv’s "Emperor Jones,” tonight 
(Wed.); Ginger Brooks, 9, in third 
appearance on "World of Mr. 
Sweeney” tomorrow (Thurs.); Bar- 
bara Wards and Billy Harris, tv 
9'ers, rehearsing in "Master Build- 
ers" legiter for Phoenix Theatre. 
These and 10 others out of Rita 
Chappell Newton’s office . . . 
Harold Dorschug, for past seven 
years chief engineer of CBS- 
WEEI. Boston, returns to N. Y. as 
engineer in charge, replacing Ar- 
thur Schoenfuss, who’s been trans- 
ferred to web’s WXIX in Mil- 
waukee. 

Loretta Leversee into next Wed- 
nesday’s (2) "Kraft Theatre” pro- 
duction of "All the World’s a 
Bride” . . . Marian Russell set for 
"Big Story” March 4 . . . Len Ring- 
quist, formerly with the Reingold 
agency in Boston, joins NBC Film 
Division’s eastern sales staff . . . 
Guild Films prexy Reub Kaufman 
addresses the first winter meeting 
of the National Television Film 
Council tomorrow (Thurs.) at the 
Hotel Delmonico . . . Association 
Films has begun free distribution 
of "The Story of Packaging,’* a 17- 


minute animated color film pro- 
duced by Transfilm for the Con- 
tinental Can Co. . . . David Niven 
and Dennis Morgan will guest on 
Bob Hope’s March 1 NBC-TVcast 
. . . Mel Allen begins his 17th year 
of New York Yankee play-by-play 
March 14, when he does his first 
exhibition game commentary of 
the year from St. Petersburg . . . 
Lisa Kirk guesting on Jimmy 
Durante show Saturday (26) . . . 
Gross-Baer prepping “Beat the 
Viewer,” new half-hour audience- 
participation tv-er which pits stu- 
dio-audience against homeviewers. 
Bill Stern slated to me . . . Louise 
Stone has left Walt Framer Pro- 
ductions to join Gross-Baer as pro- 
duction-assistant ,. . . Robert Q. 
Lewis is % granting a release to 
singer Jaye P. Morgan from his 
daily network CBS-TV show ana 
network radio program, to take ef- 
fect about May 1, so she can take 
advantage of some major freelance 
offers. 

Columnist-tv emcee Hy Gard- 
ner’s new assistant is George Gaal 
. . . The Protestant Council of the 
City of N.Y. gave a pubserv cita- 
tion to WPIX for the Norman Vin- 
cent Peale show, "What’s Your 
Trouble” . . . Jules Weill, Fortune 
Features prexy, sails today (Wed.) 
for Europe. He’s touching Paris, 
Rome and London re acquisition of 
new feature films for tv . . . Ernie 
Kovacs is reshuffling at WABD. 
Longterm contract comedian 
lengthens from a half to a full 
hour (10 to 11 p.m.) on Tuesdays 
and Thursdays come March 1 . . . 
Milton J. Salzburg, Award Tele- 
vision prexy, on a N.Y.-Chi-Detroit 
shuttle to sell the Jimmy Demaret 
stanza . . . Composer Sholem Se- 
cunda and singer Norman Atkins 
are among upcoming guests on the 
WATV "Jewish Home Show” . . . 
Marc Connelly and Cleveland 
Amory, "One Minute Please” pa- 
nelists. lecture March 7 and 9 at 
Town Hall. Actually, amounts to 
take off of the video casing — will 
speak for one minute on any topic 
suggested by pewsters. 

Halle December, former script 
editor for the John Gibbs office, 
has joined Young & Rubicam in a 
similar capacity for "Four Star 
Playhouse” and "Stage” tele pro- 


grams . . . ABC-TV’s "Pond Thea- 
tre” doing a Nicholas Baehr orig- 
inal, "Second Chance,” tomorrow 
(24) night. 

Chicago 

Chi NBC-TV veep Ed Hite vaca- 
tioning in Florida . . . After a 
month of convalescence from ulcer 
surgery, Tom Duggan returned 
to his WBKB shows last week 
. . . It was old home week for 
singer Monica Lewis when she 
guested on WBBM-TV’s "In Town 
Tonight” last week. Her father 
was Chi CBS’ first musical direc- 
tor and many of the staff tootlers 
remembered her as a tyke . . . Ruff 
I>av»s has bowed out of his WBKB 
pact to concentrate in the club 
date field . . . Heileman Brewing 
renewed "Racket Squad” on WGN- 
TV for another 52 weeks . . . ABC- 
TV’s “Creative Cookery” notches 
its 1.000th show Friday (25) . . . 
WNBQ helped launch Brotherhood 
week with a special teletast Friday 
night (18) under the auspices of 
the National Conference of Chris- 
tians and Jews . . . WBKB’s "Splat- 
ter Party” was quietly stowed on 
the shelf last week. 

‘Fashion Colorama,’ 

Other Tint Treats 
For Okla. Viewers 

Oklahoma City, Feb. 22. 

WKY-TV, pioneer in local live 
colorvision, continues on its upbeat 
tint kick after converting its color 
into an operating room for a 
three-hour surgical demonstration 
at a five-state medical meeting. 

Within the last couple of weeks 
the station made with a full tint 
fashion show, a closed circuit ex- 
posure of color production for ad 
agency reps in convention, and a 
full hour symphony as the first of 
its kind in the country. In addi- 
tion to the specials, WKY-TV col- 
orcasts five to six hours weekly. 

"Fashion Colorama” was a half- 
hour show sponsored by Kerr’s, 
which long had looked longingly at 
color tv advertising. The closed 
circuiting, also 30 minutes, was for 
the Southwestern Ad Agencies 
Assn, powwow. Oklahoma City 
Symphony got the tint treatment 
on a Sunday (12), featuring a pop 
concert of light classics plus symph 
works and soloists. 


Inside Stuff — Radio-TV , 

John F. Patt, prexy of WJR, Detroit, on nighttime rate adjustments 
as a postscript to a story in Variety: "Our action simply brings WJR 
rates in line with similar decisions made by most leading radio stations 
and other networks. Of course, our individual rates have been some- 

what higher than our network rates for WJR for many years, but 
this is not unusual in that dozens of other stations have similar differ- 
ences. 

"As the advertising industry has long known, there is no necessary 
equality between a network affiliate’s time rates and those charged 
for the affiliate’s facilities as a part of the network. All stations set 
their own prices without any influence from the network, while the 
network rate is determined by arms-length negotiation between the 
network and the station. A great many factors influence a decision 
on network charges and these factors vary according to size and type 
of market, competition and character of channel allocation. In spot 
broadcasting a national advertiser takes advantage of a station’s full 
coverage; in network broadcasting overlap of signals may reduce the 
effective value of many of the stations. 

"These are business matters which we have negotiated amicably 
for many years, and to put any other light on our relationship is 
unfair to CBS and to WJR. The fact that we have just re-signed our 
affiliation agreement with CBS for the 21st and 22d consecutive years 
should be an indication that we are happy with that affiliation, and 
are not ’angry’ or ’miffed,’ as your article would have a reader believe.” 


National Assn, of Radio and TV Broadcasters has undertaken a com- 
prehensive study of use of music by radio and tv stations. The info 
is being compiled to help the Assn, in reaching conclusions with respect 
to existing copyright legislation. 

Decision to proceed with the survey was taken by the NARTB Copy- 
right Committee at a meeting here Friday (18). Committee is headed 
by Joseph E. Baudino of Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. 


First live remote from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point is 
set for March 3 via ABC-TV, but it won’t be a tour of the installation. 
Event is the regular Thursday night telecast of "Soldier Parade,” the 
Arlene Francis-femceed variety segment featuring talent from the 
Army, which foots the production bill. 

Show will feature a number of cadets along with the West Point 
Glee Club. 


"Science Fiction Theatre,” which Ziv Television Programs put on 
the market a couple of weeks ago, becomes the eighth Ziv show to 
undergo the Spanish-soundtrack treatment. Ziv’s Mexico City dubbing 
plant is beginning to work on the series, which will be offered for 
sale in Latin American markets this spring. 

Last Ziv entry to get a Spanish soundtrack was "I Led Three Lives,” 
earlier this year. 


Four Star Productions will distribute its David Niven starrer, "The 
Answer,” for which Roy Keliino won the Screen Directors Guild’s 
annual award for best telepix of 1954, to schools and churches. Com- 
pany, in response to over 760 requests from these sources, has ordered 
50 additional prints, which will be released through its local office 
here. 

Subject carries an inspirational premise which concerns a modem 
dramatic application of the 10 Commandments. 


So Long For a While ..... 

To my many friends who have aided in 
making my five seasons with the 'Hit Parade' 
a most enjoyable and successful part of my 
career. 

i 

I'm presently at the Mark Hellinger The- 
atre doing the choreography for a new Broad- 
way musical — 'Ankles Aweigh', which opens in 
mid-April. 

I'll return to the 'Hit Parade' shortly after 
the Broadway opening. 

So 'So Long For a While'. 


^(uuf, GUabmoli 


"YOUR HIT PARADE" 


"ANKLES AWEIGH" 



Wcdneaday, February 23, 1955 


RADIO REVIEWS 


31 


f From the Production Centres"! 


IIS ISEW YORK CITY . . . 

CBS sales veep John Karol due back today (Wed.) after one-nighter 
spiels in Frisco, Portland, Seattle and South Carolina ... Son born 
to NBC info director Mike Horton last week was first on U S. soil. 
Other three (a boy and two girls) were born abroad though U.S. 
citizens. It’s twins, incidentally, for Nicholas Gordon, of web’s o&o 
division, born Feb. 13 at Polyclinic hosp. . . . WCBS sportscaster Her- 
man Hickman has introduced recipes on his airing . . . Ex-AP radio-tv 
editor Charlie Butterfield sends word from Lakeland, Fla.,* where he’s 
retired, that he had an offer from the local college to work as its 
pressagent but nixed it. “If I wanted to keep on working Fd have 
stayed at the AP,” he says . . . Bob HaymesMho WCBS’er, is songsmith 
of “Let’s Stay Home Tonight” and another tune just recorded by 
Julius LaRosa for Cadence . . . Singer Doris Drew replacing Joanie 
O’Brien on CBS “Tennessee Ernie Show’’ Monday ( 28). 

President Eisenhower- and Tallulah Bankhead share the speakers 
rostrum via Mutual next Monday (28) in a dedication to the start of 
the ’55 Red Cross campaign . . . Joseph Lenn climbs from sales director 
of L.I. indie WHLI to seat of exec vice-prcz . . . ABC's “Horizons" 
this Sabbath (27) builds show around United Cerebral Palsy, with 
John Beal narrating and Dr. Houston Merritt, UCP medical veepee, 
summarizing agency’s role . . . Bernard Zeidman takes command in a 
new Mutual post, that of supervisor of sales info. He moves from the 
radio net's commercial department . . . Mrs. Hal Kormans, wife of the 
WWRL announcer, gave birth to a boy, Glen, at Manhattan’s Women’s 
Hospital. 

IN CHICAGO . . . 

Bill Hyer, associated for the past 10 years with the late W. Biggie 
Levin’s packaging firm, signs on with Foote, Cone & Belding in April 
as radio-tv production supervisor . . , Budd Blum**, ex-staff writer, is 
WBBM’s new p.r. director, succeeding Gene St. Pierre . . . George 
llerro assigned a Mutual sales beat but will continue to oversee the 
web’s Chi promotion and publicity to be handled by Liz Trou&hton . . . 
Don McNeill emceeing Chi Federated Ad Club’s luncheon tomorrow 
(Thurs.) ... Ell llenry, Chi ABC promotion-publicity chief, in New 
York for homeoffice briefings this week . . . NBC o&o veep Charles 
Denny checked Into the Chi plant for a looksee last week . . . WLS 
National Bam Dance comic Cousin Tilford missed his first hayloft 
appearance in more than 10 years after being bedded down with minor 
surgery . . . “Breakfast Club” played to 178,208 studio fans last year, 
including 19,100 guests who visited the show during its two road 
junkets . . . Howard Stalnaker, sales manager at KPHO, Phoenix, in 
last week to make the agency circuit . . . Judith Waller, Chi NBC public 
affairs and education topper and assistant Betty Ross taking part in 
the Church Federation of Greater Chicago's annual radio-tv institute 
Monday (28) . . . C. B. O'Malley bought the Monday and Wednesday 
quarter-hour segments of Bill Evans’ 5:30 p.m. platter session on WGN. 

(J V SAN FRANCISCO . . . 

KCBS auditioning new disk jockey shows including one on Dixieland 
jazz and another variety music show . . . “Point of Law," KCBS pro- 
grum on legal problems, has won an award from the Freedom’s Founda- 
tion . . . KP1X showed films from Formosa Sunday in a special telecast. 
They were taken by staffer Sue Bennett who has just returned from 
the island and the 30-minute film was called “Formosa Exclusive” . . . 
Ferdie Grofe Jr. now doing a new show, “Of Shoes and Ships” on 
KSAN-TV . . . Russ Coglin now featuring a “Pick of the Week” disk 
on his daily show- on KROW. Coglin spins the platter every day for 
a week . . . Terry Lee, executive vp and manager of KOVR, has been 
elected to the board of directors. 

IIS DETROIT ... 

Gar Meadowcroft has been named to the newly-created post of 
assistant managing director of WJBK. Before joining station’s sales 
staff in 1952, he was district advertising manager of Household Finance 
Corp. He recently was the Detroit winner of the Storer Broadcasting 
Co. nationwide sales contest . . . WWJ has issued a handsome new 
brochure presenting information on facilities, coverage and economic 
characteristics of the area , . . Elaine von Grimmenstein, of WJBK’s 
promotion department, has been transferred to Storer’s UHF WGBS-TV 
in Fort Lauderdale. Her successor is Pat Elliott, formerly of WJBK-TV 
continuity. 

IN CLEVELAND . . . 

Joe Howard, pianist with WNBK Friday comics, has organized a new 
quartet . . . Ronnie Bohne, organist, with WGAR . . . WXEL’s Alice 
Weston back after three-week bout with pneumonia . . . American 
Hank made radio debut with five-minute purchase of WTAM’s “Mayer 
& Co.” daily live music stanza . . . Merle J. Levin named WHK flack 
. . . WERE’s Bill Randle added rhythm and blues period to his shellac 
twirling . . . WNBK assistant directors turned thespians include Rou 
DeGravelles, Ron Bacon at Lakewood Little Theatre, Don Rumbaugh 
at Chagrin with Bill McGaw directing Chagrin’s “Thunder Rock” . . . 
Patty Rowe and Toni Fletcher signed for Dodge commercials on WEWS 
film stint . . . Cleveland Auto Show meant extra contractual jobs for 
WGAR’s Hal Morgan, WTAM’s J4y Miltner and Ken Coleman, free- 
lance, 

IN PHILADELPHIA . . . 

Charles Shaw, director of news at WCAU, accepted on behalf of 
Edward R. Murrow, the annual Brotherhood Award of the Religious 
Council of Temple U. . . . General Manager Rolland V. Tooke w r as one 
of 13 WPTZ artists holding their First Annual di>how at Gimbel Bros. 
(Feb. 17-March 3) . , . George Goldman elevated to assistant promotion 
director of the WCAU stations . . Lee Stewart, former co-host of 

the WFIL-TV “Bandstand,” preems his “Dance Party” session on 
WDEL-TV Monday. Wilmington station is seen locally on Channel 
12 . . . William H. Sylk, WPEN president, elected to the board of 
trustees of Temple U. . . . Johnny Desmond in town to visit ad execs 
at Philco, sponsor of “Phonorama.” his new Sat. disk session . . . 
Wm. B. Caskey, v p. and general manager of WPEN, on a two-week 
Miami vacation . . . Paula Horton, former asst, traffic manager at 
WCAU-TV. now traffic manager at WFMZ-TV, Allentown. 

IN MINNEAPOLIS . . . 

Heeding requests, KSTP-TV has returned Bill Ingram’s sponsored 
“Edition” news show back to its former 6:15 p.m. spot, but also retains 
the new 9:30 p.m. time for it, giving it two instead of only one shot. 
Ingram now broadcasts the 9:30 p.m. program ft^om his own home 
. . . With WCCQ-TV going in for a bingo type show now, four 
of the five Twin Cities video stations offer the game for which spon- 
sors seem to be plentiful . . . Incidentally. KSTP-TV claims mail on 
its NATCO (bingo game program) hit 114,750 registration blanks last 
"eck . . . Larry Benson, president of WMIN-TV, which consoli- 
dates with WTCN-TV under new ownership as soon as the FCC ap- 
proves the merger, planning to take over at Sioux Falls, SO, tv 
station of which he’s part owner . 


THE ADVENTURES OF SHER- 
LOCK HOLMES 

With John Gielgud, Ralph Richard- 
son, others; Alfredo Campoll, 
violinist 

Producer: Harry Alan Towers 
30 Mins.; Sun., 9 p.m. 

NBC, from N.Y. (transcribed) 
British producer Harry Alan 
Towers provides NBC with a new 
radio show and big names, plus a 
little class. Present session of the 
Arthur Conan Doyle sleuth might 
seem unusual to American listeners 
and theatregoers; the Gielgud 
depiction in the domestic edition 
(20) was more emotional than the 
popular concept established by 
Basil Rathbone; and Ralph Rich- 
ardson’s Dr. Watson wasn’t the 
gibbering lackey created by Nigel 
Bruce. The story seemed the same, 
however; a brilliant detective 
prone to telling prospective clients 
at first glance what they do, how 
old they are and their sister’s first 
names; also a detective prone to 
ask for things like straw and a 
bucket of water in pursuing crime 
solution, without telling either 
Watson or the audience what he’s 
up to. In all. the Towers’ stanza 
shaped as light unviolent and mod- 
erately entertaining fare in its first 
U.S. go. Perhaps the “name” null 
is strong enough to satisfy the NBC 
radio affils on Sunday night. Plus 
Gielgud ard Richardson, there’ll be 
Orson Welles as villain Prof. 
Moriarty (though he didn’t appear 
on this showcasing), and Gielgud’s 
brother Val as Mycroft, brother of 
Holmes. 

Additional note is that incidental 
music was composed for violin by 
Sidney Torch. As played by Al- 
fredo Campoll, it was used as an 
exciting bridge between acts but 
not to motivate action. Art. 


WASHINGTON WEEK 
With Paul Niven. Daniel Schorr, 
Griffing Bancroft 
Producer: Theodore F. Koop 
15 Mins.; Sun., 12:45 p.m. 
Sustaining % 

CBS, from Washington 

“Washington Week.” a new 15- 
minute “rcview-of-the-w T eck” series 
originating in the nation’s capital, 
got under way Sun. (20) with CBS 
newsmen Paul Niven, Daniel 
Schorr and Griffing Bancroft dish- 
ing up the comment for the initial 
airer. “There’ll be no fixed format 
for the scries, according to Niven, 
and the entire CBS Washington 
stafPwill participate in the stanza. 

For the opener Niven touched 
briefly on nuclear warfare. Schorr 
viewed the Formosa situation as a 
“diplomatic stalemate” and Ban- 
croft opined that the Republicans 
will “just go through the motions” 
at its 1956 San Francisco conven- 
tion for it’s a foregone conclusion 
that President Elsenhower will run 
again. On the whole, “Washington 
Week” represents a good attempt 
at analyzing and interpreting the 
significance! of the week’s top news 
events. Gilb. 


BACK TO GOD 
30 Mins., Sun. (20), 8 p.m. 

NBC, from N.Y. 

As part of its “Back to God” 
movement, the American Legion 
sponsored an annual half-hour 
simulcast last Sunday (20) over 
ABC-TV and NBC radio. Program 
took the expected religious format, 
comprising sermons by representa- 
tives of various denominations and 
hymns by the West Point Chapel 
Choir. Principles of the Legion’s 
movement, calling for regular 
public worship, daily family prayer 
and religious instruction of youth, 
were stressed. 

Simulcast was carried from the 
West Balcony of Grand Central 
Station, with a final spiel by Presi- 
dent Eisenhower. Jess. 


HERBIE KOCH SHOW 
Producer-director: Jack Feierabend 
30 Mins.; Thurs., 9 p.m. 

Sustaining 
WHAS, Louisville 

Adult listeners should react fa- 
vorably to this half-hour live and 
record show informally m.c.’d by 
Herbie Koch, vet WHAS organist. 
While he has been “on location” 
at the WHAS studios for many 
years, Koch’s early activities as a 
theatre organist took him over 
much of the U. S. and European 
countries in the days when a mam- 
moth pipe organ was stock equip- 
ment in bigtime presentation 
houses. Aided by record fans and 
friends, he manages to corral old 
time disks, many of them perhaps 
collectors’ items, which he inter- 
sperses with his live organ num- 
bers. 

While his “making with the 
words” is not on a par with his 
digital dexterity, Koch manages to 
convey the impresh of just sitting 
around with some friends, and en- 
joying nostalgic tunes, many of 
which were top stuff in their day. 
Younger listeners no doubt could 
be intrigued by the disk perform- 
ances of former record toppers like 
Rudy Val lee and Ray Noble. 

Show is a natural for radio. 

Wied. 


LES PAUL AND MARY FORD 
Writers: Bob and Eileen Pollack 
10 Mins.; Wed.-Fri., 6:45 p.m. 
BURTON-DIXIE 

Mutual (Transcribed from New 
York) 

(Robert Wesley ) 

After a whirl on tv, the Burton- 
Dixie mattress firm has switched 
to AM for its regional exposure 
primarily in the central time zone 
with this twice-weekly Les Paul 
and Mary Ford dinner hour tidbit. 
It stacks up as a hep buy. P&F 
have long stayed on the hot side of 
the griddle with their string of 

Capitol etchings and their patented 
guitar gymnastics have that z.ingy 
zip to arrest the casual dial spinner. 

Squib is an easy-to-takc combo 
of folksy patter and music and. in- 
cidentally, a fine showcase for their 
latest recordings. One of their 
current releases, “Song In Blue." 
with vocals by Miss Ford, got Un- 
closing spot on the initial stanza 1 
(16). Opener was her “Falling In 
Love With Love,” with Paul’s 
“Meet Mr. Callahan” guitar spe- 
cialty the midpoint pacechanger. 
Packet was topped off with a cou- 
ple of nicely interwoven blurbs 
from the host and hostess. Dare. 


PHONORAMA TIME 
With Johnny Desmond 
Producer-director: Jim Burton 
25 Mins., Sat., 11:30 a.m. 

PHILCO 

Mutual, from New York . 

( Hutchins ) 

The coke set should go for this 
new platter show- in a big way, es- 
pecially if Johnny Desmond can 
continue to pull in the top calibre 
guests he drew on his initial stanza 
Saturday (19>. Desmond, the guests 
and the teeners in the aud kept it 
all moving at a gay pace and there 
was enough enthusiasm projected 
to rub off on the stay-at-homes. 

Desmond Is an amiable host 
with plenty of appeal for the juv es. 
His palaver goes well' with the blue 
jeans set and he knows what they 
like as far as current disks go. 

Show’s format sticks to the tried 
and tested path. Disks, diskers 
and guest deejays. Bill Silbcrt, lo- 
cal N. Y. deejay, was on hand to 
help Desmond and he, too, has the 
teen-talk down pat. 

Opening show emanated from 
Gotham’s Hotel Statler and it 
sounded like they packed a hefty 
number of kids into tbe ballroom 
to watch the stanza. It was a roll- 
icking and noisy crowd but the 
kids appeared to be enjoying 
themselves. Gros. 


Radio Followup 


Names make news, news can 
make names, and Laura Z. Hobson 
was probably closest to closing in 
on the nub of the subject when she 
noted the wide gap between being 
famous and being a celebrity. The 
author was grouped on NBC's 
“Conversation” last Saturday (19) 
in a roundelay on “The Publicity 
Buildup.” The others were N. Y. 
Post syndicated columnist Leon- 
ard Lyons and author-screenwriter 
Leo C. Rosten (alias Leonard Q. 
Ross), with Clifton Fadiman in his 
customary host’s chair. It was a 
snappy session of sage comment 
on a broad canvas with the quips 
falling where they may. While 
such a fertile subject can hardly 
be exhausted in a too brief half- 
hour, the foursome managed to 
pitch In Individually with fascin- 
atin’ analysis, dissection, case his- 
tories and anecdotage. 

Hep listeners might have taken 
a stab at identifying one press- 
agent character cited who for 
5G comes through for a client 
with a membership in the French 
Legion of Honor, an honorary uni- 
versity degree and the cover of 
Time. At least that’s on the agenda 
before the fee is in hand, ’tis said. 
No word about Phineas T. Bar- 
num, the No. 1 ballyhooist of the 
last 100 years, but plenty about 
his latterday counterparts, with 
no-names-please attached. Lyons 
might have contributed, a good 
deal about the nature of the “build- 
up” and its mainmost practition- 
ers, as reflected in the fodder he 
receives for his daily stint, but 
who can blame him for trying to 
protect his sources? His objective 
is to gravitate toward those who 
are newsworthy — hoping, as he 
said, that they’d see him in the 
restaurant and call him over for 
the chitchat routine. Rosten 
seemed in a loftier sphere, cynical, 
acidulous betimes and always wit- 
ty. Fadiman steered the trio into 
snappy memorabilia on the famous 
and infamous, the noted and no- 
torious, but as to exactly how they 
got that way would be worthy of 
an extended treatment. “Conver- 
sation” can make a career of this 
topic alone. Trau. 


MEET CARL SANDBURG 
With Dave Garroway, Harvey 
Breit, Harry Hansen, Carl 
Murphy, Ben Hccht, Bob Casey, 
Vincent Starrelt. Judith Waller, 
Ralph Newman, Edward Stclchen, 
Bruce Cation, Allan Novtns, 
Leonard Lyons, Robert E. Sher- 
wood. Adlai Stevenson, William 
Saroyan, others 
55 Min*>\, Sun. (20), 7 p.m. 
Sustaining 

NBC, from N.Y. (transcribed) 

NBC Radio last Sunday (20) pre- 
sented a graceful tribute to Carl 
Sandburg, as the latest in its “Bi- 
ographies in Sound" series. The 
55-minute transcribed airer brought 
in a host of -the poet-historian’s 
friends to pay brief tribute to him, 
to discuss his early newspaper days 
in Chicago, to tell anecdotes about 
him. and otherwise recreate some- 
thing of the savor of this home- 
spun teller and singer of tales. 

This was accomplished in large 
measure, although at times the 
hour was a little pedestrian as one 
tribute followed another in list-of- 
credits fashion. But when Sand- 
burg came on, to tell a story, to 
recite a poem, or sing a song, it 
was radio magic. Sandburg’s 
melodious voice, singsonging his 
verses, or exaggerating his stories 
(as with his delightful rendition of 
his “Five Marvelous Pretzels"), 
was music. 

Airer opened simply with Sand- 
burg singing some of his songs to 
his own guitar accompaniment. 
(The guitar kept backgrounding 
much of the show). Dave Garro- 
way was an effacing narrator as 
he presented a running biog, with 
Sandburg’s cronies to spell it out. 
Ben Hecht told how he got Sand- 
burg his Chi reporter job; Harvey 
Breit imitated Sandburg’s drawl in 
discussing Hemingway’s tribute 
anent the Nobel prize; Leonard 
Lyons told several anecdotes about 
the poet; Robert E. Sherwood de- 
scribed a walk with Sandburg, and 
Bruce Catten and Allan Nevins 
summed up his place among his- 
torians for his books on Lincoln. 

There were some very fine mo* 
i ments. as w hen Adlai Stevenson 
gave his appraisal of Sandburg as 
“epitomizing the American dream,’* 
or when the photographer Edward 
Steichen amusingly described how 
Sandburg (now his brother-in-law) 
first came a-courting his sister. 
But when Sandburg sang his songs, 
or told his stories; when he read 
his poetry, but especially when he 
came to the discussion of Lincoln 
and his place in America, the airer 
became surcharged with emotion 
and eloquence. Bron. 


AMBASSADOR AT LARGE 
With Danny Kaye, others 
Producer: Jeff Sparks 
30 Mins., Sun. (20), 6:30 p.m. 

ABC, from N.Y. (transcribed) 

Rarely has any producer built a 
radio show, much less a decent ra- 
dio show, out of the waste product 
of a film production. But that’s 
what Jeff Sparks did for the UN 
Int’l Children’s Emer. Fund in cele- 
bration of Brotherhood Week. After 
finishing theatre commitments 
in Europe not too long ago, Danny 
Kaye took off on an Asiatic tour or 
UNICEF as “ambassador-at-large.” 
In the meantime, he acted as pivo- 
tal point in a film about UNICEF 
work that was lensed and is soon 
being dist ribbed by Paramount. 
There were a lot of unusual sounds 
on the ABCast (20) of the Kaye 
trip; something about them stimu- 
lated the imagination, others were 
confusing, but. generally. Sparks 
found in this stanza a fitting trib- 
ute to Brotherhood Week by see- 
ing it through the needs of juves 
the world around. 

The audio tape spent overly long 
setting the scene for Kaye’s jour- 
ney, what w r ith nearly half the 30 
minutes spent in stuff recorded 
stuff made while he was making 
preparations in the comfort of the 
UN., N.Y. building. Finally, he got 
to India, to see how UNICEF com- 
batted tuberculosis; then to Burma, 
Thailand, Hong Kong, Tokyo and 
Korea, to see how other facets of 
the UN subsid operated. (There 
was little actual UNICEF biz in 
the show; occasionally, a UN of- 
ficial gave a brief rundown of or- 
phanage or medical aid programs.) 
But most of the time was taken by 
Kaye directing the film or just 
getting familiar with the kids. 

At times the listener-only status 
was confusing, yet at others it wal 
stimulating. There was, for in- 
stance, excessive crowd noise that 
might have enhanced a film but 
only served to interrupt a radio 
show. However, when the sight* 
less audience, at least those fa- 
miliar with Kaye laugh-gettin| 
techniques, heard the comic making 
weird sounds to kids who knew no 
•English and yet who laughed, it 
was just as graphic as seeing him 
on the screen. 

Incidentally, Par is releasing tho 
pic on Kaye’s junket in March, 
with all theatre proceeds going to 
UNICEF’s piggybank. Art . 



32 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 



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0 C 0 0 o & G l Is 0 0 0 D 0 


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III ■ 1911 II! IB 1 S il i li 


6 6 6.6 6 6 8 6 6 6 6 6 6,6 6 & 6 6'ti 8 6 


& $ 8 8 8 8 fe 8 8 8 8 8>8 3 8 8 8:8 8 8 8 8'8 8 8 8 8 il B 8 8 S Si II 

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I B 1 1 1 ! 1 1 S 1 1 1 1 1 if I « 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 IB 1 1. 





Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


VKrIETy 


l 


|o assure a successful operation, a surgeon first checks the in- 
ffle facts with a fluoroscope or x-ray. And what x-ray does for 
jie doctor, the 600,000 IBM cards compiling the J. A. Ward 
irvey can do for an advertiser. With them he can, for the first 
kme, assure a more successful business operation. 

ere, for example, is an x-ray analysis of one of radio’s most 
ifluential daytime radio shows— Queen for a Day; heard five 
ays a week on Mutual coast-to-coast (11:30-12:00 noon ) : 

irst — a big audience— 2,487,000 daily listeners on the average. 

|nd remember, these are people listening, not just sets tuned in. 

u • 

f*cond— more than 75% of all shopping is done after Queen is 


heard. Queen’s listeners make most of their purchases while 
the commercials are fresh in their minds. And more than 
a third of them hear it regularly in the-kitchen. You can help 
make up their minds while they’re making up shopping lists. 
Third— nearly 70% of Queen for a Day’s audience can 
not be reached by any television show no matter how popular, 
because 1,721,000 of them simply do not have TV sets. 

•4 

This x-ray shows what R Lorillard gets for its Old Gold on 
Queen for a Day in its fourth year of sponsorship. There’s 
still room for a companion advertiser five mornings a week. 

Let Mutual’s Mister Plus develop the picture further for you. 


s 



MUTUAL BROADCASTING SYSTEM 

1440 Broadway 

New York 18, New York 



34 


RADIO -VIDEO- TV FILMS 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


fflptlFIY - ARB City-By-City Syndicated and National Spot Film Chart 


VARIETY’S weekly chart of ciiy-hy-city rating s of syndicated and na- 
tional spot film covers 40 to 60 cities reported by American Research Bureau 
on a monthly basis . Cities will be rotated each week , with the 10 top-rated 
film shows listed in each case , and their competition slutwn opposite. All 
ratings are furnished by ARB, based on the latest reports. * 

This VARIETY chart represents a gathering of all pertinent informa- 
iion about film in each market , which ran be used by distributors , agencies , 
stations and clients as an aid in determining the effectiveness of a filmed 
those in the specific market. Attention should he paid to time — day and 


time factors , since sets-in-use and audience composition vary according to 
time slot , i.e., a Saturday afternoon children's show , with a low rating , may 
have a large share and an audience composed largely of children , with cor- 
responding results for the sponsor aiming at the children's market. Abbre- 
viations and symbols are as follows: (Adv.), adventure; ( Ch ), children's; 
(Co), comedy; (Dr), drama; (Doc), documentary; (Mus), musical; 
(Myst), mystery; (Q), quis; ( Sp ), sports; (VP), western; (Worn), 
women's. Numbered symbols next to station call letters represent the sta- 
tion's channel; all channels above 13 are UHF. Those ad agencies listed as 
distributors rep the national spot sponsor for whom toe film is aired. 


TOP 10 PROGRAMS 



DAY AND 

DECEMBER 

SHARI 

SETS IN 1 

TOP COMPETING PROGRAM 

AND TYPE 

STATION 

DISTRIB. 

TIME 

RATING 

(%> 

USE 

PROGRAM STA. RATING 


CHICAGO Approx, Set Count — 1.850*000 Stations — WBBM (2), WNBQ (5), WBKB (7), WGN (9) 


1. Mayor of the Town (I)r) WNBQ MCA Sat. 10:00-10:30 . 

2. Annie Oakley (W) WBKB CBS Sun. 2:00-2:30 ... 

3. Cisco K'd (W) WBKB Ziv Sun. 5:00-5:30 ... 

4. Racket Squad (Adv) WGN ABC Tues. 8:30-9:00 .. 

5. Janet D»an, R.N. (Dr) WNBQ UM&M Sat. 10:30-1 1:00 . 

6. Wild Bill Ilickok <W) WBKB Flamingo Sun. 1:30-2:00 ... 

7. Superman (Adv) WBKB Flamingo Sat. 5:00-5:30 .. 

8. Gene Autry Time (W) WBBM CBS Mon.-Fri. 5:30-6:00 

9. llans Christian Andersen (Cr) WBKB Interstate Sun. 2:30-3:00 ... 

10. Badge 714 (Myst) . WGN NBC Tues. 8:00-8:30 .. 

* Average Weekly Rating 


26 7 

54 . . . . 

... 49.3 

Wrestling 

WGN . 

10 0 

22 4 

78 

28.7 

Star Fire Theatre .... 

WGN 

3 5 

. 20 4 

43 

47.2 

Meet the Press 

WNBQ 

10 4 

. . .19.1 

30 

.... 63.7 

U. S: Steel Hour 

WBKB 

21.3 

18 5 

43 

42.7 

Wrestling 

WGN . 

Ill 

. . .18 4 

71 

.... 25.9 

Sunday Showtime 

WGN . 

5.3 

. . .18.0 

55 

.... 32.7 

Football 

WGN . 

10 0 

. *17.2 

64 

. . . *17.0 

Close-Up 

WNBQ 

(5 6 

. . .16 9 

60 

. . . . 28.0 

Adventure 

WBBM 

5.3 

. . .16.4 

24 

.... 68.1 

Fireside Theatre 

WNBQ 

18.2 


PHILADELPHIA Approx. Set Count— 1,840,000 ations — WPTZ (3), WEIL (6), WCAU (10) 


1. Waterfront (Adv) 

WCAU 

MCA 

Sun. 6:30-7:00 

... 28.2 . . . . 

71. 

39.8 

Janet Dean, RN 


WFIL . 

6 9 

2. Superman (Adv) 

. WCAU 

Flamingo 

. Mon. 7:00-7:30 

... 235 ... 

52 

45.0 

Award Theatre 

• • • • 

WPTZ . 

14 4 

3. Annie Oakley (W) 

WFIL . 

CBS 

Sun. 6:00-6:30 

...22 2... 

60 

36.8 

Omnibus 

• • • • 

WCAU . 

10 4 

4. I Led Three Lives (Dr) 

WCAU. 

Ziv 

Wed. 7:00-7:30 

18.9 . . . . 

48 

39.3 

Award Theatre 

• • • • 

WPTZ . 

10 6 

5. Wild Bill Hickok <W> 

WPTZ 


. Wed. 6:00-6:30 

...17.5... 

50 

35.2 

Ramar of the Jungle.., 

• • • • 

WFIL . 

11.3 

Range Rider (W) 

WPTZ . 

CBS * 

Tues. 6:00-6:30 

17.5 . . . . 

. ... 47. 

36.9 

Ramar of the Jungle.., 

• • • • 

WFIL . 

10.4 

7. Badge 714 (Myst) 

.WCAU. 

NBC 

Fri. 7:00-7:30 

. . . .16.8 . . . . 

45. 

37.3 

Award Theatre 

• • • • 

WPTZ . 

12 7 

8. Boston Blaekie (Myst) 

. WCAU . 

Ziv 

Thurs. 7:00-7:30 

16.7 . . . . 

43. 

386 

Award Theatre 

• • • • 

WPTZ . 

14 6 

9. Abbott and Costello (Com). . . 

WCAU 

MCA 

Sat. 11:30-12:00 .... 

16.4 ... 

73 

22.5 

Grady and Hurst 

• • • t 

WPTZ . 

4.7 

10. Cisco Kid (W) 

WCAU 

Ziv 

Sat. 5:00-5:30 

16 2 . .. 

46 

35.4 

NCAA Football 

• ••• 

WFIL . 

17.7 

CLEVELAND 


Approx. Set Count — 885,000 


Stations — WNBK (3), WEWS (5) 

o: 

E 

* 

£ 

C' 

1. Annie Oakley <W> 

WNBK 

CBS 

Sat. 6:30-7:00 

» % 

....34.7 ... 

94 

368 

Inside Catholic Schools 


WEWS 

2.1 


• 





Sports Page; TV IQ.. 


WEWS 

0.5 

2. Liberace (Mus) 

WEWS . 


Wed. 9:00-9:30 

... 31.8 ... 

48 

65.6 

Kraft TV Theatre 


WNBK . 

22.9 

3. Superman (Adv) . . 

. WNBK . 

Flamingo 

. Mon. 6:00-6:30 

...313... 

79 

39.6 

Desert Deputy 


WXEL . 

5.4 

4. Range Rider (W) 

. WEWS. 

CBS 

Sun. 7:00-7:30 

...30.7.... 

51. 

60.0 

You Asked for It 


WXEL . 

17.1 

5. 1 Led Three Lives (Dr) 

WEWS. 

Ziv 

Fri. 10:30-11:00 .... 

...27.7.... 

57. 

48.4 

Cavalcade of Sports . . , 


WNBK . . 

15.8 








Sports; Moments in Sports WNBK . . 

..... 9 9 

6. Cisco Kid (W) 

WNBK. 

Ziv 

Sat. 6:00-6:30 

, . . .25.5. ... 

78 

32.6 

Polka Time 


WEWS 

5.1 

7. Abbott and Costello (Com). . . 

WNBK. 

MCA 

Tues. 6:00-6.30 

...23 5... 

... 70 

33.5 

Desert Deputy 

• • • • 

WXEL . 

7.4 

8. Wild Bill Hickok (W) 

WNBK. 


Wed. 6:00-6:30 

...22 9... 

78 

29.2 

Desert Deputy 

• • • • 

WXEL . 

4.7 

9. Files of Jeffrey Jones (Myst) 

WNBK. 

CBS 

Sat. 7:00-7:30 

....22.3.... 

55. 

40.9 

Gene Autry 

• • • • 

WEWS 

17.7 

10. Badge 714 (Myst) 

WNBK 

NBC 

Fri. 7:00-7:30 

. ...222 ... 

70. 

31.8 

Meet Corliss Archer. . . . 

• • • • 

WEWS 

5.7 

BALTIMORE 


Approx , Set Count - 

—550,000 


Stations — WMAR (2), WBAL (11), 

WAAM (13) 

1. Cisco Kid (W) . . 

. WBAL. 


Tues. 7:00-7:30 

... 26.4 ... 

73 

36.0 

7 O’Clock Final 


WMAR 

6 9 



/ 





News — John Daly... 


WAAM 

4.3 

2. I Led Three Lives (Dr) 

. WBAL. 

Ziv 

Wed. 10:30-11:00 ... 

... 25.9 ... 

51. 

50.7 

Blue Ribbon Bouts . . . 


WMAR 

21.6 








Bouts; Sports Spot . 


WMAR 

18 4 

3. Superman (Adv) ... 

. WBAL. 


Wed 7:00-7:30 

. . . 24 3 ... 

68 

35.9 

7 O’clock Final *. . . . 


WMAR 

10 2 





% 


News — John Daly . . 


WAAM 

6 9 

4. Rainar of the Jungle (Adv). . . 

WBAL. 

TP A 

Mon. 7:00-7:30 

... 24.1... 

..... 70. 

34.3 

7 O’clock Final 


WMAR 

8 9 





• 



News — John Daly... 


WAAM 

5 9 

5. Wild Bill Hickok <W) 

. WBAL 


. Fri. 7:00-7:30 

. . . .20.4 . . . 

. . 69 

29.6 

7 O’Clock Final 


WMAR 

9.2 








News — John Daly... 


WAAM 

5.6 

6. Annie Oakley (W) 

WBAL 

CBS 

Sat. 5:30-6:00 

. . . .19.5 . . . 

. 44 

44.1 

Football 


WAAM 

29.8 

7. City Detective (Adv) 

WMAR 

MCA 

Sun. 11:00-11:30 . . . . 

. . . .19.0. . • . 

. 66 

28.9 

News; Sports; Weather 


WBAL . 

10.2 







Picture Playhouse... 


WBAL . 

3 6 

8. Badge 714 (Myst) 

WBAL 

NBC 

Tues. 10:30-11:00 ... 

. . .‘.18.7 . . . . 

43 

44.0 

Wrestling 


WMAR 

15 4 

9. Abbott and Costello (Com) 

WAAM 

MCA 

Sun. 6:30-7:00 

...151.... 

46 

33.0 

You Are There 


WMAR 

12.0 

10. Hans Christian Andersen (Ch) 

WBAL 


Thurs. 7:00-7:30 

....145... 

64 


7 O’Clock Final 


WMAR 

89 






4 


News — John Daly .... 


WAAM 

8 9 

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL 

0 

Approx, Set Cdrfnt- 

—460,000 

q. • WCCO (4), WMIN (11)* Minneapolis; _. 

Stations — KST p WTCN (li)* St. Paul shar.-w 

1. Wild Bill Hickok (W) 

WCCO. 


. Sat. 5:30-6:00 . . 

... 283.... 

89. 

31.7 

That’s My Dad 


KSTP . 

2.3 








Captain II 

• • • 

WMIN . 

1.5 

2. I Led Three Lives (Dr) 

. KSTP . 

Ziv 

Tues. 9:30-10:00 

. . . 25.5 . . . . 

49. 

52.5 

Stop the Music 

• • • 

WMIN . 

. . . .14.5 

3. Annie Oakley (W) ..... 

. WTCN . 

CBS 

Sun. 5:00-5:30 

...236.... 

54. 

43.6 

People Are Funnv . . , 

• • • 

KSTP . 

12.1 

4. Ilopalong Cassidy (W) 

. WCCO 

NBC 

Sat. 6:00-6:30 

...23.2.... 

62 . 

37.4 

Championship Bowling 

• • • 

WMIN . 

7.2 

5. Life of Riley (Com) 

. KSTP 

NBC 

Sun. 6:00-6:30 

21.7 . 

45 . 

48 1 

Yon A<:kpri fnr Tt 


WMIN 

10 6 

6. Foreign Intrigue (Adv) 

.KSTP . 

Sheldon-Reynolds 

Sun. 9:30-10:00 . . 

. ...20.4 ... 

40 . 

51.5 

Masterpiece Theatre. . . 

• • • 

WCCO 

26.4 

7. Ramar of the Jungle (Adv). . . 

*■ 

WCCO 

TPA 

Sat. 4:30-5:00 .. 

20.0 

81 

24 8 

NCAA Football 


WTCN 

..57 


b 




Local 1145 

• • • 

WTCN . 

2.3 

Mr. District Attorney (Myst). 

KSTP . 

Ziv 

Fri. 7:30-8:00 

....200... 

40. 


Topper 


WCCO . 

24 9 

9. Badge 714 (Myst) 

. KSTP . 

NBC 

Mon. 9:30-10.00 

. ...174 ... 

32. 

54.0 

Studio One 


WCCO . 

27 9 

10. Fllery Queen (Myst) 

WCCO 

TPA.- 

Sat. 9:30-10:00 

15.9. . .. 

29 

55.9 

Your Hit Parade 

• • • 

KSTP . 

.... 34 7 

SEATTLE-TACOMA 


Apprttx, Set Count—* 410,000 



. KOMO (4), 

(11) 

KING (5), 
KTVW (13, 

Seattle; 

Tacoma 


1. Life of Riley (Com).... 

KING . 

. , , . . 

NBC 

Thurs. 7:30-8:00 . . . 

. . . 41.3 

... 67 

... 61.5 

Name That Tune 

. . . KTNT . . . 

.. .146 

2. Annie Oakley (W) 

KING . 


CBS 

. . . Thurs. 6:00-6:30 . 

. 35.4 . 

79 . . 

45 1 

SnnrtQ* Wmi/c 

KOMO 

. . . 5.6 

3. Liberace (Mus) 

...... 







News; Bashful Billy Lee. 

. . . KOMO . . 

... 5 2 

4. Gene Autry (W) 

KING . 


Guild 

Wed. 8:30-9:00 

31.7 

43 

73 9 


KOMO 

. . .30 8 


KING . . 


NBC 

... Fri. 6:00-6:30 

30.2 

78 

38 7 

^nnrlc* Mowc 

KOMO 

... 3.7 









News; Touchdown 

. . KOMO . . 

... 3 3 

5. Superman ( Adv) . . . . 

KING . . . 


Flamingo 

. . . . Mon. 6:00-6:30 

. 30.0 

... 71 

... 42.4 

Dinner Matinee 

. . . KTNT . . . 

. 5 3 

6. Wild Bill Hickok (W) . . 

KING . 



Flamingo 

. . . . Wed. 6:00-6:30 .... 

. 29.3 

. . 68 

. . . 43.2 

Sports; News 

. . . KOMO . . 

. . . 6:3 









News; Joe Palooka . . . 

. . . KOMO . . 

. . . 7.8 

7. Kit ('arson (W) 

KING . . 


MCA 

Tues. 6:00-6:30 

28 9 

72 

39 9 


KTNT 

3.7 

8. Badge 714 (Myst) 

KING . 


NBC 

Fri. 9:30-10:00 

. . . 28 5 

. 47 

. . . 60.7 

Our Miss Brooks 

. . KTNT . . . 

.. 18.0 

9. Favorite Story (l)r) 

KING . . 

• • * • • 

Ziv 

. . Tues. 8:00-8:30 

. . . 26.2 

. . 39 ... . 

67 6 

Rnh IInnf» 

KOMO 

. 27 6 

10. Materfront (Dr) 

KOMO . 


. MCA 

... Fri. 8:30-9:00 

25.0 

. ... 42 

59.0 

Topper 

. . . KTNT . . . 

.. 20.4 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 



'STH-vn 



As always, the most recent Pulse shows WCBS Radio has a greater audience during 

* • • 

the average quarter-hour than any other New York radio station . , . 50% larger than 
the next network station, 23% larger than the next local station. Now, Pulse has 



•a 



The first CPA (Cumulative Pulse Audience) report is in. For the first time, Pulse 

shows how many different families listen to each of metropolitan New York’s 4 

* 

network and 9 leading local radio stations. 

* * .. 

MORNING, AFTERNOON AND NIGHTTIME, TOTAL DAY AND TOTAL WEEK, 
WCBS RADIO LEADS IN EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY! For example, on a total 

week basis, WCBS Radio reaches a whopping 80.9% of all radio families in the 
entire 12-county area measured in the survey... 11% more different families than 
the next network station and ^2% more different families than the next local station. 
In fact, WCBS is the only radio station (network or local) to reach 3 million 
different families weekly in this 12 -county area! (And WCBS reaches well beyond 
this area to an additional 17 counties.) We would be happy to go into the whole 

I 

* 

story with you. For all of the details, get in touch with CBS Radio Spot Sales or 

The Number One Station in The Number One Market . . . WCBS RADIO 


Sources: Average 1/4-hours — Pulse, January 1955; Total Week — Fulse CPA 12/54, released February 11, 1955. 






R*pr***rtiafi v«* 


MEEKER TV, INC 

Chicago 


Lot Angelas 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


R ADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


Studio Films is lensing a half- 
hour vidfilm series starring Frank 
Fontaine, which it expects to put 
into the syndication mill by April 
1. Ten of the musical-and-comedy 
telefilms have already been done 

on the Coast at the Mercury In- 
ternational Studios, with 39 pix es- 
tablished as the total. 

Deal, financed by SF’s Ben Frye 
and investor Sam Costello, brings 
Fontaine baek into the scene after 
about a two-year layoff as a video 
regular. He was a steady on two 
NBC shows, the “Swift Show” in 
'48 with Lanny Ross, and, lastly, 
“Scott Music Hall.” 

Pilot on the skein had batoneer 
Ralph Flanagan and thrush Peggy 
Lee. Others used so far include 
Teresa Brewer, Frankie Carle, De 
Castro Sisters, Tex Ritter, Sunny 
Gale, Mel Torme, et al. 


While everybody else is worry- 
ing about renewals for the rest of 
this season. ABC-TV has been pro- 
jecting somewhat, with the result 
that it’s tied up the three current ! 
“Disneyland” sponsors for next 
season <*55-'56». American Motors, ' 
American Dairy Assn, and Derby 
Foods are in the fold for another 1 
year (including summer repeats) 
under the same arrangement as , 
currently, with American Motors 
taking a half-hour every week and 
the other two alternating on the 
remaining half-hour. Not that the 
renewal wasn’t expected, in light 
of Disney’s phenomenal rating suc- 
cess. but ABC-TV lost no time in 
latching on to it. 

Meanwhile, the web took the 
official wraps off Disney’s day- 
timer, “^Iickey Mouse Club,” ad- j 
milting its existence for the first 
time via a joint announcement . 
from ABC proxy Bob Kinter and j 
Disney. Daytimer starts Oct. 3 at 
5-U daily in all time zones as ' 
was reported. Kintner, however, , 
wouldn’t say anything about who’s , 
already in as bankrollers, declar- 
ing the silenae was for “sales rea- ( 
sons.” It’s reported, however, that 
Ip, ana has jo : ned the rosier, along 
with General Mills, Campbell 
Soups and Borden’s. 


Cleveland, Feb. 22 
The Cleveland Indians’ baseball 
broadcasts have been pacted by 
Central National Bank and Carl- 
ing’s Brewery over WERE through 
Fuller & Smith & Ross and Lang, 
Fisher and Stashower. 

Sportscasters again this year will 
be Jimmy Dudley and Ed Edwards. 


UM&M Inc., the telefilm distribu- 
tion company comprising a 200-man 
sales force drawn out of a couple 
of theatrical commercials houses, 
has landed its first major sale, a 
35-market deal on “Paris Precinct,” 
the Louis Jourdan-Claude Dauphin 
starrer owned by Motion Pictures 
for Television. UM&M set the deal 
with Shulton Co., makers of the 
Old Spice products, via W’esley As- 
sociates. 

Deal covers major markets, with 
15 of them already cleared for a 
start two weeks from now and the 
rest in the process of being slot- 
ted. It’s Old Spice’s first program 
buy, after a couple of years restric- 
tion to spot announcements. Ini- 
tial negotiations were started by 
Sy Donnigan. one of the UM&M 
field supervisors recruited from 
MPTV when the latter turned over 
distribution of its program pack- 
ages to UM&M. Charles Amory, 
UM&M prexv, wrapped up the deal. 

Sale is specially interesting to 
the syndication trade, which has 
been watching the UM&M setup 
with more than ordinary interest. 
Majority of the 200-man sales force 
comes from the staffs of Motion 
Picture Advertising Service and 
United Film Service, two of the 
Tnajor outfits in the business of sell- 
ing and producing commercials' for 
theatre screens. Trade feeling when 
Matty Fox assigned his syndicated 
properties to the new organization 
was that while the UM&M staff 
might know the motion picture 
business, it didn’t know television, 
and thus the industry was some- 
what downbeat on the project. Old 
Spice sale, along with other busi- 
ness turned in by UM&M, may cue 
a reevaluation of this type of 
setup. 


be sold as a two-run package at a 
lo»vor price, calculated on the basis 
of Class C time instead of Class A. 
Harris is shopping around for 26 
more films, to be drawn from pilots, 
to add to the current 52 in “Crow n ” 
to enable stations to strip the show 
for 13 weeks. Total of 65 shows 
are necessary for this (13 weeks, 
five shows a week). Following the 
first 13 weeks, stations would de- 
peat the skein for another 13. 

Survey doesn’t include the rea- 
ons for the decline & fall of the 
service show, but it’s assumed that 
audience is falling off rapidly, for 
one thing, and that live production 
costs are increasing. Substitution 
of film segments, especially films 
bought in quantity on a rerun basis, 
bring station operating costs way 
down while at the same time main- 
taining fairly high audience levels, 
it s felt. 


First three pilots of a 1955 pro- 
duction slate of at least six new 
properties get underway at Prock- 
ter Television Enterprises within 
the next month. Shooting on the 
pilots, one of which is a pirate and 
sea-stories series, another on ro- 
mantic dramas and the third a bio- 
graphical series, starts about March 
15 on 20th-Fox’s Western lot in 
Hollywood. Conne-Stephens, who 
are 20th’s first telefilm tenant, are 
handling the physical production 
on the pilots, which haven’t been 
titled or cast yet. Proekter v.p. 
Jerome Robinson heads up pro- 
duction, with an expanded staff yet 
to be tapped. 

Other three properties will be 
shot later in the spring. All six 
will be put up for naiional sale, 
but syndication hasn’t been ruled 
out as a possibility for some of 
them. Expanded production slate 
for the Proekter setup follows the 
appointment of Andy Jaeger as 
sales v.p. 


Al Singer’s ‘Professor’ 

As ‘GE Theatre’ 1-Shot 

A one-shot exposure of the Al 
Singer-conceived “Professor Goes 
to College” is being planned for 
the Sunday night CBS-TV “Gen- 
eral Electric Theatre.” Audience 
response will determine whether 
tiie network will go ahead with its 
projected plans to do a weikly 
“Professor” series, on which Singer 
lias been * working for some time. 

“GE Theatre" on-the-air audi- 
tion will star Walter Slezak. with 
the show originating in New York, 
since Slezak is currently co-star- 
ring in the “Fanny” musical legiter 
on Broadway. 


Hollywood. Feb. 22. 
Goodson and Todman, N. Y. 
packagers, have finalized deal for 
Desilu Productions to shoot a 
pilot on its new series, “Buckley.” 
Don Quinn created series starring 
Reginald Gardiner. 


CBS Scraps Plan For 
Hayes-Healy AM Return 

CBS Radio’s plans for resuming 
the Peter Lind Hayes-Mary Ilealy 
half-hour series have been shelved. 
Web had toyed around with slotting 
the duo Saturday night at 8:30, 
exiting Peter Potter’s “Jukebox 
Jury” in the process. “Jukebox” 
will remain and Hayes-Healy, who 
had a Saturday afternoon run last 
season, are unplaced. 

llaycs continues as replacement 
for Arthur Godfrey on daytime 
shows, and was joined by his wife 
yesterday (22) morning on the 
CBSimulcast of Godfrey's Shrove 
Tuesday stanza, with pair cut in 
from the New Orleans Mardi 
Gras and Godfrey & C’o. on the 
N. Y. end. 


FOR RENT 
I OFFICE SPACE 


FCC Orders Hearing On 
Charge Lowell Thomas, 
CBS Made ‘Secret Deal’ 

Washington. Feb. 22. 
FCC decided yesterday (Mon.) 
on an “evidentiary” hearing before 
an examiner to receive evidence to 
support a protest against the pur- 
chase by Lowell Thomas and asso- 
ciates of stations WROW and 
WROW-TV in Albany, N. Y. 

Complaint was filed by WTRI TV 
which charged that Thomas and 
CHS entered into “secret under- 
standings” to shift the network af- 
filiation to WROW. A charge of 


1GOO Sq. Ft. 

48 WEST 48th ST 


(Radio City Area) 


HARRIS, NEWMARK <£ CO. 

1. Siegel OX 5-2200 


Hollywood. Feb. 22. 

Gerald Mayer will be producer- 
director of “African Adventure.” 
vidfilm series being readied by Ed- 
ward Dukolf, prexy of Interconti- 
nental Productions Ltd., new com- 
pany orating tv interests of the 
Schlcsingcr Organization in South 
Africa. 

First three episodes, being writ- 
ten by Larry Marcus, will be 
lensed in Eastman Color in Africa, 
Writer is now there, selecting lo- 
cations for series. Interiors will 
be shot at Killarney Studios in 
Johannesburg. 

DukofT and Mayer cast first three 
vidpictures which go into produc- 
tion June 1. Mayer leaves for 
South Africa May 1. 


II n 1.1. ft. at the 

Piano • Organ • Celeste 


|*i 


I REMEMBER MAMA 


READING 


$ $ $ DOLLARS $ $ $ 
FOR YOUR OBSOLETE 
16mm. TELEVISION FILMS 

Blaekhawk will buy any legitimate 16mm. 
sound prints of your used and obsolete 
filmed television programs for resalo for 
homo and non-theatrical use. Any auan- 
tity— one print or a thousand! Let us 
know exa-tly what you have by title, 
length and number of prints. ‘'We even 
have a market for obsolete commercials:" 

/ BLACKHAWK FILMS INC. 

n 502 Eattin Pictures Building 
DAVENPORT, IOWA 


Author- lecturer Victor Lask.v 
has filed a $250,000 damage suit 
against commentator Barry Gray 
station WMCA, N. Y., and a group 
of Gray’s late-night sponsors on 
the grounds that Gray held him up 
to ridicule and otherwise in- 
jured him. Suit was filed in New 
York Supreme Court, and came to 
light on a motion to dismiss the 
action by the defendants. 

Lasky claims that on March 16 
of last year, Gray read an article 
on the air which linked Lasky to 
the so-called “Hartnct” group, said 
in the article to be a group which 
clears people of subversive taints 
for money. Lasky charges Gray’s 
action was one of malice, spite and 
intent to injure, and claims to have 
been held up to ridicule and other- 
wise injured to the tune of a quar- 
ter of a million. 


Heart Fund’s 1 61 G Take 


Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Heart Fund telethon on KNXT 
garnered $161,315 in pledges when 
it went off the air Sunday, with 
producer Jack Rourke saying he 
is extremely happy with results 
and that they exceeded expecta- 
tions. Telethon began midnight 
Saturday. Goal originally was 
$200,000 but time was sliced due to 
last-minute programming changes. 

Highlight of event was actual 
heart operation at General Hospi- 
tal. telethon cutting into hospital 
intermittently during the three- 
hour operation, with George Put- 
nam narrating. 


His- T 




EVERY DAY 
ON EVERY CHANNEL 


BROOKS 

COSTUMES 


ni your* 

WGAL’TV 


NBC* CBS 
DUMONT 


STEINMAN STATION 


STANDARD SOUND EFFECT 
RECORDS 

Now Available in New York at 

CHARLES MICHELSON, INC. 

15 W. 47th St. PLaza 7-0695 


LANCASTER, PA 


CLAIR McCOLLOUGH PRES 


Cincinnati — Richard F. McCarthy 
joined the WKRC stations Monday 
2D as director of public relations 
and publicity. He formerly was di- 
ector of radio promotion for the 
Crosley Broadcasting Corp. 


Cleveland — Mel Tenenbaum last 
week ankled Ohio Advertising 
Agency as radio-tv veepee to join 
the Paul Warren agency. His new 
post is also as radio-tv chief. 




38 


RADIO - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


Wednesday, February 23, 1933 


Lamb Case 

Continued from page 20 ; 


few days after he testified against 
Lamb last September. The letter 
began : 

“In the relative solitude of my 
own humble home I have had op- 
portunity to reflect on the happen- 
ings of the most disillusioning 
week of my life — the week I spent 
in conference with attorneys of the 
FCC in Washington.” 

The letter went on to say that 
Watson “had the feeling at the 
end of my cross-examination that 
the disclosures fell somewhat short 
of our expectations” and that he 
would appreciate it if Russell 
Brown would inform Lamb that “if 
there is anything I can do addi- 
tionally to see that the truth pre- 
vails ... I will be happy to do so.” 

Watson admitted that he then 
became a consultant for Lamb, for 
a fee of $200, to assist in checking j 
testimony of other Government w it- I 
nesses. He swore that he has not 
been promised any further pay- 
ment. 

When Watson insisted that he 
was “coached and conditioned” by 
a former FCC lawyer to testify 
against Lamb, attorney Edward 
Brown questioned him at length as 
to how this was done. 

Watson said the Commission law- 
yer. Walter Powell, did it by pre- 
paring his testimony in question- 
and-answer form and making “nu- 
merous revisions” after talking to 
him and showing him “voluminous 
documents” based on Laamb’s writ- 
ings and files of the Daily Worker. 

When Lamb’s attorney protested 
against “dragging out the proceed- 
ings,” the Commission counsel said 
be was intent on finding out what 


TEN BILLION DOLLARS 

The Do • It • Yoursolf Homo - Owners 
Market! These people come to YOUR 
place of business when they 



The TV film show with a COMPLETE 
merchandising package! 

Write for FACTS 
Reid H. Ray Film Industries 
2267 Ford Pkwy. — St. Paul, Minn. 


caused Watson to give false testi- 
mony and to determine if he 
changed his testimony after becom- 
ing “paid consultant” to Lamb. 

The FCC attorney said Watson’s 
story was “incredible.” Watson, he 
added, is “a professional witness, 
not a neophyte.” And could not 
"easily be led from telling the 
truth.” 

Lamb’s attorney. Russell Brown, 
retorted that Watson’s contact with 
the FCC was a new experience. 
“The Dept, of Justice.” he said, 
"never tried to change his testi- 
mony. He had a right to have 
confidence in the representatives of 
the Government.” 


Chi-to-Frisco 

Continued from page 20 

arenas wherein the quadrennial 
wars will be fought. 


As Harold See Sees It 

San Francisco, Feb. 22. 

The prospect of covering the 
1956 Republican national conven- 
tion doesn’t dismay the Frisco tv 
stations. Ample tv equipment will 
be available, and by cooperation 
of the nets and borrowing of cam- 
eras and other equipment from 
various Coast stations there should 
be no problem. 

Harold P. See. manager of 
KRON-TV, says, “All the stations 
on the Coast will be glad to co- 
operate with the major networks.” 
It will not be necessary, he says, 
to move the whole tv setup lock, 
stock and barrel from Chicago after 
the Democratic convention. There 
are 25 cameras in the three major 
San Francisco stations, See points 
out. and most of them could be 
made available for convention 
work. Each of the seven major 
Los Angeles stations could loan a 
minimum of twp additional cam- 
eras aod more can be borrowed 
from Seattle, Portland and other 
cities. 

With the nets providing remote 
trucks, practically every problem 
can be easily solved. See says. ABC 
has already surveyed the Cow Pal- 
ace, site of the upcoming conven- 
tion, for help in planning the cov- 
erage. 


Weitzman’s New Status 

L. S. (Duke) Weitzman, who up 
to a month ago had been handling 
advertising and promotion for 
WABC and WABC-TV, the ABC 
Gotham flags, has moved over to 
the network side in a newly-cre- 
ated post, manager o*f audience 
promotion for the radio and tv 
webs. His new assignment had been 
pending for the past month, fol- 
lowing the appointment of Harriet 
Feinberg to the local post. 

Before joining the web in 1951, 
Weitzman was with the N. Y. 
Times’ sales promotion depart- 
ment. 


Maizlish Anni Hoopla 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

KFWB, the Harry Maizlish- 
owned indie here, celebrates its 
30th anniversary next month. The 
one-time Warner Bros, outlet, 
which Maizlish has managed for 
the past 19 years and owned for 
the past five, will commemorate 
the event with lots of hoopla. Sta- 
tion is rounding up congratulatory 
notes from top show biz person- 
alities as part of the campaign. 

Frank Bull agency is handling 
the campaign. 

Host-Narrator Slots 
Now ‘Open Enders’ Too 
For Local Personalities 

CBS Television Film Sales is pull- 
ing a real switcheroo. Whereas 
other telefilm distribs, upon pack- 
aging a group of half-hour dramat- 
ic shows, usually shoot a person- 
ality into the pix as host-narrator to 
provide an integrating factor (Tele- 
vision Programs of America’s Ed- 
ward Arnold, Guild’s Conrad Nagel, 
NBC’s Walter Abel, etc.), CBS is 
taking its host out of a series alto- 
gether. Series is “Crown Theatre,” 
an anthology in which Gloria 
Swanson is host narrator. 

Now that it’s preparing to sell 
“Crown” as a daytime strip, CBS is 
splicing Miss Swanson out of the 
pix. There’s a dual reason: to pro- 
vide more commercial time for sta- 
tions buying the package, and to 
allow' the station to put in a local 
personality as host and pitchman. 
Feeling is on the upbeat, says CBS, 
that local personalities can do a 
better selling job if they are inte- 
grated into the show as host than 
if a star who has no identification 
with the local sponsors hosts the 
show. Similar setup was arranged 
recently with Official Films’ “Star 
& the Story," when Cedric Adams 
took over hosting chores in Minne- 
apolis and Duluth. 


‘MARGINAL MARKETS’ 

A BIG TELEPIX PLUS 

CBS Television Film Sales has 
taken on syndication to “marginal 
markets” of the “Buffalo Bill Jr.” 
show- which Brown Shoe and Mars 
Candy are spot-bankrolling in over 
100 markets. CBS will handle dis- 
tribution in markets not covered 
under the Brown-Mars sponsorship 
arrangement with Flying A Pro- 
ductions, which is producing the 
segment for the Leo Burnett agen- 
cy. Deal marks the fourth Flying A 
property CBS is handling, others 
being “Gene Autry," “Range 
Rider” and “Annie Oakley.” 

Handling of “marginal markets.” 
as under the “Buffalo Bill Jr.” 
deal, is rapidly becoming one of 
the more important facets of the 
CBS Film Sales operation. It also 
handles the marginals on “The 
Lineup,” a CBS network segment 
| -sponsored by Brown & Williamson, 

; and foreign and rerun sales on “I 
| Love Lucy.” In the works is a pos- 
sible deal \tfiereby it will do the 
same on “You Are There,” which 
recently switched to film. 

Gross-Baer Packagers 
Ink Klein as Coast Head 

Bob Klein, recently associated 
with Hollywood’s Jules Goldstone 
Agency, named west coast general 
manager of Gerry Gross-Norman 
Baer packaging firm. 

Klein, who produced Tex & Jinx 
tv shows for four years, as well as 
radio-tv's “.Citizens Union Search- 
light." will work on Coast versions 
of “Junior Champions"; “Keepers,” 
and “Let’s Take Sides.” 


WATV’s ‘Casa Serena’ 

WATV, Newark. N. J„ tele indie, 
has something new in soap operas. 
It started fast Monday (21 ) after a 
surprise deal with a half-sponsor. 
Show' has half-hour daily format; 
it’s stripped seven days a week at 9 
ayem, and is played in Italian. Only 
thing not particularly new about 
the general description is the title: 
"Home, Sweet Home.” liberally 
translated from “Casa Serena.” 

Program chronicles lighter side 
of a husband-wife-mother-in-law’ sit- 
uation. Star is Gino Caimi. Filip- 
pone Sc Co. (olive oil) is bank- 
rolling the second quarter of the 
seven day strip. 


‘Spotlight In Harlem’ 

Set for WATV Sked 

WATV. Newark tele outlet, now 
has all four of the big minority 
audience groups in metropole cov- 
ered by its program sked. On 
March 9. the for-Negroes-by-Ne- 
groes “Spotlight In Harlem” show- 
joins the station. 

The better part of WATV’s move 
toward specialized programming is 
recent. It started in the fall with 
a Latino show that shifted from 
WOR-TV. More recently, it added 
another Spanish show, followed 
closely last month by a whole 
block of Italo telecasts. Now it’s 
the Negro show. 

WATV is now the only N. Y. 
telestation with specialized pro- 
gramming. 

Frisco NABET Will 
Protest Suspensions 
In Strike Aftermath 

San Francisco. Feb. 22. 

An immediate appeal to the FCC 
against the temporary suspension 
of five members of the National 
Association of Broadcast Employ- 
ees and Technicians will be made 
as soon as the men have received 
notification of the FCC action, Clif- 
ford Rothery, national president 
of the union, says. 

The five men were suspended 
following an investigation by the 
FCC of charges of sabotage and 
damage to station equipment in 
the recent KPIX and KEAR 
strikes. 

Three of the men, all suspend- 
ed for 90 days, were KPIX techni- 
cians on duty when that station 
was struck on Dec. 14. They are 
Anthony Severdia, chairman of 
the Frisco chapter of the union; 
Ronald WV Didrickson and Carle- 
ton W. Schwartz. 

The two KEAR engineers were 
suspended for 60 days. They are 
Howard A. Chamberlin and Fred 
P. Muller. 


Bob Cooke’s WABC Show 

New York Herald Tribune sports 
editor Bob Cooke joins the grow- 
ing list of fourth estaters pulling 
down some radio-tv coin. He 
preems a six-a-week half-hour 
sports show, “11:30 Clubhouse.” on 
WABC, the ABC flagship in New 
York,- starting March 21 on a Mon- 
day-thru-Saturday basis. 

Program, which will feature in- 
terviews and bulletins, is set for 
the 11:30 to midnight post. 


BLEIER'S ABC-TV RETURN 

Ed Bleier, who exited the sales 
staff of WABC-TV, the ABC flag- 
ship in New York, a couple of 
weeks after Ted Oberfelder took 
over the outlet, has returned to 
the network, this time under his 
pld boss, tv veep John Mitchell, in 
the network sales department. 
Bleier is one of two additions to 
the staff, the other being Helen 
Guy. 

It’s also a return to the network 
for Miss Guy. 


Columbus — Bob Adkins, disk 
jockey and producer from WIBC, I 
Indianapolis, has joined WTVN 
Radio here as coordinator of com- 
mercial production. 


Kansas College’s 
lay Off My V’ 

Kansas City, Feb. 22. 

A tussle is shaping up in Kansas 
over VHF Channel 8. now assigned 
to Kansas State College, Manhat- 
tan, the state’s cow college, and a 
channel which has become the 
envy of Station KEDD. Wichita. 

KEDD, now operating on UHF 
16, proposed to the FCC that 
Channel 8 be moved to Hutchin- 
son (not far from Wichita), and 
the College permit be changed to 
UHF Channel 58. KEDD would 
then move its transmission to 
Hutchinson. 

Kansas State, through its prexy 
Dr. James A. McCain, has been 
quick to pick up the gauntlet on 
the grounds that Channel 8 in 
Manhattan is a vital link in a state- 
wide educational tv net which five 
Kansas state colleges hope to hook 
up in the near future. The plan 
was proposed several weeks ago, 
involving a channel in Lawrence, 
one in Manhattan, and tv labs and 
programming by three other state 
schools over these channels. 

Fly in the ointment is the Kan- 
sas Legislature, now in session, but 
w hich meets only every other year. 
This session is looking with a cool 
eye on the McCain five-school pro- 
■ posal, which called for something 
over $1,000,000 to get it going. 


More ABC News Coin 

ABC Radio’s ’ Weekend News- 
package of 22 five-minute news, 
j casts continues to be the web’s 
| most consistent coin-getter. Latest 
in for an eight-week bundle is 
Thomas Leeming Sc Co., for Pac- 
quin Hand Cream and Ben-Gay 
lotion. Leeming started its eight- 
week sponsorship this weekend. 


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40 


K ADI© - VIDEO - TV FILMS 


Wednesday, February 23, 1935 


A House (& Senate) Divided 

Continued from page 23 


“The power of tv networks to de- 
termine whether or not to make 
programs available to an individual 
station,” he added, “amounts prac- 
tically to control of the number 
of stations which can subsist finan- 
cially." 

In various respects, the Jones 

report supported the Plotkin docu- 
ment. It agreed that the proposal 
to shift all VHF stations to UHF 
is impractical. Neither the public 
nor the industry would accept a 
plan to drop VHF, it found, what 
with more than 30,000,000 VHF 
sets in use. 

The report also agreed that the 
salvation of UHF is essential. “A 
means must be found,” it held, “to 
place UHF on a competitive basis 
with VHF in all markets. Specif- 
ically, UHF must be enabled (by 
law or regulation » to overcome the 
artificial economic and technical 
disadvantages” resulting from the 
FCC allocation plan “and the natu- 
ral economics which concentrate 
network operations in populous 
centers.” 

The report found that the top 
ranking markets are getting too 
heavy a share of the total tv rev- 
enues and that a larger share 
“must be channeled to UHF out- 
lets in smaller markets.” It point- 
ed out that in smaller markets 
there are VHF stations, as well, 
which are facing financial diffi- 
culties. 

The networks, Jones suggested, 
“could do much on a voluntary 
basis to support the tv economy 
outside the larger markets by (1> 
adoption of a more liberal and im- 
partial policy toward affiliation and 
(2 1 offering price discount advan- 
tages to national advertisers to buy 
time overall outlets of network 
rather than selected stations in 
large markets.” 

The report declared that the 
share of the business received by 
all tv stations outside the top rank- 
ing markets is “insufficient to sup- 
port a nationwide competitive tv 
network.” It would be “in the pub- 
lic interest.” it asserted, to find a 
way of getting more revenue in the 



TEXACO STAR THEATRE 

SATURDAY NIGHT — N.B.C. 

Mgt.i William Morris Agancy 


smaller markets which serve wide 
areas of the country. 

On the basis of information 
available, Jones said he could not 
determine whether networks "need 
to, or should, own broadcasting or 
television stations to subsidize net- 
work operations.” (The Plotkin re- 
port suggested that FCC consider 
limiting networks to three owned 
and operated tv stations.) 

Jones differed with Plotkin on 
the value of eliminating the excise 
tax to stimulate production of all- 
channel sets. He thought it would 
be an “insufficient incentive” al- 
though it might have “some bene- 
fit.” Plotkin suggested that if the 
! tax is to be removed, safeguards 
j be taken to insure that producers 
who benefit make all-channel sets 
only. 

The Jones report discourages de- 
intermixture as too costly. “Any 
action to make UHF service areas 
competitive with VHF,” it finds, 
“would require a wholesale reas- 
signment of VHF channels and en- 
tail staggering capital expenditures 
by VHF permittees and licensees 
Deintermixture also would entail 
staggering capital expenditures by 
every VHF station located ir pro- 
posed UHF-only cities and millions 
of VHF-only set owners in the pro- 
posed deintermixed UHF-only 
service areas.” 

The Plotkin report recommend- 
ed that “selective deintermixture” 
be undertaken in communities 
which do not yet have an existing 
VHF station. 

Finally, tne Jones report recom- 
mended that each network "adopt 
a uniform and impartial affiliation 
policy which will take into con- 
sideration the basic objective of 
the Communications Act to serve 
all people of the nation.” 


Bob Hope 

Continued from page 23 

doing and I’d be miserable forsak- 
ing it.” 

Here with his Hollywood unit, 
Hope revealed that he has refused 
thus far a stunning NBC-TV five- 
show offer, but that he has decided 
to do a number of guest video ap- 
pearances. 

After two of his close associates 
were suddenly stricken during the 
past year, Hope became worried, 
he said, and decided he'd better 
curtail his activities. But he has 
iust completed a physical checkup 
which found him in perfect condi- 
tion and he realizes he’d be dissat- 
isfield if he didn’t keep going in 
the same manner as hitherto. Also, 
his physicians advised him not to 
go into even partial retirement — 
it wouldn't be good for him physi- 
cally or otherwise to change his 
way of life at this stage. 

Moreover, in addition to tv activ- 



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aboard and let’s go places! 


ities Hope, who recently completed 
the Eddie Foy film, will continue 
to make and star in at least one 
picture a year for his own com- 
pany and he now has two screen 
stories under consideration. He’ll 
also make his usual limited num- 
ber of personal appearances with 
his own shows because he derives 
so much pleasure from them. But 
he’s passing up a fortune to open 
up one of the new Las Vegas 
hotels now under construction. Las 
Vegas is still out for him at pre- 
ent, despite numerous attractive of- 
fers, he says. 

Re video, Hope feels that tv’s 
voracious appetite for material 
doesn’t necessarily need to drive 
comedians like himself to situation 
; and story funmaking. He’s confi- 
dent that the supply of gags, jokes 
and stories will continue inexhaus- 
tible and always be able to meet 
the huge demand. It’s a certainty, 
in his opinion, that there’ll always 
be a large and good crop of wits 
and humorists who will not be 
found wanting in ability to keep 
the tv wheels grinding, despite the 
tremendous amount of ever new 
momentum needed. Preferring the 
video revue type of entertainment 
for himslf, he’ll stick to it, he says. 


Doerfer 

_____ Continued from page 23 

1 is a direct relationship between au- 
dience retention and advertising 
revenues of any broadcasting sta- 
tion. The clicking on or off of the 
dials in the home is definitely 
‘heard’ in the front offices of 
broadcoasters and sponsors.” 

Aside from its important con- 
tributions to the economy of the 
country and its superior technical 
developments, Doerfer found “re- 
liable” indications that the Ameri- 
j can system of broadcasting is sub- 
I stantially enriching the culture of 
' the nation. “A convincing argu- 
ment can be made,” he said, that 
the American broadcasting system 
has brought about an increased 
appreciation of classical music and 
literature. He pointed to a survey 
last year showing that a high pro- 
portion of radio stations are de- 
voting at least one hour a week 
to classical, light classical or con- 
cert music. 

“There are in this country to- 
day,” he said, "15 AM radio sta- 
tions which are 100% predomi- 
nantly dedicated to this format; 
124 other radio stations are airing 
a minimum of 10 hours per week 
of this type of programming.” 

He also pointed to a survey of 
network radio programming show- 
ing that from 1953 to 1954 listen- 
, ers to concert music programs in- 
creased from 3,680,000 to 4,203.000 
I while listeners to popular music 
programs dropped from 5,610,000 
to 3,648,000. 

Doerfer noted that attendance at 
symphony concerts has increased 
over 80% since 1940, that classical 
music records now account for over 
40% of the total sale of disks, that 
sale of musical instruments has 
shown a large increase, and that 
book sales have risen 57% since 
1947. 

“While the effect of broadcast- 
ing on the development of English 
culture is done only with the con- 
sent or approval of a government 
agency,” he observed, “America is 
permitting the people to partici- 
pate directly in its growth and 
without the intervening or guiding 
hand of a government agency.” 


NBC’s Big Weekend 

Continued from page 21 

network in August, 1953. His fu- 
ture plans are undecided, although 
it s understood he’s weighing a 
number of considerations. He’ll 
vacation In the Caribbean before 
making up his mind. 

Another question mark is how 
the o&o administrative setup will 
be resolved in the event that 
Denny moves back to helming the 
radio operation. The moves, from 
all accounts, will have no bearing 
on the status of Ted Gott as veepee 
in charge of operations for the 
radio network, although, there have 
been some reports that he would 
be a likely candidate for the o&o 
berth unless, as likely, Denny 
shuttles between both. Cott pre- 
viously did administrative o&o 
duty, in which he made something 
of a splash in terms of merchandis- 
ing patterns, etc. 

That NBC Radio has been having 
rough going isn’t exactly a trade j 
I secret, with frequent attempts to- j 


ward revitalizing the program- 
sales patterns failing to check the 
downward billings trend. 

It’s known that prexy Weaver 
has been blueprinting a master 
plan for the radio network’s future, 
which tosses out of the window 
all the present concepts of operat- 
ing an AM web in translating it 
into a counterpart of an AP or UP 
service, but this is something 
projected in terms of a future 
date and has nothing to do with 
the present emergency. 


NBC-New Haven 


Continued from page 22 


a perpetual network affiliation or 
a guaranty by the commission that 
the agreement will be renewed. 
On the contrary, rules were pro- 
mulgated by the commission to pre- 
vent rather than assure perpetuity | 
in network affiliation,” referring 
also to the possibility that the sta- 
tion might in the future have its 
network affiliations reduced from 
the current four to three. 

As to the “trafficking in li- 
censes” charge, NBC said the FCC 
has granted numerous applications 
involving the same principle of 
transfer and “has settled the pro- 
priety of such proposal beyond 
question,” citing several such 
cases. It also said there would be 
no violation of the duopoly rule 
under WNHC’s contention that 
NBC’s New York flagship, WRCA- 
TV, would overlap into areas 
served by WKNB-TV. It pointed 
to a number of available services 
in the area that “destroys any ar- 
gument that NBC ownership of a 
single station in this locality 
would substantially restrain com- 
petition either among stations or 
among networks” and hit at the 
petitioner’s charge concerning 
RCA’s “extensive history of anti- 
trust violations.” 


Lotsa Jockeying 
For Latin Com 

N Y. radio Indies WHOM and 
WWRL have started fighting it out 
in the post-midnight slot for the 
Spanish listener. Though neither 
station will as much as admit the 
other is even a remote threat to 
Latino program superiority, they 
are constantly jockeying for su- 
periority. 

Latest shennanigans take place 
at radio times heretofore untouch- 
ed by Spanish. Last week WWRL 
began an all-night deejay show for 
that audience. This week WHOM 
announces its own entry into post- 
midnight time. (Actually, from 11 
p.m. to 2 ayem.) By doing so, it 
apparently is trying to knock the 
WWRL advertising pitch off stride 
by competing during the most im- 
portant two hours of any midnight- 
to-six ayem sked. (Incidentally, the 
new’ three hours nightly on WHOM 
spell the end at station to longtime 
for Negroes deejay Willie Bryant.) 

Keenness of the competition is 
evident in amount of time spent 
daily by each in aiming for Latinos 
in N.Y. — both stations will here- 
after have exactly 13 such hours a 
day. Dealings shape as more of a 
struggle than the mambo. 

Storer 


Continued from page 22 


Matusow 


Continued from page 21 


his sponsor a written retraction. 
He also said he had called Elmer 
Davis, Drew Pearson, N. Y. Post 
editor James Wechsler and a num- 
ber of Senators to recant on what 
he said were wrongful statements 
he had made about them. 

Regardless of who’s telling the 
truth, the testimony of Matusow 
covering not only show business 
but politics, has served to throw 
doubt on the accuracy of the black- 
lists in a manner that would get 
agencies off the hook if they threw 
them out. To the general public 
The blacklist now seems a black 
eye, and the agencies could easily j 
drop them without fear of much 
controversy. In addition. Fund for 
the Republic prexy Robert M. 
Hutchins disclosed last week that ; 
agencies had told the Fund, which 
is conducting a blacklist investiga- 
tion, that the blacklist procedure 
is now more trouble than it’s 
worth. 


Hi Ho Silvers 


WFTL-TV in order to get its NBC 
affiliation. Since the purchase, 
WFTL-TV went off the air and 
turned in its construction permit. 
The channel on which it operated 
1 23) is now used by WGBS-TV. 

The Commission turned down a 
request by WINZ that service of 
WGBS-TV be interrupted pending 
the outcome of the hearing. 

Comrs. Frieda Hennock and 
Robert Bartley dissented from the 
rfiajority action. Comr. Hennock 
favored “a full evidentiary hear- 
ing” and a stay of operations by 
WGBS-TV. Comr. Bartley was op- 
posed to any hearing on grounds 
that WINZ failed to prove itself as 
a party in interest. 


Continued from page 21 


10 shows in the can as of this week, 
CBS has a $500,000 investment thus 
far in the series. The Paley-Stan- 
ton-Robinson high command was 
bullish over the pilot and ordered 
full speed ahead. The web, in 
fact, is purposely holding back on 
any sponsorship commitment (“it 
could have been sold already, be- 
lieve me” is a direct quote from 
one of the execs), but the web fac- 
totums feel the Silvers show rates 
a pivotal time slot next season 
designed to boost the overall eve- 
ning’s rating potential. That’s why 
Silvers, Hiken, et al., in the face 
of the week-to-week “shooting in 
the dark,” aren’t overly concerned. 

“As long as you watch the cat- 
sup bottles," hi hos Silvers. 


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Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


MUSIC 


41 


DISKLEGGERS RIDE AGAIN 


16 Det Jocks Continue No-Spin Policy 
On 4 Labels Because of Payola, Tie-ins 


Detroit, Feb. 22. 

The ban against Coral, Jubilee, 
Label X and Kapp records by a 
group of Detroit area disk jockeys 
continued this week after a meet- 
ing called by one of the distribu- 
tors to “clear the air” resulted 
only in heating it more. 

Mutual agreement by a group 
said to number 16 leading jocks re- 
sulted in a no-spin policy against 
Label X-Kapp because of a charge 
two jocks’ wives were stockholders 
in the distrib firm and against 
Coral-Jubilee in a belief there was 
a payola. 

Henry Droz, president of Arc 
Distributing Co. which handles 
Label X-Kapp, called a meeting of 
16 jocks at the Fort Shelby Hotel 
last week, he said, "to clear 
rumors relating to practices of my 
firm.” Joe Delaney, general sales 
manager of Label X. and Ralph 
Jewel, veepee of Arc, also were 
present. 

Toby David, of CKLW, angrily 
stalked out of the meeting in pro- 
test against the presence of Jewel. 
He said he had come for a friendly 
discussion, that Jewel was a lawyer 
and that he wasn’t going to get in- 
volved in legal horsefeathers. Fred 
Wolf, of WXYZ, followed David 
out the door. 

Droz said: "It is my belief that 
some disk jockeys are not playing 
Label X records because Robin 
Seymour’s wife is connected with 
Arc.” Seymour is a platter spin- 
ner at WKMH, Dearborn. “I know 
definitely that about four or five 
jocks are not playing Label X. 
There has been no appreciable de- 
crease in sales as a result.” 

Seymour admitted tq the jocks 
at the meeting that his wife, listed 
under her maiden name of Mary 
Jane Schweitzer, owned 7.350 
shares of the 20.000 shares in Arc. 

He said he saw nothing wrong in 
the arrangement, while the jocks 
considered it to be “unethical” and 
that it put them in a position of 
plugging records for a competitor. 
Several among the 16 jocks insist- 
ed the ban would continue until 
Seymours connection with Label X 
were severed and until they had 
assurances Coral was not involved 
in payola. 

Seymour said he told the jocks 
that while the maiden name of 
WJBK’s Don McLeod’s wife. V. M. 
Weddington, appeared on the Arc 
subscription agreement, neither 
she nor McLeod ever owned stock 

(Continued on page 46) 


ASCAP-Gilbert Night 

San Francisco, Feb. 22. 

The San Francisco Press & Un- 
ion Club is staging an ASCAP-L. 
Wolfe Gilbert night March 10. Gil- 
bert is ASCAP's Coast rep and 
board member. 

Gilbert will do an “And Then 
I Wrote” routine at the affair. 


CORAL HIRES Other Majors Hold Line on LP Prices 

As Mercury Withdraws Reductions 



Epics Biz 68% 
Over Last Year 


Fpic Records is traveling at a 
hot sales pace. Diskery, a Colum- 
bia subsid, had a 68% increase in 
sales for January of this year over 
a similar period in ’54. For the first 
nine days this February, diskerv's 
sales topped the figure racked up 
for February last year. 

Such pop artists as the De John 
Sisters, Roy Hamilton, The Four 
Coins and Somethin’ Smith are 
leading the pack but Epic’s rhythm 
& blues and longhair line stepped 
up as well. 

Label’s operation is handled by 
Bill Nielsen, national sales man- 
ager. Charles Schicke, general 
merchandise manager, and Marvin 
Holtzman, artists & repertoire 
chief. The diskery was launched in 
October. 1953. 


DECCA PREPS PUSH 
ON ITS JAZZ CATALOG 

Dccca Records is currently prop- 
ping a major push in the jazz mar- 
ket with its extensive catalog of 
masters extending over the past 20 
years. In addition to counter dis- 
play pieces for retailers, the disk- 
ery is issuing a special listing of 
80 jazz albums broken down into 
various categories of dixieland, 
progressive, vocalists, interna- 
tional, piano, swing and one Louis 
Armstrong section. 

Tom Mack, who handles jazz for 
Decca on the Coast, has written 
a piece on “progressive music” for 
the Decca branch execs. 


Merc in Eastern Division 
Buildup; Martin Pacted 

Mercury Records is gearing for a 
buildup of its eastern division. 
Diskery, which headquarters in Chi- 
cago. now is laying the groundwork 
for the enlargement of its New 
York branch activities. 

Latest move in its “Operation 
Buildup” is the appointment of Joe 
Martin as director of the Gotham 
branch. Martin will serve as liaison 
between the N. Y. base and the Chi 
homeoffice in the sales and promo- 
tion departments. Martin ankles 
his post at The Billboard to take 
over the Merc spot. 

Pop artists and repertoire in the 
cast will continue to be headed up 

by Hugo Perreti and Luigi Crea- 
tore. 


Stanley Adams Seen Sure 
To Serve as ASCAP Prexy 
For Maximum 3-Yr. Term 

With membership balloting for 
the • board of directors of the 
American Society of Composers. 
Authors A Publishers due to get 
underway within the next 60 days, 
incumbent prexy Stanley Adams is 
seen as a virtual certainty to be 
renamed to the same post. Adams 
has already served two one-year 
terms and. under the bylaws en- 
acted two years ago, he can only 
serve one more year as ASCAP 
prexy. 

Reigning over one of the most 
peaceful eras in ASCAP’s internal 
history since it was founded 40 
years ago, Adams has become 
solidly entrenched with both the 
writer and publisher members of 
the board. The 24-man board, 
which will be elected this spring 
for a two-year term, names the 
ASCAP officers from its own 
ranks. 

Meantime, the ASCAP member- 
ship is currently voting for mem- 
bers of the board of appeals. In the 
writer division, the nominees are 
Abel Baer, Bennie Benjamin. Bud 
Green, Lou Ilandman, John Red- 
mond. Harold J. Rome. Samuel 
Barber, Philip James and Douglas 
Moore. In the publisher division, 
nominees are Dave Drcyer. Fred 
Fox, George Paxton, George Pin- 
cus, Joseph H. Santly, Tommy 
Valando. Joseph A. Fisher and Ed- 
win L. Guenther. In both divisions, 
two reps of the pop field and one 
rep from the standard field will be 
elected. 


Disk bootlegging is cropping up 
again as a serious industry prob- 
lem. Although the diskers and 
music publishers sporadically 
crack down on the pirates when- 
ever the evidence warrants it, it 
has become virtually impossible to 
stamp out these operators com- 
pletely. 

Latest instance involves the Mc- 
Guire Sisters slice of “Sincerely’ 
for Coral Records. Latter company 
has discovered that copies of the 
disk are being sold to dealers in 
the Long Island area. The diskery 
has assigned private detectives to 
the area to work on the case. 

Another current case of boot- 
legging involves the longplay plat- 
ter, “The Investigator,” which was 
taken from a CBC radio show 
about Sen. Joseph McCarthy. This 
disk, put out under the Discuriosi- 
ties label, is now being sold by a 
variety of distributors in the N.Y. 
area. Prices to the retailers also 
vary, depending on who’s selling 
the disk. This platter turned into 
a plum for the bootleggers, since 
it was a bestseller under a small 
label, with no musical rights in- 
volved, and hence no copyright in- 
fringement retaliation due from 
this direction. 


SPA Projecting 
New Basic Pact 


With the basic agreement of the 
Songwriters Protective Assn, with 
the publishers due to run out at 
the end of next year. SPA is now 
polling its membership on sugges- 
tions for a new pact. On the basis 
of these recommendations, SPA 
execs may revise some of the pro- 
visions of the basic pact. 

SPA’s current pact was made in 
1947 and will have run for 10 
years when it expires. The last 
pact was negotiated with the Mu- 
sic Publishers Protective Assn, 
members and then extended to 
non-MPPA publishers. It’s expect- 
ed that the form of negotiations 
will change for the new pact to 
give all publishers now signed up 
a chance to sign up immediately. 

The SPA basic contract provides 
varied protection for songwriters 
in placing songs with publishers. 
The contract sets a minimum roy- 
alty figure on sheet music, provides 
for a 50% division of coin from 
mechanicals and foreign earnings, 
and automatically returns the 
copyright to the waiter after the 
initial 28-year copyright term. 


No More ‘Honey’ 

Tipoft on how far the rhythm 
& blues craze has gone is this 
vow’ from a major record com- 
pany artists & repertoire man: 

"I’m not going to record any 
more songs with the words 
‘honey’ or ‘baby’ in the lyric.” 


Col, Cap Set New 
Natl Sales Mgrs. 

Top sales level shunting hit Co- 
lumbia and Capitol last week and 
after the smoke had cleared each 
diskery had a new national sales 
manager. Hal B. Cook takes over 
the Col spot in a few weeks while 
John K. (Mike) Maitland already 
is on the job at Capitol. 

'Reshuffling was sparked by 
Cook, who resigned his veepee-na- 
tional sales managers spot at 
Capitol to switch over to Columbia, 
replacing Paul Wexler, Col veepee 
since 1951 and national sales man- 
ager since ’50. Wexler’s new as- 
signment has not yet been an- 
nounced. He has been with the Col 
operation since ’41. 

Maitland, who takes over Cook’s 
slot at Cap, was brought in from 
Chicago where he had been district 
sales manager. He has been upped 
to v.p. Maitland has been with the 
diskery’s sales division since 1946. 
He’ll operate from Cap’s New York 
national sales and promotion 
offices. 


ONE PRADO ENOUGH IN 
MUSIC BIZ-HE SEZ 

Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

One Perez. Prado is enough in the 
music business, according to Da- 
maso Perez Prado, billed as the 
Mambo King, who has filed suit in 
Superior Court for permission to 
eliminate his first name and to be 
known legally by his second and 
third cognomens. 

Reason is that his Cuban brother, 
Pantaleone Perez Prado, has organ- 
ized a band for engagements in Eu- 
rope under the names of Perez 
Prado. Damso wants Pantaleone to 
quit band-leading as Perez. 


BIG THREE LAUNCHING 
MODERN MUSIC SERIES 

The Big Three music combine 
(Robbins, Feist & Miller) is inau- 
gurating a new series of modern 
music under the technical super- 
vision of Ferde Grofe. Series will 
be specially arranged for program 
use in diverse media such as con- 
cert orchestras and television. 
Alfred Newman. Miklos Rozsa., 
Louis Alter. Granville English, 
Grofe and the late Peter DcRose 
will be among the composers fea- 
tured in the scries. 

Project was sparked by interest 
of music educational groups and 
symphony orchs in new arrange- 
ments of standards as well as new 
compositions. Upcoming, for in- 
stance, are the St. Louis Sym- 
phony’s performance of Alters 
"Manhattan Serenade,” the Balti- 
more Symphony’s performance of 
English’s "Mood Tropicale” and 
Andre Kostelanetz’ performance of 
Grofe’s "Hendrick Hudson Suite” 
at Carnegie Hall in N.Y. in July. 
Grofe is also preparing his "Death 
Valley Suite” as part of this mod- 
ern music series. 

Mickey Scopp, Big Three vice- 
prexy, is handling the project for 
the publisliing^company. 


EMI Prexy Sez Capitol 
Buyout Will Better Co. 

In World Disk Market 

London, Feb. 22. 

An assurance that their acquisi- 
tion ’of a controlling interest in 
Capitol Records would not inter- 
fere with the arrangements they 
have had for many years with RCA 
was made by J. F. Lockwood w hen 
presiding at a special stockhold- 
ers meeting of Electric & Musical 
Industries. 

The company is to issue 3.000.000 
second preference shares of $2.80 
each to finance the Capitol buy. 

After explaining to stockholders 
that it was essential for EMI to 
make adequate provision to sup- 
port their vast business in the field 
of pop music and that some of the 
best in this field originated in the 
U S.. Lockw'ood said they needed 
a large number of recordings by 
American leading artists, in addi- 
tion to those already at their dis- 
posal, for manufacture and export 
under their various trademarks in 
the many countries where they 
operate. 

EMI has its own factories or 
plants in 18 overseas countries 
where they have branches and 
agents. He emphasized also that 
the US. market was the largest 
in the world and it was vitally im- 
portant that they should have ade- 
quate distribution in America for 
pop artists of the world who record 
for them. Capitol would provide 
that outlet. 


Although Mercury Records 
moved to hike its LP prices after a 
run with the reduced schedule 
since early in January, the rest of 
the major companies are planning 
to hold the line at present price 
levels. Merc’s move came as a par- 
ticular surprise to the industry, 
since it was among the companies 
which originally hailed the reduc- 
tions when they were launched by 
Victor at the outset of this year. 

Mercury’s decision to boost 
prices back to the $5 per 12-inch 
platter level reflects a widespread 
uneasiness among the major diskers 
over the effects of the price cuts. 
Victor is solidly behind tlie reduc- 
tions, claiming that increased busi- 
ness has more than justified the 
policy. London Records also has 
been doing solid package business 
since the reductions, but the other 
major diskers are frankly not too 
happy about the price situation. 
These majors, however, have to 
price their disks competitively with 
Victor. 

Mercury revised prices of its LP 
classical series upward from $3.98 
to $4.98 and upped the dealer price 
on its 78 and 45 rpm singles. Rea- 
sons given for the increase were 
dealer sentiment that purchasers of 
the classical series were not buying 
price but performances and would 
buy a desired record whether it re- 
tailed at $4.98 or $3.98. Also Mer- 
cury found that it could not profit- 
ably produce a classical series at a 
$3.98 retail price. 

Thus, Mercury’s 12-inch LP’s, 
the MG-10,000, MG-40,000 and 

MG-50,000 Olympian series, go 
from $3.98 to $4.98. The dealer 
price on 78rpm singles retailing 
at 98c goes from 57c to 60c, and 
the price for 89c 45rpm singles is 
upped from 52c to 55c. Other 
prices remain as previously an- 
nounced. 

Mercury execs feel that Victor 
(Continued on page 43) 


MERRILL-KAUFMAN INTO 
MGT. WITH BURTON SIS 

Songwriter Bob Merrill, who 
branched out into the publishing 
business last year in partnership 
with Murray Kufman, is now going 
into personal management. He and 
Kaufman are now handling the Bur- 
ton Sisters, a duo who were signed 
to a Victor pact last week. 

The sister team cut their first 
sides last week with Joe Reisman 
batoning the studio orch. It was 
also the first studio date for Reis- 
man since joining the label as mu- 
sical director. The duo will cut 
both rhythm & blues and pop sides 
for the diskery. 


CAP’S WALLICHS O’SEAS 
FOR EMI EXEC HUDDLES 

Capitol Records proxy Glenn E. 
Wallichs headed for London last 
} week for huddles w ith Electric & 
Musical Industries brass. Confabs 
, will revolve around the EMI take- 
over of Cap and future operating 
plans. 

Wallichs is expected to wind up 
j his London stay in about two weeks 
and will make a brief stopover in 
! New York before returning to the 
diskery s headquarters on the 
1 Coast. 


Jazz Bigger Draw In 
W. Germany Than Symph 

Frankfurt, Feb. 22. 

The fact that "it takes a lot less 
time to grow a short haircut than 
it does a longhair” was proved Sun- 
day night (Feb. 13) at Frankfurt, 
West Germany. Ella Fitzgerald, 
topping the jive-happy Jazz at the 
Philharmonic show presented by 
Norman Granz, was a complete 
sellout at both matinee and night 
performances at the town’s 2.300 
seat Congress Saal, with seats sell- 
ing at $2.50 L)p. Just one week 
previously, tire famed Vienna 
Symphony, with guest soloist Wolf- 
gang Schneiderhan, at the same 
hall and with the same scale, 
played only one evening show’, and 
had a third of the seats going beg- 
ging. 

Both the Vienna Symphony and 
the Jazz at the Philharmonic show 
had a mixed audience of U. S. 
troops stationed in the Frankfurt 
area and the regular German thea- 
tre patrons. Difference in the man- 
ners of the two groups, though, was 
pointed out in the signs at the Jazz 
show. For the rule-abiding Ger- 
mans, a polite "Bitte Nicht Rau- 
ehen” (Please No Smoking) sign, 
and for the Americans, a firm 
“Definitely No Smoking.” 




42 


MUSIC 


Capitol Packages Stan Kenton Saga 
In Sock De Luxer; Other Reviews 


The Kenton Era (Capitol). This 
de luxe four 12-inch platter set 
spotlights one of the major influ- 
ences in jazz music since the early 
1940s. Stan Kenton was one of the 
pioneers of the “progressive mu- 
sic” movement and. throughout 
most of his career as bandleader. 
Kenton has been an experimental- 
ist and therefore a center of con- 
troversy. This set traces Kenton’s 
development from 1940 through 
1954 with heretofore unreleased 
disks illustrating each era and each 
successive band. On the first and 
last sides. Kenton narrates his mu- 
sical biography with illustrative 
short band excerpts. Gab on jazz 
disks, even when done as in this 
ease with intelligence, is just a 
stage wait and Kenton’s remarks 
could have been included in the 
accompanying notes. The album, 
incidentally, contains a superb 44- 
page layout on Kenton with an in- 
formative. tightly written story by 
Bud Freeman plus numerous pho- 
tos. 

Each of the sides focuses on a 
decisive stage in the Kenton saga. 
The earliest and one of the best is 
titled “Balboa Bandwagon,” featur- 
ing sides that the band made at 
the Rendezvous Ballroom in Bal- 
boa. Cal., back in 1941. This was a 
distinctive crew with a dance beat. 
On Side Three, titled “Growing 
Pains." the current Kenton quality 
was emerging, a combination of 
new sounds and swinging tempoes. 
Side Four is from the 1945-46 era 
when the Kenton imprint was as- 
sumed definite outlines, while Side 
Five stems from the following two 
years and includes solid illustra- 
tions of Kenton’s way. with Latin- 


American tempos. Side Six opens 
in the 1950s and, together with 
Side Seven, carries the Kenton sto- 
ry forward to the present day. 
Aside from the flock of topflight 
sidemen who are spotlighted, the 
album also features such Kenton 
vocalists as June Christy, Gene 
H o w' a r d, Anita O’Day, Dolly 
Mitchell. Kay Gregory and Kenton 
himself on “St. James Infirmary 
Blues.” 

Bing Crosby: ‘‘The Country Girl” 
(Decca). This set includes tunes 
from two recent Crosby films. Par- 
amount’s “The Country Girl” and 
“Little Boy Lost.” Altogether 
neither film produced any hit tunes, 
this set has some fine numbers that 
stand up nicely in this package. 
Particularly good are the numbers 
from “Little Boy Lost.” including 
one tune. “Dissertation on the 
State of Bliss,” which Crosby duets 
with Patty Andrews. 

Buck Clayton Jams Benny Good- 
man Favorites (Columbia). In this 
jazz set. Buck Clayton fronts a top- 
flight aggregation of sidemen on 
three standards of the old Benny 
Goodman band. One whole 12-inch 
side is a jam session on “Christo- 
pher Columbus” while ‘‘Don’t Be 
That Way” and “Undecided” share 
the other side in extending swing 
versions. Although these versions, 
because of their length, don’t have 
the sock of the BG renditions, par- 
ticularly in the 1938 Carnegie Hall 
Concert versions, they have plenty 
of pace and color in addition to 
some fine solo licks. 

Henri Rene: “Passion In Paint” 
(RCA Victor). This set is an at- 
tempt to tie up some classical 
paintings with instrumental themes 



Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


LAWRENCE WELK 

and hit 

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC 
180th Consecutive Week, Aragon 
Ballroom, Santa Monica, Calif 
Exclusively on Coral Record* 
“CRAZY MUSIC” 
Featuring The Lancer* 
“TIMBER JACK” 
Featuring The Lancers 


by Henri Rene. The end product 
is a selection of atmospheric pieces 
which add up to another “mood 
! music” package. Cover features a 
semi-nude painting and the reverse 
cover has photos of 12 master 
paintings which inspired the vari- 
ous Rene numbers. 


Jocks, Jukes and Disks 


,By HERM ECHOENFELD. 


Gordon Jenkins Orch: “My 

Own”-“Tired Of Waiting” (Label 
X). For his first slice under the 
Label X banner, Gordon Jenkins 
has come up with a sock ballad in 
“My Own.” It’s a solid tune with 
a fine lyric and Jenkins gives it 
one of his most attractive arrange- 
ments, with Bob Grabeau scoring 
in the solo vocal part. It’s due for 
lots of jock spins. Flip is a strong 
rhythm side which could make it 
too, Tabby Calvin handling the 
vocal with the right feel. 

Don Cornell: “Give Me Your 
Love”-“When You Are In Love" 
(Coral). One of the more consistent 
male singers now around. Don 
Cornell has another likely hit in 
“Give Me Your Love.” a rhythm 
ballad with a good idea. Cornell 


Love Me” (Coral). These are two 
more competent sides by the Mc- 
Guire Sisters, who have developed 
a considerable following in the last 
year. Both tunes are tailored for 
the trio along conventional lines 
with okay, but not standout impact. 

Dick Noel: “When I’m Alone 
“These Are The Things We’ll 
Share” (Fraternity). Dick Noel has 
an excellent voice and the only 
thing wrong with it is that it 
sounds like a virtual carbon of 
Perry Como’s in some passages. He 
has a firstrate ballad in “When I’m 
Alone” and, if he can overcome 
that Como comparison, he should 
get some attention with it. Flip 
is another excellent piece of ma- 
terial. 

James Brown: “The Ballad of 
Davy Crockett’’- ‘He’s A Rocking- 


Best Bets 


Soncfs With Largest Radio Audience 

The top 30 songs of week (more in case of ties), based on 
copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index. 
Published by Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John Gray Peatman, 
Director. Alphabetically listed. * Legit musical. t Film. 


Survey Week of February 11-17, 1953 

A Man Chases A Girl — t“Show Business” 

All Of You — *“Silk Stockings” 

Ballad Of Davey Crockett 

Blue Mirage 

Close Your Eyes 

Count Your Blessings — t"White Christmas” 

Dixie Danny 

Finger Of Suspicion 

Hearts Of Stone 

How Important Can It Be . . . • 

I Need You Now 

If 1 Give My Heart To You 

It’s A Big, Wide. Wonderful World — i“3 Ring Circus” 

Ko Ko Mo 

Let Me Go Lover 

Make Yourself Comfortable 

Melody Of Love 

Mister Sandman 

Mobile 

My Own True Love — -“Gone With The Wind” ... 

Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane 

No More 

Paper Valentine 

Sincerely 

Song Of Barefoot Contessa — ^“Barefoot Contess^” . 

That’s All I Want From You 

These Are The Things We ll Share 

Twecdle Dee 

Wedding Bells 

You'll Always Be My Lifetime Sweetheart 

Young And Foolish — *“1*1310 And Fancy” 


Berlin 

Chappell 

Wonderland 

Mills 

Miller 

Berlin 

Southern 

Pickwick 

Regent 

Aspen 

Miller 

Miller • 

Broadcast 

Meridian 

H & R 

Rylan 

Shapiro-B-JP 
Morris 
Ardmore 
Remick 
Paxton 
Maple Leaf 
Stratton 
Arc-R 
Chappell 
W & B 
Famous 
Progressive 
, Mellin 
W & D 
Chappell 


Top 30 Songs on TV 

(More In Case of Ties) 

Any Questions Mark VII 

Art Of Conversation Has Declined Morris 

Bella Notte : Disney 

Belle From Barcelona Mr. Music 

Count Your Blessings — '"White Christmas” Berlin 

Hearts Of Stone Regent 

He’s A Tramp Disney 

Hold My Hand — 1 “Susan Slept Here” Raphael 

If You Believe — i“Show Business” Berlin 

Ko Ko Mo ... Meridian 

La La Lu . . . * Disney 

Let Me Go Lover H & R 

Melody Of Love Shapiro-B-P 

Mister Sandman Morris 

Mobile Ardmore 

Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane Paxton 

Paper Valentine Stratton 

Paths Of Paradise Spier 

Sheesh, What A Grouch Jaglea 

Siamese Cat Song Disney 

Sincerely Arc-R 

Song In Blue .* Iris-T 

That’s All l Want From You W r & B 

Three Times Around Beechwood 

Tweedle Dee Progressive 

Unsuspecting Heart Tee Pee 

Welcome Home Chappell 

Why Not Me Morris 

You’ll Always Be My Lifetime Sweetheart W & D 

Young And Foolish — *"Plain And Fancy” Chappell 


EVERYBODY GETS INTO 
TV SONGMAKING ACT 

Epic Records is now getting into 
the tele act with Roy Hamilton’s 
cut of "If Each One Would Teach 
One.” Disk has been set for five 
consecutive days of plugging on 
CBS-TV’s “Strike It Rich” show. 
Record will get similar plugging 
exposure on the show’s radio out- 
ing on the Mutual network. 

Promotion which teed off Mon- 
day (21). will coincide with “Broth- 
erhood Week.” Tune was written 
by Buddy Kaye and Jules Loman 
and is published by Budd Music. 


GORDON JENKINS ORCH MY OWN 

( Label X) Tired of Waiting 

DON CORNELL GIVE ME YOUR LOVE 

(Corah When You Are In Love 

TONY TRAVIS WE OUGHTA BE 

(RCA Victor) Long Time Forgetting You 

LIBERACE UNCHAINED MELODY 

(Columbia' The Bridges at Toko-Ri 


Jim Ameche to Narrate 
Two More for Capitol 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Publicist Red Doff, who pro- 
duced the LP album, “Rubaiyat of 
Omar Khayyam,” released by 
Capitol Records, is propping two 
similar projects with narration by 
Jim Ameche. 

Harold Spina will handle the 
musical score, with the albums set 
for an April release. 


bounces it with verve enough to 
land the juke spins. “When You 
Are In Love” is a change-of : pace 
romantic ballad with a lilting 
tempo and lush format. 

Tony Travis: “We Oughta Be”- 
I’m Gonna Be A Long Time For- 
getting You” (RCA Victor). A new- 
comer on the Victor label, Tony 
Travis is a Coast singer with a 
smooth crooning attack that’s re- 
miniscent. but not imitative, of 
Frank Sinatra. He clicks neatly on 
“We Oughta Be-.” a slick light 
rhythm entry. The Sinatra influ- 
ence is more marked on the re- 
verse, a stiekout class ballad that 
might turn into the top side over 
the long pull. 

Liberace: “Unchained Melody”- 
“The Bridges At Toko-Ri” (Colum- 
bia). The trademarked Liberace 
piaaistic style, with plenty of 
schmaltz and arpeggios, gets fully 
exercised in this coupling of pic- 
ture title theme songs. “Unchained 
Melody” is melodic enough to 
catch on strongly in the pop 
market, although Liberace gives 
it a quusi-classical. interpretation. 
“Bridges” is another atmospheric 
number, effectively rendered by 
the pianist with his brother, 
George, batoning the symphony 
orch. 

The McGuire Sisters: “It May 
Sound Silly” - “Doesn’t Anyone 


Horse Cowboy” (MGM). “Davy 
Crockett” has been piling up an 
impressive stack of wax versions 
since its launching on the Walt 
Disney tv show'. James Brown has 
a simple, effective slice in a pleas- 
ant folk-style manner. Rusty 
Draper also gives it an attractive 
workover for the Mercury label. 
On the MGM, flip. Brown delivers 
a juve-styled number in western 
garb. 

The Stylers: “Shoo Shoo Shoo 
Sh’ La La’’-“Love Ya Like Crazy” 
(Jubilee). The Stylers, another 
entry in the current male ensemble 
sweepstakes, are a swinging combo 
with a highly listenable style. 
“Shoo Shoo” is a cute jive lullaby 
with a good beat that’s projected 
sharply. “Love Ya Like Crazy” is 
a rhythm & blues type of jump 
number that falls into the current 
pop market groove. The Stylers 
beat out this number snappily. 

The Crackerjacks: “Be Good Be 
Good Be Good”- “Whispering 
Winds” (Kapp). The Crackerjacks 
are a smooth vocal combo with a 
fine bass soloist who gives this unit 
an offbeat quality. The unit has 
a good number in “Be Good.” a 
light rhythm item with a message. 
“Whispering Winds” is a good 
ballad with a definite beat that’s 
delivered by this group in fine 
style. 




10 Best Sellers on Coin-Machines 


1. MELODY OF LOVE (7) 


» ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ 

[ Billy Vaughn Dot 

David Carroll Mercury 

Four Aces ..Decca 

Ink Spots King I 


T 

It 

I 


2 . 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6 . 


CRAZY OTTO MEDLEY (3) * j cra^Otto^^ 


KO KO 
HEARTS OF STONE (9) 


• ♦ 


8. 

9. 


Dot 

Decca 

SINCERELY (7) McGuire Sisters Coral 

/.v \ Perry Como Victor 

MO (4) I Crew Cuts Mercury 

\ Fontane Sisters Dot 

l Charms DcLuxe I 

THAT’S ALL I WANT FROM YOU (7) Jaye P. Morgan Victor $ 

Crew Cuts Mercury 

EARTH ANGEL (2) Gloria . Mann hfnfniir 

Penguins Dootone 

. Pat O'Day MGM 

TWEEDLE DEE (2) Georgia Gibbs Mercury 


LET ME GO, LOVER (12) > Teresa Brewer 


\ Joan Weber Columbia + 

} Tnrc<tn Rrpinnr Coral T 


10 . 


( Patti Page Mercury ,, 

MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE (8) t Sarah Vaughan rJhnnhi a ♦ 

( Peggy King ... • Columbia j 

Second Group i 

NO morf \ DeJohn Sisters Epic X 

* ‘ * * l McGuire Sisters Coral ♦ 

HOW IMPORTANT CAN IT BE f £ 0T?i Ja ™ es • * 

( Teresa Brewer Coral f 

NAUGHTY LADY OF SHADY LANE Ames Brothers Victor 

civnvMv l Chordettes Cadence 

MISTER SANDMAN -{Four Aces Decca 

' l Lancers Coral 

SMILES Crazy Otto Decca 

BIRTH OF THE BOOGIE Bill Haley’s Comets Decca 

DIM, DIM THE LIGHTS Bill Haley’s Comets Decca 

OPEN UP YOUR HEART 1 Lancers . ............ • Coral 

* l Cowboy Sunday School ...Decca 

UNSUSPECTING HEART J Sunny Gale V‘dor 

TEACH ME TONIGHT \ DeCastro Sisters Abbott 

(Jo Stafford Columbia i 

IFigures in parentheses indicate number of weeks sona has been in the Top 101 

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ t »♦♦♦♦♦»♦♦♦»»♦»♦♦♦♦ » »♦ 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


music 


43 


Other Majors Hold Price Level 


Continued from page 41 


has a two-edged advantage, which 
makes the $3.98 price possible. 
Victor can finance a possible short- 
term loss in hopes of broadening 
its market at an eventual larger 
profit and, with its immense cata- 
log, can spread a possible loss on a 
large symphony recording over the 
many chamber music and solo rec- 
ords it offers, records which are 
much cheaper to produce. 

In Chicago, Herman Forrest, 
record buyer for Hudson-Ross. 
largest local retail record chain, 
states that the observable effect 
of Victor's cut locally has been to 
bring more customers into Hud- 
son-Ross stores but has resulted in 
a drop in net profits. Forrest thinks 
it possible, however, that the in- 
crease in customers may eventual- 
ly result in greater net. Hudson- 
Ross’ volume of business for the 
last five months of 1954 had been 
25 r o greater than for the corre- 
sponding period in 1953. Business 
in January, 1955, though, was only 
18 ( ,7 better than in January, 1954; 
whether it would have been still 
worse without the price cuts is 
strictly ’a matter for speculation. 
Feeling among the dealers here is 
that the present price structure 
has not as yet been really stabi- 


lized and that revisions upward are 
in the offing. 

The record buyer at Marshall 
Field’s, largest Chi department 
store, which does a heavy classical 
business, feels, like Mercury, that 
customers buy performances rather 
than price and that as many rec- 
ords would be sold at $4.98 as at 
$3.98. Business at Field's, like at 
Hudson-Ross, has shown an in- 
crease in customers, but a drop in 
dollar profits. 

In New York, many large dealers 
have reported increased sales and 
profits since the advent of the 
price cuts. Liberty Music Shops, 
for example, upped its business 
since the first of the year. 

One predicted consequence of 
the price cuts, however, has not 
taken place. It was believed that 
the lower prices would put the dis- 
count operators out of business. To 
date, there are no signs of this de- 
velopment." On the contrary. Sam 
Goody, largest of the discount op- 
erators, has been doing a boom 
business since he began selling 12- 
inch disks at $2.50. That’s the 
price that ordinary dealers have to 
pay for longplay platters, and ma- 
jor execs are still wondering how 
Goody can sell his merchandise at 
those, prices. . 


Anthem Fees 

Ottawa, Feb. 22. 

Eyebrows were upped at a 
Royal Commission studying 
Canada’s copyright law when 
S. G. Simpson, Toronto dance 
spot operator, said performing 
rights fees were being col- 
lected on athems such as “God 
Save the Queen’’ and “The 
Maple Leaf Forever,” even 
though original copyrights had 
expired years ago. Simpson 
told the commission the Com- 
posers, Authors & Publishers 
Assn, of Canada and BMI-Can- 
ada Ltd. were claiming fees for 
performances of new arrange- 
ments of those tunes. 

Canadian regulations force 
dancery operators and all other 
music-using events to close 
each performance with “God 
Save the Queen.” 


Kitty Kallen to Chirp 
‘Sex’ Tunes for Decca 

Hollywood. Feb. 22. 

Kitty Kallen. inked by UI to co- 
star in “The Second Greatest Sex,” 
also will chirp the title tune and 
five other numbers penned by Phil 
| Moody and Pony Sherrell. 

Thrush waxes the six for Decca 
j Records, with platter releases set 
i for six weeks prior to film’s open- 
1 ing. 


R&B Best Thing That’s Happened 
- In Disk Biz in Years: Bob Thiele 


New Indie Label 


HETAIL DISK BEST SELLEBS 


yAKIETY 

Survey of retail disk best 
sellers based, on reports cb 
lained from leading stores iv 
19 cities and showing com- 
parative sales rating for this 
and last week. 


National 
Rating 
This Last 
wk. wk. 


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McGUIRE SISTERS (Coral) 

1 “Sincerely” 

~BILLY VAUGHN (Dot) 

2 "Melody of Love” . . .- 


4 10 


FONTANE SISTERS (Dot) 
3 “Hearts of Stone” 


2 10 


3 

1 


JOHNNY MADDOX (Dot) 
8 “Crazy Otto Medley” 


1 1 



10 


GEORGIA GIBBS (Mercury) 
“Tweedle Dee” 


4 10 


10 


8 10 


PERRY COMO (Victor) 
7 “Ko Ko Mo” 


PENGUINS (Dootone) 

12 “Earth A^gel” 6 


8 


JAYE P. MORGAN (Victor) 

4 “That’s All I Want From You” 


COWBOY SUNDAY SCHOOL (Decca) 
9A 21 “Open Up Your Heart” 


8 


BILL HAYES (Cadence* 

9B 17 “Ballad of Davey Crockett”. 


11 


JOAN WEBER (Columbia) 

5 “Let Me Go, Lover” 


12 11 


CREW-CUTS (Mercury) 
“Ko Ko Mo” 


13 


CHORDETTES (Cadence) 
5 “Mister Sandman” 


AMES BROTHERS (Victor) 

14 9 “Naughty Lady of Shady Lane” 


SARAH VAUGHAN 'Mercury) 

15 13 “Make Yourself Comfortable” 


16A 


BILL HALEY’S COMETS (Decca) 
“Birth of the Boogie” 


JONI JAMES (MGMi 

16B 14 “How Important Can It Be ” 

CREW-CUTS "(Mercury ) 

18 17 “Earth Angel”. . . 


HUGO WINTERHALTER (Victor) 
19 19 “Song of the Barefoot Contessa”.. 


20 


FOUR ACES (Decca) 
“Mister Sandman”... 


3*9 3 10 


8 


8 6 


8 


6 


CATERINA VALENTE (Decca) 

21 A 22 “Malaguena” 10 


LAVERN BAKER (Atlantic) 

21 B 20 “Tweedle Dee” 


21C 


CRAZY OTTO (Decca) 
“Glad Rag Doll” 


BILL HALEY’S COMETS (Decca) 
24 A 22 “Dim, Dim the Lights” 


8 


24B .. 


CRAZY OTTO (Decca) 
“Smiles” 




10 


4 65 

__ 48 
. . 43 

. . 42 


10 


* 10 


_7 6 37 

37 

, . . . 33 

9 . . 30 

. . . . 27 


5 24 


8 


23 


19 

19 

17 

14 

13 


8 


9 12 

11 - 12 
. . 12 

^ 11 

8 11 


SIX TOP 
ALBUMS 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

f 

STUDENT PRINCI 

MUSIC, MARTINIS 

DEEP IN MY HEART 

FANNY 

THERE'S NO BUSINESS 
LIKE SHOW BUSINESS 

Marie Lanza 

AND MEMORIES 

Film Soundtrack 

Original Cast 

Film Soundtrack 

Jackia Gleason 

MGM 

Victor 

Decca 

Victor 

Capitol 

DL 8091 

LM 1837 

W 509 

E 3153 

LOC 1015 

ED 828 

ERB 1837 

EAP 1, 2, 3, 4—509 

X 276 

EOC 1015 

DAU 957 


PAJAMA GAME 
Original Cait 

Columbia 
ML 4840 
A 1098 


ASCAPer Jimmy McHugh, 
‘BevHills Man of Year’ 

Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

Jimmy McHugh was named the 
“Beverly Hills Man of the Year’’ 
at the annual banquet of the local 
Chamber of Commerce and Civic 
Ass n last week. The presentation 
to the songwriter was made by 
chamber prexy James VV. Mc- 
Donald. Danny Thomas emceed the 
affair. 

McHugh was palmed for his pro- 
motion of high school sporting 
events and youth movements, his 
philanthropic contributions, and 
his civic and religious activities. 


Henry Olmsted, head of a N Y. 
recording studio under his own j 
name, has organized a new diskery, » 
Ruby Records, in partnership with 
Martin Jones. 

Jones will operate the label j 
while Olmsted, a sound engineer, j 
will continue to head the sound 
studio. 


When the late Jack Kapp helmed 
the Decca Records operation the 
slogan was “Where’s the melody?” 
Now. at Coral, Decca’s subsid. it’s 
being changed to “Where’s the 
beat?” At least, that’s the way Bob 
Thiele. Coral’s pop artists & reper- 
toire chief, would like to have it. 

While some a&r chiefs regard it 
as another quickie cycle. Thiele 
says the rhythm & blues beat is 
the best thing that’s happened to 
the industry in years. “It’s good 
for the business,” he said, “because 
it sells records. And that’s what 
counts.” He added that too many 
people are rapping t he "rock and 
roll” style because they don’t 
understand it. The same resistance 
to new sounds took place, he ex- 
plained, when jazz and swing first 
came to the musical forefront. 

Thiele admits that pop disks al- 
ways have been made for the teen- 
age market and if r&b is the beat 
they want now, there’s no reason 
not to give it to them. The r&b 
disks, lie claims, are creating a 
new excitement in the biz that runs 
from the recording room right 
down to the retailer. “Every new 
release.” he said, “is like New 
Year’s Eve.” 

Another plus for the new beat, 
according to Thiele, is that it’s 
built acceptance for a lot of artists 
who previously couldn’t get off the 
ground with straight pop-style 
waxings. In answer to the claim 
that it’s bad music, Thiele rebuts 
"If it was bad it wouldn’t have 
acceptance or last, and it’s just 
beginning to gain momentum.” 

A number of indie r&b labels 
have been squawking about the pop 
covers of their originals. Thiele 
doesn’t believe the major covers 
of the ir.die hits w'ill take any of 
their potential sales away. "We 
each sell to different markets.” he 
said, "and get our platter exposure 
from different deejays.” 

Thiele claims that he’s not sluf- 
fing off recordings of orthodox pop 
material to stress r&b releases. He 
does admit, however, that he may 
hold back on pop releases to get 
the most out of the current r&b 
run. 


‘Shtiggy’ Disk M - rathon 
With Over 58 Hrs. Play 

Three New Orleans deejays 
cracked t lie lront pages across the 
country last week with a disk 
marathon of “Shtiggy Boom,” cut 
by The Nuggets for Capitol. The 
platter spinners, Bill Stewart. Bill 
Elliott and Bill Stanley, held the 
WNOE airlanes for 58 hours, four 
minutes and 31 seconds with 1,349 
consecutive spins of the etching. 

The decja.v run caught local dis- 
tributors off guard. Capitol, 
which pressed the disk, did not 
have a shipment on hand to meet 
demand. Victor, w'hich cut the 
tune as a harmonica solo by Leo 
Diamond, also was caught short. 
Diamond penned the song with 
A1 Jarvis, Hollywood d.j. 


Versified Wire 

Holywood, Feb. 22. 

L. Wolfe Gilbert, Coast ASCAP 
rep. upon hearing of the 58-hour 
spin-a-thon of the Capitol release, 
“Shtiggy Boom,” at a radio station 
in the South, sent the following 
wire to A1 Jarvis. KFWB deejay 
and composer of “Boom.” 

To ease the situation, 

I phoned that Southern station. 

To remove poor A1 Jarvis’ 
gloom, 

And stop playing “Shtiggy 
Boom.” 

I talked so long, I persuaded 
them at last. 

I saved your song, but for me 
the die was cast. 

As a substitute, 1 allowed them 
to do 

“Mr. Publisher Have I Got a 
Song For You.” 

L. Wol/e Gilbert. 

P.S. — Gilbert authored “Pub- 
lisher.” 


'Decca Buys Master 

Decca Records has bought On 
the master of a new tune, “I’r 
Sincere,” from Wanda Records ii 
Cleveland. Tune was cut by Jo 
Barrett and created some noise i 
Cleveland where it got deejay ex 
posure. 

Barrett is a vocalist new come 
from Boston. 





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Wednesday, February 23, 1953 


HHSHH 


ORDER NOW! 

clip and mail this 
column to your 
RCA VICTOR 
record distributor 

□ TONY MARTIN 

Just a Man 
Do, Do, Do 

Qty. 45 rpm ■ . .78 rpm 

□ MIKE PEDICIN QUINTETTE 

I Wanna Hug You, 

Kiss You, Squeeze You 
I'm Hip 

Qty 45 rpm 78 rpm— 

□ STUART HAMBLEN 

Go On By 
Just a Man 

Qty 45 rpm 78 rpm — — 

□ LEO DIAMOND 

Shtiggy Boom 
Now is the Hour 

Qty 45 rpm 78 rpm— 

□ VOICES OF WALTER 
SCHUMANN 

The Ballad of 

Davy Crocket 
Let's Make Up 

Qty. — 45 rpm 78 rpm— 

J— | NORO MORALES 

*— d Knock, Knock, Knockin' 









grooves two big hits 


' •••■ . »v.w <v.-. • *x >> 




HIGH FIDELITY 



Fair Exchange 


Qty., 


15 rpm 78 rpm— 


□ 


REDD STEWART 

Which One of Us 

Is to Blame 
Don’t Make Me Fall 

in Love with You 


Qty., 


.45 rpm 78 rpm— 


□ 


JIMMY MARTIN AND 
THE OSBORNE BROS. 

I Pulled a Boo Boo 
Chalk Up Another Ona 


Qty., 


15 rpm 78 rpm — 


Re-Order These Hits! 
r~l RALPH FLANAGAN'S 
LJ ORCHESTRA 

I Belong to You 
Go Moses Go 


Qty. 


-45 rpm 78 rpm— 


□ 


BETH JOHNSON 

Seven Pretty Dreams 
Be A Lover 


rpm— 78 rpm ■ - 


□ 


HOMER AND JETHRO 

The Nutty Lady 

of Shady Lane 
Mister Sandman 


rpm 78 rpm— 


Dealer's 
Name 


Store. 


Address. 
City 


Zone State. 


(please print) 




RCA Vi CTOR 


prescription for hits: 

Mike Pedicin is strong medicine 




All Recordings Listed Are 
“New Orthophonic" High Fidelity 1 





46 


MUSIC 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


BETAIL SHEET BEST SELLEBS 


Z'SkTETy 


Survey of retail sheet music 
best sellers based on reports 
obtained from leading stores in 
11 cities and showing com- 
parative sales rating for this 
and last week. 

• ASCAP t BM1 


National 
Rating 
This Last 
wk. wk. 


Title and Publisher 


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tLet Me Go, Lover (H&R) 


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♦Mister Sandman (Morris) 


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6 5 tHearts of Stone (Regent) 


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♦How Important Can It Be (Aspen). . 

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10 


Aussie Liquor Exec Sues 
Laine for $112,500 On 
Alleged Contract Break 

Sydney, Feb. 15. 

A Supreme Court writ issued 
here claiming about $112,500 dam- : 
ages against Frankie Laine, is un- 
derstood to allege breach of con- j 
tract, although grounds are not spe- 
cifically stated at this stage. Writ 
Is on behalf of Ziegfeld Theatrical 
Productions in the name of David 
Blank, local liquor trade exec. 

Laine opened his two-week stint 
for the Lee Gordon Benn Reyes 
management at the Sydney stadium 
Feb. 9, with a hangup performance 
that wowed a total of rrouiul 17.000 
customers at two shows, 6 and 
8 45 p. m. 

Socko reception from the first- 
night fans presages a big-money 
tour — with the American promot- j 
ers (Gordon and Reyes) looking 
sure to tuck away a profit that may 
top ttieir payoff from previous 
money-spinners like Johnnie Ray, j 
Louis Armstrong, Nat (King) Cole 
and Frank Sinatra. 

The Blank interests figure that 
Laine — a natural for this country 
with a legion of devotees created 
by disks, jocks, jukes and films — 
should rightly have been their 
property, following negotiations in- 
volving Blank and another, George 
Hilder. Hilder, former radio man, 
Joined the Gordon-Reyes setup sev- 
eral months ago, after Blank be- 
lieved he had a deal with Laine. 

There seems to be some differ- 
ence of conception between U.S. 10- 
percenters and Aussie entrepre- 
neurs on what constitues a con- 


tract. When is a deal not a deal? 

The Supreme Court's ruling (as- 
suming the Blank action against 
Laine goes that far) may clear the 
air. 


6TH BURKAN MEMORIAL 
VOLUME DUE IN MAY 

Columbia Univ. Press will bring 
out “Copyright Law Symposium, 
No. 6” in May ($3.50), another vol- 
ume in the annual Nathan Burkan 
Memorial Competitions sponsored 
by ASCAP. Richard Pogue’s “Bor- 
derland — Where Copyright and De- 
sign Patent Meet” won first prize, 
and other winners deal with fair 
use, UNESCO and international 
copyright, moral right and the 
common law, state regulation of 
musical copyright, etc. 

Burkan was the founder attorney 
for ASCAP since it was cradled in 
1914 and his successor firm, 
Schwartz & Frohlich (Judge Ferdi- 
nand Pecora, of counsel) and the 
Society’s house attorney, Herman 
Finkelstein, are all of the Burkan 
school. 


Detroit Jocks 

Continued fp>m page 41 . 

in the firm. He explained that 
shares originally were issued to 
her but that the “McLeods were 
buying a house” at the time “so 
were not able to come up with the 
money.” Because of legal techni- 
calities of the Michigan Securities 
Commission, her name could not 
be deleted from the subscription 
agreement, Seymour said. 

McLeod verified Seymour’s re- 
marks. 

Seymour declared: “I see noth- 
ing wrong with my wife investing 
in Arc stock. I wouldn’t favor La- 
bel X because my first duty is to 
my show and I am not going to 
jeopardize it in anyway. My wife 
certainly intends to hold onto the 
stock. I can’t see what a social 
group (Seymour referred to the 16 
jocks who have informally organ- 
ized the Detroit Disc Jockey 
Assn.) can do about it. I don’t 
know who they are referring to, 
in regard to payola by Coral.” 

McLeod said he didn’t want to 
“dignify” rumors about payola 
with any comment. 

Droz said he planned to report 
what took place at the meeting to 
his board of directors within 10 
days or two weeks. He said he has 
not decided on any recommenda- 
tions. In regard to demands by 
some of the jocks that Seymour’s 
wife be made to divest herself of 
Arc stock, Droz commented that 
“stockholders cannot be forced to 
sell shares of stock.” He added: “I 
don’t see anything wrong in her 
investment.” 

Disk jockeys attending the meet- 
ing were: From WWJ, Ross Mul- 
holland. Bob Maxwell and Art 
Lazarow; from WXYZ, Ed McKen- 
zie, Fred Wolf, Paul Winter and 
Jack Surrell; from CKLW, Toby 
David, Eddie Chaise and Bob 
Davies; from WJB, Marty McNee- 
ley and Clark Reid; from WKMH, 
Frank Sims and Robin Seymour, 
and from WEXL, Ben Johnson and 
Bob Terry. \ 


ASCAP’s Coast Meet 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

This year’s annual ASCAP din- 
ner and meeting, Thursday (24) at 
the Beverly Hills Hotel, will be the 
largest turnout ever in ASCAP 
Coast history, according to L. Wolfe 
Gilbert, Coast ASCAP director. 

Early arrivals include ASCAP 
prexy Stanley Adams; George Hoff- 
man, comptroller; Saul Bourne, 
treasurer, and Alex Kramer, 
director. 


FREDDIE RICH LOSES 
SUIT VS. PARAMOUNT 

Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

Song-writer Freddie Rich lost 
his $600,000 suit against Para- 
mount in the California State Dis- 
trict Court of Appeals, which up- 
held a previous verdict in Superior 
Court in favor of the film com- 
pany. Action involved the song, 
“Buttons and Bows.’ 

Plaintiff had charged Paramount 
with plagiarism, contending that a 
passage of the song, used in the 
picture, “The Paleface,” was copied 
from a tune he wrote as back- 
ground music for the Pine-Thomas 
film, “The Wildcat.” 

RCA Inks Spear Family 
In Sacred Music Push 

RCA Victor has signed the 
Spear Family, a vocal ensemble 
who will cut religioso disks. Victor 
is currently readying a campaign 
to push sacred music with the disk 
jockeys. 

In the country & western field, 
Victor repacted the Sons of the 
Pioneers. 


Copeland’s Two-Way OK 
For Arwin R&B Sides 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Allen Copeland, member of The 
Modemaires, which records for 
Coral Records, has cut two rhythm- 
and-blues sides for Marty Mel- 
cher’s Arwin Records. Duo, 
cleffed by Copeland and Jack 
Lloyd, embrace “Rock Candy Baby” 
and “Crack the Whip.” 

Waxing marks the first time 
Copeland has acted as a single and 
he had to get a two-way okay. First 
was permission from the Modern- 
aires group to step aside on his 
own, and he also had to clear with 
Bob Thiele, of Coral. 


Two More Song Sharks 
Bite the Dust on Coast 
With Fines, Jail Terms 

San Francisco, Feb. 22. 

The remaining two defendants 
in the Oakland song shark case were 
sentenced last week to fines and 
jail terms after they pleaded guil- 
ty to charges of bilking amateur 
songwriters. 

George W. Wald, of North Holly- 
wood, was given eight years proba- 
tion and sentenced to spend the 
first six months of it in the Ala- 
meda County jail. He was also 
fined $1,000. John A. Leoni, of 
Oakland, was fined $250 and placed 
on five years probation. Keith W. 
Erickson, the third defendant, was 
given a term of from one to 10 
years last month. 

The three pleaded guilty to de- 
frauding amteur songwriters. They 
had operated an Oakland concern, 
20th Century Music, and Wald had 
operated two Los Angeles song 
publishing concerns. Amateur song- 
writers were taken for sums rang- 
ing into the thousands of dollars 
on the promise of getting their 
songs published and recorded by 
major labels. In addition, the trio 
operated Horizon Records, a local 
label which recorded their tunes. 
The three were indicted last sum- 
mer after a year long investigation 
into their activities launched by the 
Alameda County district attorney’s 
office after complaints were made 
by numerous songwriters. 


Richard Tucker, Met Opera 
tenor, appearing at the Hunter 
College Concert Series Saturday 
(26), will be making his N.Y. reci- 
tal bow then. 


It's Music by 

JESSE GREER 

Program Today Yesterday's 

JUST YOU, 
JUST ME 

ROBBINS 


from the 20th Century-Fox Cinemascope 
Production "WOMAN'S WORLD" 

IT’S A 
WOMAN’S 
WORLD 

ROBBINS MUSIC CORPORATION 


New BIG HITS! _ 

The Incomparable 1 1 1 

EARTH ANGEL 

THE PENGUINS — DOOTONI 
LES BAXTER — CAPITOL 
PAT O'DAY — MGM 
THE CREWCUTS — MERCURY 
GLORIA MANN — SOUND 

DOOTSIE WILLIAMS 

9512 S. Central Ave., L. A. 2, Calif. 



PROFESSIONAL 

SONGWRITER 


Ballads, Hillbilly, Religious and Novel- 
ties. Desires connection in East. Profes- 
sional lead demo material on request. 
Box 223, Variety, 612 N. Michigan 


LAN-LAY 

TOP STARS OF STAGE AND MOTION PICTURES AND TELE- 
VISION MAKE-UP ARTISTS havo been using Lan-Lay for 
three years. Through their praise and use of Lan-Lay, 
Lan-Lay has spread throughout the United States and foreign 
countries. IT IS THE PERFECT MAKE-UP REMOVER, MAKE-UP 
BASE AND NIGHT CREAM. Keeps the skin soft and protects 
from make-up allergies when used as a base. 

• NOTE ALL the OTHER USES FOR LAN-LAY -the WORLD S FINEST OIL COSMETIC 








<1 SKIN 

HA* ano 50 if 

bRYNCSS 


LAN-LAY IS YOUR BEST COSMETIC BUY 
" IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN " 

4 OZ. SIZE $100 

PLUS FEDERAL TAX 1 

16 OZ. FAMILY SIZE $050 

PLUS FEDERAL TAX 

Sold by Beauty Salons , 
Barber Shops, and 
Cosmetic Counters 

SHIPPED DIRECT IF YOUR COSMETIC 
COUNTER DOES NOT STOCK 
PREPAID, IF MONEY WITH ORDER, 
ANYWHERE 

LAN -LAY INC. 


FOR WOMEN 

CORRECTS DRY SKIN 
(Used at a night-cream) 

SMOOTHES DRY WRINKLED LIPS 
(Used as make-up remover 
and base) 

ELIMINATES DISHPAN HANDS 
(Used as a hand lotion) 

KEEPS CUTICLES SOFT 
(Used as a manicuring oil) 

HELPS FEET STAND-UP 
(Used as a foot-ell) 

SUN AND WIND BURN 
(Used as a sun-tan lotion) 


FOR MEN 

A MAN'S HAIR GROOMER 
(A little goes a long way) 

A MAN’S SKIN PROTECTOR 
(No alcohol, no water, 100% pure) 

PROTECTS OUTDOOR WORKERS 
(Hands, Face, Lips Won't 
Crack or Chafe) 

NECESSITY FOR SPORTSMEN 
(An all-weather all season 
protection oil) 

CORRECTS SCRAPED SKIN 
(Used as an after-shave lotion) 

LICK'S KID'S COWLICKS 
(Lays Jr.'s hair where he wants It) 

IDEAL VACATION SKIN AID 
(Used as a sun and wind burn oil) 


65 ELEVENTH ST. • SAN FRANCISCO. CALIF. 


Ave., Chicago 11, III. 


America's - Fastest 

) 

-Selling -Records! 




Here’s your chance to launch a Bright New Singing Star 
, . . and help her win an RCA Victor Recording Contract 

THE M.O.A. AND RCA VICTOR 
INVITE YOU TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS 

m 

FOR "MISS JUKE BOX OF 1955" 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ 


★ You select the contestants now! 

★ You elect the winner at the MO A convention! 

★ You, too, win a prize if your contestant wins! 


Your role is easy. Our rules are simple: 

1 Any Coin-Operator may submit entries, which will 
be judged on the basis of talent and beauty. 

2 Entries must consist of a photograph (full-length 
view) and a record or tape (7%" speed) of the 
contestant singing any pop standard with piano 
accompaniment only. All entries become the property 
of RCA Victor and none will be returned. 

3 Any girl 21 or over, either amateur or professional 
and not under contract to any recording company, 
is eligible. 

4 Entries must include the name, address and age of 
the contestant as well as the name and address of the 
sponsoring coin-op. 

5 Entries must be submitted to “Miss Juke Box,” 
RCA Victor Record Division, 630 Fifth Avenue, N. Y. 
20, N. Y., not later than March 15, 1955. 


6 The judges — Paul Ackerman of The Billboard, Bob 
Austin of The Cash Box, Herm Schoenfeld of Variety 
and Joe Carlton of RCA Victor — will select three of 
the contestants as finalists. Their decision will be final. 

7 The finalists will become candidates for the title 
“Miss Juke Box of 1955” and will be brought to 
Chicago at RCA Victor’s expense to appear at the 
MOA Convention March 28, 29, 30. Finalists will be 

notified on March 21. 

% 

8 In the RCA Victor Exhibit at the convention, coin- 
ops will meet the candidates, hear their recordings and 
elect a winner. 

9 “Miss Juke Box of 1955” will win an RCA Victor 
recording contract, and her sponsor will receive an 
RCA Victor 21" Color TV set. The other two candi- 
dates will be awarded RCA Victor “New Orthophonic* 
High Fidelity “Victrola” phonographs. 

Duplicate prizes awarded in case of a tie 


|g? 




rjYWoT 




X 


9 ȣ 






RCA Vi CTOR 

FIRST IN RECORDED MUSIC 












48 


MUSIC 


Wednesday, February 23, 1935 


RCA Still Pacing 
Cast Album Field; 
Grabs ‘Yankees’ 


RCA Victor continues to pace the 
field in the original cast album 

sweepstakes. Diskery wrapped up 
its sixth lcgituner set of the 1954- 
55 season this week by latching on 
to the rights to “Damn Yankees.” 

. Musical, which is set to bow on 
Broadway in May. has a score by 
Dick Adler and Je ry Ross. Duo 
clicked last year with “Pajama 
Game,” which was one of the top 
album sellers for Columbia. “Iley 
There,” one of the tunes from the 
“Pajama Game”| score, was one of 
the first songs out of a Broadway 
musical in many years to pass the 
1.000,000 disk sales mark. Golden 
circle platter was etched by Rose- 
mary Clooney for Columbia. 

Original cast sets already re- 
leased by Victor this season are 
“Boy Friend,” “Mrs. Patterson,” 
“Peter Pan” and “Fanny.” Label 
also has the new Cole Porter mu- 
sical, "Silk Stockings,” tied up. 
The Porter show preems on Broad- 
way tomorrow (Thurs.). 

Other major diskeries that have 
come up with original cast sets 
this year are Columbia with “House 
of Flowers,” Decca with “On Your 
Toes” apd Capitol with “Plain and 
Fancy.” 

“Ankles Aweigh,” new musical 
due in April, has not yet been set 
by anv label. Score for “Ankles 
Aweigh” was penned by Sammy 
Fain and Danny Shapiro. 

Rhonda Fleming Album 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Deal is in the making for Rhon- 
da Fleming to cut an album for 
RCA Victor titled “Rendezvous 
With Rhonda.” Actress is current- 
ly working with Ray Gilbert anent 
a future nitery act. 

Recently, Miss Fleming has been 
cutting for Coral in tandem with 
Jane Russell, Beryl Davis and Con- 
nie Haines. 


•:A Great New Instrumental •; 
• A: and Vfaaf 



REMICK MUSIC'tORP/ 


LAZY 

GONDOLIER 

Now With Enchanting 
Lyrics by Al Lewis 

BURLINGTON 
MUSIC CORP. 

S39 W. 25th St., N.Y.C. OR 5-6060 


P^RnlTY Scoreboard 


OF 


TOP TALENT AND TUNES 


Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution 
Encompassing the Three Major Outlets 

Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music 

as Published in the Current Issue 


NOTE : The current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is 
arrived at under a statistical system comprising each of the three major sales outlets ertu- 
merated above. These findings are correlated with data from wider sources, which are exclusive 
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de- 
veloped from the ratio of points scored, two ways in the case of talent ( coin machines, retail 
disks ) and three ways in the case of tunes (coin machines, retail disks and retail sheet music). 


TALENT 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 

1 2 

2 1 


ARTIST AND LABEL 

McGuire sisters 


TUNE 


«-* isss? 


3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 


6 

3 

• • 

10 

4 

8 


FONTANE SISTERS (Dot) ) Rock Love St ° ne 

JOHNNY MADDOX (Dot) Crazy Otto 

BILLY VAUGHN (Dot) Melody of Love 

GEORGIA GIBBS (Mercury) Tweedle Dee 

PERRY COMO (Victor) j Be My Lifetime Sweetheart 

JAYE P. MORGAN (Victor) That’s All I Want From You 

CREW CUTS (Mercury) J““° gel 


BILL HALEY S COMETS (Decca) 


10 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 


Birth of the Boogie 
Dim, Dim the Lights 
Shake, Rattle and Roll 

JOAN WEBER (Columbia) Let Me Go, Lover 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 
9 

10 


1 

3 
2 
6 

• • 

4 
9 

10 

5 
7 


TUNES 

(•ASCAP. fBMI) 

TUNE PUBLISHER 

♦MELODY OF LOVE Shapiro-Bernstein 

ISINCERELY ; Arc-Regent 

f HEARTS OF STONE Regent 

fKO KO MO Meridian 

fTWEEDLE DEE Progressive 

fLET ME GO, LOVER . Hill & Range 

i EARTH ANGEL Williams 

♦CRAZY OTTO MEDLEY (ASCAP Medley) 

♦MISTER SANDMAN Morris 

f THAT’S ALL I WANT FROM YOU Weiss & Barry 


Cap Reorganizing 
Natl Promotion, 
Distrib Setups 

i 

I Capitol Records is reorganizing 
its national promotion and distribu- 
tion operation to accent an indi- 
vidual push for its album and single 
releases. New setup goes into ef- 
fect March 1. 

Principal feature of Cap’s new 
plan will be the formation of an 
enlarged national singles promo- 
tion staff under Dick Linke, disk- 
cry’s eastern promotion manager. 
Staff will include specialists in the 
pop, country & western and 
rhythm & blues fields. Under the 
new setup, Bob Burell will remain 
as c&w promotion man with head- 
quarters in Atlanta. The label's 
1 branch promotion men, Manny Kel- 
lems (Philadelphia), Don Oven 
(New York), Buck Stapleton (Los 
Angeles) and Don Hassler (Chi- 
cago). will retain the same status 
but will work more closely with 
the national promotion office in 
New York. 

Cap also is streamlining its dis- 
trict ^>ales managers operation. 
Dfckery is trimming its sales dis- 
tricts from seven down to five by 
i enlarging current territorial boun- 
daries. All district sales managers 
in key positions will be transferred 
and reassigned. New assignments 
will be announced next week when 
I the sales managers converge on the 
j New York office for a series of con- 
fabs. The five district sales man- 
agers will lay special stress on the 
peddling and merchandising of 
Cap’s packaged goods line. 

The entire operation will be un- 
der the supervision of John Mait- 
land, who took over as Cap’s veepee 
and national sales manager last 
week. (See separate story.) 


MCA SIGNS COOPER 

Neil Cooper, recently discharged 
from the Army, has been signed by 
Music Corp. of America for their 
I band-act department. 

Cooper was formerly publicity 
head for the Ivoryton (Conn.) 
Playhouse and w-as connected with 
Huntington Hartford in New York. 


PATTI PAGE 


Mercury 


Flanagan Orch Clicks 
In Midwest One-Nighters 

Ralph Flanagan’s orch. which is 
currently on a road trip through 
the west and midwest, has been 
racking up steady grosses on a 
string of one-niters. To date, it’s 
the most successful trek the band 
has made since it hit the road for 
the first time in 1950 alter a heavy 
RCA Victor disk promotion. 

Flanagan’s crew drew r 1,900 cus- 
tomers for a $2,000 gross in a re- 
cent Wichita one-night stand, then 
followed up with a $2,450 gross at 
the Pla Mor Ballroom in Kansas 
City and a $2,130 gross at Peony 
Park in Omaha. 


IT’S HAMP ALL OVER THE WORLD 

LIONEL HAMPTON 

and His Orchestra 

Concluding Foreign Tour March 22 After Playing 
AUSTRIA, BELGIUM. FRANCE. GERMANY, HOLLAND, 
ITALY. SPAIN, SWITZERLAND and NO. AFRICA 

NOW. FOURTH WEEK IN ISRAEL 
April 3— ED SULLIVAN SHOW 


ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORPORATION 

JOE GLASER, Pres. 

New York I Chicago I Hollywood 

745 5th Av» PL. 9-4600 | 203 No. Wabash | 8619 Sunset Blvd 


Best British Sheet Sellers 

(Week ending Feb. 12) 

London, Feb. 15. 

Mambo Italiano Connelly 

Mister Sandman Morris 

Finger of Suspicion. Pickwick 

Softly Cavendish 

Naughty Lady Sterling 

Happy Days Wright 

No One But You Robbins 

Majorca Mills 

Can’t Tell Waltz Reine 

Blossom Fell Fields 

Let Me Go Aberbach 

Heartbeat Kassner 

Second 12 

I Still Believe. . .Macmelodies 

Somebody Bourne 

This Ole House Duchess 

Hold My Hand Wood 

Count Your Blessings. Berlin 

Mobile Leeds 

Tomorrow Cavendish 

If I Give My Heart. . Robbins 
Happy Wanderer ...Bosworth 
Give Your Word ....Connelly 
Shake Rattle Roll .... Connelly 
Veni, Vidi, Vici Dash 


Arwin Inks Hotrodders 

• Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Alan Kopeland & his Hotrod- 
ders were pacted by Marty Mel- 
cher, prexy of Arwin Productions, 
to cut four rhythm-&-blues sides. 
Frank Comstock handles the mu- 
sical direction on the four tunes, 
“Rock Candy Baby,” “Flip Flop,” 
“Lots More Love,” and “Crack the 
Whip.” Melcher plans to record 
the four numbers and release them 
within three weeks. 

The signing of Kopeland marks 
Arwin’s entry Into the r-&-b field. 
Previously, the platter firm pacted 
Frank DeVol and songstress Kitty 
White. 


Bolger, Decca to Huddle 
On ‘Oz Stories’ Album 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Ray Bolger will confer with 
Decca Record toppers while in 
New York for his guest stint on 
the Max Liebman Spec telecast 
Feb. 27, on NBC-TV. 

Confabs will be anent a forth- 
coming LP album Bolger will wax, 
comprised of “The Oz Stories” by 
Frank Baum. Sonny Burke, Coast 
Decca Chief, Is tuning up back- 
ground music to be used in the 
projected album. In addition to 
the album, Bolger will cut four ad- 
ditional pop sides. 


YOU TOO 
CAN BE A 
DREAMER’ 

MILLS MUSIC 



. LATEST 
DECCA 
RELEASE 
★ 

MR. PUBLISHER 
B/W 

PRIZE OF GOLD 

CHARLIE 

APPLEWHITE 

P.r. Mgt. Direction 

WYNN LASSNER WM.'MORRIS AGENCY 




Another BMI "Pin Up' Hit 

tweedle 

Recorded by 

GEORGIA GIBBS M.rc.ry VICKI YOUMC. 

THE lANCFX _ _ »l'Nwi,,,Capi 

"* i : ANCE * S Coral BONNIE LOU. in 

DOROTHV COLLINS Al SEARS 

IAVERN RAKER rr !° rA t0 °S ... M.rc. 
— RER ..Atlantic REE WEE KING....V| C , 

_ Published by 

progressive music ruilishing CO. 






-r*-. 







Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


MUSIC 


49 



MGM RECORDS 


JON I JAMES 


LEROY HOLMES 


AND HIS ORCH 


This Is My Confession 
MGM 11919 K 11 


DEBBIE REYNOLDS 


TOMMY MARA 


b/w 

Carolina in the Morning 
MGM 11939 K 11939 


Honey-Bunch 


K 11931 


JAMES BROWN 


RUBY MURRAY 


b/w 

He's a Rockin' Horse 
Cowboy 

MGM 11941 K 11 


On The Upbeat 


New York Records. Sheldon cuts eight sides 

- b Mill. for dupery, with Dick Stabile crew 

Jack Mills leaving on a jaunt to backstoppinc. 

Boca Raton, .Fla and Nassau to- The Cancers kick off a three- 

day i Wed.) . Minay Carson play- week stand tomorrow (Thurs.) at 

M^ a rrh aS s Clt Wh^t U Jv»r Sh h^ V Bimbo s m Frisco, following stint 
Feb. 26-March 5 . . Whatever be- at Giro’s Trumpeter Shorty 

came of John Arcesi. Ejdie Rogers is set to wax two albums 
Gorme set for a one-mghter in f 0r Atlantic Records. Albums will 
Buffalo Sunday (27) ... Janice be released as “Shorty Rogers and 
Swanson, 15-year-old daughter of H is Giants’* and “Shorty Rogers 
hillbilly deejay Carl Swanson Plays Shorty Rogers”. . .E. H. Mor- 
(WRUN, Utica, N. Y ) platter-spm- r i s & Co. are releasing a new coi- 
ning her own rhythm & blues i lection of Lester Lee tunes, in- 
show on the same station Tom- deluding recent “Prize of Gold,” 

my Mara appearing on Howard I which he composed with lyricist 
Millers NBC-TV show out of Chi- Ned Washington .. .Herman Diaz 
cago for the next two weeks and Stephen Sholes, both a&r 
Joni James into the rustic Cabin, men, on Coast for upcoming ses- 
Englewood, N J., Friday *(25) for sions at RCA victor, 
the weekend . . . The Kal-Jay , Songstress Vicki Benet, now ap- 
Quintet, headed by Kai Winding pearing at the ..g 81 C l u b,” has re _ 
and James Johnson, makes its j ceived her release from MGM Re- 
New York debut at Birdland to- cords and will platter an album of 
morrow (Thurs.) .. Julie Mandel, ; songs ne \t week for a new label 
composer of several off-Broadway | Billy Gray opens at the Sands, 
musicals signed as a contract Vegas, today (Wed.) with Georgia 
writer for BMI . .Vick Knight Gibbs and Hal Le Roy for a three- 
launched Key Records on the week stand.. Sue Carson is being 
Coast. tested for a term pact at 20th-Fox 

Joy Cayler’s all-girl orch held ; Adolph Deutsch and Dimitri 
over at the Arcadia Ballroom for Tiomkin have been elected to the 
another Iw'o weeks. .The Rover board of directors of the Music Di- 
Boys, Coral Records pactees, set rectors’ Assn, of America, 
for a return stand at El Morocco, Dick Emmons set by Dorothy 
Montreal. April 9-24 Jadfc Pleis, Shay to be her musical conductor- 
musical director at Decca Records, accompanist on her upcoming 
lined up for a profile by American nitery safari, opening March 17 at 
Weekly mag . . . Milt Gabler, Dec- Baker Hotel, Dallas . . . Frankie 
ca s a&r chief, profiled in current Carle and his band off on three- 
Saturday Review. week trek through the Pacific 

Concert program recently pre- . Northwest . Russ Morgan starts a 
sented by Josef Marais & Miranda ! Texas tour of one-niters at Mid- 
at Roosevelt U., Chicago, will be | 'and ... Stephen Papich will stage 
put into the groove by Decca Hope Hampton’s future nitery 
Records.. . . Dick Jurgens orch stints. Earl Brent whipping up a 
opening at the Hotel Sutler's Cafe club routine for 20th pactee 

Rouge Friday (25) . . . Tobias & Ri £bard Allen. 

Ilegner handling press for the The Hi-Lo s, onginally set to 
Monte Cristo Hotel Miami Beach open at Fack s in San Francisco on 
. Maestro Nat Brooks set for April 15, have been advanced to 
a telepix series . . . Ruth Winston, April 1, and extended stand to 

ex-Mercury Records, bark in the (T as e of th* "Golden Ho™ " Vf 
biz with Herb Reis’ publishing J.n ! 17 has p«s”d the 

1,irn ’ 50,000 sales mark. Anthony and 

crew play themselves in 20th-Fox s 
Chicago “Daddy Long Legs.”... The Cheer- 

_ , . x . leaders hold over for an additional 

Orchestras Inc local a f ( n 9 two weeks at Billy Gray’s Band 

w ith a stable of five bands, is , Box . . Zeke Manners, KFWB disk 
presently not concentrating ;on any jock has puU his •• Bu mper-To- 
new additions, but mulls some ex- Bumper club .. 

to music with his 

pansion or next year. .Don Reid ]atest , .. The Bumper . To .- 

Chf, e March 6 -.3- ® Bum P" M«mbo.” . 


‘Hit Parade’ Lineup 

(On Feb. 19 NBC-TV show) 

1. Melody of Love . . Shapiro- B 

2. Hearts of Stone ... Regent 

3. Mister Sandman ...Morris 

4. Let Me Go, Lover . ..H&R 

5. Sincerely Arc-R 

6. Tweedle Dee . . Progressive 

7. All I Want From You W&B 


Martha Carson to Wax 
Pop Tunes for Capitol 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Capitol pactee Martha Carson, 
well known for her spiritual type 
waxings arrived in town on Mon- 
day (21) to meet with Voyle Gil- 
more, Cap a&r man, anent her up- 
coming waxing of pop tunes. Ma- 
terial is now being selected. 

This will mark the first time 
Miss Carson has ever recorded 
music in pop field. 


Inside Staff— Music 


Pat Ballard's “retirement” as a songsmith was a gag. It got music 
biz attention, however, when the vet songwriter, whose “Mr. Sandman” 
continues as one of the most sustained "rocking-chair” hits, stated he 
was retiring to Troy, Pa., where his family has realty holdings and 
w'hich rs his home town, as it is also of Fred Waring and many of 
the Pennsylvanians. Ballard, incidentally, was longtime staff writer 
for the Waringites. 

Songwriter has found that, after more than a quarter-of-a-century 
around the Brill Bldg., he "has done better in the last two years by 
sticking home and just coming to Broadway to place songs and make 
demonstration records.” 

Incidentally, before there are queries, a “rocking-chair” hit is the 
songplugger’s dream — a tune which snowballs and gets automatic plugs 
an<4 permits the music exploiteers to sit back, hence the congnomen 
“rocking-chair.” 

* ■ 

MGM Records is prepping a promotional drive on 12 of its original 
cast sets. Push is being tagged "The Golden Dozen” and the diskery 
will give the dealers a special incentive plan to hypo the drive. Albums 
lined up for the promotion are “Show Boat.” "American in Paris,” 
“Singing In The Rain,” “Stars and Stripes,” “Rose Marie,” “Good 
News,” “Annie Get Your Gun.” "Three Little Words,” “Bandwagon,” 
“Brigadoon,” “S^ven Brides For Seven Brothers” and “Three-Penny 
Opera.” 


. Buddy Moreno 


segues March 9 for five frames ... . Capitol today ,Wed.). . The Harry 
Russ Carlyle set for the * eabody ! Fields Trio returned to the Cap _ 

Hotel, Memphis, ^ a, ‘ „ , tain’s Table yesterday (Tues.) for 

three-rounder. . . Jimmy F at e - i a jj m j ted run Group completed 
stone into the S> lacuse ; ! a four week stint in Vegas... Ella 

Syracuse, April 19 for an indefinite FitzgeraId opens a two . wee k stand 

ft* nt - • ’ S r ^ Fai , t L t irr,StnI at the Mocambo March 15 .. 
the New Horizon Room. G «• Perez Prado waxes eight sides for 
Pittsburgh Airport . Joe Sudy RCA this week . . Tommy Gumina, 

ai ^bamrock, Houston, t accordionist, opens at the Cre- 

Aarc b ? t u:- n , Ge S ^he arng scen d 0 Feb. 25 for two weeks... 

slated for the Blue Note, Chi, .lay B j R j) ares> pianist-singer, now at 


Vicki Young cuts four sides at 


l? lo r. l ™°, lra T e ^ V V. ’.u B * r D?!! the Pump Room in Phoenix, has 
Carroll Trio inked for the Blue had b is t wo . week contract extend- 

Note, Chi, March 23 in a t \ o- ed to e i gb t through a deal set by 
l-oimder . . Ralph Martrrte set GAC 6 Jerry golonna making 
for the Durham N. C., Tobacco one . niters all this week (Feb . 21 . 


Festival March 17-18, with Perry 
Como and the Laurie Sisters, 


26) in Dallas and Tulsa. 

Samuel Goldwyn has inked Skip 


Mercury Records trio . David Martin t0 orchestrate the original 
Carroll orch to be c ° n fi u(te £ score by Frank Loesser for his up- 
Jerry Mercer, former Sammy Kaye coming indie theatrical film, “Guys 
vocalist . . . Buddy Morrow on „ * 


Florida tour the week of March 19. 


Hollywood 


In a deal agented by Lou Irwin, 
songstress Sue Carson is up for 
a term pact at 20th-Fox. Chirp 
recently completed a two-week 
stand at Mapes Hotel, Reno . . . 
Singer Stuart Rose is set to wax 
"Prize of Gold” for Label X. RCA 
subsid. Tune was composed by 
Lester Lee and Ned Washington. 
. . . Comic Gene Sheldon pacted to 
a recording contract with MGM 


A WONDERFUL 
SEASONAL SONG 


‘iniTiHowr 

"UT IT$H0W!“ 

I LIT IT$N0Wr\ 


CAHN MUSIC COMPANY 


WILL OSBORNE 

AND HIS ORCH. 

Now 49* Weok 

New Golden Hotol, Reno 

Mgt.i MILTON DEUTSCH 


and Dolls.” 

Ex-Tops’ Clarinetist Set 
For O’Seas Tour With Band 

Owen Engel, ex-Paul Whiteman 
clarinetist, is starting a Continen- 
tal tour in April, endorsed by the 
U S. State Dept. 

He and his band will play for 
American service personnel 
throughout Europe, but the idea 
is for them to give one free con- 
cert to a civilian audience in each 
country. The American Embassy in 
London is at the moment negotiat- 
ing for the presentation of a con- 
cert by the Engel band in Britain. 

Original compositions by Euro- 
pean jazzmen will be featured on 
the tour, including scores by Brit- 
ish bandleader-arranger Johnny 
Dankworth, as well as leading jazz 
composers from Sweden, France, 
Belgium, Italy and Germany. 


Coast Indie Ups Prices 

San Francisco, Feb. 22. 

Fantasy Records, indie jazz and 
folk music label, reversed the cur- 
rent trend this week and upped 
its prices. Fantasy 10-inch LPs 
will now retail at $3.98. They were 
formerly $3.85. Fantasy single 
EPs have been raised from $1.58 
to $1.59 and the double EPs from 
$3.16 to $3.18. 

“This is to align our prices with 
those current in our field,” presi- 
dent Sol W. Weiss said. 










50 


VAITDEV1IJMR 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


Hint Negro Bias, Anti-Davis H.O. 

In Lena Horne s Copa City Scram 


Miami Beach. Feb. 22. 

Lena Horne, by mutual agree- 
ment with the Copa City manage- 
ment. cancelled an engagement 
which was to tee off yesterday 
(Mon.) amid a welter of conflicting 
reports' and the inevitable “in-the- 
know” rumors. 

According to a Copa City spokes- 
man. Miss Horne was upset by re- 
cent Incidents. One saw a group 
of Negro delegates barred from a 
Republican Party dinner at the Ur- 
mey Hotel (owned by Ed Claugh- 
ton. local theatre chain operator). 

What brought the Anal decision 
to request out on the contract, ac- 
cording to her managers, was the 
alleged refusal by the Royal York 
Hotel. Miami Beach, to honor ‘‘res- 
ervations’’ made for her and hus- 
band Lennie llaylon. According to 
Jack Low. manager of the hostel, 
the pair “never had a reservation 
and never requested one.” Low, for 
many years manager of the Lord 
Tarlcton Hotel, a favorite with show 
biz personalities, confessed that if 
he had received such reservations, 
he “would not know what to do 
about it.” adding that as far as the 
Negro question was concerned, Don 
Nowcombe and Roy Campanella 
were to attend a press luncheon in 
the hotel Tuesday, given by the 
Dodger team management. It was 
also pointed out that there have 
been numerous occasions when Ne- 
groes were accommodated at con- 
ventions. Fact is, there is no writ- 
ten law on Miami Beach that 



Eileen BARTON 

Currently 

RIVERSIDE 

R«no, Nevada 
CORAL Records 

Dir: WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 


actually denies hotels to them be- 
cause of color. 

The “in-thc-know” boys Insist 
that Miss Horne likes to okay her 
supporting acts and that the con- 
troversy started when the Copa 
City management wanted to hold 
over Sammy Davis Jr. <a big click 
this season) when she came in. 
Davis last week had okayed a deal 
whereby he would close Sunday 
(20) and return next December to 
open the winter season for the club. 
With the cancellation, nitery now' 
is holding him over for an addi- 
tional two weeks with Los Chavales 
de Espana in as supporting feature. 
The deal made with Miss Horne, ac- 
cording to the club spokesman, is 
that she cannot play any other cafe 
in the Greater Miami area this 
year. 


Adams Nixes $1,500 

Mpls. Nitery Offer 

Minneapolis, Feb. 22. 

Cedric Adams, Minneapolis Stai* 
columnist and WCCO radio-tv per- 
sonality, has refused an offer of 
$1,500 a week for a fortnight en- 
gagement at the Starlight Club 
here. 

Adams, whose annual earnings 
have been in the six figures for 
many years, revealed the offer in 
his newspaper column and stated 
he has no intention of embarking 
on a night club career, even on a 
part-time basis. 


Ralph Harris* Version 

A series of conflicting yarns con- 
cerning Miss Horne’s cancellation 
of her Miami Beach date are cir- 
culating in New York. Ralph 
Harris, Miss Horne’s manager, 
agreed to one version that it would 
have been extremely embarrassing 
for the singer to accept this en- 
gagement at this time. He stated 
that Copa op Murray Weinger had 
received threats that copies of 
Miami Life, a beach scandal sheet 
edited by Reubin J. Clein, would 
he peddled in front of the club 
should Miss Ilorne appear at the 
cafe. The Feb. 12 issue features a 
lurid rewrite of an earlier story 
in Confidential mag. Story con- 
cerns an alleged romance between 
Sammy Davis Jr., current at Copa 
City, and an ofay actress. 

Harris stated that rather than 
subject his client to this kind of 
embarrassment, he would have her 
cancel the engagement. 

Whatever verfion is accepted, it’s 
evident that Weinger will save 
considerable coin by Miss Horne s 
cancellation. Spot is reported to 
be in the red, especially since 
Weinger had to buy out the last 
two weeks of Mae West’s contract 
at a total of $30,000. Since the 
Mastin Trio is bringing in business 
it’s conceivable that it will con- 
tinue doing well for another fort- 
night. With Miss Horne begging 
out of the date on grounds of dis- 
crimination, Weinger stands to 
save $30,000 — the sum he paid out 
to Miss West. 

Harris declared that Weinger 
(Continued on page 52) 


Potato Chips Sales Up 
Via Hope Mpls. Revue; 
Liberace Set For May 

Minneapolis, Feb. ^22. 

Here in connection with the ap- 
pearance of Bob Hope and his 
show for the Old Dutch Co., local 
potato chips manufacturer, Roy 
Davis of Paramount Attractions. 
Chicago. who does the booking i I 
the concern, says he’s negotiating 
to bring in Liberace in May as 
the third of a series of “potato 
chips” shows inaugurated by Fred 
Waring. 

Gimmick is for Old Dutch to re- 
deem empty 39c potato chips bags 
for 25c toward a show ticket, the 
attractions being scaled at $3.50 
top. The company buys the shows 
outright. For a matinee and night 
here and a single evening in St. 
Paul it paid Waring and Hope $17,- 
500 and $22,500, respectively. 

AnyboJy not having enough 
empty bags to cover a ticket’s price 
may pay the difference In cash, 
and admission also is available en- 
tirely in the latter. Old Dutch 
pockets the cash boxoffice take. 

Manufacturer states stunt has 
boosted potato chips sales substan- 
tially and has proved a relatively 
inexpensive advertising, goodwill 
and public relations medium. In 
Minneapolis approximately 18,000 
people attended the Bob Hope 
afternoon and evening perform- 
ances. 


Kaye’s Quick Sellout 

London, Feb. 22. 

Danny Kaye’s six-week season at 
the London Palladium, due to start 
on May 23. was completely sold 
out within three days of the official 
announcement. 

With more than 200.000 tickets 
already disjwsed of, Val Parnell 
has asked the public 4 o halt ap- 
plications, as further requests for 
seats are causing undue embarrass- 
ment to the management. 


JUST CONCLUDED: 

LAKE CLUB, Springfield 
CHASE HOTEL, St. Louis 

(4 WEEKS) 

CURRENTLY: 2nd WEEK 

TOWN CASINO, BUFFALO 

(Thanks, Harry Altman) 


TERRY HAVEN 

AT THE PIANO 

ERNIE HELD 

OPENING: 

MARCH 1-6 -TRITON HOTEL, Rochester 
MARCH 1 1-24 — MUEHLEBACH HOTEL, Kansas City 
APRIL 1-1 4 -BROWN HOTEL, Louisville 

Direction — MCA 



Monti Nitery Foldo Points Up Anew 
Damage Done by AFM-AGVA Fight 


Montreal, Feb. 22. 

The theatrical unions in this city 
are still fighting to get back the 
same level of entertainment that 
existed prior to the squabble be- 
tween the American Federation of 
Musicians and American Guild of 
Variety Artists. The damage done 
by that inter-union fight is still 
considerable and is being assessed 
anew in light of the foldo last 
week of The Continental nitery. 

Members of both unions have 
been viewing the steady diminu- 
tion of jobs since the celebrated 
fracas, which was settled several 
months ago. Employment oppor- 

Bigleague Ball Brings 
Change in Decor For 
Kaycee Nitery Room 

Kansas City, Feb. 22. 

New downtown night spot opened 
here last Friday (19) when the 
Hotel Kansas Citian got its new 
Ball Park Room under way. Policy 
calls for a 50c admission charge, 
with the Arch Martin dixieland 
combo on the stand and show in- 
cluding songstress Emma Pritchard 
and pianist Scotty Lynn. 

With the advent of the Kansas 
City Athletics into the American 
League, it was inevitable that a 
new night spot on the baseball 
theme would be in order. It’s 
this niche the Kansas Citian is aim- 
ing to fill, according to manager 
Jack York, in a spot for the larger 
segment of the nitery followers. 

Owner Ben Weinberg has had 
the room done over in fittiing ball 
park decor, and makes it a one-two 
punch by dubbing another room, 
the former cocktail lounge, the 
Bleachers. With cover charges of 
$1 in other downtown spots offer- 
ing shows, possibilities for a good 
season loom for the Ball Park 
Room. 


‘HIPPODROME’ SET FOR 
BUSY EUROPEAN TOUR 

"Hippodrome,” skate extrava- 
ganza, will start a European en- 
gagement at the Palais des Sports, 
Brussels, March 9, and will remain 
there until April 3. This date will 
be followed by stands in Germany, 
Switzerland, France and England. 
Company will sail tomorrow (24) 
on the Maasdam. 

Outfit, which toured in the U. S. 
under the “Hippodrome” tag, will 
work under the “Skating Vanities” 
label in Germany and Switzerland 
and will play other parts of Europe 
under the ‘‘Roller Follies” title. All 
these have been used in those 
countries on tours during previous 
years and have built up a reputa- 
tion with these labels. 

Philly’s Sassy Doc Now 
Faces Floorshow Charge 

Philadelphia, Feb. 22. 

Pennsylvania Liquor Control 
Board agents raided Sassy’s Bar 
and Hotel Saturday (19> on 
charges of running a floorshow 
without a special permit. Sassy’s 
was the scene of a gun duel Jan. 
23, when manager Alfred (Sassy 
Doc) Manuszak shot it out with 
and fatally wounded Elmer (Whit- 
ey) Krieger. 

Recently discharged from Hahne- 
mann Hospital, Sassy Doc is out 
on $3,500 bail and resumed man- 
agement of the cafe last week. 
Agents visited the cafe Friday 
evening and warned the manager 
against putting on entertainment. 

The agents returned Saturday 
evening, chatted pleasantly with 
Manuszak while exotic dancers 
Non! and Vicki Drake and vocal- 
ist Don Farmer went through their 
routines. When Farmer finished, 
the law took over and arrested 
Sassy Doc and Mrs. Anna Mae 
Davish, who described herself as 
secretary-treasurer of the corpor- 
ation which owns the club. 

Sassy Doc accepted his latest ar- 
rest philosophically. "If I have to 
take a pinch. I’ll take a pinch,” he 
told the agents. “But I have to run 
the show to make money.” 


tunities have been dwindling 
steadily. It’s believed that Mont- 
real, which used to be a late town, 
got the spenders accustomed to 
staying in during the strike and 
hasn’t gotten back to the old stride 
yet. Chances are, it’s felt, that they 
won’t. Many have, by now, mem- 
orized the video timetables and 
have learned to be content with 
cheaper entertainment as well as 
a less strenuous kind of activity. 

The Mount Royal Hotel here, for 
the first time since it dropped 
floorshows. had a display last week 
with Kay Thompson. Miss Thomp- 
son was far from the financial suc- 
cess she was during her previous 
visit to that room. For that en- 
gagement, the room enlarged the 
Max Chamitov Trio. Group is again 
a threesome and the AFM sus- 
tained another loss in employment 
as well as AGVA. 

The lesson derived from Mont- 
real, while bitter, may serve as a 
pilot to these unions should they 
ever go to war again. Initial fracas 
stemmed from a decision made in 
the U. S. f a fact that makes Cana- 
dians very bitter. AGVA served 
notice that they wouldn’t renew 
an agreement which defined the 
jurisdiction of musical acts. Ini- 
tially, the AFM sought to make 
war on AGVA in the U. S. by not 
providing musical support for acts. 
AGVA got injunctions against the 
AFM in Boston and won a case in 
Pittsburgh against the union. As a 
result, the musicians renewed their 
war in Canada under the direction 
of AFM veepee Walter Murdoch. 
Less musicians and acts have been 
working there since. 



Currently 
LAUREL HILL 
SUPPER CLUB 
Columbia, S. C. 


• EPIC RECORDS • 

Direction: GENERAL ARTISTS CORP. 


COMEDY MATERIAL 

for All Branches of ThutritaU 

FUN-MASTER 

THE ORIGINAL SHOW-BIZ GAG HU 
(The Service ef the STARS) 

First 13 Files $7 .00-All 3S issues $25 
Singly: $1.05 per script. 


o 3 Bits. PARODIES, per book. .810 o 

O MINSTREL BUDGET $25 O 

O 4 BLACKOUT BK$., ee. bk. $25 • 
# BLUE BOOK (Gaos for Stags) $5$ o 
HOW TO MASTER THE CEREMONIES 
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BIANT CLASSIFIED ENCYCLOPEDIA 
OP GAGS, $300. Worth over a thousand 
No C.O.D.'s 

BILLY GLASON 

200 W. 54th St., New York 10— Dept. V 
Circle 7-113$ 



WHEN IN BOSTON 
If* the 

HOTEL AVERY 

The Home of Show Folk 

Avory A Washington Sts. 









Wednesday, February 23, 1955 



Abramson Seeks AGVA Talk on Fund; 
Cruise Employment Also on Agenda 


Nitery Ops Map Big Drive to Cut 
20 % Tax; Seek AFM, AGVA Aid 


Nat M. Abramson, trustee for the* 
American Guild of Variety Artists 
Welfare Fund, has asked to appear 
before the national board of AGVA 
to learn what their stance will be 
on the collections of the welfare 
fund. Stand, according to Abram- 
son, has been made necessary by 
the fact that as trustee for the 
fund, he feels that there should be 
uniformity among all talent em- 
ployers. Either they all contribute 
or none, and he would like to see 
whether there were special circum- 
stances that excused the Radio City 
Music Hall, N. Y., from paying into 
the Fund. The N. Y. AGVA branch 
recently concluded a pact with the 
Hall which forgave the theatre 
welfare fund assessments because 
the Hall carried unemployment and 
accident insurance. Board began a 
three-day meeting at the Henry 
Hudson Hotel, N. Y., yesterday 
(Tues.). 

At the same time, Abramson con- 
firmed the fact that the N. Y. 
AGVA branch had been sending 
letters to the steamship lines with 
which he has been doing business, 
asking them to negotiate directly 
with the union for a minimum 
basic agreement. Abramson says 
that he is the employer of the 
talent used on the cruises, and the 
lines do no direct employing of 
acts. m 

Whether this action by the N. Y. 
board is in retaliation for the 
stand taken on the Radio City 
Music Hall, according to Abram- 
son, would be determined after his 
talks with the board. 

In this connection, Abramson 
said that too much tampering with 
the cruise setup as it now stands 
might result in loss of employment 
for U. S. entertainers. Abramson 
cited the fact that most lines fly 
under foreign flags, and for some 
time now have been employing for- 
eign musicians because of the dif- 
ference in scale. If conditions be- 
come tolerable for the lines, accord- 
ing to Abramson, they may transfer 
the contracts to foreign packagers 
or eliminate entertainment en- 
tirely. 

Abramson stated that the welfare 
fund administration would be 
handicapped unless uniformity pre- 
vailed. He wants a statement on 
policy from the board on behalf of 
all the trustees for the fund. The 
board is expected to give Abram- 
son a hearing. 

Abramson Named Prez 
Of Entertainment Mgrs. 

Nat M. Abramson was reelected 
president of the Entertainment 
Managers Assn, of New York at a 
meeting held ast week. It’s his 
18th term in that office. He defeat- 
ed Max Wolf for the post. Charlie 
Rapp was named veepee, Tom Kel- 
ly, secretary, and Ed Newman, 
treasurer. 

Elected to the board of directors 
for a three-year term were Annette 
Marantz and Eli Danzig. 


Hamid-Morton Circus 
Draws in Memphis Bow 

Memphis, Feb. 22. 

Hamid-Morton’s Shrine Circus 
teed off its annual winter junket 
here in the City Auditorium by 
playing to better than 60,000 in 
14 performances. Show drew boff 
crowds at eight matinees and six 
nightly stints, shuttering here Fri- 
day (18) and then moving on to 
Milwaukee. 

Aida, billed as “Lady in the 
Moon,” was the show topper. Shows 
were staged in conjunction with the 
Shrine hospital benefit here, with 
Shrine topper Jack Britton front- 
ing for the Memphis A1 Chymia 
Temple. House was scaled at $2.20 
top. 


Milwaukee Vaude Back 

Chicago, Feb. 22. 

The Riverside Theatre in Mil- 
waukee is bringing vaudeville back 
for the first time in over a year. 

Filmery’s first stageshow is set 
for March 4, with Vic Damone and 
The Chuckles on the bill in a one- 
framer. 


Joe Glaser, head of the Asso- 
ciated Booking Corp., now on a 
talent gandering trip to New Or- 
leans, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Chi- 
cago and the Coast, will relurn 
early next month for the wedding 
of his assistant, Oscar Cohen. 


Hilton Hotel Operation 
Brings Local Can. Beefs 

Ottawa, Feb. 22. 

Response to a query in the Sen- 
ate revealed that Hilton of Canada 
Ltd., a subsidiary of the Hilton 
Hotels Corp. of the United States, 
would operate the new Canadian 
National Railways hotel in Mon- 
treal under a management con- 
tract. The hotel, said Sen. Ross 
McDonald, would not be leased. 

The new $20,000,000 hotel sched- 
uled for Montreal will be owned 
by CNR, a government agency, 
with Hilton of Canada managing 
under a contract covering operat- 
ing costs of the hotel based on a 
formula involving a percentage 
division of profits after costs. 

The CNR-Hilton deal has been 
blasted by provincial and national 
hotel associations as well as gov- 
ernment opposition leaders and 
members of parliament for not giv- 
ing a Canadian firm the operating 
contract. 


More Gambling 
Casinos in Cuba 
For Tourist Bait 

Havana, Feb. 22. 

A new decree passed by the Cab- 
inet and signed by the President 
increases the number of places per- 
mitted to maintain gambling 
casinos. The law was enacted to 
boost the tourist trade. 

Under the law, any hotel whose 
value is over $1,000,000 may now 
have a casino. Casinos may now be 
set up in frontones dlso (where 
jai alai is played and bet upon), 
as well as in “clubs and luxurious 
cabarets” deemed- suitable for 
tourists by the Tourist Commis- 
sion. 

Up to the present, gambling has 
been permitted in only three 
niteries in Havana: Tropicana, 
Sans Souci and Montmartre. (The 
Casino Nacional also has gambling, 
but is closed more often than not). 

The cost of a gambling permit is 
$25,000, in addition to which an 
operating fee of $2,000 must be 
paid monthly. And also every ca- 
sino must pay the government 20% 
of its profits. 

The Hotels Nacional, Sevilla 
Biltmore, Presidente and Como- 
doro and the planned Havana Hil- 
ton are expected to be eligible to 
set up casinos under the new law'. 

Sicilian Pop Singer 

Sets Short U. S. Tour 

Domenico Modugno, Sicilian pop 
singer, arrives in the U. S. next 
week for a three-week theatre and 
nitery tour. He opens March 6 at 
the Academy of Music in Brooklyn 
as a featured member of the cast 
of an all-Italian variety showcaser. 
He then planes to Toronto and 
Montreal for a week of theatre 
dates, then returns to N. Y. for a 
string of nitery appearnces, not 
yet set. 

Ad agency exec and television 
producer Erberto Landi is handling 
Modugno on his American dates. 


Blackstone’s 11G, Cincy 

Cincinnati, Feb. 22. 

Blackstone’s magic show grossed 
$11,000 in a week’s engagement in 
the 1,300-seat Cox which ended 
Sunday night (20). Top was $2.50. 
It was the first visit here in eight 
years by a hocus-pocus troupe. 

Cincy’s only roadshow bookings 
presently for balance of season are 
“Solid Gold Cadillac,” week of 
March 28, and “Pajama Game,” 
week of April 25, both in the 2,500- 
seat Taft. 


Vera-Ellen’s Dunes Date 

Vera-Ellen has been pacted for 
the new Dunes Club, Las Vegas. 
She’ll go in sometime in May on 
the first show. 

Others pacted for that spot in- 
clude a batch of production talent, 
including Jadine Wong and John 
Brachi. 


Hamid to Supply Talent 
For ’55 Greensboro Fair 

Greensboro, N. C., Feb. 22. 

The 55th annual Greensboro Fair 
will be held Oct. 4-8, manager 
Clyde Kendall announced. Grand- 
stand attractions will be supplied 
by George A. Hamid, New York, 
and World of Mirth Shows will 
again be on the midway. 

The “Dancing Waters” show also 
will again appear on the midway. 


Sennes Eyeing S.F. 
House on Vauders 

Frank Sennes, operator of the 
Moulin Rouge, Hollywood, is seek- 
ing to buy the Golden Gate Thea- 
tre, San Francisco. Sennes plans 
to use this house for stageshows, 
particularly units which have 
played his Coast spot. 

Sennes is currently in New York 
discussing the deal with officials 
of RKO Theatres, which operates 
the house. If deal fails to jell, 
Sennes will attempt to pick up one 
of the Fox-West Coast houses in 
Frisco. 

Sennes, who also operates a tal- 
ent agency with headoffices in 
Cleveland, had been planning to 
send out units of his Moulin Rouge 
shows. However, he has abandoned 
this project for cafes and theatres 
unless on a reserved seat basis. In- 
stead, he’ll go into fairs on the 
theory that it’s the only feasible 
type of theatrical activity at the 
moment which can support a cast 
of nearly 100 performers. 

Sennes, who’ll return to the 
Coast this week, plans to go to 
Europe around April 1 to case acts 
for a new show which he’ll open 
at his Coast spot in September. 

Josephine Baker’s $9,600 
In 14 Mexico City Shows 

Mexico City, Feb. 22. 

Josephine Baker, who did but 
fairly well playing the Club Im- 
perial nitery here on what she an- 
nounced was her farewell appear- 
ance in Latin America, accounted 
for a good gross of $9,600 in 14 
days, doubling at the Teatro Iris, 
local legit house. 

Miss Baker shared the bill with 
Mexican vauders, headed by a ma- 
gician. The gross isn’t bad for here 
now, when it’s considered that La 
Baker and the rest of the bill 
played to a 40c top, two-a-day, three 
shows Sundays. 

Miss Baker planed to Caracas, 
Venezuela, for a two-week booking. 


‘Rhythm & Blues’ 60 G 

Chicago, Feb. 22. 

“Rhythm and Blues,” Shaw 
Artists’ sepia roadshow shepherded 
by Lou Kufert, completed its mid- 
western tour Feb. 13. 

Show netted $60,000 in its round 
of 10 cities in 10 days. 


Minneapolis, Feb. 22. 

In its fourth week at the Gay 
90s, Loop bistro, without police 
interference, the “Jewel Box Re- 
vue” of 11 female impersonators 
finally has run afoul of the au- 
thorities as a result of occurrences 
having no connection with the per- 
formance. 

After Municipal Court Judge 
Dana Nicholson learned about the 
revue's local presence during 
trials within a fortnight of two 
men who were arrested walking 
around downtown in feminine at- 
tire, the court ordered the police 
department to investigate to de- 
termine if the show violated any 
law. 

On a morals complaint the po- 
lice a week ago arrested a 32-year- 
old man dressed as a woman. He 
said he had come here from Chi- 
cago in the hope of landing a job 
with the revue. % 

Then this week, after another 
28-year-old man was found guilty 
of impersonating a woman, the 
judge blew his top when the pro- 
bation officer suggested the of- 
fender might find employment 
with the show. Demanding that the 
police take action against the re- 
vue, the judge expressed shock 
that it was being allowed. News- 
papers played up the matter. 


Law Becomes Boniface 
With Long Island Inn 

Frank Law, Broadway press- 
agent, is entering boniface ranks. 
Law has taken over the former 
Wild Duck Inn, Southampton, L. I., 
and will open May 20. Inn, to be 
named Frank Law’s, will be dec- 
orated by Russell Patterson. 

Spot was originally the estate of 
Elsie Ferguson, silent film star. 

Proposed N.Y. 5% 
Commish Exempts 
Show Biz Agents 

Albany, Feb. 22. 

N. Y. State Sen. Fred G. Moritt’s 
proposal to limit fees of employ- 
ment agencies will exempt thea- 
trical and nursing engagements. 
Bill, as introed by Moritt, would 
place the maximum of 5% on all 
engagements paying $2,500 or more 
annually at 5%, if employment 
lasts for a year or more. 

Moritt is well-versed in theatri- 
cal activity. He has been a song- 
writer for a number of years and 
is a member of ASCAP. 

This employment agency regula- 
tion bill is the first in a long time 
to exempt theatrical agencies. All 
other bills, generally introduced by 
Sen. Condon, and Rep. Ostertag, 
have been aimed at limiting the 
i cuts taken by talent reps. All talent 
outfits, incidentally, claim that 
they would have to close should 
any 5% commission limit be im- 
posed on them and would force 
them into some subterfuge such as 
personal management. In that 
event, costs of securing employ- 
ment for acts would become more 
expensive to the performer be- 
cause, in addition, jobs would have 
to be handled by a dummy agency 
at the stipulated 5% fee. 

At present, the N. Y. State Gen- 
eral Business Law limits the com- 
missions on all employment agen- 
cies, including talent offices, to 
5%. However, the courts have 
recognized that the task of guiding 
a career, generally assumed by the 
talent agencies, entails consider- 
ably more than obtaining jobs, and 
have permitted the present hiked 
fees to continue. Unions have also 
winked at that section of the law, 
but have defeated attempts to 
amend the allowable commissions 
upwards because of the added 
measure of control it gives them. 


The second offender was placed 
on probation with the provision 
that he discontinue wearing 
women’s clothes and shorten his 
hair, which was being worn in a 
female hairdo. 

Pat Walling, acting police chief, 
promised to confer with the city 
attorney to learn if the show could 
be halted. After witnessing it, the 
morals squad had reported it con- 
tained nothing obscene or immoral. 
Jake Sullivan, the squad’s head, 
said however he’d like to stop it. 

Setting themselves up as a self- 
constituted censorship body, the 
police without any recourse to law 
ordered a similar show out of an- 
other nitery here four years ago. 
The reason given was that “it at- 
tracted an undesirable element.” 
In local amusement circles it has 
been assumed the lid on this sort 
of show was lifted currently be- 
cause Loop nitery business has 
been at an almost record low and a 
belief that an “unusual” attraction 
i might stimulate it by bringing 
i larger crowds downtown at night. 

■ Show has been doing well. 


Singer Lucy Monroe arrived in 
Tokyo over the weekend on a 
round-the-world trip in which 
she’s entertaining troops. She’ll 
plav several engagements in Japan 
and Korea. 


► Windsor, Ont., Feb. 22. 

Nitery owners are caught in a 
two-horned dilemma between the 
U. S. entertainment tax of 20% 
and astronomical talent costs which 
threaten them with bankruptcy, 
eight bonifaces declared at a meet- 
ing at Windsor Supper Club. Be- 
cause of these problems, 318 
niteries were forced to close last 
year, they said. 

Saying they represented 200 
members of the Theatre Restaurant 
Owners of America Assn., they 
agreed to launch a full-scale lobby- 
ing effort in Washington to get the 
tax reduced to 10%. 

Also, they decided to attempt tc 
package shows to tour their clubs 
in a unit and seek other methods to 
get talent costs down; to issue com- 
mon credit cards, and to under- 
take a joint advertising campaign 
in leading national publications. 

The eight are Herman Pirchner, 
Alpine Village, Cleveland, who 
acted as chairman; A1 Siegel. Elm- 
wood (Ont.) Supper Club; Lenny 
Litman, Pittsburgh Copa; George 
Eddy, Kddys’, Kansas City; Chubby 
Stafford, Chubby’s Collingwood, 
N.J.; Phil Warner, Village Hotel, 
Erie, Pa.; Mickey Chiado. Gay 
Haven, Dearborn, Mich., and Dr. 
Bill Yeaman, of Yeaman’s, Detroit, 

Lou Walters, Latin Quarter, N.Y.j 
Dave Halper, Chez Paree, Chi, ana 
Leon Zeiger, Casino Royal, Wash- 
ington, were unable to attend th« 
meeting, but were in agreement 
with its aims and have promised 
their cooperation, Siegel said. 

Pirchner declared the niteries 
would seek the support in N.Y, 
meetings this week of the Ameri- 
can Federation of Musicians and 
the American Guild of Variety 
Artists to try to push the tax re- 
duction through Congress. 

The eight bitterly complained 
that tv and Las Vegas had pul 
talent which they had helped de- 
velop out of their reach. They 
cited instance after instance of how 
w.k. recording stars’ salary de- 
mands skyrocketed from a few hun- 
dred dollars into the thousands 
within a matter of weeks on the 
strength of an appearance on tv or 
a spot in Las Vegas. 

Decry Star System 

The eight agreed they no longer 
could afford to pay the salaries 
which put them in a position of 
working for the entertainer instead 
of vice versa. As a result, they will 
abandon the star system, build 
shows around standard acts, buy 
supporting players in Broadway 
(Continued on page 52) 

Des Moines Auto Show 
Drops LaRosa 200G Suit 

Des Moines, Feb. 15. 

For 24 hours following Julius 
LaRosa’s hasty departure from the 
Des Moines automobile show he 
faced a $200,000 damage suit by 
the show’s sponsors. In a meeting 
last weekend by reps of the Gross- 
man Entertainment Service, the 
D. M. automobile dealers associa- 
tion and attorneys, it was decided 
not to go ahead with the suit. 

LaRosa cut short his scheduled 
eight-day appearance, claiming to 
be ill. The general chairman of 
the show said: “We are convinced 
LaRosa did not have just cause for 
breaking his contract. His action 
deprived us of a star attraction at 
a time when the show barely got 
under way. We filed notice' of a 
suit to protect the show from pos- 
sible damages at the time LaRosa 
walked out. Now that we have 
been able to obtain Dagmar as an 
attraction, we feel LaRosa will not 
be missed— in fact, the crowds 
have been bigger and more satis- 
factory since he left.” 

It was reported LaRosa was to 
be paid about $1,000 a day for his 
Des Moines appearance under a 
contract signed last Oct. 25. Auto 
show officials said LaRosa had not 
been paid any salary. 

Krupa to Open His First 
L.A. Date in Seven Years 

Hollywood, Feb. 22. 

Marking his first L.A. appear- 
ance in seven years, Gene Krupa 
and his quartet open at the Cres- 
cendo Friday (24) for a two-week 
stand. Combo currently closed out 
at the Last Frontier, Vegas. 

Krupa Quartet includes Eddie 
Shu, Bobby Scott and John Drew. 


Too Many Switch Artists In Town So 
Mpls. Judge Orders Revue Checkup 





CORBETT 

MONICA 


HARRIS GIGER 




Dcm't Buy A New Car 
*■ Until You Talk to 

SAM ANGER 

(Broth«r if HARKY ANGER *' G*C) 

For The Best Deal On A 

FORD 


m 

i \> i 


FORD 

THUNDERBIRD 


Call ms at: 

TED ROWLAND. Inc. 

»f (.VnSROOR. LONG tSLA'JO 

LYnorook 9-0400 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


THE MELLO-MACS 

Songs 

15 Mins. 

Casino, Toronto 

The Mello-Macs, three boys and 
a girl, won the Arthur Godfrey 
Talent Scout Show award on Dec. 
13 last, getting them a full week 
from Godfrey on tv and radio. On 
either side of that engagement, 
this vocal quartet has been around 
the clubs for the past six months 
on both sides of the border but this 
is their first theatrical date. Kids 
can sing, in tune, but they’ve 
plenty to learn on professional 
projection. It’s still that stereo- 
typed quartet routine, complete 
with finqersnapping, knee-breaks 
and similar campus calisthenics. 

They open with a bouncy “Ex- 
actly Like You,” with those hand- 
clappings; then a tempo switch to 
“Sentimental Journey”; and then 
“Juke Box Saturday Night” medley, 
including imitations of Ink Spots 
plus Rose Murphy — which they 
should never attempt because they 
can’t do them properly and should 
Stick to their own style — but are 
over neatly for a harmony bal- 
ladeering of “I Surrender, Dear.” 

McStay. 


New York 

Connie Sawyer, out of theatrical 
activity for some time, makes her 
comeback at the Versailles, N. Y., 
in the forthcoming Leonard Sill- 
man show . . . Stanley Burns, re- 
cently signed with the Lew & Les- 
lie Grade Agency, to play a series 
of dates in England . . . Jonathan 
Winters set for the Palmer House, 
Chicago, March 17 . , . Helen Boice 
pacted for the Black Orchid, Chi- 
March 1 . . . Will Mastin 


today (Wed.) for an indefinite stint. 
. . . Don, Dick & Jimmy inked for 
the Muehlebach Hotel, K.C., April 
8 for two rounds . . . Mindy Carson 
booked for the K.C. Auto Show, 
Feb. 26 to March 6 . . . De John 
Sisters slated for the Prom Ball- 
room, St. Paul, for weekend of 
March 5 and into the Casa Loma 
Ballroom, St. Louis, March 16-20. 
. . . Eileen Barton set for the Roo- 
sevelt Hotel, New Orleans, March 
31 for four frames . . . Dick Noel 
opens at the Muehlebach, K.C., 
Friday 25, in a two-rounder . . . 
Lois White & Teddy Small playing 
the Elkhart Hotel, Elkhart indefi- 
nitely. 


tious time when group singers have 
a healthy portion of the disks on 
the bestselling listings. 

Their harmonics are good and 
their song-selections are on the 
safe side, with “Mr. Sandman” as 
their topper. The trio inject an 
occasional comedy note for accept- 
ance in visual situations. They’ll 
get along well in the theatre and 
saloon circuits, but they’ll have to 
count on recordings for entry into 
the plush coin. Jose. 


PAUL KILLIAM 
Comedy 
12 Mins. 

Blue Angel, N. Y. 

Paul Killiam is a w.k. figure to 
eastside audiences. He bonifaced 
and ran the commentary on the 
silent screen showings at the late 
Old Knick, a kingsized saloon 
which provided the ten-twent-thirt 
melodramas. 

Killiam has abbreviated the si- 
lent film commentary to nitcry 
proportions. He uses a small home- 
screen upon which clips are flashed 
and he provides an amusing narra- 
tion. Much of nis gab is aimed at 
the Madison Avenue agency set. 
and all of it shows an urbane and 
witty approach. This se’up is ideal 
for a takeoff of Edward R. Murrow. 
which he does without detracting 
from his subject. Another bit in 
his catalog is a rib of Valentino in 
a desert drama for excellent re- 
sults. 

Killiam is a Brook Bros, looking 
specimen and fits in well with the 
Blue Angel habitues. The physi- 
cal setup of the projector and 
screen doesn't get in the way and 
thus lie could transfer his activities 
to any boite on the correct side of 
Fifth Ave. with excellent results. 
With broadening of his particular 
kind of humor he could go on the 
slum side of that street as well. 

Jose. 


cago, 

Trio is a March 14 starter at the 
Latin Quarter, Boston . . . Helen 
Traubel and Joey Bishop on the 
same bill at the Fontainebleau, 
Miami Beach, March 1 . . . Kath- 
erine Dunham to Ciro’s, Hollywood. 
April 22 . . . Jane Powell signed 
for Copa City, Miami Beach, March 
5 . . . Morey Amsterdam inked for 
the Latin Casino, Philadelphia, 
next Monday (28) . . . Clara Ce- 
drone & Damien Mitchell into No. 
One Fifth Ave., N. Y., Tuesday 
(1) . . . Arbitration resulted in 
the split of Helen Halpin from 
her former manager, Tom Farrand. 


BERYL & BOBO 
Trampoline 
8 Mins. 

Empire, Edinburgh 

Male & femme, garbed sailor- 
wise. work out an energetic bounce 
routine on the trampoline. Both 
have agile talent, and distaffer 
plays much more than the normal 
role of assistant. 

Opens with Bobo setting a nauti- 
cal note in sailor jumps on the 
trampoline, then swinging round 
vertical pole and engaging in for- 
ward and backward falls. Beryl 
segues with equally lively routine 
on the bounce-net. Femme’s stand- 
out item is a full twisting back- 
somersault, for which she garners 
solid palming. Comedy effect comes 
when she drops from his shoulders 
into his wide-waisted trousers, 
which are dropped off to reveal 
comical red-striped pentaloons. 

Good act for most vauderies in 
all locations. Cord. 


Hollywood 

Gene Sheldon follows the cur- 
rent ice show into the Hotel 
Statler Terrace Room March 14 
. . . The Skylarks will trail Sheldon 
three weeks later (April 4) . . . Gene 
Krupa takes his drums to the 
Crescendo Friday (25) for three 
weeks. 


EL DORADOS (5) 

Songs 
9 Mins. 

Apo Io, N. Y. 

The Apollo, having what is 
seemingly a limitless supply of 
young rhythm & blues vocal 
troupes, has for current sesh 
w hipped up the El Dorado quintet. 
All-male Negro team, with a case 
of freshman jitters, strained in 
knocking off standard 125th St. 
line of tunes. 

Outfit should center one of its 
stronger voices. The scat solos and 
the backing in threesome. “Little 
M»ss Love,” “September Song” and 
"Baby I Need,” lack tonal fullness. 
One of El Dorados’ brighter 
aspects is handling of stage biz; 
they shift in well-planned move- 
ments. Art. 


Chicago 

Illinois Jacquet, Joyce Bryant 
and The Roulettes set for the Chi- 
cago Theatre Friday (25) for two 
weeks. Jimmy Nelson cancelled at 
the last minute in a booking 
conflict . . . Vic Damone and Joan 
Weber follow at the B&K flagship 
March 11 . . . Lurlene Hunter 
returns to the Cloister Inn, Chi, 


Continued frbm page 50 

told him there would be reserva- 
tions for Miss Horne and her hus- 
band, bandleader Lennie Hayton, 
at the Royal York. This w f as 
conveyed to him, he said, while in 
Chicago w here Miss Horne played 
the Chez Paree. 

Jack Irving of the American 
Guild of Variety Artists says he 
agreed to the cancellation, as all 
contracts are pay-or-play. Had the 
union not agreed to calling off the 
deal, one of the parties would have 
had to shell out $30,000, the face 
value of the contract. 


RHYTIIMETTES (3) 

Songs 
8 Mins. 

Pa'ace, N. Y. 

The Rhythmcttes, who have 
traveled with the Ralph Flanagan 
band, are a well drilled femme 
trio dressed fetchingly and who 
ffave a pleasing song style. The 
girls are starting out at a propi- 


DANNY OVF.RBEA 
Songs-Guilar 
11 Mins. 

Apollo, N. Y. 

Danny Overbea, a lanky Negro 
youth, is a smooth rhythm & blues 
stylist, who merits and gets feature 
hilling in his first Harlem flag out- 
ing. He backs a rapidfire electric 
guitar with a pleasant set of pipes 
ta shade o.\ the strident side) and 
the heavy gesturing peculiar to the 
idiom. All elements conspire for 
solid Harlem support. 

Overbea opens with a nifty gui- 
tar solo. He builds to bigger re- 
wards via a vocalized “Toast To 
Lovers,” in semi-ballad form, and 
closes with a good rendition of 
punchy “40 Cups of Coffee." He 
injects a sunny personality into all 
proceedings. Though Overbea’s tar- 
get is chiefly along 125th St., he’s 
a likely novelty for the boite cir- 
cuit. Art. 


MBnB Continued from page 51 

musicals and do a takeoff in minia- 
ture of them, and package these 
shows to tour their spots. 

The meeting was held at the 
Windsor Supper Club, across the 
Detroit River from Detroit, to give 
the bonifaces an opportunity to 
study Siegel’s success in the no- 
star entertainment policy. It was 
established in 1952 after Siegel 
booked Victor Borge at $5,000 and 
found he was drawing fewer cus- 
tomers than a year before at $2,000. 
Siegel began to offer miniature 
Broadway musicals — “Oklahoma,” 
“Show Boat,” etc. — often with sup- 
porting players from the original 
casts. 

The Elmwood’s weekly nut for 
costumes, props, and talent is about 
$6,000. Siegel, however, is not 
adamant about big names when 
they’re available and the circum- 
stances are right. For example, 
George Jessel was booked for next 
week because two very large 
groups specifically asked for a 
name. In this case, Siegel has ad- 
vance reservations which will en- 
able him at least to get to the 
breakeven point. 

The Elmwood success story is 
built on a mailing list of 51,000 — 
including 47.000 auto dealers 
throughout the U.S. who must 


LOTTIE BRUNN 
Juggling 
9 Mins. 

Palace, N. Y. 

‘Lottie Brunn has obviously been 
around, but hasn't been document- 
ed in Variety's New Acts file. Miss 
Brunn does q fast juggling turn 
with a wide variety of objects. Her 
manipulations are fairly expert and 
she achieves some patterns that 
aren’t seen frequently. 

Miss Brunn has dressed up her 
turn excellently by having her 
props arrayed attractively on a 
table. Her best bits are the juggling 
of five oversized balls, and her 
closer, in which she uses prac- 
tically everything on the table 
simultaneously, is a strong finale. 

Jose. 


of India 

Currently 

Touring in Hawaii 
in Police Show 

Ope ning Feb. 28th for Two Week* 

CAVE SUPPER CLUB 
Vancouver, B. C., Canada 

Drection: FRED ROBBINS 
67 West 44'.H Street, New York, N. Y 


"Mr. Dynamite' 
Currently 

Return Engagement 

CHUBBY'S 

PHILADELPHIA 1 

OPENING , 

FEB. 28th 


Dir.: Gerber-Weiss, N. Y. CO 5-8680 


EDNA & LEON 
Aero 
9 Mins. 

Palace, N. Y. 

Edna & Leon, European imports, 
have an act that should fit most 
j visual situations. This aero team 
(does some excellent hand-to-hand- 
ing in addition to incidental 
juggling. The male is able to exe- 
jcute lifts from unusual positions 
i and at times the femme acts as 
an understander. One of the more 
1 unusual facets of their act is a 
j tooth-to-tooth balance via a spe- 
cially built rod. All of it is ap- 
plause winning. 

The femme is a well-built looker 
I who has mannerisms of the John 
'Held Jr. era. She doesn’t have to 
'go to those extremes to prove she’s 
1 feminine although an acrobat. 

I Jose. 


Comics Prefer 
A. GUY VISK 


iNDY BROWN ,,o £r i 

Currently Headlining The New Terrace Grill 
Hotel Muehlebach, Kansas City 


SHERRY SISTERS (3) 

Dance 
7 Mins. 

Apollo, N. Y. 

The Sherry Sisters, three ofay 
femmes who terp, come armed with 
highly imaginative tap routines in 
their Harlem Apollo bow\ How- 
ever, the act, as though inhibited 
by fear of error, moves too deliber- 
ately through steps. 

Precision choreography and oc- 
casional aero twists add an attrac- 
tive fillip despite unsureness of 
slow-motion dancing. The trio of 
non-look-alikes, though nothing 
special on the eyes, are aided by 
nifty costuming. Sherry Sisters 
need a little brushing to bring 
terping to level of material. 


Writing Enterprises 

"Creators of Special Comedy Material" 
19* Hill Street Troy, N. Y. 


Dear Randy: 

The crowd* in the New Terrace Grill received The Profe»*ional 
Texan with taught, attention and enthusiasm. Your type of 
comedy it something new and refreshing on the show business 
horiion. 

We are highly pleased with your engagement. 

Bernard Joffee, Director of Entertainment 
Muehlebach Hotel, Kansas City 


Currently 

FAIRMONT HOTEL 

SAN FRANCISCO 

Mgt. BILL MITTLER, 1619 Broadway. New York 


Direction: MCA ARTISTS. LTD 


22 Months 

INA RAY HUTTON'S TV SHOW 


FREDDIE STULCE'S 

Belles and Bows 


Currently 

FRANK SENNES' "NIGHT IN PARIS” SHOW 


Management 
FREDDIE STULC8 


"Loaded with talent, grace and feminine charm . . . Score heavily 
mercial. They sell each tune for solid palming from the customers, 


Sherman Oaks, Calif, 


13580 Valleyheart Dr 




53 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


NHiUT CLUB REVIEWS 


Plaza Hotel, 1%. Y. 

Mata A Hari (with Lothar Perl), 
Ann Crowley, Ted Straeter Orch, 
Mark Monte Continentals; $2 $2.50 
cover. 


The cautious crowd at the Per- 
sian Room goes to town tor Mata 
& Hari whilst the team which tv 
made goes to town as No. 1 assas- 
sin of terpsichore. It’s one of the 
most knowing of the groups which 
used to be known as “dumb” acts 
when silence was golden in the 
gilded era of a vaude realm that 
spawned the panto stylists. La 
Mata and her Hari are coupled in 
the Plaza session with singer Ann 
Crowley, in her N.Y. cafe debut. 
What with latter’s orthodoxy and 
their heresy, it’s a finely mixed 
spread this side of an hour. 

M&H win pronto with the Mr. & 
Mrs. Maharajah stuff, complete 
with equilibristics and flashing 
over the snake charmer (etc.) 
quickies. As in their three o.her 
numbers, the costumes are ultra 
and to the point. The sharp changes 
are managed two ways; by having 
Persian maestro Ted Straeter sup- 
ply a narrative fill-in and allowing 
the male of the act to reenter upon 
the floor first to afford his partner 
time to pour into her clothes. Thus, 
for the second invasion, the femme 
is dolled out in an elaborate 
feathery getup for a foray into 
“Blind Date" bluesy capers in the 
French idiom, and as a finale fillip 
ihe carries him. 

Up then is their puppetry de- 
light, with about as perfect a simu- 
lation of free-wheeling figurines 
as any mere humans can contrive. 
Windup is their walloping piece de 
resistance, the “Carnegie Hall 
symphony, elongated from their 
video excursions, in which they 
ride through a multitude of instru- 
ments topped by her piano and his 
baton. Its incredible how they can 
con an audience into believing 
they’re working on the strings, 
brass and reeds. 

The timing and musical back- 
drop reflect in part the virtuosity 
of Lothar Perl, the duo’s crack 
conductor-arranger; and like all 
class performances, it is obvious 
that the M&H-plus-Perl inventions 
did not come about by alchemy 
but involved intensive preparation 
to achieve the objective. Mata & 
Hari are billed dance satirists; this 
they are to the nth degree, but add 
showmanship, flair and thespic 
endowments. And those costumes! 

Miss Crowley first came to im- 
portant attention via “Oklahoma.” 
She’s been playing niteries for half 
a dozen years in preparation for 
this one. Snazzily-gowned thrush 
is a big piper, using the mike for 
control rather than volume, with 
latter built in. Opens cheerily with 
“Accentuate the Positive,” then 
into slow pacer with “Johnny’s So 
Long at the Fair.” The coloratura 
soprano is displayed most effec- 
tively in drunken takeoffs on arias 
and ariettes from “Die Fledcr- 
maus.” This has the virtue both of 
showing off her technicflie and as 
a pattern for comedy and it comes 
off extremely well. 

An audience participation num- 
ber posed as something she did 
with ihe Danny Kaye troupe in 
South Africa — pitched on the cal- 
endar "months in sequence — does 
not seem of sufficient merit or in- 
terest to stay in her-library. Fin- 
ishes neatly wdth a runthrough of 
“Oklahoma” tunes which she sings 
like she owns. 

Miss Crowley is attractive and 
not lacking in poise. Her patter is 
at a minimum and can stand up- 
grading. Improved salesmanship 
should come in time, with the other 
ingredients already in the bag. 

Straeter is the happy and versa- 
tile maestro, a showbacker of au- 
thority, with Mark Monte’s Conti- 
nentals a hep helper-outer on the 
dance sets. * Trau. 


Bencheondier, Miami II. 

Miami Beach, Feb. 18. 

Sophie Tucker ( with Ted Sha- 
piro), Sam Levenson, Billy Eck - 
stine, Harmonic-airs, Len Dawson 
Orch; $2.50 ber.-$5 food or bev. 
m ins. • 


There are odd components in 
the current Beachcomber bill, but 
overall it comes off to solid re- 
turns. 

This club is Miami Beach head- 
quarters for Sophie Tucker and 
she takes over the stage of the 
hugery with her usual authority. 
The grande dame of the cafes, at- 
tired in now, resplendent gown and 
sporting the always original coif- 
fure, returns with a batch of new 
routines tailored to the narrative- 
lyric form she’s used for so many 
years. Working with the verve 
that is her trademark she dispenses 
her catalog of sometimes broad, 
fliways laugh-raising materials, ex- 
ploring every nuance contained to 
keep t|ie assemblage happy. 

The pattern followed keeps in- 
terest sustained throughout, rang- 


ing from the ways of a man with a 
dame to the stragglers from home 
and hearth, mirth-provoking ad- 
vice to young and old, badinage 
with piano-aide Ted Shapiro and 
interweaving of the serious aspect 
—her years in show biz. Per 
usual, Miss Tucker winds into a 
begoff. 

Sam Levenson hasn’t been seen 
in these parts in some years. This 
time out, he proves a well-rounded 
nitery performer who spells out 
his collection of yarns on child- 
hood days, young moderns and 
Brooklyn types with assurance and 
polish. The delivery is sharper, 
to aid in garnering the giggles 
swiftly. Despite the upbeat in 
wordage tempo, Levenson still 
eschews the cliched “punching” 
school; his stuff is sold on the 
quiet side, and received with quiet 
delight by the tablers. 

Making his first appearance in 
the area is Billy Eckstine. The 
much imitated songster proves an 
affable personality, with plenty of 
charm to keep the distaffers in- 
trigued and a blend of tunes that 
goes well with the males. He 
limns his recording hits, but stand- 
out in his stint is a travel-through- 
the-years in melody, in which he 
does a switch on the vocal impres- 
sionists. It’s a wrapup item that 
brings him out for encores. On the 
delivery side his stage deportment 
is adept as he works in relaxed 
manner to add to overall impact, 

The Harmonic-airs tee off mat- 
ters soundly with a carefully se- 
lected group of compositions which 
bring out their virtuosity on the 
mouth-organs. Len Dawson and his 
crew are a dependable group on 
the showbackings. Lary. 


Roosevelt Hotel, N. O. 

New Orleans. Feb. 10. 
Ted Lewis Orch (10), Manor A 
Mignon, Dewey Sisters ( 2 ), Susan 
Brooks, Midge A Bill Haggett, El- 
roy Peace; $2.50 minimum. 


The old pro with the battered 
hat is back again for a limited 
two-week stand with all of his 
trademarks and nostalgia, plus a 
revue that rings the bell all the 
way. Always a welcome visitor at 
this plush spot, Ted Lewis sells 
the same old fare, but the capacity 
crowd loves every minute of it. 

He whistles, dances and delivers 
a laugh-getting race track mono- 
log, and the kids in the revue 
stream on and off at a fast and 
well-timed pace. 

Standout of his offering is his 
“Me and My Shadow” bit, aided 
by Elroy Peace, an ebony dancer 
with a mouth full of pearly teeth. 

Within the pattern ^of Lewis’ 
show are five topdrawer acts. 
Manor & Mignon, a French team, 
are dancing class with their dizzy 
spins, lifts and whirls, all executed 
with elegance and charm. 

The blonde Dewey Sisters score 
heavily with a speedy aero preci- 
sion turn. Midge & Bill Haggett net 
plenty of palm-pounding with their 
interpretive terp turn. 

Susan Brooks, pert brunet thrush, 
has nice pipes and solos a group 
of nostalgic tunes, and then joins 
the old maestro in several duets 
for heavy response. Peace con- 
tributes some difficult toe-tapping 
routines. 

Lewis continues to blow hot on 
his clarinet at times, especially in 
a reprise of his “St. Louis Blues” 
as played during his days at Rec- 
tor’s in 1917. The indefatigable 
vet’s red-jacketed band keeps the 
floor jammed during dance ses- 
sions. Their musicianship is tops 
and satisfies all tastes. Liuz. 


Ilovorly Hi ll<s. Newport 

Newport, Ky., Feb. 19. 
Ella Logan, Johnny O’Brien, 
Earl Lindsay Dancers (10), Dick 
Hyde, Gardner Benedict Orch 
(10), Jimmy Wilbur Trio, Larry 
Vincent; $3 minimum, $4 Saturday. 


Ella Logan bolsters the current 
lineup with rock ’em entertain- 
ment. Nigh on to a decade since 
her last appearance in this Blue 
Grass cafe, her return is welcomed 
by regulars and new admirers: 

In a distinctive semi-evening 
gown, Miss Logan magnets full at- 
tention every moment of her song 
cycle. Each number has a special 
i arrangement. After a second en- 
core to “Glocca Mora.” her hit 
tune in “Finian’s Rainbow.” she 
steals away with a ballad, “Star of 
County Down,” without accompan 
iment. 

Johnny O’Brien, in his first visit, 
wins favor with an engaging back- 
yonder personality and harmonica 
playing, while unloading a corny 
line of patter. His train number, 
with realistic smoke and lights ef- 
fects, is a novelty bellringing 
closer. 

Showbacking by Gardner Bene- 
dict’s band, and the line of Lindsay 
Dancers, wifch singing emcee Dick 
Hyde, lend body and class to the 
hour performance. Koll. 


Cafe Society, N. Y. 

Louis Jordan Band (7)„ with 
Danny Knight, Nellie Lutcher, 
Chico O'Farrell Band (6); $3.50 
minimum. 


Cafe Society,' which shuttered 
last summer, has now reopened 
after an extensive, facelifting job 
which has considerably brightened 
up this loom. The bar, which used 
to adjoin the stage, has been 
moved upstairs, giving more room 
to the performers, and the orange- 
and-ycllow color scheme also gives 
this spot a visual lift. 

Teeoff show could hardly be 
stronger and will be an excellent 
test of whether Greenwich Village 
can support a club of this type. 
Louis Jordan has always been a 
consistently firstrate attraction, 
and at this spot he socks over a 
terrific musical turn. 

Backed by trumpet, tenor and 
sax and four on rhythm, Jordan 
toots his own alto and vocals 
through a flock of rhythm & blues 
and jazz tunes at full speed. He 
opens with “Shake, Rattle and 
Roll,” and continues in that groove 
throughout, stopping only for an 
occasional ballad, such as “Young 
At Heart,” or to hoke it up with 
his sidemen. Even before a rela- 
tively small crowd at show caught, 
Jordan received a begoff reaction. 

For the straight vocal assign- 
ments, Jordan is spotlighting an 
excellent young singer in Danny 
Knight. Knight has a smooth bari- 
tone and he manipulates it in savvy 
style on such tunes as “It’s Won- 
derful” and “No Man Is An 
Island.” 

Nellie Lutcher, the “real gone 
gal," is another expert performer 
who stacks plenty into a musical 
turn. She delivers a brace of her 
standard numbers, such as “Do 
You or Don’t You Love Me,” 
“Hurry On Down to My House,” 
“It’s Been Said” and “A Real Gone 
Guy,” with her peculiar blues 
yodeling that she uses for comedy 
effects. Miss Lutcher is now re- 
cording for Decca and, unfortu- 
nately, she never lets the customers 
forget it. She ought to cut those 
gratuitous plugs. She’s not going 
to sell enough records to her nitery 
customers to make that irritating 
repetitious plug for the label worth 
while. 

Chico O’Farrell rounds out the 
bill with some slick Latin rhythms. 
O’Farrell is fronting a six-man 
combo, which- purveys the mambo 
rhythms with taste and imagina- 
tion. Hcrm. 


Desert Inn, Las Vegas 

Las Vegas, Feb. 15. 
Larry Parks A Betty Garrett, 
Jackie Miles, Rudy Cardenas, Art 
Johnson, Donn Arden Dancers (16), 
Carleton Hayes Orch (12); no cover 
or minimum. 


The current layout starring 
Larry Parks & Betty Garrett, with 
Jackie Miles in the extra added 
spot, holds up well in the face of 
current Strip competish. While not 
of earth-shattering calibre, the 
show is pleasant and moves well. 

Parks and Miss Garrett make a 
pleasing husband-wife team, and 
it’s easily apparent that the two 
stars get along very well. A ro- 
mantic flavor is injected for an 
okay reaction. Parks is personable 
in his chatter, can tickle the ivories 
with some ability and moves well. 
His singing voice, while neither 
robust nor stylized, is pleasing. 
Miss Garrett has the makings of an 
outstanding nitery performer and 
in this act her singing, dancing, 
humor and showmanship get a 
good play, but are limited by ma- 
terial that can be classified as 
merely cute. She could wrap the 
whole thing up if given one zinger 
— that is, one piece of material that 
would bring out the talent for 
which she indicates such potentiali- 
ty that the audience feels it is 
bottled up. 

It’s not a case of underplaying 
but simply a matter of inserting 
one socko number that could raise 
the act from cute to standout. They 
duet “Can I Come In For A Sec- 
ond” to a nice response. After 
some burlesque bits by Miss Gar- 
rett, with Parks at the piano, she 
vocals "Foggy, Foggy Dew” with 
fine sensitivity, and follows with 
her socko all-timer “South Amer- 
ica, Take It Away.” They add a 
nice touch together in a Salvation 
Army-type song caricature and 
wind with a scintillating version of 
“Side By Side.” 

Miles renders his broad humor 
in story-telling fashion for solid 
yocks. Although a hoarse voice at 
the opening bothered him, he 
trouped through his act and won 
the diners’ fancy all the way. He 
scores with his gambling jokes, 
new and old, using a cigaret as his 
prop. His racetrack stories are 
always classics on a nitery .stage. 
He still sobs and supplicates for a 
winner, complaining that he’s the 
only guy that “bets on horses that 
suffer from migraine headaches.” 
His “J. Schwartz, New York” ma- I 


terial is inducement for the biggest 
laughs in the show. 

Rudy Cardenas is back with 
lightning-paced juggling routines 
that evoke heavy applause as the 
youngster works with sticks and 
balls that bounce on all parts of 
his anatomy. Intricate stunts are 
accomplished with metal cups and 
top hats in this click act. The Donn 
Arden Dancers score in a French 
culinary fantasy called “Cooking 
With Love,” and bring back the 
“Roulette Dance” that won favor 
a few shows back. Art Johnson 
does well in a singing role with 
the dancers and the Carleton 
Hayes orch plays heads-up music 
behind the show. Bob. 


HI IiikI rail's* Host on 

Boston, Feb. 15. 

McGuire Sisters (3), Dornan 
Bros. <2), Ganjou Bros. A Juanita 
(4), Los Geraldos (2), Nick A 
Vickie Collins, Michael Gaylord 
Orch (13), Lou Weir; $3.60 food 
plus $2 beverage min. 


Chalk up another 10-strike for 
Stanley Blinstrub. He’s got the 
McGuire Sisters and his mammoth 
boite, with a capacity various- 
y estimated from 1,600 to 1,900, 
s bulging w’ith biz. In fact, the 
turnaway biz at early shows w-ould 
keep many a smaller bistro in the 
chips. Local show biz wiseacres 
figure this week’s take, based on a 
$5.60 minimum at the dinner show 
and a $2 beverage minimum at the 
second, should wdnd close to $100,- 
000, which is hefty loot in any 
man’s currency. 

As for the McGuires, it’s their 
nitery debut and they make the 
most of it, giving out unstintingly. 
Beautifully gowned and coiffed, 
they’re gracious and refreshing 
and, to coin a phrase, the epitome 
of humility. The vocalizirtg is in 
groove and they’ve whipped up an 
entertaining nitery sesh, showcas- 
ing a variety of songs which in- 
cludes the rhythmical "Muskrat 
Ramble” as an opener, a couple of 
disclicks, "Goodnight Sweetheart” 
and “Sincerely,” plus several spe- 
cial material numbers. In the latter 
category they give “Gilly Gilly 
Ossenfeffer” the works and kick 
around "Daddy” repete with a new 
set of lyrics. 

While they’re currently amongst 
the hottest in record sales, this 
thoroughly professional nitery stint 
should serve as a stopping stone 
to many other, tv commitments 
permitting. 

Surrounding lineup is strictly is 
strictly par for the Blinstrub 
course, i.e. solid. Nick & Vickie 
Collins sell nicely in the teeoff 
spot with slick terping, with Los 
Geraldos, a mixed trapeze team, 
scoring hardily with breathtaking 
tricks on the swinging bars. The 
Ganjou Bros. & Juanita are espe- 
cially solid, the three boys tossing 
the diminutive and graceful femme 
through above-average adagio rou- 
tines. Sight values are hypoed via 
the boys being costumed as 18th 
century dandies, wearing satin tail 
suits and white wigs. On ahead 
of the McGuires are the two Dor- 
nan Bros., whose tagline, “organ- 
ized confusion,” explains their 
format. Primarily an audience 
participation stint, it’s a crazy- 
mixed-up turn, and the ringsiders 
love it. 

Musical backstopping is adeptly 
handled by Michael Gaylord and 
his augmented crew, with organist 
Lou Weir furnishing the intermis- 
sion rhythms. Elic. 


Savoy Hold. London 

London, Feb. 18. 
Hal Harbors A Georgia Dale, 
Schalier Bros. < 2 ), Frank Cook, 
Line <6), Jimmy Miller A Fran- 
cisco Cavcz Orchs; $5 minimum. 


With three American acts on the 
bill plus the resident dancing line, 
the current layout at the Savoy 
adds up to bright entertainment. 
The presentation, however, con- 
tinues to lack showmanship know- 
how and would be improved by the 
addition of an emcee. This, at 
least, would insure that the acts 
get a proper buildup; as it is, only 
Harbers & Dale get an aeft’anee 
announcement, while the other two 
acts come on cold. 

This is a return engagement for 
Harbers & Dale and, on the big 
rising stage, there is ample scope 
for them to display their stylized 
ballroomology. With a series of 
polished routines they earn salvos. 
A cute offering is a dixieland cake- 
walk dance, in which they get ring- 
siders to participate in a hand- 
clapping number. 

The Schalier Bros, get an imme- 
diate reaction for their' highspeed 
comedies on the trampoline. The 
act, well-known here, is always 
sure for laughs. Frank Cook, 
strumming his guitar while play- 
ing a miniature harmonica held in 
his mouth, provides an intriguing 
novelty and act is warmly received. 
The house line of six girls opens 
and closes the 30-minute show with 
niftv quickie routines. Muro. 


Palmer House* Till 

Chicago, Feb. 17. 
Genevieve < with Luc Porot, Walt 
Corrino), pick Kerr ( with Tom 
Bray), Lucille A Eddie Roberts, 
Empire Eight, Charlie Fisk Orch 
(10); $2 cover. 


Current layout had this class- 
room sold out for the opener, with 
tiie present French gamhie-type 
s'nger craze pulling (he crowd for 
Genevieve's Chicago debut, her 
rctxir.d nitery appearance in the 
U. S. Room should do good biz 
with this bill. 

Chirper has all the earmarks of 
the back-alley Montmartre b.stro 
thrush: the plain black dress, 
straight hair, little boy-girl charm, 
the big, belt-’em-in-t lie-ear voice, 
and tlie inevitable black-shirted 
accompanist. The props are authen- 
tic and so are the songs. Perhaps 
too much so. Genevieve’s rep con- 
sists largely of Parisian folk tunes, 
born in the byways of Montmartre 
and St. Germain-des-Prcs. For an 
audience conditioned to “La Vie 
En Rose” or "Under The Bridges 
of Paris,” this more limited reper- 
to re is hard to gra* p. 

The tunes tell a tale, in French, 
of a particular kind of life; much 
of their flavor is lost when the 
audience can’t get the story. Bui 
this crowd felt the authenticity of 
what was offered, tried to appre- 
ciate it, and succeeded. Gal sings 
“A Paris,” “Sea Gulls,” “Scenic 
Railway,” “Paris Canaille” and 
tries to get audUnrj participation 
in a medley of “Frere Jacques” 
and “Bridges of Avignon.” Though 
politely appreciative, crowd 
wouldn’t go along with the com- 
munity sing. Wind : ng up with “La 
vie En Rose,” thrush strikes a 
responsive chord, h nting that in- 
clusion of a few more w.k. French 
faves would hypo the mitt, which 
is still pretty c ose to jumbo size. 

Layout is introed by Lucille and 
Eddie Roberts, comedy mentalist 
duo in a clever, sophisticated turn. 
Husband and wife team ties the 
act together with friendly marital 
life banter as hubby goes out into 
the audience picking up cards, 
cigaret lighters, etc. for the blind- 
folded Mrs. Roberts to read off. 
Act goes off swiftly, wilhout a 
hitch. Best bit is Mrs. Roberts* 
almost uncanny ability to get 
names, in many cases jawbreakers, 
of people her partner points out. 
Turn gets big applause. 

Dick Kerr does a series of trick 
voice impressions, spaced with a 
fCw gags, for a warm reception and 
a few yocks. Kerr’s pipes are good 
enough to stand on their owm, but 
h 2 prefers to do carbons of Billy 
Eckstine. Johnnie Rny, Lou’s Arm- 
strong, Rose Murphy, et al. Im- 
pressions are neat and get good 
response. Gabe. 


Ilanri llox, I.. 

■Hollywood. Feb. 15. 
Larry B>'st, Gene Wesson-Gor- 
don Polk, Cheerleaders (5), Gloria 
Gray, Larry Green Trio; $3 mini- 
mum. 


Lack of name-power is no serious 
draw’back to entertainment for the 
new aggregation of talent at this 
Fairfax funhouse. Show still is in 
need of considerable trimming to 
get the best effect, but first-night- 
ers found it confected to their 
taste and the eastern Borrht belt 
comic, Larry Best, making his 
Coast bow, is the type whose hu- 
mor will draw once word gets 
around. 

Best gives out with Yiddish dia- 
lecting which caught mood of the 
crowd, and his apple-eating rou- 
tine, once seen on Ed Sullivan’s 
“Toast of the Town,” brought down 
the house. His is an approach 
which must be sold, though, and 
his early minutes evoked only cas- 
ual interest, which in turn gave 
way to sock response later on. He 
should get into his better stuff 
sooner. 

Gene Wesson shows with another 
partner, Gordon Polk, a homespun 
type of young comedian with an 
engaging personality. Polk tries 
hard with pretty good results, hut 
V/esson adopts a tired attitude that 
leaves some of the ringsiders that 
way. too. When he’s doing his im- 
personations of Ed Sullivan, Ar- 
thur Godfrey and Jimmie Stewart, 
he slams them over. Polk tops in- 
terest in this act, booking being 
their first together. 

The Cheerleaders, two gals and 
three men, give bounce to their 
gayer numbers and their breeziness 
is infectious. Opening with “She- 
boyan,” a zestful number. “These 
Foolish Things” and “Carolina” 
also get good hands, but best prob- 
ably is “Fly Bird,” a Cajun song 
of dramatic overtones. “Sugar 
Blue” carries class, too. Gloria 
Gray gets show off to a nice opener 
with five songs, her tops being 
“Birth of the Blues,” but also get- 
ting hefty reception for "I Love 
Paris.” Larry Green Trio gives 
musical hackim?. Whit. 





Wednesday, February 23, 1935 


VARIETY BILLS 

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 23 

Numtrali In connection with bills bolow Indicate opening day ot show 
whether full or split week 

Letter In parentheses Indicates circuit. (I) Independent; (L) Loew; (M) Moss; 
<P> Paramount; (R) RKO; <S> Stoll; <T> Tivoli; <W> Warner 


NEW YORK CITY 
Music Hall (I) 24 

Cerneys 

Patricia Hayney 
3 Fayes 
Kockettes 
Corps de Ballet 
Syru Ore 
George Sawtelle 
Palace (R) 2 S 
Gilbert & Kusseil 
Roy Smeek 
J Lee A Princess 


Walthon A Sina 
P Davis A T Reese 
Baudys Greyhounds 
A Monkeys 
Lee Davis 
4 Colleanos 

CHICAGO 
Chicago (PI 25 
Illinois Jacquet GP 
Joyce Bryant 
A1 Bernie 
Roulettes 


AUSTRALIA 


AUCKLAND 
His Majestys (T) 21 

Jean Sablon 
B Warren A Chic 
W Latona Sc Sparks 
Roy Barbour 
Margaret Brown 
2 Myrons 
Harry Jacobson 
Chadells 
Max Blake 
Dancing Boys 
Ballet Girls 

MELBOURNE 
Tivoli (T) 21 
Norma Miller 
Dancers 

Michael Bentine 
David Hughes 
Howell Sc Radcliffe 
The Alfredroa 
Ursula Sc Gus 


Gordon Humphris 
Irene Bevans 
John Bluthal 
Ron Loughliead 
Dancing Boys 
Ballet Girls 

SYDNEY 
Tivoli (T) 21 

Winifred Atwell 
Chris Cross 
Eddie Vitch 
Kontane A Vaughn 
Joe Church 
3 Hellos 

Romaine A Claire 
Julian Somers 
Maureen Hudson 
Show Girls 
Nudes 
Ballet Girls 
Dancing Boys 


BRITAIN 


ASTON 

Hippodrome (I) 21 

Great Levante Co 

BIRMINGHAM 
Hippodrome (Mi 21 

Frankie Howerd 
Beryl A Bobo 
Lee Young 
Walthon Sc 
Dorraine 
Nino 

Kendor Bros 
Downey A Daye 
Gale A Clark 
BLACKPOOL 
Palace (I) 21 
Moreton A Kaye 
Duncans Collies 
O’Neill A Haig 
Southlanders 
Du Marte A Denzer 
2 Kellys 
C'has Ancaster 
R A J Jover 
BRIGHTON 
Hippodrome (M) 21 
Carroll Levis Co 
Violet Pretty 
Teen Agers 
Jackson Roe A D 
CHISWICK 
Empire (S) 21 
Tony Brent 
Eddie Arnold 
Spike Milligan 
R Henderson Bd 
Rusty 

Brian Andro 
Bobby Collins 
Seaton A O’Dell 
Moris Marty A M 

DERBY 

Hippodrome (S) 21 

E A D Waters 
Hal Monty 

4 Jones Boys 
Olgo 

Rosie A R Russell 
Les Marthys 
I.es Marvels 
Bunty St Clair 
EDINBURGH 
Empire (Mi 21 
Jack RadclifTe 
Keoni Wood 
Kirk Stevens 
Denis Bros A June 
Larry Macari 5 
Rita Martell 
Dunn A Grant 
FINSBURY PARK 
Empire (Mi 21 
Josef Locke 
S’indow Sis 
Arthur Woesley 
Arvings 

Dowie A Kane 
Ballet Montmartre 
Tex James Co 
GLASGOW 
Empire (M) 21 

5 Smith Bros 
Angelos 
Avril A Aurel 
Dave Willis 
S&P Kave 

C Warren A Jean 
Jimmy JetT A June 
HACKNEY 
Empire <S> 21 
Ronnie Harris 
M A H Nesbitt 
Treble Tones 
Cycling Brockwa.vs 
Jerry Harris 
Lionel King 
Yale A Diane 

6 Bobby Soxcrs 


Cabaret Bills 


NEW YORK CITY 


Birdland 

Kai-Jay 5 

Bon Soli 
Tony A Eddie 
Jimmy Daniels 
Blue Angel 
Paul Killiam 
Charlotte Kae 
Foursome 
Portia Nelson 
Bart Howard 
Jimmy Lyons Trio 
Chateau Madrid 
Ralph Font Ore 
Maya Ore 
Hotel Ambassader 
Quintero Ore 
Surkozi Ore 
Hotel Pierre 
Marion Marlowe 
Stanley Melba Ore 
Chico Kelli 

Copacabana 
Billy Daniels 
Phil Foster 
Blackburn Twins 
Genie Stone 
Donna Williams 
Jack Drummond 
Barbara Maye 
Larry Howard 
M Durso Otc 
Frank Marti Ore 
Gale’s 
Abft Gale 


Jackie Heller 
Warner A McGuire 
Larry Foster 
Teddy King Ore 
No I Fifth Avr 
Cedrone A Mitchell 
itot> Dovvney 
Harold Fonville 
Hazel Webster 
Hotel Plaza 
I Mata A Hari 
Ann Crowley 
Ted Slraeter Ore 
Mark Monte Ore 
Hotel Roosevelt 
Guy Lombardo Ore 
Hotel St Regis 
Billy Daniel 
Georgette D'Arcy 
i Milt Shaw Ore 
j Ray Bari 

I Hotel Statler 

Dick Jurgens Ore 

Hotel Teft 

Vincent Lopez Or« 
Latin Quarter 

Charlivels 
Wieie Bros 
Chiquitn A Johnson 
Has Sheva 
Clarissa 
Melodears 
llarmoneers 
l’ iro.sk a 


Art Waner Ore 
B Harlow* Ore 
Le Ruban Bleu 

Julius Monk 
Janet Brace 
Norman Paris 3 
Little Club 
L’Apache 
Faconi 
Jules Kuti 
Rudy Timfield 
Patio 

Gleb Yellin Ore 
La Fronton Ore 
Two Guitars 
Kostya Poliansky 
Misha UsdanofT 
Lubov Hamshay 
Aliya Uno 

Vei sallies 
“Bon Voyage" 
Hope Hampton 
Paul Gray 
Louise Hoff 
Tommy Wander 
Margaret Banks 
Rosemary O’Reilly 
Carl Conway 
Betty Colby 
Ann Andre 
, Rain Winslow 


Danny Carroll 
Danny Desmond 
Don Dellair 
Jim Sisco 
Salvatore Gloe Orr 
Panchlto Ore 
Viennese Lantern 
Helene Aimee 
Dolores Perry 
Bela Bizon.v 
Ernest Schoen 
Paul Mann 
Charles Albert 
Village Barn 
Hal Graham 
Fred A Sally Barry 
Joe Mavro 
Pam Dennis 
Gigi Mayo 
Melodiers 
Piute Pete 

Waldorf-Astoria 
Line Renaud 
Nat Brandwynne 
Mischa Borr 
Village Vanquard 
Charley Manna 
Rosetta Tharpe 
Marie Knight 
Lucy Reed 
C Williams Trio 


CHICAGO 


I LEICESTER 
Palaco (S) 21 

Dr Crock A C 
Bob Andrews 
Talo Boys 
Rhodes A Lane 
HAW Mack 
inky Williams 
LIVERPOOL 
Empire (M) 21 
Edwin Styles 
Dorothy Carless 
Robin Richmond 
Boyer A Ravel 
2 Maxwells 
Nelson Bros 
Joan Gibbons 
9 Einney Anemones 
NORWICH 
Hippodrome (I) 21 
Phyllis Dixey 
Jack Tracy 
Varga Models 
D Reid A Mack 
Winters A Fielding 
Brazilianos 
J A K Stuthard 
NOTTINGHAM 
Empire (M) 21 
Alma Cogan 
Boy De Vel 
Jack Jackson 
Gordon & Colville 
Archie Glen 
Medlocke A 
Marlowe 
Demos 

Pharos A Marina 
PORTSMOUTH 
Royal (M> 21 

Billy Cotton Bd 
Anton A Janetta 
Baker A Douglas 
Vera Cody Co 
La Celeste 
Joe King 

SUNDERLAND 
Empire (M) 21 
Reggie Dennis 
C Eagle Eye A B 
Valita & Aldino 
Tom Jacobseq Co 
Denglaros 
Wlm Klein 
Devero 

5 Mighty Mohawks 
Danny O'Dare 

SWANSEA 
Empire (M) 21 

Peter Dulay 
Furies 

R Overbury A S 
NAP Lundon 
Fred Lovelle 
WOLVERHAMPTON 
Hippodrome (I) 21 
Jimmy Malborn 
Lilian Pearson 
Babette 
Dave Starr 
Shirley Jevones 
Len Cole 
Ray Gordon 
Dorothy Howe 
5 Lyricales 
Audrtano 
Nudes 

YORK 

Empire (I) 21 

Monty Norman 
Diana Coupland 
Jack Watson 
Terry Reilly 
Coronettes 
Fay Jover 
Tony Walsh 
Spanglers 


Black Orchid 

Josh White 
Jimmie Komack 
Four Joes 

Rudy Kerpays Duo 
Blue Angel 

“Calypso Follies of 
1955” 

Phyllis Branch 
Talley Beatty 
The Charmer 
Verdi Lo Presti 
A1 D’Lacy Quartet 
Blue Note 
•tack Teagarden 
Blue Note Trio 
Chez Pare# 

Mae West 
Morty Gunty 
Foley Miller 
Brian Farnon Ore 
Cloister Inn 
Lurlene Hunter 


lOS ANGELES 


Ambassador Hotol 

Marguerite Piazza 
Honey Bros 
F Martin Ore 
Band Box 
Wesson and Polk 
Larry Best 
Cheerleaders (5) 
Gloria Gray 
Larry Green Trio 
Bar of Music 
Julie Mitchum 
Mark Newman 
Geri Galian Ore 
Blltmoro Hotol 
Mae Williams 
Consolo A Melba 
Bobby Sargent 
Rudenko Rros (2) 
Hal Derwin Ore 
Charley Foy's 
Joe Frisco 
Russell Evans 
Charley Foy 
Mary Foy 
A Browne Ore 
Lee Simmons 
Lord Buckley 


Clro's 

Tl\e Lancers (4) 
Step Bros (4) 

Dick Stablie Ore 
Bobby Ramos Ore 
Mocambo 
Toni Arden 
Paul Hebert Ore. 
Joe Castro Ore 
Moulin Rougo 
Frank Libuse 
Margot Brander 
Four Bogdodis 
Miss Malta A Co 
Doubledaters <4> 
Mme Ardelty 
Jery LaZarre 
Ffolliot Charlton 
Tony Gentry 
Gaby Wooldridge 
Luis Urbina 
Eileen Christy 
Bob Snyder Ore 
Statler Hotel 
Margie Lee 
Perky Twins 
Art Pinson 
Charles A Lucille 
Skinnay Ennis Ore 


MIAMI MIAMI BEACH 


Clover ctub 

Lili Christine 
Luis Torrens 
Baron Buika 
Elaine Deming 
The Rivieres 
Tony Lopez Ore 
Selma Marlowe Line 
Woody Woodbury 
Latin Quarter 
Jean Carroll 
Yvonne Menard 
Stuart Morgan 3 
Kathy Barr 
Ray A Gomez 
Renita Kramer 
I.ucien A Ashour 
‘Excess Baggage" 
Ralph Young 
Arne Barnett Ore 
Mandy Campo Ore 
Black Orchid 
Jo Thompson 
Richard Cannon 
George Stubbs 
Sans S^uci Hole. 
Frances Langford 
Sacasas Ore 
Ann Herman Ocrs 
Saxony Hotol 
Xavier Cugat A Co. 
Abbe Lane 
Mrva 

Freddy Calo Ore 
Johnny Silvers Ore 
Frank Stanley Ore 
Bombay Hotel 
Phil Brito 
Nelida 
Peter Mack 
Sandra Barton 
Johnina Hotel 
Judy Tremaine 
Sam Bari 
Gloria Panico 
Paul Trio 

DiLido Hotel 
nea Kalmus 
Mambo Jets 
Li Playa Sextet 
Emilio Keyes Ore 
Vanity Fair 
Otheila Dallas 
Havana Cuban Boyf 
3 Tones 
Jerry Brandow 
Bar of Music 
Bill Jordan 
Arne Sultan 
Beth Challis 


Harvey Bell 
Fred Thompson 
Isle De Capri 
Gene Baylos 
Ruth Wallis 
Las Malangans 
Wally Hankin Ore 
Copa City 
Will Mastin 3 
Sammy Davis, Jr. 
Los Chavales de 
Espana 

Eileen O’Dare 
Stuart Harris 
Hal Loman 
Peter Gladke 
JUnc Taylor Line 
Red Caps 
David Tyler Ore 
Fontainebleau 
Helen Traubel 
Lecuona Cuban B 
Val Olman Ore 
Beachcomber 
Sophie Tucker 
Billy Eckstine 
Sam Levenson 
Len Dawson Ore 
Casablrnca 
Billy Daniels 
Jerry Lester 
W Wanger Line 
Jacques Donnet Ore 
Balmoral Hotel 
i Emil Coleman Ore 
The Spa 

Preacher Kollo 5 

Ciro's 

Santer-Finegan Ore 
Tommy Nunez Ore 
The Treniers 
Vaqabonds Club 
Vagabonds 4 
The Dunhills 
Martha Bentley 
D’Andrea Sisters 
Charlie Farrell 
Frank Linale Ore 
Airliner 

Harry The Hipster 
| Pearl Williams 
Billy Lee 
Larry Gerard 
Lee Shiron 
Joe E Ross 
Don Baker Ore 
Nautilus Totel 
Lillian Roth 
Antone A Ina 
Tip-Tor.ters (2' 

Syd Stanley Ore 


•an Beucl 

Harry Mimmo 
Rivero Singers 
Victor Alvarez 
Clarisse Novo 
Paulina Alvarez 
Sans Souci Ballet 
Ray Carson 
R Ortega Orq 
C Rodriguez Orq 


Montmartre 

Alba Marina 
L Dulzaides Q 
Nancy A Rolando 
Ivette de la Fuente 
Zenia 

Martha Veliz 
Monseigneur Orq 
Montmartre Ballet 
Casino Playa Orq 
Fajardo Orq 


NEWPORT, KY. 


Beverly Hills Larry Vincent 

Ethel Smith Dick Hyde 

Sonny Howard ,, „ ... 

Ricardo A Norman Benedict Ore 
E Lindsay Dncrs Jimmy Wilbu? Trio 


LAS VEGAS 


Flamingo 

Mills Bros 
Mary McCarty 
Dominique 

Sands 
Billy Gray 
Georgia Gibbs 
Hal LeRoy 

Last Frontier 
Ben Blue 
Blossom Seeley A 
Benny Fields 
Desert Inn 
L Parks A B Garret 
Jackie Miles 
Rudy Cardenas 
Thunderbird 
Norman Brooks 


Roily Rolls 

El Rancho Vegas 

George White Rev 
Guy Cherney 

Sahara 

Dunham Dancers 
Dick Shawn 

Golden Nugget 

Hilo Hattie 

El Cortez 
Four Tunes 1 
Showboat 

Minsky Follies of 
1953 

Silver Slipper 

Nite of Fun Revue 


Laurie Allyn 
Ace Harris 
Claude Jones 
Dick Mar> 

Johnny Frtgo 

Conrad Hilton 
“Spurs 'n Skates" 
Cathy A Blair 
Marvin Roy 
Carol Williams 
Le Due Bros 
Kile A Newsom 
Robert Lenn 
The Tattlers 
Frankie Masters 
Ore 

Palmer House 

Genevieve 
Dick Kerr 
Lucille A E Roberts 
Empire Eight 
Charlie Fisk Ore 
Trini Reyes 


Picture Grosses 


RENO 


Mapes Skyroom 

Carmen Cavallaro 
[ Step Bros 
D Dorbcn Dncrs 
Eddie Fitzpatrick 

New Golden 

Bill Haley Comets 
Wally Dean 


D Kramer Dncrs 
Will Osborne Ore 
Riverside 
Eileen Barton 
Arwoods 
Louis Dncrs 
Starlets 

Bill Clifford Ore 


HAVANA 


Troplcana 

Darvas A Julia 
D’Aida Q 

Mercedes Valdes 
D’Ruff Q 
O de la Rosa 


Lconela Gonzalez 
Raul Diaz 
Gladys Robau 
Tropicana Ballet 
S de Espana Orq 
S Suarez Orq 
A Humcu Orq 


Overseas Ads 

jU— Continued from page 5 

the advertising costs on a 50% 
basis. 

Some Radio Used 

Although there is a certain 
amount of radio advertising in 
some European countries, the U. S. 
film companies have not been ear- 
marking any coin as yet for Euro- 
pean tv exploitation. It has been 
tried in some countries on a lim- 
ited basis, but costs are still too 
high in relation to the audience 
reached. However, the U. S. com- 
panies have been able to get free 
plugs via tv in such countries as 
England, France. Germany, Vene- 
zuela, Cuba and Mexico. With com- 
merical tv coming to England soon, 
American reps have been seeking 
information from their homeof- 
fices on what they can do tv-wise. 

Average yearly expenditure of 
each of the major film companies 
is about $1,000,000, although sev- 
eral of the companies, notably 
20th-Fox, Metro, and perhaps Para- 
mount have exceeded that total. 
During 1954, it’s figured, 20th 
spent between $1,500,000 and 
$2,000,000, largely as part of its 
effort to introduce CinemaScope 
and Stereophonic sound. Metro 
may have also come close to that 
amount with its extra pitch for 
Perspecta sound. Paramount is 
also considered in the higher 
bracket because of extra promotion 
to introduce Vista Vision. 


Negro Boycott 

Continued from page 1 

at least in proportion to their share 
of population. Climax came when 
leaflets urging an 8:30 to 10 30 
boycott on Saturday were first dis- 
tributed last Sunday (20) to Har- 
lem churchgoers. More leaflets 
are going out now. 

Most specific demand ton net- 
work employers particularly) was 
that more Negro actors be included 
in crowd scenes, as policemen, pe- 
destrians, etc. Odell Clarke, spokes- 
man for the Negro groups, said 
that not only were Negroes absent 
from such scenes on tv but so were 
Puerto Ricans. 

Clarke also charged “false sales- 
manship'’ in quiz contests on video. 
“The main prize is cometimes a free 
trip to a nice hotel in Miami, Fla. 
If I won that prize, I’m sure they 
would ask me what I came down 
there for.” 


‘Commuting' Comics 

Continued from page 1 

There’s also some talk that the 
one-a-month Saturday night specs 
may be moved up for slotting op- 
posite Jackie Gleason, instead of 
its present 9 o’clock starting time, 
should the “commuting comics” 
play the spec time. 

Another possible addition to the 
roster is Bob Hope, now that he’s 
publicly reversed himself on his 
intentions of laying off next sea- 
son. NBC feels he can be persuad- 
ed lo work in the potent time 
zones. 

Just how this will affect the 
week-to-week sponsorship of the 
topflight comics has yet to be de- 
termined. Whether it means Berle, 
Miss Raye, Martin & Lewis, etc., 
will confine themselves to the 
“standby” duty or continue with 
regular shows in addition is all 
part of the “still to be resolved” 
pattern. 


KANSAS CITY 

(Continued from page 12) 

week. Stays on. Last week, ter- 
rific $20,000 in face of season’s 
worst cold. 

Tower, Uptown, Fairway Gra- 
nada (Fox Midwest) <2,100; 2.043; 
700; 1,217; 65-85)— “6 Bridges To 
Cross” (U) and “Treasure of Ruby 
Hills” (AA). Loud $14,000. Last 
week, “They Were So Young” 
(Lip) and “Cry Vengeance” (AA), 
$ 12 , 000 . 

‘Country’ Sockeroo 1SG, 
Denver; ‘Battle’ 19G, 2d 

Denver, Feb. 22. 

Despite biggest snow of season, 
firstruns here are turning in a 
mighty good to great biz with 
three pix holding. “Far Country” 
shapes standout with sock total at 
Paramount. “Battle Cry” still is 
great in second round at the Cen- 
tre. “Destry” is rated good at the 
Denver as is “Underwater!” on 
first holding week at Orpheum. 

Estimates for This Week 

Centre (Fox) (1,247; 60-$l) — 

“Battle Cry” (WB> (2d wk>. Great 
$19,000 or near. Last week, $23,- 
000 . 

Denham (Cockrill) (1,750; 60-$l) 
— “Bridges of Toko-ri” (Par) (4th 
wk). Nice $8,000. Last week, 
$14,500. 

Denver (Fox) (2,525; 50-85)— 

“Destry” (U> and “Naked Alibi” 
(U). Good $10,000. Last week, 
“Racers” (20th) and “Other Wom- 
an” (20th) (2d wk), $6,000 in 3 
days. , 

Esquire (Fox) (742; 75-$l)— “Il- 
licit Interlude’ (Hakim). Fine $3,- 
000. Stays. Last week, “Romeo 
and Juliet” (UA> (3d wk), $2,000. 

Orpheum (RKO) (2.600; 60-$ 1 ) — 
“Underwater!” (RKO) and “Hell’s 
Outpost” (Rep) (2d wk). Good $8,- 
000. Last week, $16,000. 

Paramount (Wolfberg) (2,200; 
50-85)— “Far Country” <U). Sock 
$18,000. Holds. Last week, “Green 
Fire” (M-G> and “Steel Cage” 
(UA), $10,500. 

BOSTON 

(Continued from page 9) 

75-$1.25) — “Romeo and Juliet” 
(UA) (9th wk). Okay $3,500, Last 
week, $4,000. 

Fenway (NET) (1.373; 50-90)— 
“Long John Silver” (DCA> and 
“Silent Raiders" (Lip). Neat $7,000 
shapes. Last week, "Racers” < 20th ) 
and “Black 13” (20th) (2d wk>, 
$3 000 

Memorial (RKO) (3,000; 75-$l .25) 
“Leagues Under Sea” (BV> (2d wk». 
Sock $33,000 following $42,000 in 
first week. 

Metropolitan (NET) (4,367; 60- 
$1»— “Battle Cry” <WB). Starts 
Feb. 22. Last week, “Bridges at 
Toko-ri” (Par) (3d wk-6 days), 
smooth $15,000 after $22,000' in 
second. 

Orpheum (Loew’s) (3.000; 75- 
$1.25) — “Long Gray Line” (Col). 
Big $26,000. Last week, “Green 
Fire” (M-G) and “White Orchid” 
(UA), $12,500. 

Paramount (NET) <1,700; 50-90) 
— “Long John Silver” (DCA» and 
“Silent Raiders” (Lip). Oke $16,- 
000. Last week, “Racers” (20th) 
and “Black 13” (20th) (2d wk), 
$ 8 , 000 . 

State (Loew’s) (3.500) <75-$1.25) 
— “Long Gray Line” Col). Fine 
$15,000. Last week. “Green Fire” 
(M-G) and “White Orchid” (UA), 
$6,500. 

‘Girl’ Great $22,000, 

CIcve.; ‘Battle’ 23G 

Cleveland, Feb. 22. 

Two holdovers are making the 
real boxoffice music here this 
stanza. Most amazing is “Country 
Girl,” pushing ahead of opening 
round to wow total in second frame 
at the Stillman. Other champ is 
“Battle Cry,” still big at Allen. 

Estimates for This Week 

Allen (S-W) (3,000; 70-$l)— “Bat- 
tle Cry” (WB) (2d wk). Great $23,- 
000. Last week, $30,000. 

Hipp (Telem’t) (3.700; 60-90'— 
“10 Wanted Men” (Col). Oke $11.- 
000. Last week, “White Feather” 
(20th). $12,000. 

Ohio (Loew’s) (1.200; 60-90)— 
“Bridges at Toko-ri” (Par). Nice 
$6,500 in fourth downtown week. 
Last week, $6,000. 

Palace (RKO) (3,287; 60-90)— 
“Far Country” (U). Average $12.- 
000. Last week, “Cattle Queen 
Montana” (RKO), $7,000, 

State (Loew’s) (3,500; 60-90)— 
“Bad Day at Black Rock” (MG). 
Fair $12,000. Last week, “Many 
Rivers to Cross” (M-G). $7,000. 

Stillman (Loew’s) (2.700; 60-90) 
— “Country Girl” (Par) <2d wk). 
Smash $22,000 or near after $20,- 
000 last week. 


‘6 Bridges’ Strong 11G, 
Balto; ‘Pagan’ Loud 14G, 
‘Racers’ 8G, Janie 7G, 2d 

Baltimore, Feb. 22. 

Pleasant weekend weather is 
helping out here this week at first- 
runs. “6 Bridges to Cross” is lolly 
at the Town. “Sign Of Pagan” 
looms torrid at the Hipp. Third 
round of “Battle Cry” continues 
surprisingly brisk at the Stanley. 
“The Racers” looms fine at the 
New. "Far Country” is holding 
nicely in second week at the May- 
fair. 

Estimates for This Week 

Century (Loew’s-UA) (3,000; 25- 
65-95) — “Vera Cruz" (UA) (3d wk). 
Fair $7,500 after $11,500 in second. 

Cinema (Schwaber) (466; 50-$l) — 
“Ugetsu” (Indie) (2d wk). Fairish 
$3,000 after $4,000 opener. 

Film Centre (Rappaport) (960; 
50-$ D— “Tonight’s Night” (AA) (3d 
wk). Okay $3,500 after $4,000 in 
second. 

Hippodrome (Rappaport) (2,100; 
50-$l) — “Sign Of Pagan” (U). 
Brisk $14,000. Last week, “20,000 
Leagues” (BV) (8th wk), $5,000. 

Keith’s (Fruchtman) (2,400; 35- 
$1 ) — “Underwater!” (RKO) (2d 
wk). Mild $7,000 for Jane Rus- 
sell pic after $10,500 opener. 

Mayfair (Hicks) (980; 25-70)— 
"Far Country” (U) (2d wk). Still 
sturdy at $4,000 after $6,000 first 
• week. 

New (Fruchtman) (1,800; 35-$l) 
— “Racers” (20th). Pleasing $8,- 
000. Last week, “Prince of Play- 
ers” (20th), $4,500. 

Stanley (WB) (3,200; 35-$D— 
“Battle Cry” (WB) (3d wk). Hold- 
ing staunchly at $15,000 after $17,- 
500 in second. 

Town (Rappaport) (1,600; 35-80) 
“6 Bridges To Cross” (U). Lofty 
$11,000 or close. Last week, 

| “White Feather” (20th), $5,500. 
— 

‘Toko-ri’ Great $17,000, 
Seattle; Stewart 14G 

Seattle, Feb. 22. 

“Far Country” at Orpheum, 
.“Jupiter’s Darling” at Music Hall 
and “Bridges at Toko-ri” at Fifth 
Avenue shape as outstanding new- 
comers here this round. Of course, 
the last-named is best bet with a 
i great session. “Country” is stout. 
“Battle Cry” still is big in second 
session at Paramount. “Sabaka” 
looms fair at bandbox Music Box. 

Estimates for This Week 

Blue Mouse (Hamrick) (800; 75- 
$D — “6 Bridges to Cross” (U) 

I (m.o.). From Orpheum 16-day run. 
Good $2,500 in 6 days. Last week, 
i “Smoke Signal” (U) (2d wk-4 days), 
$2,600. 

I Coliseum (Evergreen) (1.829; 75- 
i $1.25)— “Racers” (20th). and “Bow- 
ery To Bagdad” (AA) (2d wk). 
Good $8,000. Last week, $12,500. 

Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) (2,500; 

; $1-$1.25)— “Bridges at Toko-ri” 
(Par). Great $17,000. Last week, 
“Cry Vengeance” (AA) and “Ruby 
Hills” (AA), $4,500. 

Music Box (Hamrick) (850; 75- 
$1)— “Sabaka” (UA) and “Song of 
, Land” (UA). Fair $3,000. Last 
iweek. “Holy and Ivy” (Indie', 
$2,700 at $1.25 top. 

Music Hall (Hamrick) (2.300; 90- 
$1.25)— “Jupiter’s Darling” (M-G) 
and “Crest of Wave” (M-G). Okay 
$8,000. Last week, “Bad Day Black 
Rock” (M-G) and “Jamboree” 
(Indie), $6,600. 

Orpheum (Hamrick) (2,700; 75- 
$D — “Far Country” (U) and “West 
of Zanzibar” (U). Stout $14,000 or 
near for James Stewart pic. Last 
week. “6 Bridges To Cross” (U> 
and “A. & C. Meet Keystone Kops” 
(U) (2d wk). $1,600 in 2 da.v 4 s, 
symphony booking pushing it out. 

Paramount (Evergreen) (3,039; 
$1-$1.25)— “Battle Cry” (WB) (2d 
wk). Big $14,000. Last week, 
$17,700. 

TORONTO 

(Continued from page 9) 

(2d wk). Big $12,000. Last week, 
$14,000. 

Odeon (Rank) (2,380; 60-$D — 
“Sea Shall Not Have Them” 
(Rank), Good $10,000. Last week, 
“Prince of Players” (20th), $4,500, 

Shea’s (FP) (2,386; 75-$D— 

“Carmen Jones” (20th) (2d wk'. 
Still great at $16,000. Last week, 
$ 20 , 000 . 

Towne (Taylor) (693; 60-90) — 
"Loves of Verdi” (indie) (2d wk 1 . 
Good at $4,500. Last week. $5,500. 

Uptown (Loew’s) (2,745; 60-80)— 
“6 Bridges to Cross” <U). Big 
$14,000. Last week. “Far Country'' 
(U) (2d wk), $8,000. 



Wedneoday, February 23, 1955 




MuMie Hall, IV. Y. 

“ Sparklettes Ruselll Markert 
production with Trio Fayes, Cer- 
neys (2), Georye Sawtelle r Patricia 
Rayney, Corps de Ballet, Choral 
Ensemble, Rockettes, Symph Or- 
chestra (Raymond Paige, director ); 
sets by James Stewart Morcom; 
costumes, Frank Spencer; lighting, 
Eugene Braun; special lyrics, Al- 
bert Stillman; " Jupiter’s Darling ” 
(M-G), reviewed in Variety, Jan. 
26, ’55.' 

The Radio City Music Hall's 
stageshow this stanza is a very 
pleasant, eye-and-ear-filling session, 
with not a dull or mediocre mo- 
ment in the hour of varied enter- 
tainment. One of the better sympli 
melanges Is the tipoff and key to 
the uppergrade proceedings, as 
Raymond Paige leads his sym- 
phony orchestra through ‘‘Rach- 
maninoff Themes,” a special over- 
ture composed of different motifs 
from - the late Russian’s works. 
Overture is melodious and lush, 
while Paige offers it with a nice 
feeling for the romantic mood, in 
a snappy, virile and rhythmic pres- 
entation. 

The talented corps de ballet 
opens the stageshow' in a flashy 
waltz divertissement, with the gals 
beautifully gowned, and perform- 
ing a tricky mirror effect with 
huge fans that adds a welcome 
gimmick angle to their graceful 
toe-and-twirl work. 

The male and femme choral en- 
semble follows in an attractive 
Scotch medley. Stage is a vivid 
splash of color, with the men in 
kilts, the women in varied clan 
costumes, and a neat plaid back- 
drop for further effect. A group of 
familiar Auld Lang Syne tunes is 
highlighted by a fine tenor solo on 
‘‘Annie Laurie” by George Saw- 
telle, whose head and half tones 
are beauties. Turn is also marked 
by a graceful reel done by a con- 
tingent of Rockettes, clad in tar- 
tan garb. 

The Trio Fayes have a fine acro- 
batic act. with the burly under- 
stander showing some eye-opening 
stunts of strength as the two other 
males swing from his outstretched 
arms or do stands on them. Act is 
marred by too much kidding; a lit- 
tle of it would go well for comic 
effect, but the boys don’t know 
when to stop. The Rockettes (in 
full now) are back for their typical 
highgrade precision turn in “Trip- 
lets,” garbed in sunsuits and bon- 
nets for a neat dance turn. 

Patricia Rayney adds a pleasant 
soprano solo, and the Cerneys a 
neat adagio and ballroom turn, in 
the windup, “Serenade to the 
Stars.” Production is a dazzling, 
glittering affair, with vivid colors, 
lights and costumes, stretched be- 
yond the proscenium on either 
side, and the various stage levels 
holding the entire company for a 
sockeroo finish. Bron , 

Casino. Toronto 

Toronto, Feb. 18. 

Jackie Lee, Mello-Macks (4), 
Ladd Lyon & Co. (2). Birk & 
Hallow, Siri, Archie Stone Orch; 
"On the Waterfront ” ( Col ). 

Last-minute call from Chicago 
that Joan Weber was down with 
influenza and had to cancel the 
Casino week’s engagement, drew 
plenty of tix-buyers’ squawks on 
opening day and also militated 
against The Mello-Macs (New Acts), 
playing their first theatre date. 
However, on last-minute booking 
switch, Siri. the Dutch blonde 
dancer, was in to score commend- 
able returns. 

Layout is a worthwhile 70-min- 
nte stage stint, with Birk & Hallow 
opening for some brisk tap work, 
with girl over later big for her one- 
hand spins, and a neat acrobatic 
finale. Ladd Lyon follows with his 
routine balancing and then his 
“locating” of a dowdy girl “assist- 
ant” in the audience. It’s a tribute 
to his partner that the customers 
don’t realize for many minutes that 
she is part of the act. The girl 
comes out for a thrilling finale in 
a glamor outfit instead of the 
sloppy skirt, blouse and sneakers, 
to show off those looks and figure. 
Audience gives turn a hefty re- 
ception. 

The Mello-Macs trail for mixed 
harmony work and then Jackie 
Lee is at the grand piano for a 
“Malaguena,” a neat turn with 
right hand using the drums and 
the left at the piano for a Basin 
Street medley, and his own inter- 
pretations of “Happy Birthday,” 
with a wham finale of his own 
composition. “Blue Boogie.” 

Siri, a Dutch dancer, with plenty 
of looks and figure, closes bill for 
sopie exotic dancing that evidences 
lots of ballet training and is over 


big. Ambling in and out, and split- 
ting the emcee chores, are Lee and 
Lyon, with both over neatly on 
their intermediate patter. Archie 
Stone and his house orch expertly 
showback. McStay. 

• - 

Apollo. !\. Y. 

Willie May Thornton, Charlie & 
Ray, Danny Overbea; Pigmeat, 
George Wilshire & Sybil Lewis; El 
Dorados (5), Sherry Sisters (3), 
Buddy Griffin Band (11) with 
Claudia Swann; “ Prisoner of the 
Casbah ’* (Col). 

After a weeklong digression to 
an orthodox vaude layout, the 
Apollo returns this time to a pace 
strictly for the rhythm & blues fan. 
Show, too deeply entrenched in a 
one-type musical vein to provide 
sufficient diversity, moves along 
sluggishly for over 40 minutes un- 
til the appearance of guitarist- 
singer Danny Overbea, who is in 
New Acts. From him on through 
Charlie & Ray and Willie May 
Thornton, the card at the Harlem 
key provides maximum entertain- 
ment. 

Charlie & Ray, a duo of Negro 
vocalizers, are proof positive of 
how a young act can build from a 
tyro status to deserved feature 
billing in six months. Impression 
on the Apollo audience is great; 
as a matter of fact, the boys top 
material of veteran mainacter Wil- 
lie May Thornton, whom they pre- 
cede on the bill. C & R. know n half 
a year or so ago as Charles & Ray- 
mond, have learned finally to cap- 
italize on, by poking fun at, effem- 
inate gesturing so that it generally 
enhances the high level of thrush- 
ing rather than remaining a source 
of audience uneasiness. Hip swing- 
ing and eye batting is offered and 
taken now in more good humor. 

Miss Thornton, a high-waisted, 
big-hipped thrush, who capitalizes 
lyrically on her great size, remains 
a popular Harlem offering. Ques- 
tion is whether her name is big 
enough to fill the house seven days 
running. The hefty warbler opens 
with “Let Your Tears Fall” and 
follows with a uniquely-worded 
ditty tagged “No Jody.” Miss 
Thornton’s stint, by comparison to 
headline acts in other sessions, is 
rather short; she closes strongly 
with her only other song, “They 
Call Me Big Mama.” 

The Buddy Griffin Band, which 
backstops throughout, is in the 
forefront at least for 15 of the 
total 75-minute runthrough. Toot- 
ing is unimaginative, depending 
heavily on a middleclass tenor sax- 
ophonist. Band singer Claudia 
Swann suffers a twofold fate at the 
Apollo this week; first her hard 
belting style is overemphasized by 
a faulty loudspeaking system and 
then, since her lung quality is like 
the star’s, she is undermined by 
comparison to Miss Thornton. Com- 
edy trio, George Wilshire, Pigmeat 
(Markham) and Sybil Lewis do 
standard stuff, keeping it shorter 
than usual this time around. The 
Sherry Sisters and El Dorados are 
in New Acts. Art. 

Omaha Auto Show 

Omaha, Feb. 11. 

Mills Bros. (4), Monica Lewis, 
Gil Lamb, Darling Debutantes <8), 
Eddy Haddad Orch <12>. At City 
Auditorium, Omaha, Feb. 8-13; $1 
admission. 

Omaha's first Auto Show in 15 
years, thanks to the new City Audi- 
torium, packed in some 65.000 
payees at $1 per head. And a top- 
flight entertainment package 
wrapped up by Don Romeo of local 
Paul Moorhead agency was a big 
reason for the expo’s success. 

Mills Bros., minus their dad. 
who is ailing on the Coast, were 
headlined and drew' salvos at each 
performance. Boys did seven of 
their standards and were called 
back for from two to three encores. 

Monica Lewis, making her first 
appearance in this territory, socked 
over “Just a Little Girl,” “Teach 
Me Tonight” and “Papa Loves 
Mambo.” Show biz-wise blonde 
ended latter with a lively mambo, 
then was joined by eincee-comic 
Gil Lamb for a clicko comedy 
sendoff. 

Lamb scored with two comedy 
stints, winding up with his familiar 
behopper at a film bit. Loose- 
limbed comic is a natural for arena 
auds and punches away all the 
time. 

Darlington Debutantes, Polly 
Pennington’s local line, dressed 
show with two numbers, first in 
dazzling new white outfits and 
coming back for a South American 
number. Gals have good routines 
down pat. Eddy Haddad’s orch, also 
local, cut an outstanding show. 

Trump. 


Palace, N. Y. 

Edna & Leon, R hythmettes, i 
Derby Wilson, Lottie Brunn, Don j 
Cummings, Kurt Johns Dancers 
(3), Maxie Rosenbloom with Bob- 
bye Martin, Wells & Four Fays; i 
“Cry Vengeance” (AA) reviewed 
in Variety Nov. 24, ‘54. 

The Palace show is a fairty 
placid affair. There are some good 
spots, but there is little in the way 
of excitement. Even with the name 
value connected with the appear- 
ance of Maxie Rosenbloom, the 
I fighter turned thesp, he isn’t the 
ideal kind of headliner for this 
! house. 

Rosenbloom, assisted by Bobbye i 
Martin, is still doling out his 
illiteracies, with the femme in- i 
stalled in a box for the early part 
of the act and thence to stage. The j 
former pug is best appreciated on ! 
the saloon belt and in this unhep 
j house he can’t register at his peak. 

! At one point, at show caught. 
Rosenbloom hadn’t yet memorized 
a new piece of material and so he 
read it. Rosenbloom has taken to | 
j very formal bows at the close of j 
his act. Very nice too. • 

One of the more pleasant turns 
on the bill is Derby Wilson, the 
i Negro tapster, who makes with | 

; some easy and relaxed footwork. 
Wilson’s recollection of the late 
Bill Robinson is a pleasing bit of 
i terpery. • 

The vet Don Cummings is badly 
slotted, coming out with his lasso 
| following the juggling of Lottie 
' Brunn (latter in New Acts). None- 
! theless, he overcomes this handi- 
I cap with some easy gab and a 
i couple of rope tricks just to get 
j him started. His later pieces, an 
I unabashed carbon of Red Skelton’s 
; Guzzler’s Gin commercial, and a 
1 tasteless bit with a femme girdle. 

| are the least desirable parts of his 
| act. 

The Kurt Johns Dancers, compris- 
ing two girls and a lad. show some 
snappy terps in the modern idiom. 
They’re influenced by a tropical 
beat, but they show ballet back- 
ground and a solid knowledge of 
choreos. They get off well. 

Wells & The Four Fays have ex- 
hibited for a long time on Broad- 
way and elsewhere. Their combina- j 
lion of aero, terps and comedy gets ] 
its usually good response. 

Under New Acts are Miss Brunn. 
Edna & Leon and Rhythmettes. Jo 
Lombardi backstops expertly. 

Jose. 

Empire* Edinburgh 

Edinburgh, Feb. 15. 

Jack Anthony (with Bertha Ri- 
cardo ), Gary Miller, Arthur Wor- '■ 
sley, Henderson & Kemp, Milton 
Woodward (with Millicent Coop- | 
er), Granger Bros. <2), Beryl & 
Bobo, Chic Murray & Maidie, Gor- 
don L. Rolfe Orch. 

This shapes up as stronger-than- 
average vaude fare, each act being 
good on its own account. Policy is 
-wise after a run of English panto- 
I mime which tends to divert the 
, vaude-goer from his fave house and 
variety of acts. 

Layout is headed by Jack An- 
thony, established Scot comedian, 
who has two spots. He appears in 
first half as a kilted Highland 
soldier, gagging about Scotland 
and singing of the two little girls 
he once knew’ around Deeside, now 
the English Queen Elizabeth and 
Princess Margaret. In his second 
| spot. Anthony, bright blond-haired 
; comedian, plays off the English vs. 
Scottish rivalries in a sketch with 
his longtime femme foil, Bertha 
; Ricardo, pert and blonde perform- 
j er with good sense of timing. ; 
| Anthony portrays a drink-loving 
Scot in Trafalgar Square, London, 
boasting of his home territory. Cue J 
here for various songs with Lon- 
don and Scotland appeal respec- : 
tively. 

I 

Granger Bros, are polished dance 
openers who win solid palming. 
Chic Murray & Maidie, Mr. & Mrs. : 
duo, have contrasting heights, he 
being the tall and lanky type with 
lugubrious expression, she a di- 
minutive femme with cheeky air. 
Male’s comedy is a line of deep- | 
voiced patter about nothing in 
particular, and flicks once it 
catches the customers in receptive 
mood, but act is overlong. 

Milton Woodward presents his 
w.k. “Wonder Bar,” portable cock- 
tailery from which he produces a j 
wide variety of drinks as if by } 
magic, all from the one container. 
He invites audience participation 
for tasting purposes and uses one 
stooge who poses as ordinary cus- 
tomery. He’s assisted by Millicent 
Cooper as a mannequin in quick- 
change variety of dresses. 

Margo Henderson and Sam 
Kemp are a clicko musical act, she 
being a personality distaffer and 
highly talented in impressions. 
Sings “Mr. Sandman” as it would 
be rendered by James Stewart, 

[ George Sanders, Johnnie Ray, 
j Billy Daniels and Grade Fields. 


REVIEWS 55 



Hob llopo Show 

Minneapolis, Feb. 19. 

. Bob Hope. Eddie Howard Orch 
(15), Estelle Sloan, Ross & La 
Pierre, Tulara Lee (2). Betsy Dun- 
can. Six Morrocoaus, Fashion Show 
(12). At Minneapolis Auditorium, 
Feb. 16, ’55; $3.50 top. 

As always, Bob Hope has assem- 
bled a top audience-pleasing show 
for his current four-city tour. 
There’s a generous amount of fun, 
music, song and variety during the 
2 1 ’ 2 -hour performance that's never 
allowed to sag or drag. Best of 
all, of course, there’s the spark- 
ling, ebullient Hope himself. Hold- 
ing the stage for some 90 minutes, 
he peppers his audience with new 
and hilarious patter, gags, stories, 
jokes, timely comments afid clown- 
ing. along with songs. 

This is Hope’s first time here 
with such a show for nearly five 

Her partner and husband, Kemp, i 
is a happy-looking vocalist and 
instrumentalist, and winds act with 
bagpipe playing. 

Arthur Worsley, English vent i 
recently on Ed Sullivan's ‘‘Toast 
of the Town,” has improved his 
act 50% since last time here, and 
scores with voice throwing and 
complete absence of lip move- 
ments. Has the solid gimmick of 
making his dummy do 99% of the 
gabbing and only chipping in 
occasionally himself. Exits to 
strong mitiing. 

Beryl & Bobo offer a trampoline 
act with pace and skill. (See New 
Acts>. Gary Miller, English record- 
ing singer, gives out with current 
pops in a sincere songalog. 

Cord. 

Ilolil no. Paris 

Paris, Feb. 22. 

Sidney Bechet & Andre Reweliot- 
ty Orch <6>, Catherine Sauvage, 
Fernand Raynaud, Albert Sturm, 
Three Milsons, Jacques Brel, Trio 
Annin, McSovereign & Partner, 
Maurice Boulais Orch (9), Monique 
Leroy; $1.25 top. 

No really topnotchers head this 
present semester, devoted to the i 
Festival of Disks ’55. However, a 
good lathering of song and instru- 
mental numbers, on their way up, 
w ith a fine group of fillers and off- 
beaters. make this a palatable eve- 
ning and biz will be good if not 
SRO. 

Sidney Bechet plays his pound- 
ing New Orleans numbers backed 
by a young Gallic outfit, Andre 
Reweliotty Orch (6). for a series 
of standard jazz offerings which 
make for big mitts if not the fren- 
zy, since aud is primarily the more 1 
staid middleaged group who are 
not the top jazz addicts. However, 
it is well applauded, as is the turn 
of Catherine Sauvage. 

Tall woman, with the uncon- 
strained attitudes of the Paris 
street urchin, unpacks a songalog 
of street tunes with all the sad- 
ness. flippancy and cynical senti- 
mentality of lower class street life. 

Fernand Raynaud scores in his 
mime and as a storyteller, as this 
young comic displays a mature 
sense of timing and rolls his solid 
material into a yock-laden act. His 
malleable face allows him to im- 
personate a whole army marching 
by, a Milquetoast at odds with the 
tough guy element, Joan of Arc 
circa ’55 and many other solid at- 
tributes. to make him one of the 
lop young comics here. Jacques 
Brel plays his self-cleffed numbers 
aecomped by his own guitar. Num- 
bers are fresh and zesty and Brel 
gives them proper handling, but 
lacks the individuality and projec- 
tion for a chanter and remains a 
better writer than singer. How- 1 
ever, he has fire and presence and j 
the quality of his songs make this ! 
a fine fling. 

Trio Armin is lowdown stuff as 
two men .and a woman display 
some fast taps for an okay entry. 
Comico attempts are slightly corn- 
ball but okay in this setup. Three 
Milsons are an act in demand as 
they give out with some poised 
noise which interprets a dial-twist- 
ing sojourn at the radio with all 
sounds uncannily filled in by this 
well-mitted trio. Albert Sturm 
cuts up by taking rolls of paper 
and making all sorts of designs 
and paper trees from them, plus 
interlacing this with some neat 
magico gambits. Fast and offbeat, 
this shapes as a good filler for any 
vaude. nitery or tv special spotting 
in the U.S. 

Windup is McSovereign & Part- 
ner. another offbeat act rating 
cataloging under New Acts, with 
the use of whirling tops of interest 
and appeal. Mosk. j 


years. Judging by turnouts of 
7,500 and 10,000, respectively, for 
his matinee and evening perform- 
ances at the Auditorium here, the 
comedian has a larger local follow- 
ing than ever. 

On this occasion, his appearance 
was sponsored by the local Old 
Dutch Co., potato chips manufac- 
turer, which bought the three per- 
formances (a night in St. Paul, 
too) for a flat $22,500. as the sec- 
ond of a series of sales promotion 
attractions, Fred Waring having 
been the first. Show' was scaled at 
$3.50 top, but every empty 39c 
potato chips bag was redeemable 
for 25c toward the admission. 

In this instance. Hope follows the 
same pattern and uses the identi- 
cal format employed on previous 
visits, with the star and his acts 
performing in front of a stage 
band. The Eddie Howard 15-piece 
band, doing the music honors, 
contributes considerably to the 
show’s success. 

Howard himself and several of 
his musicians score with vocals and 
the band’s musical numbers are well 
received. Also in the warbling 
department, eye-filling, youth- 
ful song stylist Betsy Duncan stirs 
palmpounding. For dancing the 
show has slick and attractive Es- 
telle Sloan, whose offbeat and ar- 
resting stepping whips up audience 
enthusiasm. In addition to Hope 
himself the comedy is in the ca- 
pable hands of Ross & La Pierre, 
with the man’s vocal impression of 
a dixieland band and the woman's 
thrushing making for merriment, 
and Tulara Lee and her unbilled 
assistant, whose comedy balancing 
stunts garner heavy laughter re- 
sponse. Supplying diversity, the 
Six Morrocoans thrill with their 
whirlwind acrobatics, tumbling, 
handsprings and cartwheels. 

. Hope doesn’t make his initial 
entrance until shortly after the 
show’s second-half start. Then, 
however, he’s on the rest of the 
way, letting loose with jovialty in 
his usual fashion. During the 
laughfest he emcees a fashion 
show with witty ad libs, giving the 
model’s display of new raiment a 
fun fillip. 

Prior to the Twin Cities. Hope 
and his troupe appeared for a one- 
nighter in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 
Another such engagement at Sask- 
atoon followed the date here, 
prior to the return to Hollywood. 

Rees, 

llarlom lilobHrollerti 

VARIETIES OF 1955 

Seattle, Feb. 12. 

Abe Saperstein’s “ Harlem Globe- 
trotters Varieties of 1955,” with 
Earl Hines Orch (10>, Coales & 
Dolores, Cissie Rose, Jacques Cor- 
don 0 Tony Lavelli, King & Zerita, 
Tony Ponce, Tong Bros., Mason & 
Anderson, Hadda Brooks, Ro- 
manos Bros. At Civic Auditorium, 
Seattle, Feb. 8, ’55. 

Abe Saperstein’s new- venture into 
show business is a well-rounded 
variety show that builds to a great 
second half. Bill wouldn't be out 
of place in any vaude house and is 
in the tradition of socko vaude 
entertainment without dependence 
on a name draw. 

Earl (Fatha) Hines proves him- 
self an engaging emcee in addi- 
tion to socking over a standout 
stint at the piano. Band is solid, 
scoring particularly with small 
group specialties, including a quar- 
tet in which the unbilled lead (who 
also doubles on saxaphone and 
flute) reveals a voice that has depth 
and appeal equal to some of the 
top male vocalists of the day. 

Tony Ponce, pint-sized tenor 
with a kingsized voice, gets an 
ovation, but all acts draw big 
response. Standouts are the Ro- 
manos Bros., in comedy acrobatics; 
Mason & Anderson, a peppy tap 
team with two hilarious “getting- 
off” routines; the Tong Bros., in 
hand balancing that draw gasps of 
unbelief; Hadda Brooks, both on 
vocals and on piano, and Jacques 
Cordon in a unicyclist-juggling 
routine that is well-liked. 

Only act with any basketball tie- 
in is Tony Lavelli, former All- 
American at Yale, who handles an 
accordion in the same top manner 
as he once did a basketball, besides 
working a comic routine with Cor- 
don that is surefire. Coates & 
Dolores are ace trampolinists and 
get the show off to a good start. 

Biz was brutal for this one- 
nighter. Localites feel the Harlem 
Globetrotters’ billing doesn’t help 
this show — that it should be sold 
as a vaude show; and, possibly that 
a better known name is needed to 
draw in the Northwest. In any case, 
it’s a pip of a show — maybe crowds 
will come the second time around. 

Reed. 




LEGITIMATE 


56 


*2 



Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


Shows on Broadway 


Tonight In Samarkand 

Bruce Becker 4c Robert Elli* Miller pro- 
duction of three-act play by Jacques 
Deval, adapted by Lorenzo Semple Jr. 
Star* Louis Jourdan; features Jan far- 
rand. Alexander Scourby. Theodore Bikel. 
Halliwell Hobbes. Joyce Lear. Michael 
Gorrin. Illrection. Alan Schneider; scenery 
and lighlin*. Iv?n Edwards; costumes. 
Frank Soencer; incidental music. Sol 
Kaplan. At the Morosco. N.Y., reb. lo, 
*55; $fi-$5.75 top. 

Pandore Rosemary Prinz 

Mario. Sheppard Kerman 

AiiKelo Farinacrl Pernell Roberts 

Marian Reardon 

Inspector Massoubre Theodore Bikel 

Nericia Jan 

Sour a b Kayam .Louis 

Poliakoff 

Therese .... 

Paul Tabourler 
I.eontine Tabourler 
Perignolles 


Farrand 
Jourdan 
.. Michael Gorrin 
Joyce Lear 
Alexander Scourby 
Rita Vale 
. Halliwell Hobbes 


Bruce Becker and Robert Ellis 
Miller, as co-producers, learn about 
Broadway entertainment the hard 
way in “Tonight in Samarkand.” 
Some $100,000 in investment, and 
nobody knows how much profes- 
sional anguish, goes down the 
drain of their baptismal font. 
When the opening curtain went up 
at the Morosco the show had its 
second male lead, its fourth female 
lead and its third director. But 
worst of ail. it had the Jacques 
Deval script, as adapted by Lorenzo 
Semple Jr. No cast or production 
changes could cure that puny docu- 
ment on a grand theme. Producers 
bought script and screen rights 
outright from Deval for $25,000 
and hired Semple to make the U.S. 
version. 

Back to the Greeks, writers have 
been obsessed with the idea that, 
turn and squirm though he may. 
man cannot avoid his fate. A cer- 
tain grandeur in enduring what 
cannot be avoided contributes 
majesty to Greek tragedy but it’s 
a long and dull journey along an 
o;d trail in this play starring Louis 
Jourdan. Here is neither emotional 
catharsis, nor suspense, nor enter- 
tainment. The title alone signals 
tin* certain end. The dialog is al- 
most totally devoid of wit or inter- 
esting observation. There is little 
or no character delineation, only 
stock symbols. 

Story centers on a French circus 
magician with the gift of prophecy. 
Looking into the crystal ball, a girl 
tamer of tigers sees what her life 
would be like upon her next birth- 
day should slie marry either tl> 
a juggler or <2) a millionaire. In 
either case she is fated to sail on 
her birthday on the ill-fated Hol- 
landia. 

In the end she does sail on the 
Ilolland’a, as prophesied, though 
with the circus magician now her 
husband. All the persons fated by 
the crystal ball to die on the Hol- 
landia are duly embarked. The 
magician and the tiger lady have 
congratulated themselves on being 
safely past her birthday, and hence 
the doom foreseen in the crystal 
ball. Whereupon the plot twisty 
and television would apologize for 
using such a gimmick, is intro- 
duced: the gal was born according 
to the Greek Orthodox calendar 
and has misjudged the date of her 
birthday. 

So death does not take a holiday. 
Neither does the audience. The 
play hardly gets off the ground and 
it is a mark of theatrical failure 
that the most memorable aspect of 
an opening night is the scene 
designer’s accomplishment. B» n 
Edwards has contrived to move 
heavy sets and manage major 
scene changes with maximum dis- 
patch. He’ll take away a good 
credit. Frank Spencer’s costuming 
is also helpful. 

Of the direction, given the mish- 
mash conditions he tackled, it mav 
be that Alan Schneider rates more 
credit land sympathy) than he’ll 
get. One arresting bit has Death 
(in this play a dame in a trench 
coat and a red chiffon scarf) 
throwing Indian clubs, no small 
feat, with one of the guests she 
had booked on that crowded ship. 
(Thornton Wilder’s famous doomed 
“Bridge” was less congested than 
that ship, but more moving.) 

“Tonight in Samarkand” is 
neither well cast nor well played. 
The agonies in rehearsal (Herman 
Shumlin reportedly ran up a $6,000 
stagehand hill at the Princeton 
break in i cannot excuse the lack- 
lustre performances. The playing 
is scarcely firstrate at any point. 
Louis Jourdan is stiffly stylized as 
the magician and his French accent 
chews up many of his sentences. 
He is starred without starring. 

Jail Farrand, as the lady with 
tlie tigers, has an interesting face 
and a gorgeous anatomical struc- 
ture, especially in skin-tight black 
satin pants and long black silk 
bose. But however admirable her 
physical endowments, there is little 
depth of leeling in her perform- 
ance and the swaggering exits and 
posturings, intended to fling arro- 
gance in the face of fate, do not 
quite come off. Her performance 


adds up to an interesting grab at 
high dramatics by a lovely number. 

With expert timing Rita Vale 
flips over a few sardonic lines, 
vestigial remnants, at a guess, from 
the original French text. Michael 
Gorrin, as a French circus booker, 
injects an occasional bit of color 
and the kind-but-firm Inspector 
Massoubre of Theodore Bikel is 
played with some authority, in the 
double meaning. 

, Alexander Scourby .hardly looks, 
seems or acts like a self-made 
French millionaire, but the script 
is the basic offender, again. That 
veteran of maijy a winter, Halliwell 
Hobbes, appears briefly as an aging 
bishop also booked on the Hol- 
landia, and asking Miss Death for 
help in handling his luggage. 

Joyce Leer is Miss Death. There 
have been more interesting (if you 
insist upon having favorites) Deaths 
but the gal is a plausible symbol 
although the literary prototypes of 
the Reaper are always Mona Lisa 
smilers, whether male or female. 

In this translation and casting. 
“Tonight In Samarkand” cannot 
suggest to a New York viewer what 
the show may have been like in 
Paris. Inferior scripts over there 
are sometimes “acted to the hilt” 
by great popular favorites who 
cover up the lack of literary sub- 
st tin oo 

Could be that the translation into 
English suffers from a prodigious 
evaporation of values and wit. But 
on the basis of what is displayed 
on the boards of the Morosco. the 
thing that simply is incomprehen- 
sible is how the two young pro- 
ducers ever thought this stuff 
could be “entertainment.” And as 
for sermon on death, almost any 
funeral parlor can do better on 
practically no notice. Land. 


Tin* Wiivnar(l Saint 

Courtney Burr A John Byram (with 
Elliott Nugent* production of comedy- 
fantasy in three acts by Paul Vincent 
Carroll. Stars Paul Lukas; features Liam 
Redmond. William Harrigan. Eleanor Wil- 
son, Dennis Patrick. Pat Breslin. Direc- 
tion. John Gerstad; scenery and lighting. 
Frederick Fox; costumes. Audre; inci- 
dental music. Sylvan Levin; dramatic 
pantomime. Belt.v Luster; production 
supervision. Nugent. At Cort. N.Y.. Feb. 
17. ’53; $5.75-$4.60 top ($6.90 opening). 

Canon McCooey Liam Hcdmond 

Bishop of Oriel William liarrigan 

Miss Killicat Eleanor Wilson 

Maura . . Pat Breslin 

Paedar the Puck Dennis Patrick 

Baron de Balbus Paul Lukas 

Sabena Betty Luster 

Serena Marsha Reynolds 

Sulamho Frederic Warriner 

Martyn McDara Cluuen Desmond 

Joe Albert Corbin 


It’s difficult to figure how “The 
Wayward Saint” could get by*on 
Broadway, and the Irish pixie com- 
edy seems even more remote as 
film or tele material, or even stock. 
From the looks of things, author 
Paul Vincent Carroll and producers 
Courtney Burr & John Byram 
(Elliott Nugent is also included 
with a strange “with” billing) have 
Themselves a stiff. 

Carroll, previously represented 
on Broadway by "Shadow and Sub- 
stance." “The White Steed” and 
a spectacular clinker titled “The 
Strings, My Lord. Are False,” is 
again writing about the priests and 
laiety in Ireland — that is the Cath- 
olic southern Ireland, of course. 
He’s also presenting, in very broad 
outline, the same story Clifford 
Odets has retold in the current 
“Flowering Peach.” 

That is. “Saint” relates how’ a 
simple, holy man is almost led 
astray by vanity and arrogance, but 
is ultimately saved by religious 
faith and humility. Where Odets’ 
hero is Noah. Carroll is writing 
about a lowly village priest. Except 
for the broad similarity of theme, 
however, “Peach” and “Saint” are 
alike only in that each has an 
Equity member impersonating a 
lion (incidentally, there is a real, 
live tiger cub in last week’s other 
opening, “Tonight in Samarkand” 
— could this be a “trend”?). 

Carroll’s hero runs into trouble 
v hen he not only turns the rectory 
into a virtual managerie of pet 
birds and beasts, but performs a 
“miracle” and has a “vision,” 
thereby becoming a saint to his 
credulous parishioners. At curtain 
rise, he has been transferred to 
another parish by his bishop and. 
on the latter’s departure, is visited 
by an emissary of Satan, in the 
person of a mysterious Baron. 

The Devil, it develops, is par- 
ticularly anxious to win a saint 
over to perdition, and the Baron 
and several subordinate agents 
prey on the vanity of. the priest, 
his grim housekeeper and a few 
members of his flock. The fantasy 
sequences are awkwardly written 
and clumsily staged, and the per- 
formance is spotty. So although the 
first two acts are moderately di- 
verting. if not entirely plausible, 
the final act simply disintegrates. 

The play is seriously marred by 
faulty casting. In the title part, 
Irish actor Liam Redmond is a 
delight, ranging with conviction 


The Hard Way 

After this, producer Alex- 
ander H. Cohen will believe 
those stories about the gigan- 
tic impact of television. It’s 
costing him a small fortune to 
be convinced. 

In readying a musical ver- 
sion of the Jack lams’ novel, 
“The Countess to Boot.” Cohen 
had managed to round up only 
four copies of the book, in- 
cluding both the $3 hard-cover 
and the 25c paperback edi- 
tions. He asked strawhat pro- 
ducer Michael Ellis, who con- 
ducts a nightly tele series in 
Philly, to announce on the air 
that anyone bringing in a copy 
of "Countess” would be paid 
original purchase price, and 
also get two tickets for a cur- 
rent Broadway show of his 
choosing. 

As of last week. Cohen had 
received 47 copies of the book, 
and was trying to figure how 
to turn off the supply. 

2 King Plays Look In 
For Profitable London 
Runs; ‘Folly’ Doubtful 

London, Feb. 22. 
Opener of w’eek’s shows was 
Henry Sherek’s presentation of 
Flora Robson in an unusually light 
role in "A Kind of Folly” written 
for her by Owen Holder. It 
preemed at the Duchess last Tues- 
day (15) to a disappointed audi- 
ence, proving to be a confusing 
, triangle study of imperturbable 
j wife scoring over frivolous mistress 
and wayward husband, ably de- 
picted by Jean Kent and Wilfrid 
Hyde White. 

Despite the star’s popularity, 
piece is unlikely to survive the in- 
auspicious-launching. 

Playwright Philip King had a 
rare distinction last week when 
two of his new plays preemed in 
the West End on successive nights. 
The first, written jointly with Falk- 
1 land Cary, was “Sailor Beware.” 
which opened at the Strand Thea- 
tre last Wednesday ( 1 6 » under 
Jack Weller’s » management. 

This broad domestic comedy 
marked the West End debut of 
Peggy Mount, a vet of provincial 
companies, in a performance which 
was unanimously hailed by the 
London critics. Production, adroit- 
ly directed by Melville Gillam. has 
brought prospects for a profitable 
run, particularly in view of its 
modest operating nut. 

The second King play. “Serious 
Charge,” presented by H. J. Bar- 
low. opened at the Garrick last 
Thursday (17). It is in direct con- 
trast to his comedy effort of the 
previous night, but also looks 
bright for a prosperous run. It’s 
a taut drama of a village vicar un- 
justly accused of a homosexual 
assault, being expertly played by a 
i strong cast headed by Victoria 
i Hopper, Frank Law ton. Olga 
Lindo and Patrick McGoohan. 


and artful humor from broadV 
I comic mugging to gentle and touch- 
ing piety. He Is top-featured (but 
was elevated to costar billing after 
the opening). 

In the secondary role of the 
Baron, but solo starred (until after 
j the premiere and Redmond’s rave 
i notices), Paul Lukas seems not only 
miscast, but curiously unsure of 
| himself, and as a consequence, 
tentative and unconvincing. For a 
character supposedly the essence 
of suavity, deftness and plausi- 
bility, its a painful performance. 

William Harrigan is effective in 
the single-dimension part of the 
bishop, Eleanor Wilson gives a 
f resourceful performance in the 
incredible role of the housekeeper 
who turns from a duckling into a 
| silly swan under the Baron’s min- 
istrations. and Bennis Patrick 
seems authentic in a stock broth-of- 
a-boy part. Pat Breslin is believ- 
able and appealing in the positive 
and relatively easy role of the inno- 
cent lass whose faith saves the 
priest, while Betty Luster. Marsha 
Reynolds and Frederic Warriner 
are defeated by the impossible 
parts of demoniacal aides. 

Frederick Fox has designed the 
properly hospitable rectory living 
room setting, but his lighting ana 
technical effects can’t save the 
supernatural passages. As director. 
John Gerstad presumably did all 
he could, which seems about as 
much as anyone could do. Besides 
having that puzzling management 
billing, Nugent gets program credit 
as production supervisor, wbatever 
that is. Ho be. 


Inside Stuff-Legit 

George Jean Nathan, last Saturday (19) in his weekly column in 
the N. Y. Journal-American, devoted approximately half of the lengthy 
piece to an attack on Eva LeGallienne, star of the current John Cecil 
Holm play. “The Southwest Comer.” As he’s been doing for many 
years, he panned her performance severely and also charged that “her 
admiration of her own acting gifts is . . . consistently resolute.” 

Critic concluded the column with an assault on last week’s opening, 
"Wayward Saint.” Broadway scuttlebutt, prior to the premiere, was 
that Nathan and his friend, playwright Paul Vincent Carroll, were 
sore at producers Courtney Burr and John Byram over the way the 
play had been done, and that the critic was planning to blast the 
show. The paragraph not only bore out expectations, but promised 
more to come next week. It called the production "an awful mess,” 
referred to “dumb producing" which “has turned a bluebird into a 
turkey,” and wound up, "I’ll hand you the macabre details, regretfully, 
next Saturday.” 


Solo curtain call opening night by Liam Redmoncr, top-featured 
player in last week’s “The Wayward Saint,” instead of by Paul Lukas, 
star of the show', w'as the first such incident in Broadway memory. 
It reportedly w r as at the suggestion of Lukas himself, who had told 
friends that he felt that Redmond's title role in the Paul Vincent 
Carroll play is the focal one and that the Irish actor’s performance 
merited the solo bow. Lukas is said to have expected to be co-featured 
with Redmond in the Courtney Burr-John Byram production and to 
have been embarrassed and uncomfortable at finding himself billed 
over the show’s title and, consequently, above the name player. The 
actor’s friends say that is a likely explanation for Lukas’ shaky per- 
formance at the premiere. Situation became more or less academic 
with the publication of the reviews, as the management immediately 
upped Redmond to costar billing. However, the critical pans Lukas 
received are on the record. 


Richard Maney, presumably as p.a. for DuBose Heyw'ard, dissemin- 
ated the following press release: 

“In cabled news dispatches, in drama page comment and in radio 
and tv mention, ‘Porgy and Bess’ increasingly is called ‘the Georgo 
and Ira Gershwin folk opera’ or ‘the Gershwin opera.’ Both identifica- 
tions are inaccurate and misleading as would be ‘Sullivan’s Pinafore.’ 
Based on the play, ‘Porgy,’ by Dorothy and DuBose Heyward, ‘Porgy 
and Bess’ is an opera by DuBose Heyward, with music by George 
Gershwin, lyrics by Mr. Heyward and Ira Gershwin. Starting Feb. 21 
‘Porgy and Bess’ will play La Scala in Milan, Italy, for a week, the 
only American opera ever to be heard in that hallowed opera house. 
In reporting this and subsequent showings of ‘Porgy and Bess’ it is 
suggested that DuBose Heyward be given his due when contributors 
to the opera’s fame are cited.” 


Producer Walter Starcke 
town last week to pick up a new 
car in Detroit and then drive to 
his home in Texas for a vacation 
. . . Author’s agent John Rumsey 
planed to Italy last week to attend 
the opening of “Porgy and Bess” 
at La Scala, Milan. He’s due back 
this week . . . Legit-film producer 
Lelar.d Hayward is dile in from 
the Coast today (Wed.) or tomor- 
row (Thurs.) for several days of 
business confabs and to catch up 
on the Broadway shows . . . Robert 
E. Sherwood has completed “Small 
War on Murray Hill.” a new drama 
with a Revolutionary background, 
for production next fall by the 
Playwrights Co. 

Roger L. Stevens and George 
Boroff have added Sam Locke and 
Paul Robert’s “W'oinan With Red 
Hair" to their production slate. 
Duo have skedded Baruch Lumet’s 
“Once Upon a Tailor” for Broad- 
way production this season, with 
“Woman” slated to follow next 
fall . . . Actor Alan Hewitt sails 
for Europe next Wednesday (2) 
aboard the lie de France for an 
approximate three-month vacation. 
It’ll be his first trip abroad. 

Hardy William Smith, former 
assistant to British director Peter 
Glenville, now assistant to New' 
York talent agent, Robert Lantz. 
Incidentally, the latter planes 
March 26. to England, with his 
wife Sherlee Weingarten, N. Y. 
talent and story rep for Burt Lan- 
caster & Harold Hecht. They’ll 
catch the Oxford opening of the 
British production of “Kismet,” 
then visit Paris, Rome, Venice and 
London. 

Chandler Cowles has been named 
executive producer for the Shake- 
speare Festival to be offered next 
summer in Stratford, Conn., pro- 
vided the building is completed in 
time . . . Eunice Healey has post- 
poned her production of the Jac- 
ques Flnk-Wilfred Pelletier play, 
“Shame the Devil.” until next fall, 
and has returned the capital to 
the backers. As a result, she’ll pre- 
sumably be able to use Patricia 
Benoit, who’s due for motherhood 
in the meanwhile, for the femme 
lead she played in the strawhat 
tryout last summer. 

David Brooks has acquired the 
rights to Alec Wilder’s short jazz 
opera, “Chicken Little,” with li- 
bretto by William Engvich, and 
plans trying out next summer on 
the strawhat circuit . . . Frances 
Adler, daughter of the late Jacob 
Adler, has organized the New York 
Repertory Theatre, with plans for 
an off-Broadway repertory season 
to begin next month. 

Jonathan Edwards, a director of 
the American Academy of Dra- 
matic Art for 12 years, has optioned 
Jack Barfield’s “The Good Pre- 
tenders” for Broadway production 
next season . . . New Yiddish The- 
atre Group, comprised of Jewish 
refugee actors from Europe, begins 


operating next Saturday (26) at the 
off-Broadway Community Center 
Playhouse with Sholom Aleichem’s 
“The Bewitched Tailor” as the 
initial production . Irving Cooper 
is company manager of “Tonight 
in Samarkand,” having replaced 
Ross Stewart during show’s tryout 
run at the National, Washington. 

Betty Lee Hunt has exited as 
pressagent Dorothy Ross’ associate 
on “House of Flowers” and will 
handle her own clients . . . N. Y. 
City Center Gallery, in cooperation 
with the United Scenic Artists, 
presenting an exhibition of scenic 
design at the Gallery from March 
2-April 3 . . . Zelda Dorfman will 
be company manager and Mer’e 
Debusky pressagent for the off- 
Broadway revue, “Once Over 
Lightly.” 

American National Theatre & 
Academy. 

“The Cohen Mutiny.” a locally- 
authored musical comedy, will be 
presented for a matinee next Sun- 
day (27) and the evenings of March 
5-6 by the Fresh Meadows Jewish 
Center, Flushing N. Y. . . . “Hey, 
Rube,” musical comedy with a car- 
nival background, with music and 
lyrics by Russell Ellis and book by 
Harold Stern and Pat Kelsey, is 
announced for Broadway produc- 
tion next fall by Gene Cogan . . . 
Helen Hayes and Mary Martin will 
costar in a production of Thornton 
Wilder’s “The Skin of Our Teeth.” 
to be presented in Paris this spring 
as part of the American “Salute to 
France” sponsored by the Interna- 
tional Exchange Program of the 

Kurt Richards replaces Felix 
Deebank in one of the leads of 
the touring “Pajama Tops” next 
week . . . Paul Osterle resigning as 
treasurer of the Cass Theatre, 
Detroit, after approximately 27 
years, to take a similar post at that 
city’s Masonic Temple . . . Sybil 
Trubin has exited Gloria Safier’s 
office to devote her time to the 
off-Broadway Proscenium Produc- 
tions, in which she’s a co-producer. 

. . . Van Horn & Son, pioneer the- 
atrical costume firm in Philadel- 
phia. is issuing a monthly cuffo 
bulletin tagged “Call Board.” 

Group of femmes from the Re- 
in Dramma Inc.’s two-week produc- 
hearsal Club, Gotham residence 
for actresses, are showcasing them- 
selves March 2-3 in a revue, “Re- 
hearsal Club Review,” at the Carl 
Fisher Concert Hall, N. Y. . . . 
performance of “Bus Stop” was 
cancelled Tuesday (15) at the Wal- 
nut, Philly, when femme lead Kim 
Stanley was stricken with a virus 
infection. 

COAST BITS 

Donald Young will open a new 
original musical. “Great Zeus,” by 
Paul Bernard and Arthur Jones, 
April 12 at the Academy Play- 
house. L A. . . . William L. Penzner, 
former film producer, has written 
a legit musical comedy, “The Count 
of 10,” and will present It on 
Broadway in the late Fall. 


Legit Bits 

left 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 


57 


Bumper Musical Season on B’way; 

10 Tune Shows So Far, 6 More Due 


Broadway is having its bigfeest - 
musical season in many years. 
Opening of “Silk Stockings’ to- 
morrow (Thurs. ) will bring the 
season's total number of Main 
Stem tuners to 10 thus far. Ap- 
proximately six more are due be- 
fore the semester ends next May 
31. 

All of the tuners so far have 
been book shows, and only one 
revue is scheduled. Off-Broad- 
way, however, is countering with 
a flock of revues. Three of the 
song-and-sketch productions are 
slated for off-the-Stem preems 
within the next two months, while 
one was presented in that locale 
earlier in the season. 

Major factor in the Broadway 
tuner upbeat has apparently been 
a loosening up of investment coin. 
The nine show-s that have already 
bowed represent a financial stake 
of over $1,550,000, while “Stock- 
ings’’ takes in another $300,000. 
Not included in the count is the 
cost of importing the Old Vic mu- 
sical "'revival of “Midsummer 
Night’s Dream,’’ which made a 
profit on a limited run at the 
Metropolitan Opera House and a 
brief U. S. tour under Sol Hurok’s 
sponsorship. 

Besides “Dream,” other musicals 
already preemed. with investments 
listed parenthetically, include: 
“Boy Friend” ($140,000), -“On 
Your Toes” ($175,000), “Peter 
Pan” ($125,000), “Fannv” ($275,- 
000), “Hit the Trail” *$225,000), 
“Saint of Bleecker Street” ($150,- 
000), “House of Flowers” ($240,- 
( Continued on page 58) 

British Unions Fight 
Scheme to Demolish 
2 West End Theatres 

London, Feb. 22. 

New attempt to save the St. 
James's and Stoll Theatres, both 
slated for reconstruction as office 
buildings, has been made by a top- 
ranking delegation from British 
Actors’ Equity, the British Drama 
League, the League of Dramatists 
and the Variety Artists’ Federation. 
The organizations have appealed to 
the leader of the London County 
Council and to the chairman and 
vice-chairman of the Town Plan- 
ning Committee. 

Equity prez Felix Aylmer, vice- 
prez John Clements, general secre- 
tary Gordon Sandison, with Lau- 
rence Olivier and Malcolm Dunbar, 
represented the actor’s union. Mar- 
tin Browne attended on behalf of 
the BDL and Elizabeth Barber for 
the dramatists. R. W. Swinson, 
VAF general secretary, supported 
on behalf of the vauder’s union. 

After a meeting lasting 75 min- 
utes, the LCC issued a press state- 
ment indicating that it attaches 
great importance to safeguarding 
the adequate provision of theatres 
in central London and would dis- 
cuss the matter with the Minister 
of Housing and central govern- 
ment. 

The LCC had previously agreed 
in principle to the transformation 
of the St. James’s into an office 
building and is considering a sim- 
ilar application for the Stoll. 

Move to Vacate Award 
In ‘Samarkand’ Dispute 

Bruce Becker and Robert Ellis 
Miller, producers of “Tonight in 
Samarkand,” are contesting an ad- 
verse arbitration award in their 
dispute with Herman Shumlin. Lat- 
ter, who was replaced as stager of 
the Jacques Deval-Lorenzo Semple 
Jr. drama, was upheld in his claim 
to directorial billing on the show 
and full paypient of contractual 
sums due him. He was replaced 
by Alan Schneider. 

L. Arnold Weissberger, attorney 
for the producers, filed a motion 
in N. Y. Supreme Court last week 
to have the decision vacated. He 
argued that no arbitration hearing 
was actually held, as he had with- 
drawn from the proceedings after 
declining to bring in members of 
the “Samarkand” company from 
Washington during the show’s final 
tryout w'eek there. Becker and 
Miller are understood to have vari- 
ous charges to file against Shumlin. 

Mrs. Emily Holt was sole arbiter 
in the hearing, conducted under the 
auspices of the American Arbitra- 
tion Assn. 


L’ville Amphitheatre 

Sets 4 Summer Shows 

Louisville, Feb. 22. 

Slate for the Iroquois Park Am- 
phitheatre’s six-week 1955 summer 
season thus far includes “South Pa- 
cific,” “Guys and Dolls,” "Carou- 
sel” and “Desert Song.” Season 
begins July 4, with musicals run- 
ning a week each. 

A1 fresco goes into its 17th sea- 
son, with Denis Dufor continuing 
as exec producer for the 10th year 
and Maurice Settle remaining as 
business manager for the ninth 
semester. 


Caine’ Subs St. L. 
Prior to Coast 

St. Louis, Feb. 22. 

The original company of “Caine 
Mutiny Court Martial,” costarring 
Lloyd Nolan, John Hodiak and 
Barry Sullivan, has been booked 
for a week’s stand starting March 
7 at the American Theatre here. 
That’s a replacement for the can- 
celled stand of the second company 
of the Herman Wouk drama, which 
folded a week ago in Pittsburgh, 
following the uproar over deroga- 
tory remarks about the south, al- 
legedly made by Paul Douglas, its 
top-billed star. 

The Nolan - Hodiak - S u 1 1 i v a n 
troupe will come here immediately 
after its current stand in Chicago 
and prior to a previously scheduled 
engagement on the Coast, where 
it will disband. 


Opens in L.A. March 18 

Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

“Caine Mutiny Court Martial” 
opens at the Huntington Hartford 
Theatre here March 16, following 
a one-week stand at the American 
Theatre, St. Louis. Play is cur- 
rently at the Blackstone in Chi- 
cago. 

First two weeks of the local en- 
gagement will be as a Theatre 
Guild offering, first time the Guild 
has had a play at any theatre but 
the Biltmore. 


‘SEA’ LOST $246,384 
ON 300G INVESTMENT 

“By the Beautiful Sea” lost 
$246,384 on a $300,000 investment. 
The Robert Fryer-Lawrence Carr 
production wound up a 268-per- 
formance Broadway run last Nov. 
27. According to a final Dec. 31 
accounting, the musical took a loss 

during its final five weeks at the 
Imperial Theatare, N. Y., dropping 
$11,129 on a gross of $113,365 for 
that period. 

For the three weeks prior to 
that, the Shirley Booth starrer 
registered a $3,089 profit on a 
$94,129 gross. During the tuner’s 
losing weeks, the statement points 
out, royalties were waived by li- 
brettists Herbert and Dorothy 
Fields, stager Marshall Jamison, 
choreographer Helen Tamiris, de- 
signer Jo Mielziner and costumer 
Irene Sharaff. but not by com- 
poser Arthur Schwartz. 

Cost to bring the musical to 
Broadway was $316,589, with oper- 
ating profit for the New York run 
totalling $89,671. The Dec. 31 ac- 
counting also included $6,648 ad- 
ditional expenses for the show’s 
transfer from its original berth at 
the Majestic Theatre to the Im- 
perial. Closing expenses totalled 
$5,864, but the sale of costumes, 
props and various adjustments re- 
duced the figure to $829. 

Plans for a “Sea” tour were can- 
celled when Miss Booth declined to 
go on the road after her request 
for two new songs was refused. 


‘Pajama Game’ for Coast 

Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

L.A. Civic Light Opera has 
closed a deal for the touring edi- 
tion of “Pajama Game” to open at' 
the Philharmonic Aud on June 6 
for a limited engagement, as part 
of its regular subscription season. 

Musical will go to San Francisco 
following .the local stand. 


Bargaining Point 

Athens, Feb. 22. 

In negotiations with the 
stagehands union in New York 
in future, Robert Breen will 
be able to speak as a fellow- 
mepiber, whatever that may be 
worth. 

Breen, director and co-pro- 
ducer of “Porgy and Bess,” 
currently touring Europe and 
the Middle East, was made an 
honorary member of the stage- 
hands’ local during the show’s 
recent engagement here. 

Men’ Has Netted 
$78,043 Thus Far 

“Oh Men, Oh Women” has 
earned more than a 100% profit 
thus far on its $70,000 investment. 
As of Jan. 29, the net on the 
Cheryl Crawford-Anderson Lawler 
production W'as $78,043. Of that 
amount, $41,364 had been distrib- 
uted. 

Profit on the 390-performance 
Broadway run of the Edward 
Chodorov comedy was $66,924. 
less $1,882 non-returnable ad- 
vances and royalties on abrogated 
British rights contract. Play has 
since made an additional $11,119 
touring profit as of Jan. 29 ac- 
counting, bringing the total net to 
$78,043. 

Coin available for distribution as 
of Jan. 29 was $11,336. Ralph Bel- 
lamy stars in the touring produc- 
tion in the role originated on 
Broadway by Franchot Tone and 
later played by Lloyd Bridges. 

‘3 for Tonight’ (Feb. 14) 
Becomes ‘None for June’ 
On Coe College Schedule 

Cedar Rapids. 

Editor, Variety: 

Whatever happened to that lofty 
tradition that "The show must go 
on”? From this corner in the mid- 
west, it looks as if the show goes 
on only if everyone concerned is in 
the mood and has no better offers. 

A liberal arts college by the 
name of Coe is located in Cedar 
Rapids (where the population is 
only 75.000 but where people do 
read and write and even board a 
plane for a fling in New York 
occasionally). 

Like many other colleges about 
the nation, Coe is trying to spread 
the pleasures of show biz to the 
surrounding citizens. To that end. 
it has booked various “name” at- 
tractions in recent seasons as part 
of a show-concert-leeture series. 

Response has been great. Enthu- 
siasm has been high. But certain 
events have occurred that would 
tax Billy Rose’s optimism. 

Paul Gregory, as you and he 
know' well, has some of the out- 
standing attractions on the road. 
He has set up a vast tryout itin- 
erary for same, and Coe has been 
! included in it. 

In the ’52-’53 season the college 
i booked Gregory’s “Don Juan in 
! Hell” with the original cast headed 
by Charles Laughton. Several 
( weeks before the playing date — 

; and after tickets had been sold — 
j the college was notified Laughton 
would not make it. “Motion pic- 
ture commitments,” was the ex- 
planation. The college had the 
awkward business of apologies and 
offers of refunds. 

Last year the college contracted 
with Gregory for “The Caine 
Mutiny Court-Martial.” This won- 
derful show arrived intact and 
everyone was duly grateful. Then 
came the plans for this season. 

Moie than a year ago Coe was 
given dates for Gregory attractions' 
for the ’54-’55 series. One program 
I was to star Tyrone Power and 
Irene Dunne, and another Marge 
and Gower Champion. 

The college began building its 
| series w ith these in mind. Eventu- 
ally it was informed the Powcr- 
Dunne show would not be and that 
i the Champions (plus Harry Bela- 
fonte and the Voices of Walter 
Schumann) would arrive Feb. 14 
(instead of the preceding October). 
The college agreed. It put its series 
into final form. Almost the entire 
auditorium <1, 100-plus seats) was 
sold on a season-ticket basis. , 

Well and good — except that re- 
cently rumblings came from the 
East regarding a postponement. 
These climaxed 10 days before the 
Feb. 14 playjng date when Coe was 
informed the earliest the Cham- 
iContinued on page 60) 


Come-Quick-Bring-Money Ads Give 
B’way Shows a Whirl; Will It Work? 


Eatery Legit-in-Round 
Spreads in Upstate N.Y. 

Utica, Feb. 22. 

Legit production in restaurants 
is spreading in this area. Having 
inaugurated a policy of after-din- 
ner play presentations at the 
Beeches, eatery at nearby Rome, 
N.Y., the Gatehouse Players are 
expanding their operation to the 
Hotel Hamilton. Preem offering at 
the latter spot will be “Fourposter” 
next Sunday (20). The Players will 
continue to appear at the Beeches 
alternate Fridays and Sundays. 

Play policy at the Beeches began 
last October, with theatre-in-the- 
round shows. 


New Capital For 
Rainmaker’ Tour 


“Rainmaker,” which closed on 
Broadway last Feb. 12. is being 
financed as a new venture for its 
road tour. Road company, with 
Geraldine Page continuing as star, 
is being capitalized at $20,000. 
Ethel Linder Reiner, who spon- 
sored the New York presentation 
of the N. Richard Nash comedy, 
with Hope Abelson as associate 
producer, will be sole sponsor of 
the tour, opening March 3 at the 
New Parsons, Hartford. 

Backers of the original produc- 
tion are expected to windup with 
a minimum 50% profit on their 
$75,000 investment. Repayment of 
the full capitalization was com- 
pleted last Wednesday (16), with a 
$25,000 distribution. As of a Jan. 
22 accounting, repayment to in- 
vestors totalled $50,000. Available 
cash at that time was $28,475, with 
another $10,757 in non-distrib- 
utable assets. 

According to the accountant’s 
statement, the production has re- 
ceived $58,500 as its share of the 
first two payments on the film sale 
to Hal Wallis and Joseph Hazen. 
Still due the backers is their pro- 
portionate share of the remaining 
$67,400. Other income in which 
they’ll participate will include coin 
from the touring production, which 
has obtained the first class produc- 
tion rights and has leased the 
sl^nery and props from the New 
York company. 

Touring edition will go out as a 
Theatre Guild subscription offer- 
ing. 


Use of cry-for-help display ads 
to save floundering Broadway 
shows is being given another whirl. 
It remains to be seen whether such 
last-ditch efforts will prove effec- 
tive in this case. They rarely have 
succeeded in the past, at least in 
recent years. 

Most spectacular of the latest 
batch of come-a-running ads was 
used last w’eek by the management 
of "The Saint of Bleecker Street.” 
Blurb, using rave quotes from the 
j critics, appeared in the N. Y. Times 
last Tuesday (15), in three-column 
width and half-column depth. It 
cost about $800. 

Besides reprinting the critical 
quotes, the copy noted, that be- 
cause of the heavy operating nut, 
the Gian-Carlo Menotti opera 
would have to fold next Saturday 
(26), unless there were a sharp 
boxoffice pickup. Trade subse- 
quently spurted and last w'eek’s 
gross for the show was $7,000 
above the previous week’s figure, 
although at least part of the im- 
provement presumably reflected 
the general business upturn on 
Broadway last week. 

As a result of the better trade, 
the scheduled closing w'as rescind- 
ed and the production is continu- 
ing on a week-to-week basis — that 
is, with a provisional closing notice 
posted backstage. The continuation 
was announced in a small “thank- 
you” display ad last Monday (21) 
in the Times. 

Perhaps spurred by the imme- 
diate benefit to “Saint," the ma.i- 

( Continued on page 60) 


NEW MGT. AT NORWICH; 
KNEETER IS ON COAST 

Hartford, Feb. 15. 

The Norwich (Conn.) Summer 
Theatre, formerly operated by 
Herb Kneeter, will be under new 
management this year. Bain is 
being taken over by Judd N. Whit- 
man. Bruce T. Haley and William 
L. Brown, all Norwich residents. 

Kneeter, who’s managed the 
operation for the past seven years, 
is currently residing on the -Coast. 


Aldrich Sells Falmouth 
But Keeps Dennis Spot 

Producer Richard Aldrich has 
sold his Falmouth Playhouse, 
Coonamessett. Mass., in a capital 
gains deal. Strawhatter was pur- 
chased by Mrs. Sidney Gordon and 
Henry Weinstein, of Boston and 
New- York, respectively. In a 
similar deal last year, Aldrich 
disposed of his stock in the Cape 
Cod Melody Tent, Hyannis, Mass. 
! Purchaser of the latter was attor- 
ney David M. Holtzmann. 

Aldrich will continue to operate 
1 his Cape Playhouse, Dennis, Mass., 
with Charles Mooney as associate 
producer. He’ll also continue as 
managing director of the Falmouth 
operation, with Weinstein function- 
ing as general manager. Weinstein 
had been associated with Aldrich 
at Falmouth, during fhe play- 
j house’s preem season of 1949 as 
production stage manager and 
stage director. He has since been 
a director in stock and a stage 
manager on Broadway. 

All three Cape summer opera- 
tions are skedded to open early in 
I July. 


‘Bus Stop’ Payoff Bet 
Through Screen Sale, 
But Gets Outside Coin 

Although “Bus Stop” stacks up 
one of the most likely payoff shows 
yet presented by Robert Whitehead 
and Roger L. Stevens, under their 
Producers Theatre banner, it is the 
first venture for which they’ve 
used outside financing. Production 
is being capitalized at $60,000 for 
20% overcall, under a limited part- 
nership. 

Instead of putting up the entire 
bankroll out of their Producers 
Theatre treasury, Whitehead and 
Stevens will invest merely the 
amount left unsubscribed by out- 
side limited partners. Novel angle 
of the situation is that on the 
strength of the already-set sale of 
the film rights to Warner Bros., 
the William Inge drama has an un- 
usually good prospect of paying 
off. 

Deal calls for a guarantee plus 
a sliding scale with a ceiling of 
$150,000. Another wrinkle is that 
potential backers were being so- 
licited recently after the film sale 
has been announced and even after 
the play was in rehearsal. 

Trade speculation that Producers 
Theatre’s decision to use outside 
financing for “Bus Stop” rep- 
resented a basic change in policy 
has been denied by Stevens. Rea- 
son for the move, he explains, is 
that various backers of Inge’s pre- 
vious “Come Back, Little Sheba” 
and “Picnic” wanted a chance to 
be in on the author’s new play, 
and Producers Theatre preferred 
not to disappoint them. 

Trade attitude had been that 
Producers Theatre, having taken 
a heavy loss on its “Saint Joan” 
revival, facing a sizable loss on 
“Flowering Peach,” with only an 
approximate breakeven on last 
season’s “Confidential Clerk” and 
“Remarkable Mr. Pennypaeker,” 
was no longer prepared to supply 
its own production coin. 

In contrast to its spotty record 
thus far in production, the firm has 
done well w'ith its operation of the 
Morosco and Coronet Theatres, 
N.Y., however. 


‘Pajama Tops’ Authors 
Frame ‘French Postcards’ 

“French Postcards.” a bedroom 
farce, has been completed by 
Mawby and Ed Feilbert, authors of 
the touring “Papama Tops.” New 
, work in an adaptation of “La Betise 
de Cambrai,” Parisian hit by Jean 
de Letraz, whose “Moumou" pro- 
vided the basis of “Pajama Tops.” 

Green is the New York corre- 
spondent for several London pub 
1 lications. 




r>8 


LEGITIMATE 


WedwnUjr, Ffliruary 23, 1935 


B’way Climbs; ‘Samarkand’ $13,800 (6), 
Wayward’ $6,700 (4), ‘Hours’ $27, 
‘Bleecker’ $31,000, ‘Flowers’ $42,400 



i 


Broadway came out of its tailspin 
.st week as biz for most shows 
topoed the previous stanza 

There were no closings last week, 
but three shows are skedded to 
wrap up next Saturday '26'. 

Keys: C < Comedy) , D 'Drama/, 
CD ,' Comedy- Drama), R (Revue/, 
MC* ' Musical Comedy ) , MD 'Musi- 
cal Drama/, O 'Opera), OP 'Op- 
eretta/. 

Other fjarenthetic designations 
refer, respectively, to weeks played, 
n ui/iber of performances through 
last Saturday, top prices, number 
of scats. caj>acity gross and stars. 
Price * includes 10 Co Federal and 
5'' City tax. but grosses are net ; 
x.e , exclusive of tax. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Anastasia, Lyceum D> <8 h wk; 
61; S5.75-S4.60; 955; S23.389) <Vi- 
veca Lindfors. Eugenie Leontov- 
ich Just under $21,000 previous 
week. $19,600'. 

Anniversary Waltz, Booth <C) 

' 46th wk; 363; $4 60; 766; $20,000' 
'.Macdonald Carey*. Almost $16.- 
600 previous week. $15,800'. 

Bad Seed. 46th St. »Dt -11th wk; 
85; S5.75-S4 60; 1.319; $37,000* 

'Nancy Kelly*. Nearly $30 800 
(previous week. $27,600'. 

Bov Friend, Royale 'MC '21st < 
wk; 163; $6 90; 1.172; $38,200*. Al- 
mo'.i $35 900 (previous week. 
$36,500*. 

Can-Can, Shubert *MC* <94th 
wk; 748. S6 90; 1.361; $50,160*. 

Nearlv $38,500 'previous week. 
$38.0001. 

Desperate Hours, Barrvmore D> 
(2d wk; 12; $5.75-54 60; 1.214; $28.- 
300*. Over $27,500. with theatre . 
party commissions cutting into 
take (previous week. $18,800 for 
first four performances and one 
preview l. 

Fanny, Majestic 'MI)) 16th wk; 
124; $7.50; 1.510; $65,300* 'Ezio 

Pinza, Waiter Slezak . Capacity 
again, nearly $66,000. 

Flowering Peach, Belasco 'D* 
(8th wk; 63; $5.75-$4.60; 1.077; 

$28,300' 'Menasha Skulnik 1 . Al- 
most S17.500 'previous week, $17,- 
000 '. 

House of Flowers, Alvin <MC) 
(8th wk; 60; $6 90; 1.150; $47,000'. 
Over $42,400 'previous week. $44.- 
000. with theatre parties). 

Kismet, Ziegfeld 'OP* '64th wk; 
508; $6 90; 1.528; $57,908* 'William 
Johnson. Elaine Malbin*. Almost 
$38,000 (previous week. $38,000*. 

Lunatics & Lovers, Broadhurst 
(C) '10th wk; 80; S5.75-S4 .60; 1.- 
160; $29,500*. Nearly $29,800 -pre- 
vious week. $28,200*. 

Mrs. Patterson, National * D) 
(12th wk; 94; $6.90-$5.75; 1.172; 
$36,000) Kartha Kitt*. Around $8 - 
500 (previous week, $8,000 for 
seven performances*; closes next 
Saturday *26», with scheduled tour 
cancelled. 

Pajama Game, St. James 'MC* 
(41st wk; 324; $6 90; 1.571; $51.- 
717* 'John Kaitt, Janis Paige. Ed- 
die Foy, Jr ). Capacity as always. 
$52,100. 

Peter Pan, Winter Garden (MD) 
(18th wk; 141; $6.90; 1,510; $57.- 
500' (Mary Martin). Nearly $38.- 
900 (previous week. $37,300'; 
closes next Saturday <26*. 

Plain and Fancy, Hellinger <MC) 
(4th wk; 28; $6.90; 1,513; $53,917). 
Over S51.800 'previous week. $52,- 
100. with theatre parties'; moves 
next Monday (28) to the Winter 
Garden. 

Quadrille, Coronet <C' '16th wk; 
125; $6 90-C5.75-S4.60; 1.027; $30.- 
000' 'Alfred hunt, Lynn Fontanne. 
Edna Best, Brian Aherne*. Over ; 
S22.100 'previous week, $21,000); 
closes March 12. i 

Saint of Bleecker Street, Broad- j 
way ' MI)' '6th wk; 57; $6.90-$6.00; j 
1.900; $54,000'. Nearly $31,000 

(previous week. $24,000*; was ten- 
tatively scheduled to close next 
Saturday • 26 *, but run has been 
extended at least through April 2. ! 

Seven Year Itch, Fulton *C) j 
(118th wk; 941; $5 75-S4 60: 1.063; j 
S24.000) 'Tom Ewell*. Almost $16,- 
200 'previous week. $15,000*. 

Southwest Corner. Holiday 'I)) 
(3d wk; 20; $5.75-84 60; 834; $28,- 
000* (Eva LeGallienne*. Nearly 
$9,200 'previous week. $8,000'; 
scheduled to close March 5. 

Tea and Sympathy, Longacre (D) 
(72d wk; 573; $5.75-$4 GO; 1.214; 
$28,300). Nearly $13,400 (previous 
week, $11,100); Mary Fickett has 
replaced Joan Fontaine, who exited 
her starring role in advance of her 
scheduled departure next Saturday 
(26* because of illness 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 
Beck 'C* (71st wk; 572; $6 22-$4.60; 
1.214; $33,608) (John Forsythe. Eli 
Wallach). Over capacity as always, 
topped $34,000. 


'D» '1st wk; 5; S6-S5; 935; $31,000) 

| Louis Jourdan . Opened last 
Wednesday ' 1 6 » to five unfavorable 
notices 'Atkinson. Times; Coleman, 
Mirror; Hawkins. World-Telegram; 
Kerr. Herald-Tribune; McClain, 
Journal - American*, one yes - no 
appraisal Watts. Post* and one no 
opinion 'Chapman. News); Almost 
$13,900 for first five performances 
and one preview. 

Wayward Saint, Cort • C » '1st wk; 
4; $5 75-$4 60; 1.656; $29,000' 'Paul 
Lukas. Liam Redmond . Opened 
last Thursday *17' to two atfirma- 
tive notices 'Atkinson, Times; 
Coleman. Mirror*, four negative 
reviews 'Chapman, News; Hawkins, 
World-Telegram; Kerr. Herald- 
Tribune; McClain, Journal- Ameri- 
can* and one yes-no comment 
Watts Post*, over $6,700 lor 
first four performances. 

Wedding Breakfast. 48th St 'C* 
l * 14th wk; 105; S5.75-S4 .60; 925; 
$23,720'. Nearly $8,600 on twofers 
•previous week. $9,100 on twofers); 
closes next Saturday *26'. 

Witness for the Prosecution, 
Miller <D) ‘ 1 0th wk; 76; $5.75- 
$4 60; 920; $23,248*. Over capacity 
! again, topped $23,600 'previous 
week, $23,600). 

Miscellaneous 

Doctor's Dilemma. Phoenix <C) 
•6th wk; 48; S460-S3 45; 1.150; 

$24,067 . Nearly SI 2.000 'previous , 
week, $11,000', closed last Sunday 

' 20 '. 

OPENING THIS W EEK 

Dark is Light Enough, ANTA 
Theatre 'D* '$5.75-$4.r)(j; 1.247; 

$34,000; • Katherine Cornell, 

Tyrone Power'. Play by Christo- 
pher Fry. presented by Katherine 
Cornell Sc Roger L. Stevens by 
arrangement with H. M. Tennent 
Ltd.; production financed at $60.- 
000. Estimated preliminary ex- 
penses cost about S43.000 to bring j 
in. including approximate $20,000 
tryout profit, but excluding bonds. | 
and can break even at around 
S25.000; opens tonight 'Wed * for 
a limited 12-week engagement. 

Silk Stockings. Imperial 'MC* 
S7.50; 1.400; $57,800' 'Hildegarde 
NefT. Don Ameche). Musical with 
songs by Cole Porter, book by 
George S. Kaufman, Leueen Mac- 
Grath & Abe Burrows, presented 
by Cy Feuer Sc H. Martin; produc- 
tion financed at $300,000. Estimated 
preliminary expenses: cost about 
$310,000 to bring in. excluding 
bonds, and can break even at 
around $33,000; opens tomorrow 
night (Thurs.). 


Sabrina’ 7G in 3 Weeks, 
Rochester Arena Stock 

Rochester. N. Y„ Feb. 22. 

Arena Theatres winter-spring 
season opener. "Sabrina Fair,” 
grossed a sock $7,000 for 19 per- 
formances at $2.20 top The orig- 
inal two-week run was lively 
enough to warrant the third stanza. 
Show closed Sunday s20». 

Tonight 'Tues.>, producers Omar 
K. Lerman and Dorothy Chernuck 
unveil the second production of 
their subscription season. ‘ Girl on 
the Via Flaminia,” starring Angela 
Paton and directed by Irl Mowery. 
"Girl" is skedded for two weeks, 
to be followed by "Kiss Me. Kate.” 
"Romeo and Juliet” and 
for Murder.” 


Chi Falters. But ‘King’ Big $47,510, 
‘Mutiny’ $27, 700; ‘Oh Men’ $17,400 


"Dial M 

v/ 


‘Bus’ $17,700 in 7, 

In Philly Test 

Philadelphia, Feb. 22. 
Stage season slowed to funeral 
pace last week here, with only 
"Bus Stop” alight. Next week 
will find the town completely dark 
for first time since last September. 

William Inge drama received 
mixed press and audience recep- 
tion. although its solo spot afforded 
it plenty of publicity, especially 
Sunday spreads. Next production 
due is Tennesee Williams’ "Cat on 
a Hot Tin Roof”, at the Forrest, 
March 7. and the Walnut gets "The 
Honeys” with Jessica Tandy. Hume 
Cronyn and Dorothy Stickney. 
March 28. 

Estimates for Last Week 
Bus Stop. Walnut ' D * '1.430; 

$4.20'. Theatre Guild and Amer- 
ican Theatre Society subscription 
helped; but William Inge play is 
still in the revising stage and cast 
changing in process; okay $17,700 
for seven performances. 


Pin SLUMPING AGAIN; 
TOPS’ MODEST $11,200 

Pittsburgh. Feb. 22. 

Pittsburgh fell back into its 
habitual slump last week, with the 
twofer production of "Pajama 
Tops” taking in a mild $11,200 at 
the Nixon. Comedy had a small 
i advance and started slow ly, but 
picked up at the weekend. 

Show is current at the Cass. 
Detroit, with a sizable advance 
sale. 


DEBORAH $32,500, ST. L; 
‘PRESCOTT’ TAME $6,000 

St. Louis, Feb. 22. 

‘Tea and Sympathy,” starring 
Deborah Kerr, drew great reviews 
and a smash $32,500 gross last 
week at the American theatre. It 
played nine performances at $4.48 
top. 

The Empress closed for an in- 
definite period following the wind- 
up of one week of "Prescott Pro- 
posals.” with Judith Evelyn as 
visiting lead. The reviews were 
divided and the Howard Lindsay- 
Russel Crouse comedy drew only 
$6,000 at a top of $2.50. 

Tallulah $37,000, 
Trap’ $16,300, D.C. 

Washington. Feb. 22. 

Tallulah Bankhead proved anew 
last week that the name’s the thing 
at the b.o. Starring in “Dear 
Charles," she drew almost exactly 
10 times what the same comedy got 
here in a tryout a year ago with 
Lily Darvas as lead. 

Miss Bankhead pulled an amaz- 
ing $37,000 through the wiykets at 
the National Theatre for her one- 
week stand, at a $4.40 top. That is 
close to the house record at the 
scale, but the star did set a house 
mark for a single matinee with 
S4.774 taken in Saturday afternoon 
'19*. From Wednesday night on she 
played to standing room. House is 
currently dark and has nothing 
set. 

Second week of "Tender Trap” 
at the Shubert added up $16,300 
at the boxofTice. a $2,300 improve- 
ment over the first stanza. Shubert 
is also dark, but has “Rainmaker” 
for two weeks beginning March 7. 


Chicago, Feb. 22. 

Legit biz here hit a lull last 
week, with the absence of any big 
conventions a possible factor 
Frontrunners, “King and I,” and 
“Caine Mutiny Court Martial,” 
continue their strong pace. 

Future bookings list “South 
Pacific,” Opera House, March 6, 
for three weeks; “Tea and Sym- 
pathy,” Blackstone, March 7, for 
run, subscription, and “Dear 
Charles," Erlanger, same date, four 
weeks. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Caine Mutiny Court Martial, 

Blackstone. '3d wk' '$4.40; 1.385' 
'Lloyd Nolan, John Hodiak, Barry 
Sullivan*. Almost $27,700 (previ- 
ous week, $26,800); exits March 5 
to resume tour. 

Fifth Season, Erlanger (14th wk) 
'4; 1.300) 'Chester Morris. Joseph 
Buloff). Nearly $13,800 'previous 
week, $14,800*; departs March 5 to 
resume tour. 

King and I, Shubert (13th wk) 
($5; 2.100) <Yul Brynner. Patricia 
Morison*. Nearly $47,500 (previous 
week, $46,800). 

Oh Men, Oh Women, Harris filth 
wk* '$5; 1,000) 'Ralph Bellamy). 
Over $17,400 (previous week, $19,- 
100); exits town March 26 to con- 
tinue tour. 


OFF BROADWAY SHOWS 

'Figures denote opening dates ) 

Bamboo Cross, Blackfriars '2-21- 

55». 

Grass Greener, Downtown Nat l 

'2-15-55). 

Immortal Husband, de Lys '2- 

14-55'. 

Juno Sc Paycock, Gr’n’wch Mews 
'2-22-55*. 

Merchant of Venice, Jan Hus 

<2-22-55). 

Thieves Carnival, Cherry Lane 
•2-1-55). 


Bracken’s ‘Itch’ $40,600 
For 15 in New Orleans 

New Orleans. Feb. 22. 

Despite Mardi Gras competition. 
“Seven Year Itch” took in $40,600 
in a 15-performance run at the 
Civic Theatre here from Feb. 9 
through last Sunday '20). 

The Eddie Bracken starrer is 
splitting the current week between 
the Paramount. Baton Rouge; the 
Music Hall. Houston, and the 
Texas, San Antonio. 


Lotsa Musicals 


‘SILK STOCKINGS’ 48 jG 
FOR 3D WEEK, DETROIT 

Detroit, Feb. 22. 

“Silk Stockings” closed a three 
week pre-Broadway stand here 
with a lush S48.500 finale stanza 
at the 2.050-seat Shubert. Top was 
$6.60 weekends. $5.50 other nights. 

Carol Risser. formerly with 
“Guys and Dolls.” now is under- 
studying Gretchen Wyler who re- 
placed Yvonne Adair in the second 
femme lead. 


‘Guys’ $23,100, Richmond 

Richmond. Feb. 22. 
“Guys and DollsY nabbed over 
$23,100 at the WRVA Auditorium 
here last week. 

Musical is playing a three-way 
split this week. 


Continued from pace 57 


Current Road Shows 

'Feb. 21-Mar. 5) 


Stop (tryout* — Walnut St., Phila. 


Bus 

(21 20* 

Caine Mutiny Court Martial <Llo\d 
Nolan, John Kodiak, Barry Sullivan; — 
Kla< kslone. Chi 1 2 1 -3 ». 

Dear Charles 'Tallulah Bankhead)-— 
Hanna, Cleve. <21 26 ; Shubert, Detroit 
<28-5 ». 

Fifth Season ((’heeler Moiris. Joseph 
KuIolT Erlanger. ( hi <21-5;. 

Guys A Dolls — Citv Aud . Raleigh <22- 
23'; Fox. Charlotte (24-25;; Township Aud., 

( oliynbia <26>: Municipal Aud Savannah 
<28-2>: Dade County Aud '4-5*. 

King A I <Yul Brynner. Patricia Mori- 
son; — Shubert. Chi <21-5>. 

Moon Is Blue (Jerome Cowan)— Bill- 
more. I.. A. <21 -5». 

Oh Men, Oh Women (Ralph Bellamy) — 
Harris. Chi <21-5>. 

Pajama Game (Fran Warren, I.arry 
Douglas. Buster West) — Aud., Rochester, 
<21-26); Hanna. Cleve. <28-5;. 

Pajama Tops (Diana Barrymore) — Cass, 
Del (21-5). 

Seven Year Itch (Eddie Bracken) — Para- 
mount. Baton Rouge (21 22); Music Hall. 
Houston (24-23); Teas. San Antonio <26- 
28); Paramount, Austin (1): Aud . Ft. 
Worth (3-3); Aud., Dallas (4-5). 

Solid- Geld Cadillac — Colonial, Boston 
<21-3). 

South Pacific — Palace, Milwaukee <28 5). 
Tea and Sympathy (Deborah Kerr) — 
Lyceum, Mpls. <21 26>; Pabst. Milwaukee 
(28 3). 

Teahouse of tho August Moon (Burgess 

Meredith. Scott McKay) — Curran, S. K. 
(21 Si. 

Tondor Trap (Kent Smith. K. T. Stevens, 

, Russell Nypes- Ford’s. Balto. <21 26 >4 
Jomght in Samarkand, Morosco i Nixon. Pitt <2H 5i. 


000' and “Plain and Fancy” 
($ 200 , 000 ). 

Of those shows, only flops so 
far have been “Toes,” a revival, 
and “Trail.” “Boy Friend” has 
been in the black for several 
weeks, while “Fanny" is due to 
pay back the balance of its in- 
vestment within the next few- 
wee ks. 

Profits from the sale of “Pan” 
for television are expected to make 
up the deficit from the legit pro- 
duction. Tuner winds up an ex- 
tended limited engagement next 
Saturday (26). Still in an unde- 
termined status are “Saint,” 
“Flowers’* and "Fancy.” 

Incoming Broadway musical 
sked. besides "Stockings.” includes 
“Ankles Aweigh.” “Three for To- 
night.” “Damm Yankees” and pos- 
sibly “Seventh Heaven.” “Shangri- 
La” and perhaps “Delilah.” 

Not included in the list of mu- 
sicals already done this season is 
“Sandhog,” which was presented 
as part of the off-Broadway 
Phoenix Theatre series. Phoenix 
has also scheduled an untitled re- 
vue as its windup presentation in 
April. 

Other upcoming off-the-Stcm re- 
vues are “Shoestring Revue.” 
slated to bow at the President 
next Monday (28), and “Once 
Over Lightly.” due to preem 
March 15 at the Barbizon-Plaza. 
Earlier this season the revue, “I 
Feel Wonderful” was presented at 
the off-Broadway Theatre de Lys. 


‘Game’ Rousing $49,000 
In Montreal Holdover 

Montreal, Feb. 22. 

“Pajama Game” drew a smack- 
eroo $49,000 in the second stanza 
at Her Majesty’s Theatre last week. 
The 1.702-seater house was scaled 
to $5.63, highest top of the season. 

House is dark until next Monday 
J '28'. when the National Ballet of 
Canada is due for one week. 


‘Teahouse’ $R0 $39,104 
New Local B.O. Record; 
‘Life’ Sellout 4G, L.A. 

Los Angeles, Feb. 22. 

“Teahouse of the August Moon” 
set an all-time local straight play 
record in the final frame last week 
of its five and one-half-week stand 
at the 31year-old Biltmore Thea- 
tre. Comedy drew a smash $39.- 
104.50. Total gross was a great 
$217,023.50 for the L.A. run. The 
John Patrick-Vern Sneider play, 
which moved up to Frisco for 20 
weeks, is slated back here in July 
for six or eight weeks. 

Local legit was otherwise in the 
smaller theatre classification last 
week, with “This Is Your Life. 
Mendel” still selling out at the 
400-seat Civic Playhouse. Ameri- 
can Savoyards played “Pirates of 
Penzance” for their second reper- 
tory bill at Las Palmas, only fair. 
Holdovers included “Finian’s Rain- 
bow.” "Green Fields.” “Woman 
With Red Hair” and “The Ticklish 
Acrobat.” 

Estimates for Last Week 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 

Biltmore (C> (6th wk) $4.40; 1.636) 
(Burgess Meredith. Scott McKay). 
Finaled to a record $39,104; moved 
on to Frisco. 

Pirates of Penzance, Las Palmas 
(2d wk> ($3.30; 400>. Fair $4,700. 

This Is Your Life, Mendell. Civic 
Playhouse ( C » (3d wk) ($3; 400). 
Another capacity $4,000. 

Finian's Rainbow, Hollywood 
Repertory (8th wk) ($3.30; 276) 
(Charles Davis'. Modest $1,700. 


‘Sunshine’ $9,200, Toronto 

Toronto, Feb. 22. 

Return engagement of Mavor 
Moore’s “Sunshine Town” saw the 
musical chalking up a good $9,200, 
this despite two-day blizzard. Roy- 
al Alexandra Theatre. 1.525-seater, 
was scaled at $3.50 top. 

E n t i r e Toronto engagement 
grossed close to $37,000, on three 
weeks. 


‘Cadillac’ Fast $26,600, 
First Week in Boston 

Boston, Feb. 22. 

With the local legit field to itself 
last week, “Solid Gold Cadillac” 
started its three-week run at the 
1.590-seat Colonial with an excel- 
lent $26,600. 

House is scaled at $4.40 and 
$3.85. 


Scheduled N. Y. Openings 


( Theatre indicated if set ) 

Dark Is Light Enough, ANTA <2-23>. 
Silk Stockings, Imperial (2-24). 

Bus Stop, .Music Box (3-2). 

Cat on Hot Tin Roof, M orosco (3-24). 
Triple-Bill, Bijou (3-29). 

Three For Tonight, Plymouth <3 3D. 
Champagne Complex <wk. 4-4). 

Once Upon Tailor (4-11). 

Honey's <4-14). 

Ankles Aweigh, Hettinger (4-18). 
Damn Yankees, 46th St. (3-5). 

Guys A Oolls, City Center <4-20). 
Inherit the Wind, Nat’l (4-2D. 
Finian's Rainbow, City Center (J 4>. 
South Pacific, City Center (3-18). 


OFF-BWAY 

Ascent F4, Davenport (2-23). 

Three Sisters, 4th St. <2-25). 

Shoestring Revue, Prea. (2-28). 

Master Builder, Phoenix (3-1). 

Once Over Lightly, Barblzon-PIau (3-15). 
Miser, Downtown Nat’l (3-24). 

King Lear, Downtown Nat’l (4 28). 


Current London Shows 

London, Feb. 22. 

(Figures denote premiere- dates) 

Airs Shoestring, Royal Ct. (4-22-53). 

All For Mary, Duke York (9-9-54). 
Beatrice Lillie, Globe (11-24-54). 

Bell, Book, Candle, Phoenix (10-5 54). 
Book of Month, Cambridge (10 21-54). 
Boy Friend, Wyndhain’s (12-1-53). 
Can-Can, Coliseum <10-14-54). 

Crazy Gang, Vic. Pal. (12-16-54). 

Devil in Village, Stoll (2-3 55). 

Dry Rot, Whitehall <8-31-54). 
Ghostwriters, Arts (2-9-S5). 

Glass Clock, Aldwych (1-3-53). 

Hippo Dancing, Lyric (4-7-54). 

Intimacy At 1:30, Criterion (4 29 j 4). 
Kind Folly, Duchess <2-15-55). 

King and I, Drury Lane < 10-8-53). 
Matchmaker, Ha.vmarket (11-4-54). 
Mousetrap, Ambas. <11-25 52). 

Night of Ball, New Theatre <1-12 5o»- 
Old Vic Rep, Old Vic <9 9-54). 

Sailor Beware, Strand (2-16-55). 

St. Joan, St. Martin’s (2 8-35). 

Salad Days, Vaudeville <8-5-54). 

Separate Tables, St. James's ( 9-22 54*. 
Serious Charge, Garrick (2-17-55). 
Sholom Aleicnem, Embassy (1-11-53*. 
Simon A Laura, Apollo (11-24-54). 
Spider's Web, Savoy (12-14-54). 

Talk of Town, Adelphi (11-17-54). 
Teahouse Aug. Moon, Her MaJ. <4-22 54). 
Vicious Circle, New Water (2-1-35). 
Wedding In Peris, Hipp. (4-3-54). 

SCHEDULED OPENINOS 

Wonderful Town, Princes (2-23-55V 
Love Is Newt, New Water (2 28 35). 


CLOSED 

Both r 
Crime _. 
Relations 


LAST WEEK 


Ends Meet, Apollo <6-#-34>. 

» e# Canyon Wayd, “Q” d-l-W' 
lens Apert, Garrick. (B-3-M). 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 




Its welcoming applause is still ringing 

through the Mark Hellinger Theater 
and Plain and Fancy— record-album edition— 

is already on dealers* counters everyv 
...doing very fancy business! 


M w. OAHDlNt# 
W HUMIK> 


„ 1C HAKO KOLtMA" 


A..,,-'- V :\:;U ... ?• ? 

“A completely captivating musical hit . . . one of the 

most original musicals to hit the Main Stem in many 

„ 

a semester. 

Ntw York Mirror 

: :. ■ • < - . -S/;: ^ v *' ; r- ■ V 

“Charming music . . . fresh and disarming . . 

New York Times 


PICHABD Ot*« 
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OtOAIA MA »U>*« 


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, viokton da co«ta 

^V,l«UHTAMtM 

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ftANl Akklrt 


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<1 "' 

©.tfhH*'*’* 0 ** 

V.« .1 


you feel as if you had on new 

■" . v . • ,.•••:.• > ' 

New York World-Telegram and Sun 


'Tuneful and sprightly 


New York Journal-American 


“An evening of brightness, melody, and charm. It’s a 
pleasure to greet Plain and Fancy 1 


New York Post 


AVAILABLE ON LONG PLAY AND EXTENDED PLAY 

ALBUM NO. 603 


BROADWAY 




. . 


58 LEGITIMATE 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


B way Climbs; ‘Samarkand’ $13,900 (6), 
‘Wayward’ $6,700 (4), ‘Hours’ $27,500, 
‘Bleecker’ $31,000, ‘Flowers’ $42,400 


Broadway came out of its tailspin 
last week as biz for most shows 
topned the previous stanza. 

There were no closings last week, 
but three shows are skedded to 
wrap up next Saturday <26). 

Kens: C < Comedy), D (Drama), 
CD (Comedy-Drama) , R < Reime ), 
IUC t Musical Comedy ) , MD (Musi- 
cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op- 
eretta). 

Other parenthetic designations 
refer, respectively, to weeks played, 
number of performances through 
last Saturday, top prices, number 
of seats, capacity gross and stars. 
Price * includes 10 Co Federal and 
5 r o City tax, but grosses are net; 
i.e., exclusive of tax. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Anastasia, Lyceum <D> (8th wk; 
61; So.75-$4.60; 955; $23,389 * (Vi- 
ve c a Lindfors, Eugenie Leontov- 
ieh>. Just under $21,000 (previous 
week. $19.600>. 

Anniversary Waltz, Booth <C) 
<4(illi wk; 363; $4.60; 766; $20,000* 
(Macdonald Carey*. Almost $16,- 
60') (previous week, $15,800). 

Bad Seed, 46th St. (D) tilth wk; 
85; $5. 75-S4.60; 1,319; $37,000* 

(Nancy Kelly), Nearly $30,800 
(previous week, $27,600*. 

Boy Friend, Royale <MC* (21st 
wk; 163; $6.90; 1.172; $38,200*. Al- 
most $35,900 (previous week, 
$36,500*. 

Can-Can, Shubert (MC* <94th 
wk; 748; $6 90; 1.361; $50,160*. 

Nearly $38,500 (previous week. 
$38,000). 

Desperate Hours, Barrymore <D» 
(2d wk; 12; $5.75-$4.60; 1,214; $28,- 
300*. Over $27,500, with theatre 
party commissions cutting into 
take (previous week. $18,800 for 
first four performances and one 
preview *. 

Fanny, Majestic (Ml)) < 16th wk; 
124; $7.50; 1.510; $65,300* (Ezio 

Pinza, Walter Slezak*. Capacity 
again, nearly $66,000. 

Flowering Peach, Belasco (D) 
(8th wk; 63; $5.75-$4.60; 1,077; 

$28.300> (Menasha Skulnik'. Al- 
most $17,500 (previous week, $17,- 
000*. 

House of Flowers, Alvin (MC) 
(8th wk; 60; $6.90; 1.150; $47,000*. 
Over $42,400 (previous week. $44.- 
000. with theatre parties). 

Kismet, Ziegfeld (OP* (64th wk; 
508; $6.90; 1,528; $57,908) (William 
Johnson. Elaine Malbin*. Almost 
$38,000 (previous week. $38,000*. 

Lunatics & Lovers, Broadhurst 
(C* (10th wk; 80; $5.75-$4.60; 1,- 
160; $29,500*. Nearly $29,800 (pre- 
vious week. $28,200*. 

Mrs. Patterson, National (D) 
(12th wl*; 94; $6.90-$5.75; 1.172; 
$36,000) Eartha Kitt*. Around $8,- 
500 (previous week, $8,000 for 
seven performances*; closes next 
Saturday (26), with scheduled tour 
cancelled. 

Pajama Game, St. James (MC* 
(41st wk; 324; $6.90; 1.571; $51,- 
717* (John Raitt, Janis Paige, Ed- 
die I’oy, Jr.). Capacity as always. 
$52,100. 

Peter Pan, Winter Garden (MD) 
(18th wk; 141; $6.90; 1.510; $57,- 
500 > (Mary Martin*. Nearly $38.- 
900 (previous week. $37,300'; 
closes next Saturday *26'. 

Plain and Fancy, Hellinger <MC) 
(4th wk; 28; $6.90; 1,513; $53,917). 
Over $51,800 (previous week, $52,- 
100. with theatre parties'; moves 
next Monday (28) to the Winter 
Garden. 

Quadrille. Coronet ( C » (16th wk; 
125; S6.9(K5.75-S4.60; 1.027; $30.- 
000 * (Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne. 
Edna Best. Brian A heme). Over 
$22,100 (previous week. $21,000*; 
closes March 12. 

Saint of Bleecker Street, Broad- 
wav (MD- '6th wk; 57; $6.90-$6.00; 
1.900; $54,000'. Nearly $31,000 

(previous week. $24,000*; was ten- 
tatively scheduled to close next! 
Saturday (26', but run has been I 
extended at least through April 2. 

Seven Year Itch, Fulton 'O j 
(118th wk; 941; $5.75-$4.60; 1,063;! 
$24,000* 'Tom Ewell*. Almost $16.- 
200 'previous week. $15,000'. 

Southwest Corner, Holiday ( D ) I 
(3d wk; 20; S5.75-$4.60; 834; $28.- i 
000 * (Eva LeGallienne*. Nearly 
$9,200 (previous week. $8,000'; 
scheduled to close March 5. 

Tea and Sympathy, Longacre (D) 
<72d wk; 573; $5.75-$4.60; 1.214; 
$28,300*. Nearly $13,400 (previous 
week, $11,100*; Mary Fickett has 
replaced Joan Fontaine, who exited 
her starring role in advance of her 
scheduled departure next Saturday 
(26* because of illness. 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 
<C ' ,71sl w *t; 572; $6.22-$4.60; 
^•2 14; $33,608' (John Forsythe, Eli 
Wallach*. Over capacity as always, 
topped $34,000. 

Tonight in Samarkand, Morosco i 


(I)) (1st wk; 5; $6-$5; 935; $31,000) 
(Louis Jourdan). Opened last 
Wednesday (16) to five unfavorable 
notices (Atkinson. Times; Coleman. 
Mirror; Hawkins, World-Telegram; 
Kerr, Herald-Tribune; McClain, 
Journal - American), One yes - no 
appraisal (Watts, Post) and one no 
opinion (Chapman, News); Almost 
$13,900 for first five performances 
and one preview. 

Wayward Saint, Cort (C> (1st wk; 
4; $5.75-$4.60; 1.656; $29,000) (Paul 
Lukas, Liam Redmond'. Opened 
last Thursday (17) to two affirma- 
tive notices (Atkinson, Times; 
Coleman, Mirror*, four negative 
reviews (Chapman, News; Hawkins, 
World-Telegram; Kerr, Herald- 
Tribune; McClain, Journal- Ameri- 
can) and one yes-no comment 
(Watts Post), over $6,700 for 
first four performances. 

Wedding Breakfast. 48th St. <C) 
(14th wk; 105; $5.75-$4.6(); 925; 
$23,720). Nearly $8,600 on twofers 
(previous week, $9,100 on twofers); 
closes next Saturday (26). 

Witness for the Prosecution, 
Miller <D) (10th wk; 76; $5.75- 
$4.60; 920; $23,248*. Over capacity 
again, topped $23,600 (previous 
week, $23,600). 

Miscellaneous 

Doctor’s Dilemma, Phoenix (C) 
<6th wk; 48; $4.60-$3.45; 1,150; 

$24,067'. Nearly $12,000 (previous 
week, $11,000', closed last Sunday 
( 20 *. 

OPENING THIS WEEK 

Dack is Light Enough, ANTA 
Theatre (D* ($5.75-$4.00; 1.347; 

$34,000) (Katherine Cornell, 
Tyrone Power). Play by Christo- 
pher Fry. presented by Katherine 
Cornell & Roger L. Stevens by 
arrangement with H. M. Tennent 
Ltd.; production financed at $60.- 
000. Estimated preliminary ex- 
penses: cost about $43,000 to bring 
in. including approximate $20,000 
tryout profit, but excluding bonds, 
and can break even at around 
$25,000; opens tonight (Wed > for 
a limited 12-week engagement. 

Silk Stockings, Imperial (MC) 
($7.50; 1.400; $57,800) 'Hildegarde 
NelT, Don Ameche). Musical with 
songs by Cole Porter, book by 
George S. Kaufman, Leueen Mac- 
Grath & Abe Burrows, presented 
by Cy Feuer & H. Martin; produc- 
tion financed at $300,000. Estimated 
preliminary expenses: cost about 
$310,000 to bring in, excluding 
bonds, and can break even at 
around $33,000; opens tomorrow 
night (Thurs.), 


OFF BROADWAY SHOWS 

(Figures denote opening dates ) 
Bamboo Cross, Blackfriars <2-21- 

55*. 

Grass Greener, Downtown Nat l 
*2-15-55*. 

Immortal Husband, de Lys <2- 

14-55), 

Juno & Paycock, Gr'n'wch Mews 
(2-22-55). 

Merchant of Venice, Jan Hus 

*2-22-55*. 

Thieves Carnival, Cherry Lane 
(2-1-55*. 


‘Guys’ $23,100, Richmond 

Richmond, Feb. 22. 
“Guys and DollsY nabbed over 
$23,100 at the WRVA Auditorium 
here last week. 

Musical is playing a three-way 
split this week. 


Current Road Shows 

(Feb. 21 -Mur. 5) 


Bus Stop (tryout*— Walnut St., Phila. 
<21-26*. 

Caine Mutiny Court Martial (Lloyd 
Nolan. John llodi<*k. Barry Sullivan* — 
Biackstone. Chi (21-3*. 

Dear Charles (Tallulah Bankhead) — 
Hanna, Clew. (21-26); Shubert. Detroit 
(28-5*. 

Fifth Season (Chester Morris. Joseph 
BuloiT Erlanger, C hi <21-5). 

Guys A Dolls— City Aud , Raleigh <22 
23*; Fox. Charlotte (24-25); Township Aud.. 
( olujnbin < 26 1 ; Municipal Aud Savannah 
(28-2*; Dade County And <4-5*. 

King A I <Yul Brynner, Patricia Mori- 
son*— Shubert. Chi <215*. 

Moon Is Blue (Jerome Cowan)— Bilt- 
more. I.. A. <21-5*. 

Oh Men, Oh Women (Ralph Bellamy)— 
Harris. Chi <21-5*. 

Pajama Game (Fran Warren. Larry 
Douglas. Buster West) -And., Rochester, 
<21-26); Hanna. Cleve. (28 5*. 

Pajama Tops (Diana Barrymore) — Cass. 
Det. (21-3). 

Seven Year Itch (Eddie Bracken* — Para- 
mount, Baton Rouge (21-22); Music Hall. 
Houston <24-25 >; Teas. San Antonio <26- 
28*; Parampunt. Austin (1>: Aud.,. Ft. 
Worth 12-8); And.. Dallas <4-5*. 

Solid- Gold Cadillac — Colonial, Roston 
<21 5). 

South Pacific — Palace. Milwaukee (28 5). 
Tea and Sympathy (Deborah Kerr) — 
Lyceum, Mpls. (2126); Pabst, Milwaukee 
<28 3). 

Teahouse of the August Moon (Burgess 
Meredith. Scott McKay* — Curran, S. F. 
(21-3*. 

Tender Trap (Kent Smith. K T. Stevens. 
Russell Nype) Ford's. Balto. <2126*; 
Nixon. PHI (28 5). 


‘Sabrina’ 7G in 3 Weeks, 
Rochester Arena Stock 

Rochester, N. Y., Feb. 22. 

Arena Theatre’s winter-spring 
season opener, “Sabrina Fair,” 
grossed a sock $7,000 for 19 per- 
formances at $2.20 top. The orig- 
inal two-week run was lively 
enough to warrant the third stanza. 
Show closed Sunday (20). 

Tonight (Tues.), producers Omar 
K. Lerman and Dorothy Chernuck 
unveil the second production of 
their subscription season, “Girl on 
the Via Flaminia," starring Angela 
Raton and directed by Irl Mowery. 
“Girl” is skedded for two weeks, 
to be followed by “Kiss Me. Kate.” 
“Romeo and Juliet” and “Dial M 
for Murder.” 

‘Bus’ $17,780 in 7, 

In Philly Test 

Philadelphia, Feb. 22. 

Stage season slowed to funeral 
pace last week here, with only 
"Bus Stop” alight. Next week 
i w ill find the town completely dark 
for first time since last September 

William Inge drama received 
mixed press and audience recep- 
! tion. although its solo spot afforded 
| it plenty of publicity, especially 
j Sunday spreads. Next production 
due is Tennesee Williams' “Cat on 
a Hot Tin Roof", at the Forrest, 
March 7. and the Walnut gets “The 
Honeys” with Jessica Tandy, Hume 
Cronyn and Dorothy Stickney, 
March 28. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Bus Stop, Walnut <Di (1.430; 
$4.20*. Theatre Guild and Amer- 
ican Theatre Society subscription 
helped; but William Inge play is 
still in the revising stage and cast 
changing in process; okay $17,700 
for seven performances. 

Pin SLUMPING AGAIN; 
‘TOPS’ MODEST $11,200 

Pittsburgh, Feb. 22. 

Pittsburgh fell back into its 
habitual slump last week, with the 
twofer production of “Pajama 
Tops" taking in a mild $11,200 at 
the Nixon. Comedy had a small 
advance and started slowly, but 
picked up at the weekend. 

Show is current at the Cass. 
Detroit, with a sizable advance 
! sale. 



Bracken’s ‘Itch’ $40,600 
For 15 in New Orleans 

New Orleans, Feb. 22. 

Despite Mardi Gras competition. I 
“Seven Year Itch” took in $40,600 
in a 15-performance run at the 
Civic Theatre here from Feb. 9 
through last Sunday (20). 

The Eddie Bracken starrer is 
splitting the current week between 
the Paramount. Baton Rouge; the 
Music Hall, Houston, and the j 
Texas, San Antonio. 


Lolsa Musicals 

Continued from page 37 

000) and “Plain and Fancy” 

I ($200,000), 

Of those shows, only flops so ] 
far have been “Toes,” a revival. 1 
; and "Trail.” “Boy Friend” has J 
been in the black for several j 
weeks, while “Fanny” is due to 

• pay back the balance of its in- j 
vestment within the next few j 
weeks. 

Profits from the sale of “Pan” j 

• for television are expected to make ; 
up the deficit from the legit pro- 
duction. Tuner winds up an ex- j 
tended limited engagement next ' 
Saturday (26). Still in an unde- 
termined status are “Saint,” 
“Flowers” and “Fancy.” 

Incoming Broadway musical 
sked. besides “Stockings.” includes ! 
“Ankles A weigh.” “Three for To- ! 
night.” “Damm Yankees” and pos- 
sibly “Seventh Heaven.” “Shangri- 
La” and perhaps “Delilah.” 

Not included in the list of mu- 
sicals already done this season is 
“Sand hog,” w’hich was presented 
as part of the off-Broadwa.v 
Phoenix Theatre series. Phoenix 
has also scheduled an untitled re- 
vue as its windup presentation in 
April. 

Other upcoming off-the-Stcm re- 
vues are “Shoestring Revue.” 
slated to bow at the President 
next Monday (28), and “Once 
Over Lightly.” due to preem 
March 15 at the Barbizon-Plaza. 
Earlier this season the revue, “I 
Feel Wonderful” was presented at 
| the off-Broadway Theatre de Lys. 


Chi Falters, But ‘King’ Big $47,500, 
‘Mutiny’ $27,700; ‘Oh Men’ $17,400 


DEBORAH $32,500, ST. L; 
‘PRESCOTT’ TAME $6,000 

St. Louis, Feb. 22. 

“Tea and Sympathy,” starring 
Deborah Kerr, drew great reviews 
and a smash $32,500 gross last 
week at the American theatre. It 
played nine performances at $4.48 
top. 

The Empress closed for an in- 
definite period following the wind- 
up of one week of “Prescott Pro- 
posals.” with Judith Evelyn as 
visiting lead. The reviews were 
divided and the Howard Lindsay- 
Russel Crouse comedy drew only 
$6,000 at a top of $2.50. 

Tallulah $37,000, 
‘Trap’ $16,300, D.C. 

Washington. Feb. 22. 

Tallulah Bankhead proved anew 
last week that the name’s the thing 
at the b.o. Starring in “Dear 
Charles,” she drew almost exactly 

10 times what the same comedy got 
here in a tryout a year ago with 
Lily Darvas as lead. 

Miss Bankhead pulled an amaz- 
ing $37,000 through the wiykets at 
the National Theatre for her one- 
week stand, at a $4.40 top. Thai is 
close to the house record at the 
scale, but the star did set a house 
mark for a single matinee with 
$4,774 taken in Saturday afternoon 
(19>. From Wednesday night on she 
played to standing room. House is 
currently dark and has nothing 
set. 

Second week of “Tender Trap” 
at the Shubert added up $16,300 
at the boxofi'ice. a $2,300 improve- 
ment over the first stanza. Shubert 
is also dark, but has “Rainmaker” 
for two weeks beginning March 7. 

‘SILK STOCKINGS’ 48|G 
FOR 3D WEEK, DETROIT 

Detroit, Feb. 22. 

“Silk Stockings” closed a three 
week pre-Broadway stand here 
with a lush $48,500 finale stanza 
at the 2,050-seat Shubert. Top was 
$6.60 weekends, $5.50 other nights. 

Carol Risser, formerly with 
“Guys and Dolls,” now' is under- 
studying Gretchen Wyler who re- 
placed Yvonne Adair in the second 
femme lead. 

‘Game’ Rousing $49,000 
In Montreal Holdover 

Montreal, Feb. 22. 

“Pajama Game” drew a smack- 
eroo $49,000 in the second stanza 
at Hfcr Majesty’s Theatre last week. 
The_1.702-seater house was scaled 
to $5.63, highest top of the season. 

House is dark until next Monday 
(28). when the National Ballet of 
Canada is due for one week. 


‘Sunshine’ $9,200, Toronto 

Toronto, Feb. 22. 

Return engagement of Mavor 
Moore’s “Sunshine Town” saw the 
musical chalking up a good $9,200, 
this despite two-day blizzard. Roy- 
al Alexandra Theatre. 1,525-seater, 
was scaled at $3.50 top. 

E n t ire Toronto engagement 
grossed close to $37,000, on three 
weeks. 


Scheduled N. Y. Openings 


(Theatre indicated if set ) 

Dark Is Light Enough, ANTA <2 28*. 
Silk Stockings, Imperial <2-24*. 

Bus Stop, Music Box (3-2). 

Cat on Hot Tin Roof, Morosco (3 24). 
Triple-Bill, Bijou (3-29*. 

Three For Tonight, Plymouth (3-31). 
Champagne Complex (wk. 4-4). 

Once Upon Tailor (4-11). 

Honey's <4-14*. 

Ankles Awtigh, Hellinger (4-18). 
Damn Yankees, 46th St. (5-5). 

Guys A Dolls, City Center (4-20). 
Inherit the Wind, Nat'l <421*. 
Flnian's Rainbow, City Center (5 4>. 
South Pacific, City Center (3-18). 


OFF-BWAY 

Ascent F4, Davenport (2-23). 

Three Sisters, 4th St. (2-25). 

Shoestring Revue, Prea. (2-28). 

Master Builder, Phoenix (3-1). 

Once Over Lightly, Barbizon-Plaza <3-13). 
Miser, Downtown Nat'l (3-24). 

King Lear, Downtown Nat’l (4 28). 


Chicago, Feb, 22. 

Legit biz here hit a lull last 
week, with the absence of any big 
conventions a possible factor. 
Frontrunners. “King and I,” and 
“Caine Mutiny Court Martial,” 
continue their strong pace. 

Future bookings list "South 
Pacific,” Opera House, March 6, 
for three weeks; “Tea and Sym- 
pathy,” Biackstone, March 7, for 
run, subscription, and “Dear 
Charles,” Erlanger, same date, four 
weeks. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Caine Mutiny Court Martial, 

Biackstone. (3d wk* <$4.40; 1,385* 
(Lloyd Nolan, John Hodiak, Barry 
Sullivan*. Almost $27,700 (previ- 
ous week, $26,800); exits March 5 
to resume tour. 

Fifth Season, Erlanger (14th wk) 
<4; 1,300* (Chester Morris, Joseph 
Bulolf*. Nearly $13,800 (previous 
week, $14,800*; departs March 5 to 
resume tour. 

King and I, Shubert (13th wk) 
($5; 2,100* (Yul Brynner, Patricia 
Morison*. Nearly $47,500 (previous 
week, $46,800*. 

Oh Men, Oh Women, Harris (11th 
wk* ($5; .1.000* (Ralph Bellamy). 
Over $17,400 (previous week, $19,- 
100*; exits town March 26 to con- 
tinue tour. 


‘Teahouse’ §R0 $39,104 
New Local B.O. Record; 
‘Life’ Sellout 4G, L.A. 

Los Angeles, Feb 22. 

“Teahouse of the August Moon” 
set an all-time local straight play 
record in the final frame last week 
of its five and one-half-vveek stand 
at the 31year-old Biltmore Thea- 
tre. Comedy drew a smash $39.- 
104.50. Total gross was a great 
$217,023.50 for the L.A. run. The 
John Patrick-Vern Sneider play, 
which moved up to Frisco for 20 
weeks, is slated back here in July 
for six or eight weeks. 

Local legit was otherwise in the 
smaller theatre classification last 
week, with “This Is Your Life, 
Mendel” still selling out at the 
400-seat Civic Playhouse. Ameri- 
can Savoyards played "Pirates of 
Penzance” for their second reper- 
tory bill at Las Palmas, only fair. 
Holdovers included “Finian’s Rain- 
bow.” “Green Fields.” “Woman 
With Red Hair” and “The Ticklish 
Acrobat.” 

Estimates for Last Week 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 

Biltmore <C) (6th wk) $4.40; 1.636) 
(Burgess Meredith. Scott McKay). 
Finaled to a record $39,104; moved 
on to Frisco. 

Pirates of Penzance, Las Palmas 
(2d wk* ($3.30; 400*. Fair $4,700. 

This Is Your Life, Mendell. Civic 
Playhouse (C* (3d wk) ($3; 400). 
Another capacity $4,000. 

Finian’s Rainbow, Hollywood 
Repertory (8th wk) ($3.30; 276) 
(Charles Davis*. Modest $1,700. 

‘Cadillac’ Fast $26,600, 
First Week in Boston 

Boston, Feb. 22. 

With the local legit field to itself 
last week, “Solid Gold Cadillac” 
started its three-week run at the 
1,590-seat Colonial with an excel- 
lent $26,600. 

House is scaled at $4.40 and 
$3.85. 


Current London Shows 

London. Feb. 22. 

(Figures denote premieres dates) 

Airs Shoestring, Royal Ct. (4-22-53). 

All For Mery, Duke York (9-9-54). 
Beatrice Lillie, Globe <11 24 -54). 

Bell, Book, Candle, Phoenix (10-5 54). 
Book of Month, Cambridge (10-21-54). 
Boy Friend, Wyndham’s (12-1-53). 
Can-Can, Coliseum (10-14-54). 

Crazy Gang, Vic. Pal. (12-16 54). 

Devil in Village, Stoll (2-3-55). 

Dry Rot, Whitehall <8-31-54). 
Ghostwriters, Arts (2-9-55). 

Glass Clock, Aldwych (1-3-55). 

Hippo Dancing, Lyric <4-7-54*. 

Intimacy At 8:30, Criterion <4 29-54). 
Kind Folly, Duchess (2-15-55*. 

King and I, Drury Lane (10-8-53). 
Matchmaker, Haymarket (11-4-54). 
Mousetrap, Ambas. <11-23 52*. 

Night of Ball, New Theatre <1-12 55). 
Old Vic Rep, Old Vic (9 9-54). 

Sailor Beware, Strand <2-16-55). 

St. Joan, St. Martin’s (2-8-55). 

Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54). 

S eparate Tables, St. James’s (9-22-54). 
Serious Charge, Garrick (2-17-55). 
Sholom Aleichem, Embassy (1-11-55). 
Simon A Laura, Apollo (11-24-54). 
Spider's Web, Savoy (12-14-54). 

Talk of Town, Adelphi (11-17-54). 
Toahouto Aug. Moon, Her MaJ. (4-22 54). 
Vicious Circle, New Water (2-1-35). 
Wedding in Farit, Hlpp. (4-3-54). 


SCHEDULED OPENINGS 

Wonderful Town, Princes (2-23-55). 
Love Is Nows, New Water (2-28-55). 


CLOSED LAST WEEK 
Both Ends Moot, Apollo <6-0-54). 
Crime of Canyon Wayd, "Q” <2 1 55>. 
Relations ARtrf, Garrick. (8 3-54). 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 




still ringing 


Its welcoming applause 

through the Mark Hellinger Theater 
id Plain and Fancy— record-album edition— 

is already on dealers’ counters everyv 
...doing very fancy business! 


Ay * 


GA«DINI« 


< 1 . • w 




i.. *•' ' $<' ■ \ .V 

“A completely captivating musical hit... one of the 
most original musicals to hit the Main Stem in many 
a semester, 


PICKARD Otwn 

•HlftL CONWAM 

OLOHIA maelo** 


AKD« w » 

h««iwu-louckm*h 
lTT M— ** kL,t * 
,, moutoh daCO»t* 
»« WNTAM 

r f*OOV CLAW* 

, v , fMtur) LAN0 

..^r«AHECALD*» 


fresh and disarming . . /’ 

New Yerk Times 

_ I I „ < r > | ' *< 54 i * 

“Plain and Fancy makes you feel as if you had on new 
shoes and your best hat!’ 

New York World Telegram and Sun 

"Tuneful and sprightly 


Charming music 


All*** 


New York Journal-American 


"An evening of brightness, melody, and charm. It’s a 
pleasure to greet Plain and Fancy’.' 

New York Post 


AND EXTENDED 


BROADWAY 


ORIGI 




1 



If 

■ 


ill 



1 


60 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 


ALL THE 

CRITICS 

AGREE 


ON 


VIRGINIA 

VINCENT 


IN 


‘WEDDING 

DREAKFAST' 



f 


Virginia Vincent at Ruth, 
gives a superb performance. 
With a humble manner and a 
gigantic spirit, she brightens 
every scene she appears in." 
—Atkinson, N. Y. Times. 

"All four actors are admir- 
able. If I were to pick a fa- 
vorite player among such 
good ones, I'd choose Miss 
Vincent, a particularly in- 
gratiating comedienne." 
—Chapman, The News. 

’Virginia Vincent and her 
role of the generous sister 
were both blessed when they 
met. She captures all the 
gentle strength of this sensi- 
tive girl. She has a peculiar 
power over audiences to 
make them roar with laugh- 
ter while their eyes water 
and their noses tingle." 
—Hawkins, 

World-Telegram & Sun. 

"Virginia Vincent is enor- 
mously engaging as the help- 
ful sister with a gigantic 
heart and a face like a per- 
petual question mark." 
—Kerr, Herald Tribune. 

Here is genuine and pun- 
gent humor, often touching 
and illuminating. What Miss 
Vincent does with it adds up 
to irresistibly warming and 
ingratiating playing." 
—Coleman, Daily Mirror. 

"Miss Vincent, the excellent 
young actress who scored a 
hit in 'Twilight Walk' has a 
delightful capacity for mak- 
ing a character comic, and 
yet immensely touching and 
very sweet." 

—Watts, New York Post. 

"Virginia Vincent playing the 
devoted sister, reveals her- 
self as an accomplished 
comedienne." 

—McClain, 

Journal- American. 

"The play is greatly aided by 
a very good comedy perform- 
ance by Virginia Vincent." 
—George Jean Nathan, J.A. 

P’recf : no-' 

JANE BitODER 

40 Ea,t 4?tS Street, New York N. Y. 


Off-B’way Shows 


The Grasm In Always 
Greener 

Kussell Farrow Productions Co. in as- 
sociation with Cy Metrick) production of 
comedy in three acts, by Sholum Alei- 
chem. translated by Tamara Kahn. Stars 
Maurice Schwartz. Direction. Schwartz; 
scenery Sam I. eve; costumes. Grace 
Houston; musical direction. Emanuel 
Fleischman. At Downtown National. N.Y., 
Feb. 14., *35. S3.93-S3.43 top. 

Cast: ^Martin Lrooks. Michael Tolan. j 
Nancy R. Pollock. Joan Copeland. Marvin 
Schwartz, Anatole Winogradoff. Maurice 
Schwartz, Roger Hamilton. Allan Rich. 
Dan Frazer. William Krot, Cicely Browne. 
Constance Simons, Tamara Daniel. Delia 
Salvi. 


left by streamlinging, and also 
does a doddering Polonius. Wil- 
liam Canfield doubles as the 
Gravedigger and Rosenkrantz, 
while Richard Via is Guildenstem. 

William Woodson has staged for 
excitement, fluidity and audience 
involvement. The resulting thea- 
trics are valid, the Platform Play- 
ers acquitting themcelves com- 
mendably. Geor. 


‘Come- 


Ads 


Continued from page 57 


Legit Followup 


Having switched from Yiddish 
to English-language productions j 
earlier this season with “A Stone 
For Danny Fisher,” the Downtown 
National is continuing with a 
three-play series, starring vet Yid- 
dish actor-producer-director Mau- 
rice Schwartz. First of the trio is 
Tamara Kahn’s adaptation of Sho- 
lom Aleichem’s “The Grass Is Al- 
ways Greener.” 

It’s a weak starter, likely to ap- 
peal primarily to the regular Yid- 
dish theatre trade. Possibility of 
the show attracting the usual run 
of Broadway or ofT-Broadway 
theatregoers is slight. 

Schwartz is repeating a rolo. he 
played during the late ’20s when 
the Yiddish version of “Grass” was 
produced on New York’s Second 
Avenue in the vicinity of the Na- 
tional. The piece doesn’t seem to 
have been updated, and the pro- 
duction, direction and acting are 
in the traditional Yiddish theatre 
mold. Contrary to its comedy bill- 
ing, the play is also short on laugh 
material. 

Located in Czarist Russia in 
1905, “Grass” deals with the per- 
secution of the Jews, and the yarn 
pivots around a Jewish and a Gen- 
tile youth who swap identities in 
order to give the latter a sampling 
of the effects of anti-Semitism. 
Martin Brooks and Michael Tolan 
are okay as the Jew and Gentile, 
respectively, although Brooks oc- 
casionally displays a manner remi- 
niscent of a gangland heavy. 

As the head of a Jewish family, 
Schwartz is authoritative, while 
Nancy Pollock is good in a stock 
characterization. Joan Copeland 
gives a tasteful performance as 
their daughter, with Schwartz’s 
teenage son, Marvin, doing a com- 
petent job as her brother. Anatole 
Winogradoff also turns in a satis- 
factory portrayal, as does Roger 
Hamilton. Direction by Schwartz 
isn’t particularly imaginative. 

Jess. 


Hamlet 

Platform Players production of tragedy 
by William Shakespeare. Direction. Wil- 
liam Woodson. At City Center Chamber 
Hall. Feb. 17. ’55. 

Cast: Jack Manning. Terry Clark. Rob- 
ert McQueeny. Brook Byron, Tom Hol- 
land, Barney Biro, William Canfield, 
Richard Via, Douglas Gordon. 


(WINTER GARDEN, N. Y.) . 

No question about it. the manage- 
ment should have opened this mu- 
sical edition of “Peter Pan” with 
a Saturday matinee. With the 
house peppered with moppets, the 
Mary Martin-starrer would have I 
eotten raves — even more ecstatic 
than it actually drew after the ex- 
citing adults-on’y premiere. 

One other thing, somehow or 
other the record album of the 
show should have been distributed 
to the critics, so the songs could 
have become familiar and thereby 
received their due. and not been 
given what amounted to a brush- 
off. It’s a lovely score, but as 
with all music, takes several hear- 
ings to be properly appreciated. 

A kid audience adds immeasur- 
ably to “Peter Pan.” With those 
blissfully shiny-eyed, squealing 
urchins out front, Peter and the 
three Darling children obviously 
don’t need the almost-invisible 
wires, but soar out the w indow and 
off to Neverland on on'y Barrie’s 
fairy dust and beautiful thoughts. 
The whole show is a wow with the 
youngsters, and Miss Martin makes 
an especial triumoh (and a memor- 
able scene) of the final curtain 
call. 

To a record-educated playgoer, 
it is almost incredible that the 
music by Mark Charlao and lyrics 
by Carolyn Leigh, with additional 
tunes by Jule Styne and additional 
lyrics bv Betty Comden and 
Adolph Grern. could have origi- 
nally seemed disappointing. The 
whole score is not only melodious 
and the lyrics engaging, but almost 
every song seems remarkably ap- 
propriate. As originally, the 
Jerome Robbins staging is 
brilliant. 

A repeat visit under these infec- 
tiously uproarious circumstances 
reinforces the original evaluation 
that this musicalization, at least 
with Miss Martin and Cyril Ritch- 
ard, is “Peter Pan” at its best. It’s 
great theatre, but as anpeared 
likely at the premiere, is economi- 
cally too heavy. An ordinary mu- 
sical w’ould have been a money- 
maker at such grosses, but this 
“Peter” hasn’t been able to earn 
back its production nut. and will 
close next Saturday (26) deep in 
the red. Ho be. 


Platform Players is a group of 
young actors who, under the spon- 
sorship of Helen Hayes, are train- 
ing themse’ves in Shakespearean 
repertory. In a modern dress mo- 
bile reading of “Hamlet” for The 
Friends of the City Center, the 
company demonstrates that the 
Shakespeare masterpiece can still 
be one of the most exciting stage 
vehicles in the English language. 

The plav has been trimmed by 
director William Woodson to an 
hour and 40 minutes non-stop run- 
ning time, with an eye to accent- 
ing dramatic action rather than 
philosophic values. Although the 
results sometimes verge on melo- 
drama, there is often a feeling 
that this may have been the way 
Elizabethans liked it. 

The approach is intimate. A 
j bare platform is used, furnished 
with only two thrOne-like chairs. 
Platforms descend to the audi- 
torium floor and many scenes are 
played in the audience’s lap. Since 
the acting is competent, the impact 
is often extremely personal. 

A not unwelcome novelty is Jack 
Manning’s extra-verted reading of 
the prince. ("Reading” is a mis- 
1 nomer, most of the company using 
their books more for props than 
reference.) This Dane is a young 
man of force and heat. After an 
uncertain opening. Manning set- 
tles into a performance that in- 
fuses the production with en- 
thusiasm 

Brook Byron’s Queen is beaute- 
ous and troubled. As the King, 
Robert McQueeny sometimes 
lacks the regal touch, but his 
prayer scene is a good solution of 
a vexing acting problem. As al- 
ways, Ophelia is a hard assign- 
! ment. Terry Clark’s interpretation 
is clear and understandable, but 
stays on the analytical side. 

Tom Holland’s Horatio and Bar- 
ney Biro’s Laertes are percep- 
tively read. Douglas Gordon, as 
narrator, bridges some of the gaps 


‘3 for Tonight’ 


Continued from page 57 


pions could make it would be 
“sometime in June.” Again the col- 
lege bowed its head in chagrin 
and, in lengthy releases to the 
press and big ads, tried to explain 
it had done its utmost to avoid the 
situation and would oblige with 
refunds. 

The Champions were tired from 
their one-night stands. There were 
contract troubles with Belafonte. 
Thus Coe quoted a Gregory spokes- 
man. The tour suddenly ended 
Feb. 1, the college was told. Late 
in March the show would open in 
New York for a 10 to 12-week run. 
Then (presumably, if the fates are 
willing) it will backtrack to pick 
up all postponed engagements. 

Even as this apology was being 
made, the Champions could be 
viewed on TV’s “Toast of the 
Town” and Belafonte was starring 
at the Copacabana. N Y. 

A college thrives on good will. 
Circumstances such as these are 
not exactly conducive to spreading 
it. How many faculty and student 
patrons would stick with a June 
date \yhen the college year will he 
ended before then? How would it 
make a refund for one per- 
formance to a person w ho bought a 
season ticket principally because 
he wanted to see the Champions? 

I do not know who is to blame. 
But I do think situations such as 
this duplicated on other campuses 
and in other communities, should 
be brought to the attention of 
those who are singing songs and 
making movies about the show 
business spirit. 

Nadine Suhotnik, 
Entertainment Editor, 
Cedar Rapids Gazette 


agement of "The Southwest Cor- 
ner” took a somewhat similar 
S.O.S. ad in the last Monday Times, 
citing enthusiastic quotes from 
Times critic Brooks Atkinson’s no- 
tice, but also pointing out that, 
subject to a b.o. spurt, the John 
Cecil Holm comedy is due to fold 
March 5. 

Most recent other case of the 
kind involved “Wedding Break- 
fast,” which was languishing at 
the wicket despite generally favor- 
able notices. In that case producer 
Kermit Bloomgarden not only ad- 
vertised an appeal for biz, but put 
the Theodore Reeves comedy on 
two-for-ones. Patronage perked at 
least enough to keep the operation 
afloat, but it’s slated to close next 
Saturday (26>, after 15 weeks. 

Old, Familiar Story 

Such come - quick - bring - money 
ads are an old and familiar story 
on Broadway. But while their rare- 
ly, if ever, succeed in turning a 
sinking show into a boxoffice hit, 
they’re figured a reasonably good 
bet at least to pay for themselves 
in most instances. For example, 
the $800-odd cost of the “Saint” ad 
was presumably covered by the 
show’s share of last week’s b.o. 
upturn, besides which the effect of 
the boost may be felt for several 
more weeks. 

In general, however, trade circles 
are inclined to feel that such 
patrons-wanted ads tend to be 
self-defeating. The argument is 
that under most circumstances, the 
copy merely tends to emphasize 
that the production in question is 
in trouble. Where the show has 
received rave reviews, as with 
“Saint of Bleecker Street,” this 
danger may be less. But where a 
show has received mixed notices, 
the effect may be negative. 

For better or worse, the man- 
agerial attitude in this regard 
tends to be defeatist, or at least 
fatalistic. The reasoning, long since 
familiar in the trade, runs some- 
thing like this: “If the public, for 
obscure reason^ of its own, wants 
a show, they’ll pay anything for 
tickets and do almost anything to 
see it. If, for reasons that may be 
equally elusive, it decides it doesn’t 
want a show, you can’t give the 
tickets away. In that case, you’re 
just dead, and there’s nothing you 
can do about it.” 


Operating Statement 

- i . ■■■ i ■ 

PETER PAN 
(As of Jan. 8. ’55) 

(12th Week) 

Original investment, $125,000. 
Operating profit, last 4 weeks 
$7,512. (Included $41 loss on 
$38,875 gross, week ended Jan. 8). 
Unrecouped costs, $62,168. 
Available for distribution. $31- 
412. * 


Current Stock Bills 


(Feb. 21-Mar. 64 

Candlelight — Palm Beach (Fla.) Play. 

house (28-3). 

Firecracker (tryout), by Lenard Kantor 
— Palm Beach (Fla.) Playhouae (21-26) 

Girl on Via Flaminia— Arena. Rochester 

(22*3). 

Kind Lady — Miller. Milwaukee (22-6) 
World of Sholom Aleichem — Arena 
Stale. Washington (22-6). 

Years Ago — Playhouse, Houston (23 28). 


Equity Shows 

(Feb. 21-Mar. 6) 


High Button Shoos — Lenox Hill Play. 

house. N Y. (2-6). 

Men In White — Clinton H. S., Bronx. 
N. Y. (23 26); Bryant H. S., Queens. N. Y. 
(4-5). 


ADVANCE AGENTS I 
COMPANY MANAGERS l 

W# have been serving theatrical 
shows for over 42 years. Ours is 
the oldest, most reliable end ex- 
perienced transfer company on the 
West Coastl 

• Railroad privileges for handling 
shows and theatrical luggage. 

• Complete warehouse facilities I 

• Authorized in California. Equipped 

to transfer and haul anywhere in 
U. S .1 — 

• RATES ON REQUEST I 

Atlantic Transfer Company 
GEORGE CONANT 
1100 East 5th Streat 
Los Angeles 13, Calif. 

MUtual 8121 or OXford 9-4764 


Priestley ‘Pelican’ Preem 

“Treasure on Pelican,” by J. B. 
Priestley, will be given its world 
premiere March 9-12 as the open- 
ing production of the New York 
U.’s new Hall of Fame Playhouse, 
N. Y. 


PRODUCTION 

COORDINATOR 

Available 

To assist Broadway producer In all 
phases of legitimate stage produc- 
tion. Administrative background, 
theatrical know-how. Male, Single. 

Box V-21754, Variety 
154 W. 46th St., New York 36 


Have Theatre . . . Want Travellers! 
HUGH BECKET’S MOORE THEATRE 

2nd & Virginia, Seattle, Wash., MA 6210 

Complataly redecorated and renovated concert and 
legitimate theatre, available for bookings and rentals. 
Already booked: Pajama Gama, Teahouse of the 
August Moon, Solid Gold Cadillac, Tea and Sym- 
pathy, Fiesta Mexicana, Dublin Abbey Players, Erne 
Sack, Jan Peerce, Joseph Szigeti, Alexander Brail- 
owsky, St. Cecilia Choir, Irena Jordan, Kabuki 
Dancers; 20 concerts of the Seattle Symphony 
Orchestra. 

Ready to go right after Easter (1955). 
Looking for a good, solid, opening attraction 
that will pack them in. 

Managers, Agents: 

Write, Wire or Phone HUGH BECKET ’ 
Now Booking Season 1955-56 


MOORE THEATRE 


2nd at Virginia, Seattle 


MAin 0210 



. . . show people rate 
special rates! 

At the comfortoble, modern John Bartrom Hotel 
a • . right "in the wings" of all 

Philadelphia theatres and night spots. 

★ 

John Bartram Hotel 

Broad Street at Locust, Philadelphia, Pa. 

s WM. H. HARNED, Gen. Mgr. 

OOOOOOOOOOOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 




Wednesday, February 23, 1955 



LITERATI-COXC 


;T 


61 


Literati 


Ward Morehouse, Boy Editor 

Edwin P. Hoyt, editor and pub- 
lisher of the Colorado Springs 
(Colo.) Free Press, has dissemi- 
nated copies of Feb. 13 Sunday Re- 
view Section of the paper, mark- 
ing Ward Morehouse’s first effort 
as editor thereof. 

It’s a breezy 16-page Sunday 
supplement, embracing the lively 
arts and including a P. 2 More- 
house byliner recounting his 23d 
across-America trip “from south- 
east Georgia to the Springs." The 
former N.Y. World-Telegram St 
Sun drama critic and editor, who 
also recently resigned as NANA 
syndicate’s drama critic, has re- 
tired to Colorado. 


‘Pouring’ For The Boss 

Carol and Kenneth S. Giniger, 
latter v.p. and g.m. of Hawthorn 
Books, a subsidiary of Prentice- 
Hall, "poured” for John G. Powers, 
new prexy of P-H and Hawthorn. 
He’s the son-in-law of Richard 
Prentice Ettinger, now board chair- 
man, who has been spending more 
time in California and Florida. In- 
cidentally, Giniger took off yester- 
day (Tues.) on a three-week flying 
trip to Europe on business, contact- 
ing authors and publishers in Lon- 
don, Paris and Rome. 


‘What Paper Do You Play?’ 

With all three dailies in Phila- 
delphia offering gambling come- 
ons as circulation builders, the 
question is not “What paper do 
you read?” but “What paper do 
you play?”. 

Last to succumb to the “lucky 
buck” giveaway was the sedate 
Evening Bulletin, which reputedly 
possesses largest evening circula- 
tion in America. “Lucky Buck” 
gimmick consists in printing num- 
bers of bills which entitle posses- 
sor to win varying amounts of 
money (some paying off as high 
as $3,500). 

Chance device was installed with 
success by tabloid Daily News, al- 
ways a poor third in the local cir- 
culation stakes. “Lucky Bucks” 
kited News circulation and paper 
has been running the giveaway for 
a year. Last week the morning 
Inquirer started paying off on 
“Lucky Bucks” and the Bulletin 
followed within two days. Bulletin 
topped others by running three 
additional lotteries, offering cash 
for winning Social Security num- 
bers, telephone numbers and li- 
cense plates. 


Lee Shubert Biog 

Material for a biography of the 
late Lee Shubert is being gathered 
by Whitman Bennett, New York 
book dealer and former Shubert 
pressagent, and Edwin Krows, asso- 
ciate editor of Travel mag and 
onetime p.a. for the late producer 
Winthrop Ames. 

Collaborators plan to credit to 
those supplying unpublished ma- 
terial on the subject. Columnist 
Ed Sullivan at one time worked 
on a Shubert biog with the pro- 
ducer’s knowledge and full coop- 
eration. 


Bill Lengel Honored 

William C. Lengel, aditor of 
Gold Medal Books, Fawcett Publi- 
cations’ paperback subsidiary, will 
be honored by the Alumni Assn, of 
the U. of Kansas City at its Wash- 
ington Day banquet Saturday (26) 
commemorating the 60th anni of 
the Kansas City Law School, of 
which Lengel is an alumnus. 


Tom Curtiss Rack to Paris 

Tom Curtiss, N.Y. Herald Trib- 
une (Paris) drama critic, back to 
Paris this weekend after a 10-day 
quickie visit, including the disposi- 
tion of his Manhattan apartment. 

Curtiss is also one of Variety’s 
correspondents in Paris and is 
notating the Gallic influence on 
the Broadway nitery scene as a pos- 
sible feature story for his paper 
when he returns. 


Sam Shain Incorporates 

Shain Publications Inc. has been 
chartered in Albany to conduct a 

R rinting and publishing business in 
ew York, with capital stock of 
200 shares, no par value. Direc- 
tors are: Sam Shain, Elsie F. 
Shain and Ben Nelson. Milton 
Pollack was filing attorney. 

(Shain, formerly with 20th-Fox 
and COMPO, now publishes the 
advertising newsletter, Space & 
Time, founded in 1937.) 


‘Toast’ Hypoes Gross Tome 

One Ed Sullivan telecast plug- 
ging Ben Gross’ "I Looked and I 
Listened” accounted for 5,000 
sales of the Random House book, 
almost as much in one fell swoop 
as the accumulative weeks of mer- 
chandising of the N. Y. Daily News 
radio-lv editor’s book, which is an 


informal broadcast and press 
blurbs, the book up to the Sullivan 
plug had only gone 6,000 copies. 

Same reaction is expected from 
this past Sunday’s Gertrude Law- 
rence salute on Sullivan’s “Toast 
of the Town” although in this in- 
stance Richard Aldrich’s affection- 
ate account of “Mrs. A.” has been 
a runaway bestseller from the 
start. Greystone publishes; Simon 
St Schuster distributes. 


H. Allen Smith to L-B 

After some 15 years with Dou- 
bleday, H. Allen Smith has 
switched publishers to Little, 
Brown. 

The LB firm, which has two con- 
current show biz bestsellers in 
Fred Allen’s “Treadmill to Obli- 
vion” and Elsa Maxwell’s “RSVP”, 
say it is mere coincidence that the 
supposedly “staid old Boston firm” 
is getting show biz-minded. Art 
Buchwald’s “Paris” is another LB 
book which will get a re-merchan- 
dising campaign this spring. 


Holt’s G. B. Dealey Biog 

It may be coincidence that Clint 
Murchison, Texas tycoon, who owns 
controlling interest in Henry Holt 
& Co., also sees his firm publish- 
ing “G. B. Dealey of the Dallas 
News.” Ernest Sharpe is author of 
this “American success story”, 
dealing with George Bannerman 
Dealey, editor, publisher and prin- 
cipal owner of the Dallas Morning 
News until his death in 1946. 

Murchison and Sid Richardson 
are longtime associates in Texas 
oil and other industries. 


Show Biz Bestsellers 

Six of the N.Y. Times’ roster of 
16 bestsellers in the “general” 
category have a show biz flavor: 
Grantland Rice’s posthumous auto- 
biography, “The Tumult and the 
Shouting”; Richard Aldrich’s biog 
of his wife, “Gertrude Lawrence 
As Mrs. A.”; Fred Allen’s "Tread- 
mill To Oblivion”, which he has 
been plugging extensively with 
cuffo radio and tv shots; Lillian 
Roth’s "I’ll Cry Tomorrow”; Ben- 
nett Cerf’s anthology of “Ency- 
clopedia of Modern American Hu- 
mor”; and Elsa Maxwell’s memoirs, 
“RSVP.” 

Bob Hope, like Allen, has been 
radio-tv plugging his autobiog, 
“Have Tux, Will Travel,” written 
in collaboration with the Sateve- 
post’s Pete Martin, who also did 
the currently serializing Ethel 
Merman autobiog. “That’s The 
Kind Of A Dame I Am.” Martin, 
incidentally, also worked with Bing 
Crosby on his memoirs last- year. 


CHATTER 

Herb (Metro publicist) Crooker’s 
“The Boatman’s Almanac” due for 
March 21 publication via Her- 
mitage House. 

AP’s Rome Bureau chief Stan 
Swinton married Helene Rhodes, 
of Scarsdale, in a ceremony in 
Rome last week. 

Norman Shavin. former amuse- 
ment editor of the Louisville Times, 
joined Jackson (Miss.) State Times 
as feature and Sunday editor. 
Sheet is a new afternoon daily and 
Sunday paper. 

Edith Efron, ex-Time, Life and 
Fortune foreign correspondent, 
now an assistant editor in the spe- 
cial material dept., reporting di- 
rectly to associate editor Fleur 
Cowles of Look. 

Ilyana Y. Lanin, wife of Myron 
A. Lanin, veepee of the Howard 
Lanin Agency, authored “Our 
‘Lost’ Mexican Honeymoon” in the 
spring issue of Modern Bride mag. 
She’s the daughter of L. A. Fed- 
eral Judge Leon R. Yankvich. 

Unique profile on Claude C. 
Philippe in the current New York- 
er. As successor to the late “Oscar 
of the Waldorf,” Philippe’s show 
biz activities have been wide and 
much broader than any predeces- 
sor. Geoffrey T. Heilman did the 
profile. 

Leonard Mosley, Daily Express 
film critic and a former war cor- 
respondent, has authored “Gideon 
Goes to War” which is to be pub- 
lished in London this week. It 
deals with Maj. Gen. Orde C. Win- 
gate, who was killed in Burma in 
1944. 

Wood Soanes, vet drama critic 
of the Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 
and longtime Variety correspond- 
ent, heading for Paris from Spain 
next month and due home end- 
March. He has been on a leisurely 
recuperative trip through Europe, 
accompanied by his wife, Jean. 

Jacket flyleaf under Matt Bry- 
ant’s photo, as author of a Broad- 
way whodunit, “Cue for Murder” 
(Vanguard), reads, “He remembers 
1947 darkly. That was the year 
he missed an issue of Variety and 
did not see better than 60 % of 
the plays on Broadway. His record 
'has been much better since.” 


Wagner Readying New 
‘Boheme’ for Next Year 

Charles L. Wagner, vet Impre- 
sario, is doing only one opera next 
year, sending out a touring com- 
pany of “La Boheme’ r in a new 
translation by Ruth and Thomas 
Martin, which Schirmers is pub- 
lishing. Wagner controls the pro- 
ducing rights for the first year. 

Manager is now in his late 70’s. 
“After 50 years,” he advises, “I am 
quite content to retire in a couple 
of more years.” 

Stravinsky Fest In 
Fall by N.Y. Ballet 

The N. Y. City Ballet, which 
opened a winter season at N. Y.’s 
City Center last Tuesday (15), will 
play there for a four-week run. 
Then the troupe will be gone from 
its heme base till next November. 
It leaves the last week in March 
for a three-month European tour, 
administered by ANTA for the 
U. S. State Dept., returning home 
to fill summer engagements on the 
Coast. 

Back in N. Y., the troupe will 
open a five-week repertory run at 
the Center Nov. 15, highlighted by 
a Stravinsky Festival. Ten ballets 
set to the Russo-American com- 
poser’s music will be presented. 
Stravinsky is now writing the mu- 
sic to a new work, "Agon.” for 
which George Balanchine will do 
the choreography. Balanchine will 
also stage the Stravinsky-Pergolesi 
“Pulcinella,” first done by the 
Diaghilev Co. (with Leonide Mas- 
sine choreo) in 1920. Other eight 
works are now in the NYCB 
repertory. 

The NYCB will begin a Xmas 
seasen Dec. 20 devoted to one bal- 
let, “Nutcracker,” the season end- 
ing Jan. 5, 1956. In the spring of 
’56. the troupe plans a tour of the 
Middle East, again under State 
Dept, auspices. 

In emht performances at the 
I N. Y. City Center last week, at 
I $3.60 top, the N. Y. City Ballot 
grossed a satisfactory $35,000. 
Opening week had no premieres, 
but had the usual press list, plus 
competition from the London Fes- 
tival Ballet in Brooklyn, to k°ep 
the take down. Estimate for this 
week, with a premiere tonight 
(Wed.) in Geqrge Balanchine’s 
“Roma,” is for about $40,000. 


Longhair Disk Reviews 


Verdi: Otello (London', Renata 
i Tebaldi and Mario Del Monaco, 

; currently N.Y.’s hottest b.o. team, 
head a highly creditable cast in a 
vivid re-creation of the Verdi mas- 
terpiece. Del Monaco, a sterling 
tenor, is occasionally too strong 
and brilliant in duets with Mme. 
Tebaldi. Latter’s soft tones are 
exquisite, and her unforced sing- 
ing always is exemplary, crowned 
by the* lovely “Willow Song" and 
“Ave Maria” of the closing act. 
Aldo Protti, a high-ranged bari- 
tone, is a good Iago, and the Santa 
Cecilia chorus and orch, in a 
dramatic accomp under Alberto 
Eerede, wrap it all up for a stir- 
ring as well as artistic album. 

Berlioz: Les Nuits d’Ete, etc. (Co- 
lumbia). A beautiful job of sing- 
ing by Eleanor Steber. “Les 
Nuits” is a vivid and dramatic set 
of love songs, sung with keen in- 
terpretive style as well as vocal 
distinction. Dimitri Mitropoulos 
leads the deft symphonic accompa- 
niment. Reverse has more Berlioz 
songs, equally well rendered. 

Gluck: Orpheus St Eurydice 
(RCA Victor). Opera’s second act, 
played by Arturo Toscanini and 
NBC Symphony, for a stunning 
performance. The strings gallop 
and sing; there’s tremendous surg- 
ing drive in the early stages, and 
lovely lyrical passages later on. 
Nan Merriman is standout among 
the soloists. 

Puccini Heroines (AngeH. Maria 
Callas and the Philharmonia under 
Tullio Serafin in a dozen arias 
from six operas. Soprano reveals 
her rich, full tones, strong in the 
top register, full of color and 
drama, in a variety of arias, with 
approach and attack varied to suit. 
Occasionally there’s a shrillness, 
but overall impact is strong. “Un 
bel di vedremo,” for instance, is 
dramatic, yet clean, not oversenti- 
mentalized, for a vivid experience. 
A fine disk. 


Felix Brentano succeeds the late 
Ernest J. M. Lert as head of the 
opera department of Peabody Con- 
servatory', in Baltimore. 


Snafus Still Stalk Berlin Orch Tour; 
Odd Deal in Philly; Local 802 s Beef 


. 

Pianist Uninsky on Mend; 
O’Seas Tour Postponed 

Alexander Uninsky, pianist 
stricken with a. digestive disorder 
in Corpus Christi just prior to his 
concert and hospitalized there for 
three weeks, is back in N. Y. and 
on the mend. A four-month Euro- 
pean tour, to start this month, has 
been postponed. Uninsky, who’s 
handled by National Concert & 
Artists Corp., will reeupe a while, 
and probably fill a few dates be- 
fore resuming at Aspen, Col., this 
summer. 

Marks Levine, NCAC prez who’s 
been ill at home for some time, is 
due back at his desk in three 
weeks. 

Ready Second Series On 
Metop Singer Platters 
For Own Accompaniment 

Murlyn Recording Co. of N. Y., 
which issued its first release of 
proficiency records last fall, will 
have a second list ready for issue 
March 1. Project is a set of LP’s 
with top artists singing arias and 
songs to piano accompaniment, fol- 
lowed by the keyboarder’s solo ac- 
comp of the same selection, so that 
a student of voice may sing the 
number on hi£ own. 

First series consisted of five 
separate LP’s, with present and 
former Met Opera names like Giu- 
lio Gari, Sydney Rayner, Herbert 
Janssen and Laura Castellano and 
musicomedy singer Evelyn Herbert 
singing opera arias, lieder, U. S. 
light classics, etc. New scries will 
contain further LP’s by these 
names, plus another by Evelyn 
Sachs, Met Opera mezzo, with 
similar repertory. 

Muriel Wiggin Selden, of the 
Chase National and American Fx- 
I press family, is prez and sparkplug 
, of the venture. Sally Lcff, vocal 
coach and accompanist for many 
Met singers, is the keyboarder. 
Disks originally sold at $8.95 but 
1 are now priced at $5.95. Response 
from schools and students, as well 
as professional singers, has been 
| good, with orders in from as far 
as the Coast. 

New series will also be available 
on seven-inch reels, with 30 min- 
utes of playing time, lor tape re- 
cording machines. 

GRETA RAUCH QUITS AS 
CARNEGIE BOOKING MGR. 

Greta Rauch, booking manager 
and director of public relations at 
Carnegie Hall, N. Y.. and her as- 
sistant, Gloria Mardon, resigned 
suddenly last Friday (18), due to a 
disagreement over booking policy 
with Robert E. Simon, the Hall’s 
prez. 

Miss Rauch, who handled the 
bookings for all three concert halls 
at the famed 57th St. longhair em- 
porium in addition to publicity had 
been with Carnegie for 5 Vfc years 
in that post. Previously, for four 
years, she handled artists relations 
at Columbia Records as exec as- 
sistant to Goddard Lieberson. Miss 
Mardon has been her assistant at 
the Hall for 4Vfc years. 

Replacing the duo are Louise 
Deering, as booking mgr.-publicity 
director, and Minnie Cohen as her 
assistant. Neither has been in the 
music field before. 

Ex-NBC Symph Set 
For Tour of Far East 

Symphony of the Air (the for- 
mer NBC Symphony ) leaves 
America about May 1 for a tour 
of the Far East under sponsorship 
of the International Exchange Pro- 
gram of ANTA. 

The tour of seven weeks will in- 
clude five cities of Japan, Seoul. 
Taipei, Hongkong, Manila and 
Honolulu. Walter Hendl of the 
Dallas Symphony and Thor John- 
son of the Cincinnati Symphony 
1 have been invited to serve as co- 
■ conductors. 


Espagnols’ 8G, Detroit 

Detroit, Feb. 22. 
Ballets Espagnols did a weak 
$8,000 in seven performances last 
iweek at the 1,482-seat Cass. 


, Attempt last week by members 
of N. Y.’s Local 802, American 
Federation of Musicians, to pre- 
vent the skedded appearances of 
the Berlin Philharmonic Orches- 
tra in N. Y., is only the latest in 
a series of snarls that have beset 
the orch since the tour was 
mapped. Orch is making its first 
visit to the U. S . opening a 26- 
date trek in Washington Sunday 
(27) and playing thrice in N. Y., 
on March 1, March 30 and April 1. 

Tour, when first broached five 

years ago, with the late Wilhelm 
Furtwangler as conductor, started 
a rumpus because of Furtwangler’s 
Nazi associations during World 
War II. Matter w'as dropped, even 
though Furtwangler had his de- 
fenders in the U. S. (Jewish musi- 
cians among them) who claimed 
that though he headed a cultural 
setup in the Third Reich, he w'as 
no Nazi party member and had 
assisted Jewish players. 

Tour was reactivated for this 
season by Columbia Artists Mgt.’s 
veepee, Andre Mertens, who had 
to get an okay for Furtwangler’s 
use f om the rival National Con- 
cert & Artists Corp., which han- 
dled the conductor. Then Furt- 
wangler died suddenly last Nov. 30, 
and Mertens subbed with Herbert 
von Karajan, one of Europe’s top 
conductors. Latter was once a Nazi 
party member, as were Gerhart 
von Westermart, the Berlin symph’s 
manager, and many of the players. 

Walter Winchell has attacked 
Karajan in his column and on the 
air, but there hasn’t been much 
else of protest to the visit of the 
Berliners, until now. Times have 
changed. As controversial a figure 
as pianist Walter Gicseking is now 
accepted by U. S. audiences, while 
several of recent German addi- 
tions to the Met Opera roster are 
1 admitted onetime Nazi party mem- 
bers and even minor functionaries. 
Westerman states that his and 
Karajan’s party memberships were 
only formal; they merely enabled 
them to continue their work in 
music. 

Anything But Smooth 

Yet Columbia’s path with the 
Berliners has been anything but 
i smooth. Transatlantic passage for 
| the 103-piece orch necessary for 
j consummation of the tour, and 
amounting to about $60 000, had 
been assured by Henry R. Reieh- 
hold, Detroit industrialist and mu- 
sic patron, on the basis of Furt- 
wangler’s presence. But when the 
conductor died, Rieichhold with- 
drew his offer, and the tour almost 
foundered until the Berlin Senate, 
through Mertens’ strenuous efforts, 
agreed to subsidize the passage 
coin. 

Columbia had little trouble in 
booking the orchestra here, but it 
did run into snarls in two cities. 
Local manager in Newark, N. J., 
wouldn’t take it, and Columbia is 
presenting the orch there on its 
own. In Philadelphia, where there 
are two concert setups, Emma 
Feldman’s Concert Series and 
William K. Huff's Philadelphia 
Forum, the Berliners couldn’t be 
booked. Publisher Walter Annen- 
berg, whose Philadelphia Inquirer 
Charities controls both concert set- 
ups, refused to okay the German 
symph, either with Furtwangler or 
Karajan, because of the Nazi taint. 
Columbia found a local pub rela- 
tions exec to handle the concert 
there, on a one-shot basis. 

Some 750 members of N. Y.’s 
Local 802 last weekend signed a 
petition asking the board of di- 
rectors to halt the Berliners’ con- 
certs, on grounds of their Nazi 
background. Tooters also protested 
a “U.S. Government subsidy” of 
the orch, although there Is none 
such, Columbia assuming all risks 
of the $250,000 venture (except 
the ocean passage money donated 
by the city of Berlin). 

Although petition is to be pre- 
sented to the local’s heads at an 
executive board meeting tomorrow 
(Thurs.), it isn’t likely any action 
can be taken to halt the prospec- 
i tive tour. Tour had been cleared 
with the AFM, and it isn’t likely 
that AFM prez James C. Petrillo 
will rescind the okay. For one 
thing, it might jeopardize the Eu- 
ropean lour of the Philadelphia 
| Orchestra, set for this spring, or 
the overseas trip of the N. Y. Phil- 
j harmonic, skedded for next fall. 


62 


CHATTER 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 





Broadway 

Jean Benoit-Levy, French pro- 
ducer-director, in from Paris Mon. 
(21) on the Liberte. 

Joshua Logan due in by plane 
today (Wed.) from a trip to Japan 
with James A. Michener. 

TV adman Robert Jay Frackman 
elected to the board of directors 
of Henry Street Settlement. 

Joseph Cottep arriving on the 
Cristoioro Colombo today (Wed.), 
after completing a film chore in 
Germany. 

Ganjou Bros. & Juanita, acro- 
dance turn, sailing for London to- 
day (Wed.) to join the Folies Ber- 
gcre company there. 

Paul Denis has 10-page bio on 
“Ed Sullivan, TV’s Greatest Show-, 
man.” in next issue of TV People,” 
which will have Sullivan on cover. 

Composer Harry (“Irepe,” “Rio 
Rita”) Tierney’s son, Harry Austin 
Tierney Jr. married Carolyn Curtis 
Cather, daughter of Col. Leo W. 
Cather, on Monday (21), in N. Y. 

Col. Serge Obolensky, Ambassa- 
dor Hotel prexy, has preemed the 
Ambassador Bar, a for-men-only 
rendezvous where femmes are per- 
mitted only at cocktail time and at 
weekend luncheons. 

Earl Stewart, onetime vaudevil- 
lian who sang with the Newsboys 
Four and trouped with his wife 
in a turn known as Florette & 
Earl, now working in the uphol- 
stery shop of the Hotel Commo- 
dore. 

Arthritis & Rheumatism Foun- 
dation holding a cocktail shindig 
at 21 tomorrow (Thurs.) to discusss 
plans for the Ringling Bros. & 
Barnum & Bailey Circus preem at 
Madison Square Garden March 30 
which again will be for benefit of 
this outfit. 

Sonny 'MCA) Werblin framed 
Toots Shor at a private stag dinner 
last week at Gene Leone’s by The 
Skccters (show' biz-industrialists- 
sportsmen group) by projecting the 
Ed Murrow “Person to Person” 
segment wherein the restaurateur 
was one of the subjects. 

Next Tuesday (1) will see the 
dedication ceremonies of the new 
M. Lowenstein & Sons Inc. Bldg, 
(textile business; Leon Lowenstein, 
chairman of the board) on the site 
of the old Empire Theatre at 11:30 
a m. New edifice contains an Ex- 
hibition Hall of theatre memora- 
bilia on the 6th oor. 

Evelyn and Bill Hardcy vacation- 
ing in Cuba; ditto Suzette and 
Wallace Downey (music publisher). 
Hardey, since selling out in Bill’s 
Gay 90s, is looking for another 
site. His former associate, Harry 
Tannen. meantime bought Charles’ 
French Restaurant on 6th Ave., in 
Greenwich Village. 

James A. Sauter, USO-Camp 
Shows prexy, assigned his second 
committee chairmanship in the 
March Red Cross campaign. He 
has assumed the helming of the 
legit theatres and music committee 
in addition to the radio and tele 
group of the public information 
committee previously announced. 

Mayor Robert F. Wagner and his 
wife’s invitation to a reception and 
cocktail party tomorrow (Thurs.) 
at Grade Mansion in honor of Har- 
ry Hershfield, calls him the “inter- 
nationally famous cartoonist, col- 
umnist . and humanitarian.” The 
Mayor will proclaim May 17 offi- 
cially as “Mr. New York Day” in 
tribute to Hershfield. 

Warren Broglie, manager of 
Waldorf-Astoria's overseas dept., 
promoted to general manager of 
the Continental Hilton, Mexico 
City, now under construction, 
w hich is expected to be ready early 
next year. It will have 360 rooms. 
The Continental Hilton is one of 
two Mexican operations by Hilton. 
Other is the Acapulco Hilton. Jose 
A. Menendez represents Hilton in 
the overall develpments of both 
inns. 

Billy Reed’s invitation for the 
anniversary party of his nitery 
reads; “The Little Club has gone 
through its ‘7 Year Itch’ and will 
celebrate its 8th ‘Anniversary 
Waltz’ . . . Place is decorated like 
a ‘House of Flow’crs’ and we will 
have a ‘Plain and Fancy’ party. 
Every girl will put on her best 
‘Silk Stockings’ so drag your 
‘Fanny’ over here. All ‘Lunatics 
and Lovers’ are invited to come 
and have a slice of birthday cake 
with ‘Kismet’ Reed.” 


Minneapolis 

By Les Reej 

Met tenor Brian Sullivan set for 
concert here Feb. 24. 

Hotel Radisson Flame Room 
holding over Quintetto Allegro. 

Bob Hope brought in show from 
Hollywood for two local and one 
St. Paul performances. 

Crew Cuts and Dave Brubeck 
Quartet played one-nighters at 
Prom Ballroom and Lyceum thea- 
tre. respectively. 

Prom Ballroom underlines in- 
clude Four Lads. Feb. 25-26; De 
^ John Sisters, March 4-6; Tex 


Beneke, March 25, and Bill Haley’s 
Comets In April. 

After long stretch of inactivity, 
legit has come to life in Twin 
Cities, with ‘‘South Pacific” having 
played St. Paul last week and “Tea 
and Sympathy” here currently. 

Bennie Berger and Ed. Furni of 
Minneapolis Lyceum and St. Paul 
Auditorium, respectively, cooperat- 
ing to obtain more legit shows for 
Twin Cities, with aim that they 
play both cities henceforth, in- 
stead of only here. 

While William Donnelly. IATSE 
veepee, is absent from city tempo- 
rarily, status quo continues as far 
as inability of independent theatre- 
owners and projectionists’ to reach 
agreement on new’ three-year con- 
tract terms is concerned. Although 
men voted to strike several weeks 
ago, they are remaining on duty 
without any pact. 


Paris 

By Gene Moskowitz 

(28 Rue Huchette; Odeon 49-44) 

Nicole Courcel set to star in the 
first Algerian pic production, 
“Zaire.” 

Miseha Auer now playing in the 
Marc Allegrct pic, "Futures Ve- 
dettes” (Future Stars). 

Yves Montand receives the spe- 
cial gold disk marking the sale of 
his millionth record this week. 

English legiters, “Witness For 
the Prosecution” and “The Boy- 
friend,” set for production here 
next season. 

Jeanne Aubert will replace Mad- 
eleine Robinson in hit legiter, 
“Adorable Julia,” as Miss Robinson 
bows out to become a mother. 

Colette Marchand will do her 
first legit chore in Andre De 
Richaud’s “Carmen,” a free adap- 
tion of Prosper Merimee’s book. 

Hungarian Ballet is a big b.o. hit 
here and doing extra-curricular' 1 
recital work in other theatres, 
besides home base the Empire, due 
to its success. 

Annette Lajon, one of the top 
Gallic pre-war chantoosies who 
spent eight years as a semi-invalid 
due to an auto accident, makes her 
comeback here this week. 

“La Cuisine Des Anges” (My 
Three Angels), the Albert Husson 
hit legiter, now in its eighth Pa- 
risian comeback as it settles at the 
Edouard VII for another run. 

Edith Piaf shattering all records 
at the Olympia Musichall and also 
making a record in getting her 
longplaying disk, based on her 
Olympia recital, on the market. 

“Sabrina” (Par), “Broncho 
Apache” <UA), “Dial M For Mur- 
der” (WB). “Johnny Guitar” (Rep), 
and “Pushover” (Col) all in for 
neat reviews in a broadside bf U.S. 
pix this week. 

Vittorio De Sica has asked 
Marcel Pagnol to take charge of 
the Gallic dubbing of his latest 
pic, “L’Or De Naples” (Naples 
Gold). Pagnol will do this before 
heading for the U.S". 

Two more Gallic singers set for 
a U.S. trek soon are Gilbert Becaud 
and Jacqueline Francois. Becaud 
will do a series of live tv programs 
and Miss Francois is to open in 
one of the East Side plush boites. 


Spigelgass 

Continued from page 2 

credit read, ‘Adapted by’ with no 
reference whatever to what the 
adapter had used as his source ma- 
terial.” 

“Evil” was co-scripted in 1947 
by Spigelgass and Ronald Millar 
from a novel by Joseph Shearing. 
Hal Wallis produced the picture for 
Paramount release. 

Spigelgass states that in the Lux 
adaptation 95 r 'o of the original dia- 
log was used but this was “extraor- 
dinarily rearranged” and while 
most of the story line was similarly 
used “the climax was ignored.” 

He goes on: “I recall from ear- 
lier service on the (SWG) board 
that Lux, in its radio days, re- 
fused to give credit for the screen- 
plays from which their programs 
are derived. In my view Lever 
Bros, have no voice in the matter 
whatever. It seems to me a matter 
concerning the Screen Writers’ re- 
lationship to the M.P.P.A. (Motion 
Picture Producers Assn.). 

“We should clearly take the po- 
sition that all contracts involving 
television adaptations of screen- 
plays shall include the original 
screenplay credit and the original 
authorship. 

“Additionally, the television writ- 
er must also insist upon the kind 
of credit that, to repeat myself, 
‘accurately reflects the authorship’ 
of the work. 

“This kind of distortion, against 
which we formerly worked so as- 
siduously,. should not be permitted 
to flourish.” 


* London 

Karen Greer opened a cabaret 
season at the Albany Club this 

Michael Broun on an indefinite 
loanout from Colman. Prentice & 
Varley’s New York office to head 
the agency’s tv division here. 

Derek Bond and Jill Adams 
launched a new Granada theatre 
in Pitsea (Essex) last week, subbing 
for Mai Zetterling who was bedded 
with flu. 

Lacy W. Kastner and Lawrence 
II. Lipskin in town for last week’s 
charity preem of “A Prize of Gold, * 
latest Warwick production for Co- 
lumbia release. 

Virginia Bruce, who arrived from 
Hollywood last week, started film- 
ing "The Reluctant Bride” Monday 
(21). It's a Tempean production 
for Eros release. 

Alfred Drake and Doretta Mor- 
row in from New York to start re- 
hearsals on the upcoming London 
production of “Kismet,” rights to 
which have been acquired by Jack 
Hylton. 

Film Industry Publicity Circle 
tossed luncheon in honor of Rich- 
ard B. Kenderdine, who retired re- 
cently as a flack in the J. Arthur 
Rank Organization. 

Signed by Maurice King and Irv- 
ing Rapper to star in their upcom- 
ing production of “The Boy and 
the Bull,” 10-year old Michael Ray 
planed for Hollywood last week- 
end. 

Richard Hearne signed for a se- 
ries of 26 telepix by the new Prince 
Littler-Val Parnell-Lew’ Grade tele 
outfit and subsequently planes to 
N. Y. for personals on the Ed Sul- 
livan show May 8 and 15. 

Songsmith Sam Coslow’, who is 
managing local thrush Georgia 
Brown in conjunction with Lew' & 
Leslie Grade Agency, negotiated 
two-year pact with Decca Records. 
He plans to take her to the U. S. 
next fall to bally her disks. 


Cleveland 

By Glenn C. Pullen 

Robert Maxwell and Betty Madi- 
gan pulling Statler Terrace Room 
out of doldrums. 

Dell O’Dell’s comedy-magic act 
finished fifth week, setting new run 
record for Alpine Village. 

Robert Wagner mobbed by teen- 
agers during film actor's personals 
to plug “White Feather” at Hipp. 

“Pajama Game” has terrific $90,- 
000 advance ticket sale for the 
Hanna weeks before its arrival Feb. 
28. 

Ray Elias, Play House’s press 
agent, staging “Burning Bright” as 
his first directorial work for reper- 
tory theatre. * 

John Price Jr., auditioning cho- 
rus talent for his Musicarnival 
summer tent theatre, kicking off 
second season about June 10. 

Ilona Massey doing a two-weeker 
at Vogue Room, which is inking 
Mcrv Griffin, Dinah Kaye and 
Lucky Girls for Feb. 28 and Jan 
August for March 14. 


Vienna 

By Emil W. Maass 

( Grosse Schiffgasse 1A; 45045) 

First tele station will be built on 
Gaisberg near Salzburg. 

Austrian opera composer Gott- 
fried Einem writing film- music. 

Easy Maja Elstak, negro singer 
of Indonesia, recovering from mys- 
terious poisoning. 

Shakespeare Memorial Theatre 
will guest during Vienna festivals 
at the Burg Theatre. 

First time Japanese pianist to 
play western classical music here 
was Noboru Toyamasu. 

“Born Yesterday”, set for Volks- 
thealrc At present it’s touring the 
suburbs of the capital. 

East German film director Wal- 
ter Felsenstein shooting Beethoven 
film, “Fidelio,” in Rosenhuegel 
Studio, (Russian zone). 


Miami Beach 

By Lary Solloway 

Frances Langford breaking in 
her new act at the Sans Souci this 
week. 

Sidney Kingsley, Irving Berlin 
and Michael Todd at the Fontaine- 
bleau. 

Helen Traubel will head up new 
show' in the Fontainebleau’s La 
Ronde Club opening Friday (25). 

Sauter-Finnegan orch playing 
full week s schedule here between 
one-nighters and four-day deal at 
Ciro’s. 

Ed Sullivan in for personals on 
Lincoln-Mercury promotions and 
to helm the Mt. Sinai Hospital’s an- 
nual Jubilee. 

Jack Benny will motor from New 
Orleans to spend several days at 
the Saxony before appearing at the 
United Jewish Appeal dinner here 
next month. 

Arthur Godfrey emceed Variety 
Tent’s annual all-star show at the 

Beach Auditorium; more than $27,- 


000 was grossed, all of it going to 
Variety Children’s Hospital. 

Lena Horne and Murray Weihger 
cancelled her contract to work at 
Copa City by mutual agreement, 
with Sammy Davis Jr. holding 
over; Los Chavales de Espana 
added. 


Biopic Binge 

^^ mmm Continued from page l 

Omar Khayyam”; the currently 
lensing “The Vagabond King,” 
based on French poet Francois Vil- 
lon; “Intermission,” life of the 
musician Red Nichols,” to fctar 
Danny Kaye. 

Explorers and Generals 

Pine-Thomas’ “The Far Hori- 
zon," story of Lewis and Clark, is 
awaiting release, and Hal Wallis 
has two upcoming entries, includ- 
ing “Gunfight at the OK Corral,” 
glorifying Wyatt Earp and Doc 
Holliday, and “Global Mission,” 
the Gen. “Hap” Arnold story. 

Columbia and 20th-Fox have 
eight apiece in this category. Soon 
to roll in Europe will be Warwick’s 
“Cockleshell Heroes” for Columbia, 
story of British Marine hero Col. 
R. J. Hasler, with Jose Ferrer 
doubling as star and director. Col’s 
“The Gentle Wolfhound,” story of 
M/Sgt. Hugh O’Reilly, rolls this 
week in Tokyo. Just going into re- 
lease is “The Long Gray Line,” 
John Ford’s West Point tale of Sgt. 
Marty Maher, portrayed by Tvrone 
Pow'er; and “Cell 2455 Death Row.” 
autobiopic _of condemned Caryl 
Chessman, awaits release. 

Columbia slate also includes 
“Music by Duchin,” the Eddy 
Duchin yarn; “Joseph and His 
Brethren,” religioso with Rita Hay- 
worth starred; and “The Theda 
Bara Story,” musical based on the 
silent screen vamp. 

Twentieth-Fox’ lineup is com- 
posed of three already completed, 
one of these, “Desiree” (Napoleon), 
in current release. Finished are 
“Prince of Players” (Edwin Booth) 
and “A Man Called Peter” (Sen- 
ate Chaplain Peter Edson Mar- 
shall). Currently locationing in 
China is “A Many Splendored 
Thing” troupe, dealing with 
China’s Hans So Yin’ and so-star- 
ring Jennifer Jones and William 
Holden. 

Coming up are “DeSylva, Brown 
and Henderson.” life story of the 
songwriters; “Girl in the Red Vel- 
vet Swing,” story of . Evelyn Nes- 
bit Thaw; “Seven Cities of Gold” 
(Father Serra); “Sir Walter 
Raleigh,” with Richard Todd and 
Bette Davis returning to her old 
role of Queen Elizabeth. 

Metro’s six bids in the biog 
derby lead oft with the story of 
Van Gogh, the painter in “Lust for 
Life.” (Understood that Kirk 
Douglas also is considering such a 
biopic under his own indie ban- 
ner.) Coming up, too, are “I’ll 
Crv Tomorrow” (Lillian Roth); 
“Cheatin’ Heart” (Hank Williams) 
and “‘Guatama Buddha.” Com- 
pleted: “Interrupted Melody” (Mar- 
jorie Lawrence) and “Love Me or 
Leave me” (Ruth Etting). 

UI already has completed a trio, 
now awaiting release. These in- 
clude “Chief Crazy Horse," “To 
Hell and Back” (Audie Murphy), 
and “Lady Godiva of Coventry.” 

Warners likewise has three: “Joe 
McConnell Story.” biopic of the 
late jet ace; “The Lindbergh 
Story” and “Sincerely Yours,” the 
Liberace tale. RKO: “The Con- 
queror” (Genghis Khan). 


Burbank Studio 

Continued from pane 1 

of show’ biz, including legit, 
niteries, films, folk music, ballet, 
vaudeville, opera and radio-tv. 

Tagged “Entertainment/55," it’s 
being blueprinted as a Ilollywood- 
plus-N. Y. two way pickup with 
Jack Rayel and Barry Wood serv- 
ing as the respective executive pro- 
ducers. Milton Berle, who ordi- 
narily works out of Gotham, will 
perform on the Coast that night 
(7:30 to 9) along with Dinah Shore, 
George Gobel and others in the 
NBC camp. Judy Holliday and 
Dick Shawn, who’ve appeared in 
several Liebman specolas, are 
slated to star in a number drama- 
tizing the night club motif. Others 
on the agenda thus far are dancers 
Bambi Linn & Rod Alexander, Jim 
& Marion Jordan (Fibber & Molly), 
Dennis Day, and a hillbilly se- 
quence picked up from Oklahoma 
City. The motion picture phase 
will be built around pioneer film- 
maker Adolph Zukor, with an ar- 
ray of film clips. 


Hollywood 

Helen Traubel planed to Miami. 

Arthur M. Loew returned to his 
eastern headquarters. 

Maureen O Hara home from 10 
days of eastern bally. 

Joan Fontaine in from N. Y. for 
treatment of a shoulder injury. 

Steve Goodman. Rep story editor, 
back from scouting eastern mar- 
kets. 

Audie Murphy to Dallas to drum- 
beat for his picture, “To Hell and 
Back.” 

David Rose back to London to 
attend preem of his “End of 
Affair.” 

David O. Selznick in from N. Y. 
to open headquarters at RKO- 
Pathe. 

Foreign Press Assn, of Holly- 
wood tosses annual awards ban- 
quet tomorrow night (Thurs.). 

Louis Stevens back from 26 
months in Rome, where he scrib- 
bled five films and six telepix. 

Louis B. Mayer will be guest of 
honor at the American Cinema 
Editors’ special awards banquet. 

Walt Disney sending original 
drawings for each classroom in new 
school named after him in Bucks 
County, Pa. 

William Goetz plaqued for his 
leadership in last year’s campaign 
to raise funds for Cedars of Leban- 
on Hospital. 

Maj. Gen. John A. Klein, Adj. 
Gen., of the Army, sent letters of 
commendation to each of 86 filmites 
who entertained U. S. servicemen 
overseas during Christmas holi- 
days. 


Chicago 

Pianist Bill Snyder back home 
after a Hollywood sojourn. 

Howard Miller to emcee the 
Daily News’ youth rally March 14. 

Dorothy Malone in to plug pic 
“Battle Cry”; ditto Rock Hudson 
and Barbara Rush for “Captain 
Lightfoot.” 

Nathan Cummings. Consolidated 
Foods chairman, flew in Sonia 
Henie, Vera-Ellen, Esther Williams 
and hubby Ben Gage. Ann Miller, 
Ginny Simms, Cobina Wright, 
Cesar Romero and the Ed Gard- 
ners as guests at opening hoopla of 
a new' CF plant. 


L.A. to N.Y. 

— Continued from page 2 

work between Chicago and New 
York is one of those irritations. 

Santa Fe’s Twofers 

The Sante Fe Chief and Super- 
Chief, with their Fred Harvey din- 
ingcar service, have probably “the 
best coffee” extant — apparently a 
dedicated objective — but the food 
prices are high. Service is good. 
The road itself now (1) has a Mon- 
day - Tuesday - Wednesday “family 
plan” rate (two-for-ones) which 
saves about $100 on RR fare; (2) 
makes a quasi-showmanship pitch 
with a “Dome Car,” which affords 
a skyview ride, midriff in the train. 
The “Dome Car” is part of an 
auxiliary club car. The third 
“show’manship” attempt is a little 
packet which includes stationery, 
.timetable, pencil stub, ginrummy 
score sheet, all with the trade- 
marked Navajo Indian motif of the 
Far West. 

But there are certainly short- 
comings which the RR officials 
could only discern if they rode 
their own trains as ordinary pas- 
sengers and not in their private 
cars. For example, why the sleep- 
ing car porters aren’t instructed 
not to bang the Pullman berths, 
which they make up and put down 
at all hours, is an elementary ques- 
tion. Granting the sometimes early 
a.m. getter-offers, be it in Kansas 
City or San Bernardino, and points 
in between, the prime appeal of 
train travel, to many, is the leisure 
and the rest. Ever try and sleep 
with those conditions? There are 
plenty of “Quiet” signs, of course, 
agaiflst nQise by the passengers 
themselves, but too often the por- 
ters, in their unthinking routine 
are the prime offenders. Maybe it’s 
too ingrained a habit to break, of 
course. 

There are, of course, some ges- 
tures. The Sante Fe’s J. P. Rein- 
hold, as assistant to the president, 
invariably cuffos a de luxe dinner 
to VIPs traveling L.A. to N.Y. and 
vice versa. On the whole, hotels 
are far ahead In impressing the 
traveler. For example, hoteliers 
long ago learned the great divi- 
dends that come from a bright 
shaving mirror in the bathroom. 
Not in the Pullmans. 

These remarks are made by • 
tourist who prefers the choochoo 
for rest. Others mu t feel the 
same way. Yet, against this, the 
planes haven’t taken over business 
ijust by happenstance. 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 


63 


OBITUARIES 


FRED BRADNA 

Fred Bradna, 83, equestrian di- 
rector emeritus of the Ringling 
Bros, and Barnum & Bailey Cir- 
cus, died Feb. 21 in Sarasota, Fla. 

Bom in Strasbourg, Alsace, he 
was christened for his father, 
Frederick Ferber. He changed his 
name to Bradna after marrying 
bareback rider Ella Bradna in 
1902. His father, operator of a 
substantial brewery business, dis- 
owned him because of the* mar- 
riage. 

Prior to his marriage, Bradna 
had been a German cavalry officer. 
He relinquished his rank to join 
his wife as a circus act. Together 
they came to the U.S. in 1903 as 
riders for the Barnum & Bai!ey 
Circus, which later merged with 
the Ringling Bros, circus. He 
trouped with the B & B show for 
11 years and was equestrian direc- 
tor of the Ringling Bros. & Bar- 
num & Bailey for an additional 31 
years. 

In ill health for several months, 
Bradna retired in 1945 and wrote 
his memoirs, published in 1952 
under the title, "The Big Top." 

Wife and a daughter survive. 


HARRY M. BERMAN 

Harry M. Berman, 56, songwriter 
and former vaude comic, died Feb. 
15 in San Francisco. Known pro- 
fessionally as Bobby Burns, he 
shared billings with Eddie Cantor, 
A1 Jolson and Milton Berle, and 
for some years operated one of 
Hollywood’s first nightclubs, a 
cellar known as B.B.B.’s. 

During his tunesmith days Ber- 
man’s biggest songhlt was "I Faw 
Down and Go Boom." Retiring 
from show biz nearly 20 years ago, 
he had attained some fame more 
recently as a dog judge, specializ- 
ing in Schnauzers. He also ran a 
stationery store in Redwood City, 
south of Frisco. 

His wife and sister survive him. 


JAMES H. DOYLE 
James H. Doyle, stage director, 
actor and writer for half a cen- 


HENRY W. KAHN 

"Good nifht — swoot Frisco" 

David and Sylvia Badar 


tury, died Feb. 12 in Los Angeles 
of complications following major 
surgery. 

He directed stock companies in 
Providence, Boston, Portland, 
Richmond, Norfolk, Cleveland and 
Dayton, and was associated in the 
early days with such notables as 
Tallulah Bankhead, Helen Menken, 
William Powell, Bert Wheeler, 
Thomas Mitchell, Lynn Overman 
and Ralph Bellamy. 

Surviving is his wife, Mrs. Ger- 
trude DeMont Doyle, onetime 
leading actress in her own right. 


PETER MARTYN 

Peter Martyn, 27, British film, 
legit and tv actor, died Feb. 16 in 
London. He was taken ill a month 
ago and withdrew from chairman- 
ship of the BBC-TV panel game, 
"Find the Link." 

Martyn was formerly a member 
of the New York Group Theatre 
and played a small part in the 
Broadway edition of "The Brown- 
ing Version." He had also done 
tv work in America. He had been 
signed for a role in Sir Alexander 
Korda’s "None But the Brave," 
but had to retire from the part 
owing to his illness. He was un- 
married. 


CHARLES HARRIS 

Charles Harris, longtime legit 
general manager, died Feb. 17 in 
New York. He had most recently 
been associated with the Broadway 
production of "Portrait of a Lady" 
at the ANTA Playhouse and prior 
to that had been with "Wonderful 
Town." He had also been general 
manager for George Abbott for 
many years. He was around 68. 

Among his survivors are a son, 
Joe Harris, company manager of 
"Silk Stockings,” which opens on 
Broadway tomorrow (Thurs.), and 
a brother, Lew Harris, Ziegfeld 
Theatre, N. Y., treasurer. 


JOSEPH LaMONICA 

Joseph LaMonica, 83, former 
Philadelphia Orchestra flutist and 
composer, died Feb. 17 in that city. 
Born in Italy, he came to the U.S. 
in 1900 to become a member of El- 
lery’s First Italian Band. 

His most ambitious composition 
was an opera, ^Festival of Gauri", 
excerpts from which Leopold 
Stokowski premiered. He also 


conducted the Ocean City, N.J., 
Municipal Orchestra for many sea- 
sons. 

His wife and seven children sur- 
vive. 


HARRY KAHNE 

Harry Kahne, 60, vet vaudevil- 
lian, died Feb. 15 in Los Angeles 
of a heart attack. With his wife, 
Marguerite, he toured vaude cir- 
cuits all over the world for a quar- 
ter century, billed as the "Upside 
Down apd Backwards Mental Wiz- 
ard." 

During the past four years, he 
headlined USO troupes to Korea, 
Alaska, North Africa and Europe. 

Surviving is his wife and two 
brothers. 


ROBERT W. FOX 
Robert W. Fox, leading north of 
England exhib, died Feb. 11 in 
Manchester, Eng. He first became 
associated with the film industry 
in the U.S. and continued in it on 
his return to England in 1908. 

After 1918 Fox was engaged in 
distribution, but had concentrated 
on exhibiting since 1936. He took 
an active interest in the cinema 
trade benevolent fund. 

Survived by his wife, who is 
manager of The Cinema, Lymm. 


HENRY W. KAHN 

Henry W. Kahn, 67, film im- 
porter and exporter, died Feb. 16 
in Forest Hills, N. Y. Active in the 
foreign film field for many years, 
he headed Henry W. Kahn Enter- 
prises, a film import-export firm. 
Kahn also had held continental 
managerial posts for 20th Fox, 
Warners and Paramount and was 
European rep for the Motion Pic- 
ture Export Assn. 

Wife and a daughter survive. 


ROLAND DAVIS 
Roland Davis, 66, veteran vaude- 
villian and radio comic, died Feb. 
15 in Chicago. He began his ca- 
reer at 12, when he ran away from 
home to join the circus. 

For over 50 years Davis traveled 
vaude circuits with a song and 
dance routine. He was a radio pi- 
oneer, known on Chicago’s early 
radio stations, WQJ and KYW, as 
•The Clown of the Air." 

His son and a sister survive. 


HENRI LETONDAL 

Henri Letondal, 53, French ac- 
tor, died Feb. 14 in Burbank, Cal., 
of a heart attack. In addition to 
his acting, he also was a Holly- 
wood correspondent for French 
and French-Canadian newspapers, 
and tape recorded a film column 
for airing in France and Canada. 
He was secretary of the Foreign 
Press Assn, of Hollywood at the 
time of his death. 

Surviving is his wife. 


CHARLES STIEFEL 
Charles Stiefel, 65, indie film 
chain operator, died of a heart at- 
tack Feb. 15 in Philadelphia’s Bel- 
levue Stratford Hotel. He had 
taken the rs-nm after being stricken 
earlier at tne Variety Club, which 
has quarters in the hostelry. 

Stiefel, who was a partner in 
Stiefel-Blumberg Theatres, is sur- 
vived by his wife and two sons. 


JOSEPH L. BRACKEN JR. 

Joseph L. Bracken Jr., brother 
of film-legit actor Eddie Bracken, 
and an attorney with the law firm 
of Sargoy & Stein, active in copy- 
right representation for the major 
film companies, died Feb. 18 in 
Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Surviving besides his brother, 
Eddie, are his wife, parents and 
another brother. 


ARTHUR S. ROSS 

Arthur S. Ross, 75, veteran of a 
half century on the stage, died 
Feb. 17, in Hollywood, as the re- 
sult of injuries sustained in an 
auto accident. He was best known 
for his role of Potash in the yester- 
year legit comedy, "Potash and 
Perl mutter.” 

His wife and daughter survive. 


GUY SAMPSEL 
Guy Sampsel, actor and former 
vaudevillian, died Feb. 17, in New 
York. He had performed on Broad- 
way in such shows as “Uncle 
Harry" and “I Remember Mama" 
and toured both in the U. S. and 
abroad in a vaude act tagged "The 
Woman Haters Club.” 

Wife survives. 


HARRY J. DONNELLY 

Harry J. Donnelly, 61, songwriter 
and onetime accompanist for Jim- 
my Durante, died Feb. 18, in 
Brooklyn. He wrote Durante’s 
trademark tune, "Inka Dinka Doo." 

He also played piano for Durante 


in the Broadway musicals, "Red 
Hot and Blue” and "Jumbo.” 


ETHEL M. ROBINSON 

Ethel M. Robinson, 73, talent 
scout for the Polack Bros. Circus, 
died last week in Chicago. She 
had fonnerly been head of the fair 
booking department of the Vaude- 
ville Managers’ Assn. 

Two sisters survive. 


Uncle, Thomas Quinn, of Tom 
Curtiss, N. Y. Herald Tribune 
(Paris) drama critic and Variety 
Paris correspondent, died of a 
heart attack in Florida. The news- 
paperman — Thomas Quinn Curtiss 
— was named for his mother’s 
brother. 


Charles (Jockey) Haefell, 66, 
former stuntman and assistant di- 
rector, died Feb. 12 in Hollywood. 
He stunted for such silent films as 
"Four Horsemen of the Apoca- 
lypse," "Merry-Go-Round” and 
"The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” 


Mrs. Adelaide Marion, 78, widow 
of the late George Marion, died 
Feb. 20, in Los Angeles. Prior to 
her marriage to the actor, she ap- 
peared on the Broadway stage as 
Adelaide Orton. Surviving is a sis- 
ter, Josephine Durfee. 


Edgar Kahn, 52, one of the most 
prolific stage and screen writers in 
Germany, died Jan. 29 of a heart 
attack in Hamburg. He scripted 28 
German films. His last picture, 
"Roses of the South,” was just 
released. 


John R. Maroney. 55, former 
chief of Interstate Circuit’s legal 
department, fell to his death Feb. 
16 from atop an 11-story Dallas of- 
fice building. Upon retiring in 
Feb., 1951, he sold his stock in the 
loop. 


Mrs. Melanie Wyler, 77, mother 
of producer-director William Wyler 
and screen writer Robert Wyler, 
died Feb. 13 in Hollywood of neart 
failure. She was a cousin of the 
late Carl Laemmle. 


John McDermott, 64, former 
singer on the Keith circuit and 
more recently a Common Pleas 
Court crier, died Feb. 16 in West 
Philadelphia. Two sons and three 
daughters survive. 


Jack Greenwood, 48, vet assist- 
ant director, died Feb. 13 in Holly- 
wood of a stroke. He is survived 
by his wife, a son, two sisters and 
brother. 


Albino DtJanni, 66, a solo violin- 
ist of the Metropolitan Opera 
orch for 25 years, died Feb. 19, in 
Corona, N. Y. 


Mother, 73, of Mrs. Karl (Co- 
rinne) Bernstein, wife of the legit 
p.a., died in Ne\^ York Feb. 20. 

George J. Hoey, 70, longtime 
character actor, died Feb. 17, in 
Hollywood. His wife survives. 


Uncle, 77, of actor-playwright 
Elliott Nugent died Feb. 15 in 
Cambridge, O. 


Albert H. Knight, 65, studio 
technician for years, died Feb. 15 
in Hollywood. 


Downes’ Attack 

Continued from page 2 

der him "the opera wing has fallen 
into second-class status.” He also 
belabored the board of directors 
for their "administrative weakness" 
and for permitting "unwarranted 
interference" in the managing di- 
rector’s (Kirstein’s) functions. "It 
might even be a very good idea 
to have some changes in the board 
of directors," Downes concluded. 

The second Sunday column con- 
tinued tlje attack on the board, and 
referred' to their "star chamber" 
proceedings on several matters. 
The third column was more of the 
same. In it, Downes also mentioned 
the curious happenstance of a 
board member writing to the 
Times criticizing him for his stand, 
and a day later writing to ask that 
the letter, and Downes’ reply, not 
be published. 

Strangely enough, on the same 
Sunday that the Times entertain- 
ment section ran the first two- 
column length Downes article, the 
news sections also carried an elab- 
orate overall news story on the 
Center by Foster Hailey that ran 
over two columns. Where Downes’ 
article was pro-Kirstein and anti- 
board, the news story, fair though 
it was, seemed to lean back in pre- 
senting the board’s side fully. Some 
of the information in it could only 
have been gotten by assistance of 
board chiefs, and was in direct 
contrast to the “no comment" of 
those execs when the Times and 


other papers originally approached 
them when Kirstein resigned. 

A couple of days after Downes’ 
first column, the N. Y. Herald Trib- 
une ran an editorial on the Center, 
which took Kirstein’s side, and 
suggested — like Downes — that it 
might be time for "a change of 
outlook — and even a change of per- 
sonnel — among the responsible of- 
ficials." 

Then, three days later, when the 
N. Y. Board of Estimate voted on 
a long-pending matter to cut the 
Center’s rent to a nominal $1 a 
year — a routine story that would 
normally be carried inside a paper 
— the Times played the rental mat- 
ter up big with a two-column head 
on Page One. Timing of the Board 
of Estimate’s move, plus a Times 
editorial the next day praising the 
BOE’s a.ctioji, were regarded a lit- 
tle jaundicedly in certain circles 
as also being “inspired." 

Ncwbold Morris, the Center’s 
board chairman, and Morton Baum, 
finance committee head, are the 
board’s guiding lights. It’s felt 
they’ve got a good deal on their 
side, and that it’s surprising that 
they’ve made no formal statements 
Hunting For Scalps? 

It’s become obvious to some ob- 
servers that Downes is not only 
gunning for Rosenstock’s scalp, but 
for Morris’ and Baum’s as well. 
He mentioned the latter two by 
name for the first time last Sun- 
day. The sustained triple-week 
drive is reminiscent of Downes’ 
successful campaign 15 years ago 
to get John Barbirolli out of the 
conductorship of the N. Y. Phil- 
harmonic, when the Britisher suc- 
ceeded Arturo Toscanini in that 
post. 

The Herald Tribune’s music 
critic, Paul Henry Lang, so far 
has taken no personal stand in the 
matter (except for a passing ref- 
erence last Sunday), apparently be- 
cause this is his first season in the 
slot and he’s feeling his way. Gen- 
eral belief;' though, is that his 
predecessor, Virgil Thomson, the 
most outspoken and caustic of pres- 
entday music critics (who also lam- 
basted Barbirolli), would have 
blasted the roof (and a few indi- 
viduals) off the situation, and prob- 
ably also taken Kirstein’s side 
against the board. 

The board was split 13-12 against 
supporting Kirstein on policy, and 
some feeling was expressed that 
with only one majority, the 12 
minority should have resigned. If 
someone else of prominence be- 
sides Downes should apply the 
needle, it’s felt this might happen. 

On the other hand, there is be- 
lief that the board chiefs will ride 
out the Kirstein affair as they did 
the Laszlo Halasz incident four 
years ago, and that the fuss will 
die down. Interestingly enough, 
when the N. Y. City Ballet (of 
which Kirstein is still head) opened 
its winter season at the Center 
last week, Morris and Baum were 
both conspicuous by their absence. 


Heart Assn. 

. Continued from pace I 

stations all over the country a cou- 
ple of weeks ago, for telecasting 
last week, with the majority of the 
playdates coming Sunday (20) to 
coincide with “Heart Sunday,” 
when volunteers in many parts of 
the country canvassed neighbor- 
hoods for solicitations. 

Although Western Theatre Au- 
thority refused clearance for the 
show about a month ago, the Heart 
Assn, went ahead with the project. 
Although Heart Assn, wouldn’t 
comment on the situation, it’s 
known that the Assn., after con- 
sultation with ad agencies, net- 
works and the National Assn, of 
Radio-Television Broadcasters, de- 
cided that Theatre Authority had 
no legal grounds on which to ban 
the show. 

Reason for TA’s refusal to clear 
the program wasn’t made clear, but 
the general position is understood 
to have been that this was a fund- 
raising venture which TA couldn’t 
okay. Heart Fund felt differently, 
pointing out that there was no di- 
rect solicitations on the show and 
that previous programs involving 
direct solicitations had been okayed 
by the Authority. The Heart Fund 
did yield to the point of withdraw- 
ing a Jackie Gleason kinescoped 
segment from the show when 
AFTRA refused to clear it, saying 
that such clearance was up to TA. 
It’s understood also that the Fund 
offered to pay Screen Actors 
Guild minimum scales, but SAG 
turned the problem over to the Au- 
thority, at which point the Fund 
decided to openly defy the jurisdic- 
tion of TA. 


Singing the Blues 

— Continued from pax* 1 

being knocked over by the r&b 
cycle, but by the general demand 
for offbeat stuff. Femme vocal 
groups, which used to be a drug 
on .the market only a few months 
ago, are now hitting big. Such 
combos as the McGuire Sisters, 
Fontane Sisters and DeJohn Sis- 
ters are one, two, three disk attrac- 
tions currently. 

The Crew-Cuts is another combo 
mopping up in the current tune 
trend, as is Bill Haley & His 
Comets. The Penguins, on the in- 
die Dootone label, have also been 
clicking with their original r&b in- 
terpretation of "Earth Angel,” al- 
though the Crew-Cuts are outpac- 
ing them in sales. 

Like the influx of hillbilly names 
into the pop market about four 
years ago, the r&b cycle is turning 
up its share of new combos and 
singers. These include The Charms, 
The Five Keys, Lavcrn Baker, Fats 
Domino, Gene & Eunice, the 
Moonglows, and a flock of other 
such combos. 

Topsyturvy nature of the current 
disk biz is spotlighted by the dom- 
inance of the small labels among 
the top 10 or 15 disks. Companies 
like Dot, Cadence, Coral. Epic and 
Mercury are riding roughshod over 
the Big Four of Victor, Columbia, 
Decca and Capitol. 

That there’s no completely uni- 
form pattern to the music biz is 
revealed by the presence of an 
oldie ballad like "Melody of Love" 
among the topsollers. Also a legiti- 
mate tune like "That’s All I Want 
From You" continues to hold up 
despite the demand for the "Ko Ko 
Mos" and "Tweedle-Dees." 


MARRIAGES 

Julia Adams to Ray Danton, 
Santa Barbara, Cal., Feb. 20. Both 
are film players. 

Elia Caudillo to Aurelio Atayde, 
Mexico City, Feb. 14. He’s a circus 
impresario. 

Mrs. Katharine Barnes Bryan to 
John O’Hara, New York, Jan. 31. 
He’s the author. 

Mary Hunter to Herman Wolf, 
Feb. 18, New York. Bride is stage 
director, recently executive pro- 
ducer with Theatre Guild; groom 
is public relations counsel and aide 
to Gov. Abraham L. Ribicoff of 
Connecticut. 

Ann Sullivan to David Hughes, 
Melbourne, Australia, Feb. 14.- 
Bride’s a dancer; he’s w.k. English 
singer. 

Patricia Kerwin to George Her- 
man, Washington, Feb. 20. Bride 
is ex-White House aide; groom is 
CBS newsman. 

Corky Lindgren to Benne Belle 
Prickette, Bakersfield, Calif., Feb. 
11. He’s a member of The Lan- 
cers, vocal combo. 

Betty Jo Landes to Jimmy 
Caesar, Los Angeles, Feb. 19. Bride 
is cast member of the Ice Follies; 
he’s in "Skating Stars." 


BIRTHS 

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Horton, 
son, Norwalk, Conn., Feb. 15. Fa- 
ther is NBC director of informa- 
tion. 

Mr. and Mrs. A1 Warde, son, Los 
Angeles, Feb. 10. Father is a 
screen writer. 

Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel Figueroa, 
daughter, Mexico City, Feb. 10. 
Father is a cameraman. 

Mr. and Mrs. Myron Joscphson, 
daughter, Brooklyn, Feb. 16. Fa- 
ther is with Metro’s special service 
department. 

Mr. and Mrs. John II. Zeeman, 
son, New York, Feb. 15. Mother, 
the former Joan Javits, is a song- 
writer. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hugh MacDonald, 
son, New York, Feb. 15. Father is 
advertising production manager for 
ABC. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Tracey, daugh- 
ter, Chicago, Feb. 16. Father is the 
editor of Downbeat mag. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Yaeger, son, 
San Francisco, Feb. 15. Father is 
KROW program director. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Pleis, son, 
New York, Feb. 17. Mother is 
singer Karen Chandler; father is 
musical director at Decca Records. 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles "Chuck" 
Dreyfus, daughter, New York, Feb. 
16. Father is a publicist. 

Dr. and Mrs. Nathan Hiatt, 
daughter, Hollywood, Feb. 17. Child 
is the granddaughter of Harry M. 
Warner. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jean Robier, 
Kansas City, Feb. 18. Mother is 
ballerina Rosella Hightower; father 
is scenic designer of Marquis de 
Cuevas Grand Ballet. 

Mr. and Mrs. Norman Leebron, 
son, Philadelphia, Feb. 12. Father 
is film manager at WCAU-TV. 




64 


Wednesday, February 23, 1955 



KXRIETY 

“LISA KIRK is back at the Per- 
sia^ Room for the sixth consecu- 
tive year ... A personal triumph 
for her, as well as a financial one 
for the hotel . . . Aside from her 
physical attractions, MISS KIRK 
displays a warmth of voice and 
personality . . . The night club 
turn is her special metier and she's 
endowed it with careful staging 
and a hatful of fine arrangements. 
Miss Kirk can turn out a tune with 
the best of them. She’s got a 
warm, low-keyed voice, which can 
handle ballads and rhythm with 
equal facility, and she’s not above 
an occasional red-hot-mammaish 
outburst.” Chan. 


ROBERT W. DANA 

New York World Telegram & Sun 

“Everybody just loves USA . . . 
she gives a very alive perform- 
ance. There’s almost always a 
smile on her face and her gaiety 
is convincingly genuine. It’s an 
entirely new. better than ever per- 
formance by the slim trim singer 
with the surprising curves. LISA 
is definitely decidedly different. 
She always has the audience under 
complete control and enthusiasti- 
cally applauding her happy change 
of pace, her sophisticated way of 
being happy in song.” 


BILLBOARD 

“The Persian Room glows with 
LISA KIRK’s songs . . . warmth 
and vitality are there . . . Her 
projection improves steadily with 
the years . . . Cap. vated Persian 
Room customers with a fine variety 
of vocals ranging from rhythm spe- 
cialties to ballads . . . for a finale 
she whips off her skirt to chant 
about that handsome brunette on 
the cover of the Police Gazette 
and from this viewing table the 
mag never had better legs on its 
cover.” 


FRANK FARRELL 

Ne to York World Telegram & Sun 

“LISA KIRK fills any room with 
gaiety and song and now she's 
filling an illustrious pair of stock- 
ings with oomph!” 

LEE MORTIMER 

New York Daily Mirror 

“LOVELY LISA KIRK BREAKING 
RECORDS AT PLAZA” 

“Currently breaking all records 
at the swank Plaza Persian Room 
. . . Beautiful and exotic warbler 
has never been lovelier or in bet- 
ter voice and if you don’t rush 
right over to the Plaza you’re miss* 
ing a sure thing.” 


WALTER WINCIIELL 

“Big-Time Entertainer 


ED SULLIVAN 

“LISA KIRK: A big click! 


DANTON WALKER 

New York Daily News 

“LISA KIRK’s new note in sup- 
per club entertainment is a sock 
finish which includes revealing her 
legs (and what legs!) in an attrac- 
tive set of tights.” 


IIY GARDNER 

New York Herald Tribune 

“LISA KIRK’s act is the most 
refreshing, earfully and eyefully, 
along the super-supper-club cir- 
cuit.” 


BEN GROSS 

New York Daily News 

“Whether on TV or in a supper 
club, LISA KIRK is a superb per- 
former.” 

FRANCES MF.RRON 

New York Daily Mirror 

“LISA KIRK knows how to lend 
a champagne flavor to every love 
lyric, and had a magnum of ’em 
for the posh opening night crowd.’* 


LOUIS SOBOL 

New York Journal American 

“LISA KIRK buoyant and self- 
assured wowed ’em at the Plaza's 
Persian Room with her merrie dit- 
ties — but really raised the roof 
when she stripped off her skirt 
and flashed those million dollar 
gams.” 


MARTIN BURDEN 

New York Post 

“LISA ^KIRK's act is becoming 
a standby, and no wonder — it’s 
great!” 


JIM O’CONNOR 

New York Journal American 

“A superb performer who adds 
a musical comedy flavor to a superb 
supper club act. She’s money in 
the bank for any spot!” 


BOB FARRELL 

Brooklyn Eagle 

“HALL OF ACCLAIM”— LISA 
KIRK's marvelous thrushing at the 
Plaza’s Persian Room ...” 


Just Concluded (6th Engagement) PERSIAN ROOM, Hotel Plaza, New York 

^ Future Engagements 

SHAMROCK HOTEL, Houston STATLER HOTEL, Cleveland 

STATLER HOTEL, Detroit STATLER HOTEL, Washington, D. C. 

PALMER HOUSE, Chicago 


Press Relations: SOLTERS-O'ROURKE 


Direction: WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY 


Scanned from microfilm from the collections of 
The Library of Congress 
National Audio Conservation Center 


Coordinated and sponsored by 


M E D I A 

HESTQRV 


i: 



A search of the records of the United States Copyright Office 
has determined that this work is in the public domain.